Video Factory's clumsy and unreliable MPEG plug-in scheme

wvg wrote on 8/5/2001, 8:46 PM
You're trying my patience Sonic Foundry!

As I reported in another thread, I'm having trouble with AVI's rendering. So I tried installing Video Factory on a second machine to see if I could duplicate the problem and debug it. I jumped through all the silly hoops required for online registration to get another "activation code" for the MPEG plug-in and I applied the registry patch I was sent via email. I did EVERYTHING asked of me.

Well it didn’t work this time. It did work on my other machine on my original install. This time it don’t work at all. Yes, I rebooted. Yes I carefully entered the correct registration number and yes, I clicked on the "register on another computer option" And yes, I got another registration code for all the good it does. I can not open any MPEG file on this install. I can’t even preview any MPEG. Even enough though Video Factory claims it “successfully installed the Registry Patch” it obviously has not. Instead Video Factory just sits there showing me all my MPEG files in their various folders not allowing me access to any of them. I'm not happy fooling around WASTING MY TIME with such useless mickey mouse roadblocks that prevent me from using a product I paid for and installed exactly as instructed. I am not inexperienced installing software having accumiliated many thousands of dollars worth in the twenty plus years I’ve used a PC. This has got to be one of the most lame registration schemes I’ve ever seen where you prevent a core function from operating all because of some senseless desire from some pencil pusher to accumuliate information about its user base.

This silly forced registration scheme probably something somebody dreamed up as a "security measure" is infruating to this customer, and I’m sure others. It is excessive and wholly uncecessary. Since I can’t use a product I paid for, I’m using the time instead to voice my disaproval. Maybe the right person will read this. Way to go Sonic Foundry. NOT!

Yes this is a rant. It is one thing to complain about a dropped feature as some here have done. It is something else to be unable to use the product at all because of some dumb, unproven, unworkable and very clumsy registraton process, all for a silly MPEG plug-in that isn't that great to start with. Did I mention I'm NOT happy? Now istead of being able to use a product I paid for on the weekend when I have time, I’m sitting hit fuming waiting till morning to read the riot act to some customer service person. May God have mercy on his soul if I haven't calmed down by then.

Comments

PeeBus wrote on 8/6/2001, 7:47 AM
Good luck. I haven't gotten the VF2, that I paid for, to work either. It tells me I need to upgrade my operating system, which I have already done! Arrrrrgh!

Paul
wvg wrote on 8/6/2001, 10:08 AM
This is offered to help others having a similar problem getting the MPEG plug to "be activated" which is necessary before you can use it.

I called customer support. The reason you need to get an activation code for the MPEG plug-in is because
Sonic has a pay per use license from Ligos for use of their MPEG plug-in, so they need to keep track for accounting purposes.

The "bug" for lack of a better word is the MPEG registration pop-up window may or may not appear or if it does, not work as intended.

It worked fine for me on the first install on my main machine, but not on the 2nd install on my backup machine. BTW, if you get a postcard in the manual saying go to such and such site for the MPEG plug-in, ignore that too, another error, I called to their attention a couple weeks ago. That was for version one, not version two which uses a different MPEG plug-in. They tell me this blopper has since been corrected but if you ordered your upgrade a week or so ago your package may still have the postcard that applies to version one MPEG plug-in.

Here's a work around so you can open video MPEG files in version two:

If you can't get Video Factory 2 to open any MPEG video file, instead open any MPEG audio file. A MP3 should be OK. Drag to timeline, should work, then select make a movie, render as a MPEG. This should bring up the MPEG registraton pop-up window. Select the phone in register option, the customer service person will give you a different activation code. The one I got from the automated online registration process confirmed by a email activation code did work on my main machine, but not the backup which was the reason I wrote my original rant. Getting the activation code from a customer service person seems to work OK.




PeeBus wrote on 8/6/2001, 10:28 AM
Glad to hear it worked. Did you have to pay for assistance since no FREE support is provided for Video Factory?

Paul

wvg wrote on 8/6/2001, 11:00 AM
FREE call, since it was to customer support and not tech support. 1-800-577-6642 US and Canada, other numbers on the first page of your manual.

The help at the above number is limited to registraton issues, which this was. You can also send email to tech support which is free. I just did for my jitter issue. There is a form on Sonic's site under support.
Chienworks wrote on 8/9/2001, 5:36 PM
Just to put in my two cents, i've registered close to a dozen SF software
installations on four different PCs, two with internet access and two
without (using the "register on another computer" option). So far i've
been completely successful every time. The only problem i've had is
that the main options dialog box of SF's install software is usually filled
with "static" instead of having a white background, so i can't read
what's in it. So far this hasn't prevented me from doing the installs.

My only fear is that if SF should someday go belly up, and i have to
replace a drive, how will i reactivate my software? Obviously i don't
wish SF to ever have troubles, but i do hope they have a plan in mind
just in case.
frustrated wrote on 5/10/2003, 11:46 AM
You have all made me feel better. I did a nice project-very easy actually but I saved it and now my VF 2.0a won't let me save in MPEG 1. It sends me to a buy screen which doesn't work. Then I downloaded the 2.0c and can't use that because I am supposed to get a new # via email which I haven't. No conversion program will convert my project to MPEG. I get unreadable or other error messages. Can anyone out there help me? I fear I have wasted $70 and my masters paper is due and I need these short video clips put on cd.
Colleen
SonyTSW wrote on 5/10/2003, 1:25 PM
You should get a register screen for MPEG-1. Are you sure you didn't select MPEG-2 (which is an optional purchase)?

Some email programs automatically delete emails that have a .reg file attachment. Check your deleted emails folder, it may be there.

Alternatively, go to our product registration web page, click Register in the red bar at the top right of this web page. For VF 2, select it from the dropdown and type in your serial number. For MPEG-1, select it from the dropdown and type in your VF 2 serial number. You'll need your computer ID, which is displayed in Help | About from within VF 2. Follow the steps for phone registration/purchase and enter your activation code there.
mpeg_frustrated wrote on 5/26/2003, 3:57 PM
I am using VF 2.0a and seeing exact the same problem 'frustrated' was seeing. SonicTSW 's direction is not working.

Can anybody help?