So, David, what do I get for my $99? at DVinfo.net

Stacy Rothwell · January 25th, 2006, 12:15 AM

David,

I am quite irked about the required upgrade to Aspect 4.0.

I cannot see one single benefit (i.e. feature enchancement) over v3.4 with using my Z1U.

It seems like Cineform is just taking the opportunity to hold its hand out for cash since people will be upgrading to PP2.0.

I am just venting. I guess I have no choice to pay since I've already upgraded to PP2.0 and it would be silly not to "upgrade" (upgrade usually signifies that there is some benefit to the upgrade) Aspect HD as well.

Please tell me my $99 is not just a "use tax" and that sometime in the VERY near future there will actually be some new features, please.

Regards,

David Newman · January 25th, 2006, 01:32 AM

CineForm releases new features every fews months, as we don't tend to hold on to features to make customers pay for them every 12 months like larger companies do. Short release schedules are better for the customer, bug fixes come faster, and new camera support and features sooner. So upgrading will allow you so continue to receive many new features, and allows us to continue to improve your editing experience.

Stacy Rothwell · January 25th, 2006, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Newman

CineForm releases new features every fews months, as we don't tend to hold on to features to make customers pay for them every 12 months like larger companies do. Short release schedules are better for the customer, bug fixes come faster, and new camera support and features sooner. So upgrading will allow you so continue to receive many new features, and allows us to continue to improve your editing experience.

David, thank you for your reply.

With all respect, what am I getting for the mandatory upgrade fee for using my Z1U? I will not be getting a new camera.

The last feature I've seen is the bug fix that allowed batch capture on a Z1/FX1.

I'm just trying to see the justification in charging $99 for an upgrade to a product that I already paid $500 for that, in my opionion, just started working as advertized with the latest release. I have no intention of buying another camera so what am I getting for paying another $99? Bug fixes? That seems a little odd to charge money for fixing problems that shouldn't have been there to begin with.

Again, I understand you're adding support for new cameras. I'm not buying a new camera. I am perfectly happy with AspectHD the way it works with my Z1U. It seems odd to me that we're being charged and upgrade fee for a version that has no new features. In fact, actually works LESS becuase of the requirement that we still have PP1.5 installed on the machine or it cannot render.

It seems kind of thin to try to get $99 just so the same featureset works in a new vesion of someone else's software.

Regards,

Michael Stewart · January 25th, 2006, 09:07 AM

Hi Stacy, each of us views things a little different (not saying your point is not valid) I have been using this plugin since the previous December (when the FX1 came out) I cannot think of a time that anything was promised that this plugin could not do, they have always been upfront about it's limitations and it's strengths. You know what amazes me, and I challange anyone to name a company like this one, that interacts with there customers almost on a one on one basis, daily to resolve issues, yeah in a perfect world everything would work perfect right off the bat, but going through the Adobe gambut for a number of years (Premiere 4 on) it is refreshing to see what Cineform is doing (I know your not bashing them, just making a point) I see it like this, the previous plugin works great (PPro 1.5) a person could stay with that and be fat and happy:) Adobe just did not come up with a simple update for Premiere, it has a whole new interface, all kinds of new features, I am not a programmer, but I imagine alot of extra time was taken to port it over (could be wrong) and make it work with PPro2 (not to mention multicam) I guess a major upgrade to an NLE to me warrants an upgrade price for the plugin (hey people gotta eat :) I would pay an extra $99 dollars just for Adobe to listen to me!! :) as it stands, I paid $299.00 to "beta test" there stuff for them untill the next update 6 months from now (dot "1" update at that!) Once again, not disregarding your point, just wanted to chime in.

PS. I thought another fix was for you Z1 guys recently "• Batch capture now supports use of tapes with time code starting at a non-zero number", now that I think of it, I can remember almost every post that links to a customer concern or request that has led to a particular update, amazing really.

Cheers
Mike

David Newman · January 25th, 2006, 10:54 AM

Thanks Michael.

Stacy, the point I was trying to make, is could have saved up those features your are now happily using with your Z1, but only releasing 3.0 than pay upgrade to 4.0 -- but we didn't do that as that does help anyone. So you in a glass half full world, you where given a 12 months 0% interest on all the features of 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4. In a glass half empty world you get all the free features of 4.1, 4.2, etc. As for 4.0 you are getting improvements, and your going to get what is coming up which many users will appreciate (more features not just new camera support.)

Today the biggest changes are to the VfW codec, users of any external tools can now (finally) control the quality of their output. Previously tools that used VfW were stuck using interlaced at medium quality (progressive mode and high were not selectable.) This works with tools from AE to Combustion to VirtualDub, and is only in 4.0.

Mick Guzauski · January 25th, 2006, 11:59 AM

Hi,

Just my 2 cents. I think $99 is a perfectly reasonable charge for this upgrade. Cineform has undoubtably spent many man hours upgrading Aspect HD over the past years and has passed no cost on to the customer. I'm sure there was much R&D involved in 4.0 just to support multicam editing. A company cannot survive providing all these upgrades for all eternity supporting a one time purchase. I think a modest fee like this every couple of years is perfectly reasonable.

Mick Guzauski

Joseph Clark · February 4th, 2006, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick Guzauski

Hi,

Just my 2 cents. I think $99 is a perfectly reasonable charge for this upgrade. Cineform has undoubtably spent many man hours upgrading Aspect HD over the past years and has passed no cost on to the customer. I'm sure there was much R&D involved in 4.0 just to support multicam editing. A company cannot survive providing all these upgrades for all eternity supporting a one time purchase. I think a modest fee like this every couple of years is perfectly reasonable.

