VideoBuilder Updates

[Eric Athroll]

Hi

A couple of years ago I purchased the update to PTE De Luxe to enable the use of VideoBuilder and have been more than happy with its performance.

However, my two year licence has just expired and I am now wondering whether to extend this licence or not.

The problem I have is that PTE and VideoBuilder require two separate licences, which is fine, yet they are integrated as a single piece of software called PTE De Luxe. As a result it seems impossible to tell whether VideoBuilder has been (or ever will be) updated as if the interface is opened there is no indication of its version.

Why isn't VideoBuilder provided as a separate piece of software (or PTE Plug-in) with some history as to its version and development?

[rmstevens]

Eric,

Open Video builder, click Help then About and the current

state of your licence can be seen,

Regards, Roger

[Eric Athroll]

Eric,

Open Video builder, click Help then About and the current

state of your licence can be seen,

Regards, Roger

Yes, I know that but that is not the problem.

PTE has free lifetime updates. VideoBuilder is obtained by upgrading to PTE De-Luxe, which includes VideoBuilder and two years of updates. I take this to mean that after two years I can continue to use VideoBuilder but cannot then update it further without paying another upgrade fee.

This is not ideal as there is no way to tell what version of VideoBuilder is currently being used nor whether it has been updated with additonal or improved facilitiers that may be worth having or needed.

Like I said, I would have preferred it to be a separate application (or Plug-in) with Versions and Version History.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Yes, I know that but that is not the problem.

PTE has free lifetime updates. VideoBuilder is obtained by upgrading to PTE De-Luxe, which includes VideoBuilder and two years of updates. I take this to mean that after two years I can continue to use VideoBuilder but cannot then update it further without paying another upgrade fee.

This is not ideal as there is no way to tell what version of VideoBuilder is currently being used nor whether it has been updated with additonal or improved facilitiers that may be worth having or needed.

Like I said, I would have preferred it to be a separate application (or Plug-in) with Versions and Version History.

Hi Eric

I's a bit quiet on here today, so I'll tell you what I think, update your video builder & a new licence key will be emailed to you. Copy this into your WNsoft folder in Programmes folder. When PTE & Video builder are originally purchased, you receive two licence keys. It's the way it works, everyone on here thinks it should be changed, but up to now it hasn't.

Yachtsman1

[JEB]

Hi,

I can't give you a definitive answer to this and suspect only Igor can do that. However, if my memory serves be correctly, the introduction of this facility was a major innovation for PTE at the time. Presumably it was a time consuming and costly process. It may well be with the uncertainty of future developments in this field Igor has sensibly given himself a degree of protection by not including it in the main PTE package.

I suspect, though do not know for certain, that there may well have been some tweaks to VB included in some of the PTE upgrades during this time.

I don't know enough about these things but I understand that in some products enhanced software facilities (perhaps VB) are resident in the basic package and only activated by a product key. Just a thought.

Regards

John

P.S. I'm certain that when and if there is a major upgrade to VB we will all know about it.

[nobeefstu]

As a result it seems impossible to tell whether VideoBuilder has been (or ever will be) updated as if the interface is opened there is no indication of its version.

The VideoBuilder version appears to directly relate to the PicturesToExe Deluxe version.

One only needs to read the WhatsNew documentation supplied with each version of PTE since VideoBuilders introduction in v5.0 to find the new features added upon each version release. Here are a few updates and new additons to VideoBuilder that you may not have noticed in the WhatsNew documentation :

Excerpts from WhatsNew :

PicturesToExe Deluxe 5.1 (December 13, 2007)

--------------------------------------------

What's new in PicturesToExe Deluxe

+ VideoBuilder:

> Encoding of DVD-Video disc (and AVI) works in 2-4 times faster now due to optimization for dual-core CPUs and using of hardware acceleration for video post-processing (if modern video card installed). Exactly same video quality as in previous version.

> You can choose a number of items per page in DVD menu.

> MPEG2 files can be added to a project. For example, you can encode your slideshow(s) to MPEG2 video file(s) and then use it again in new projects without re-encoding of it again.

> Music for DVD menu (with "Fade in" and "Fade out" parameters).

> Color adjusting of DVD menu (Hue, Saturation and Lightness). It allows very quickly modify a view of DVD menu and find your own individual style.

> Adjusting of a background image parameters (Tile, Stretch, Fit)

> Support of all kinds of AVI files imported to a project (including AVS video file scripts).

------

PicturesToExe Deluxe 5.6 (January 22, 2009)

--------------------------------------------

What's new in PicturesToExe Deluxe

+ Added export of slideshow as a video. (See Main menu -> Create)

- Export of HD video for playback on PC, Mac.

- Export of video for iPhone/iPod.

- Publish online on Youtube.

- Publish online on Vimeo with HD quality.

[Eric Athroll]

Thanks for all the replies and I can now see that in a roundabout fashion one can seek out any updates to VideoBuilder but it still seems to me to be a strange way to handle what in effect are two separate programmes.

I would hesitate to pay an update fee for VideoBuilder if it doesn't give me any advantage over my present version given that I am limited by my current PC/Hardware.

As my VideoBuilder update fee ran out a week or so ago I shall be interested to see what happens with it when I next update PTE.