Mick Guzauski

I do, too. I'm not a heavy user of Premiere anymore, but in the short time I've had with AspectHD I know how good a company Cineform is. You just don't get service like this from a company like Adobe.

Steven Gotz · February 4th, 2006, 07:11 PM

If I could pay Adobe $99 and get the kind of support David gives on this and other forums, I would be calling them right now with a credit card number!

David Taylor · February 4th, 2006, 08:26 PM

We're one week into the three that David Newman is away. I'm sorry we're not quite as immediately responsive and insightful in his absence. Because we aren't (yet) as big as Adobe - we'll buy them out one of these days :-) - even a vacation can get in the way.

We realize there are a few issues some of you are dealing with. Our tech support guys will be more active on this forum next week.

January 25th, 2006, 12:15 AM	#1
Stacy Rothwell Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 112	So, David, what do I get for my $99? David, I am quite irked about the required upgrade to Aspect 4.0. I cannot see one single benefit (i.e. feature enchancement) over v3.4 with using my Z1U. It seems like Cineform is just taking the opportunity to hold its hand out for cash since people will be upgrading to PP2.0. I am just venting. I guess I have no choice to pay since I've already upgraded to PP2.0 and it would be silly not to "upgrade" (upgrade usually signifies that there is some benefit to the upgrade) Aspect HD as well. Please tell me my $99 is not just a "use tax" and that sometime in the VERY near future there will actually be some new features, please. Regards,

January 25th, 2006, 01:32 AM	#2
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	CineForm releases new features every fews months, as we don't tend to hold on to features to make customers pay for them every 12 months like larger companies do. Short release schedules are better for the customer, bug fixes come faster, and new camera support and features sooner. So upgrading will allow you so continue to receive many new features, and allows us to continue to improve your editing experience. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

January 25th, 2006, 10:54 AM	#5
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Thanks Michael. Stacy, the point I was trying to make, is could have saved up those features your are now happily using with your Z1, but only releasing 3.0 than pay upgrade to 4.0 -- but we didn't do that as that does help anyone. So you in a glass half full world, you where given a 12 months 0% interest on all the features of 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4. In a glass half empty world you get all the free features of 4.1, 4.2, etc. As for 4.0 you are getting improvements, and your going to get what is coming up which many users will appreciate (more features not just new camera support.) Today the biggest changes are to the VfW codec, users of any external tools can now (finally) control the quality of their output. Previously tools that used VfW were stuck using interlaced at medium quality (progressive mode and high were not selectable.) This works with tools from AE to Combustion to VirtualDub, and is only in 4.0. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

February 4th, 2006, 07:11 PM	#8
Steven Gotz Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 1,520	If I could pay Adobe $99 and get the kind of support David gives on this and other forums, I would be calling them right now with a credit card number! __________________ Steven Gotz http://www.stevengotz.com

January 25th, 2006, 09:07 AM	#4
Michael Stewart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Spokane, Wa. Posts: 445	Hi Stacy, each of us views things a little different (not saying your point is not valid) I have been using this plugin since the previous December (when the FX1 came out) I cannot think of a time that anything was promised that this plugin could not do, they have always been upfront about it's limitations and it's strengths. You know what amazes me, and I challange anyone to name a company like this one, that interacts with there customers almost on a one on one basis, daily to resolve issues, yeah in a perfect world everything would work perfect right off the bat, but going through the Adobe gambut for a number of years (Premiere 4 on) it is refreshing to see what Cineform is doing (I know your not bashing them, just making a point) I see it like this, the previous plugin works great (PPro 1.5) a person could stay with that and be fat and happy:) Adobe just did not come up with a simple update for Premiere, it has a whole new interface, all kinds of new features, I am not a programmer, but I imagine alot of extra time was taken to port it over (could be wrong) and make it work with PPro2 (not to mention multicam) I guess a major upgrade to an NLE to me warrants an upgrade price for the plugin (hey people gotta eat :) I would pay an extra $99 dollars just for Adobe to listen to me!! :) as it stands, I paid $299.00 to "beta test" there stuff for them untill the next update 6 months from now (dot "1" update at that!) Once again, not disregarding your point, just wanted to chime in. PS. I thought another fix was for you Z1 guys recently "• Batch capture now supports use of tapes with time code starting at a non-zero number", now that I think of it, I can remember almost every post that links to a customer concern or request that has led to a particular update, amazing really. Cheers Mike

January 25th, 2006, 11:59 AM	#6
Mick Guzauski New Boot Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mount Kisco, New York Posts: 19	Hi, Just my 2 cents. I think $99 is a perfectly reasonable charge for this upgrade. Cineform has undoubtably spent many man hours upgrading Aspect HD over the past years and has passed no cost on to the customer. I'm sure there was much R&D involved in 4.0 just to support multicam editing. A company cannot survive providing all these upgrades for all eternity supporting a one time purchase. I think a modest fee like this every couple of years is perfectly reasonable. Mick Guzauski

February 4th, 2006, 08:26 PM	#9
David Taylor Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Solana Beach, CA Posts: 853	We're one week into the three that David Newman is away. I'm sorry we're not quite as immediately responsive and insightful in his absence. Because we aren't (yet) as big as Adobe - we'll buy them out one of these days :-) - even a vacation can get in the way. We realize there are a few issues some of you are dealing with. Our tech support guys will be more active on this forum next week.