[Laszlo K]

Thanks for all the replies and I can now see that in a roundabout fashion one can seek out any updates to VideoBuilder but it still seems to me to be a strange way to handle what in effect are two separate programmes.

I would hesitate to pay an update fee for VideoBuilder if it doesn't give me any advantage over my present version given that I am limited by my current PC/Hardware.

As my VideoBuilder update fee ran out a week or so ago I shall be interested to see what happens with it when I next update PTE.

Strange.

I never had to install two licences. Back when Video builder came out I did come across the problem because I had a PTE download from Winsoft and I made an attempt to update from the open PTE program so you are running on 2 paths.

I made and still do my update from the open program and have no problem. I think the machine and ID/ licence is being registered by the update system so you are a single client than.

Laszlo

[nobeefstu]

Eric,

Thanks for all the replies and I can now see that in a roundabout fashion one can seek out any updates to VideoBuilder but it still seems to me to be a strange way to handle what in effect are two separate programmes.

I would hesitate to pay an update fee for VideoBuilder if it doesn't give me any advantage over my present version given that I am limited by my current PC/Hardware.

As my VideoBuilder update fee ran out a week or so ago I shall be interested to see what happens with it when I next update PTE.

Please keep us posted on your future VideoBuilder update situation ... Im sure many a users out there are approaching their 2yr expiration date and have the same concerns as you.

I agree with you that the VideoBuilder GUI should atleast provide a product version all of its own in the About menu ... even if its the same as the current PTE version. Time is quickly approaching for many users who will need know what version VideoBuilder may/may not still function upon key expiration time.

Note:

Make sure you fully build a VideoBuilder project to check for any display of warning labels in the final product.

[Eric Athroll]

My licence for VideoBuilder only expired this month so I assume that the last update to PTE DeLuxe will function normally.

I shall need to wait for a later version of PTE to be available to try it.

[Igor]

Here is information from Order page on WnSoft website:

http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/order.htm

Upgrades for Existing Users of PicturesToExe

All upgrades and new versions of PicturesToExe at no cost.

Free upgrades for VideoBuilder (included to Deluxe edition) during two years’ period since the date of your purchasing. After the end of this period you can continue to use any previously released version of VideoBuilder for unlimited time or pay $34 for the upgrade of the newer version.

If you have bought Standard edition you can upgrade to Deluxe edition for $34. Click here

So expired key for Deluxe features (VideoBuilder) doesn't mean that VideoBuilder will not work. It is an experied key for new free upgrades. You can continue use previously released version of PicturesToExe Deluxe. Date of a version shown on the Download page, or on our forum, or see date of "picturestoexe-setup.exe" file from ZIP file downloaded from our website.

Please take in attention that VideoBuilder will not able open .pte project files from newer version of PicturesToExe due to compatibility issues. You need to use same or older version of PicturesToExe together with VideoBuilder.

I'd like to explain why we decided do two years of free upgrades for VideoBuilder.

You know that almost all software products require pay for upgrade to newer version when new version comes with new significant features. For example from version 2.0 to version 3.0 with 1-2 year's interval between versions.

Initially we suggested all new versions of PicturesToExe for free. But now I think it was not a good solution for evolution of our company in future.

Keeping our promise unchanged we've separated some new feature of v5.0 (DVD) into new Deluxe edition of PicturesToExe. Another reason was that we had to buy DVD library and pay royalty per each sold copy.

Because we publish new versions every 5-7 months we couldn't require pay for the upgrade for every version. So we decided use another variant - two years of free upgrades. It means that we release 3-4 new versions for this time period. With other products we have to wait sometimes because if you buy SomeProduct v2.0 and a month later they release SomeProduct v3.0 you have to pay again. In our case we give two years since date of your purchasing.

Base program of PicturesToExe still suggests lifetime free upgrades.

[jfa]

Igor

Thank-you for the full explanation.

While I understood the 2 year period for upgrades I did not understand the full method of operation for the DVD side of the PicturesToExe Deluxe version licence and given many of the comments on the forum I think most didn't.

I think your chosen course is very reasonable and your desire to honour earlier comments to free upgrades to PTE very commendable. Allowing an out of date version of the DVD side to continue to operate on the corresponding version of PTE rather than stopping it working after 2 years is also generous.

As always thanks for your work.

[Eric Athroll]

Thanks for clarifying that but I still think to include VideoBuilder as part of PTE is not the best option.

I also think that to charge the same fee for users extending their licence as for new users is also unusual - most software companies give a discount when upgrading to a newer version to current users.

However, having said all that, the fact that we get lifetime upgrades to PTE, the added cost of updating VideoBuilder every two years won't break the bank!

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric

You only need to upgrade video builder if you want to use a later version of PTE, personally I am sticking at 5.6 for now as I believe my hardware won't take any increase in system requirements. If I win the lottery I may upgrade my laptop

Yachtsman1

[cjdnzl]

I have thought about these free-for-ever upgrades of PTE, and I am somewhat concerned that Igor might well have cashflow problems as a result.. There are few commercial programs that offer free upgrades in perpetuity; one that comes to mind is Qimage, but I can't think of another. Basically, apart from a one-time cost - modest at that - the program is freeware, and my conscience says that is not right.

My personal opinion is that Igor should rescind that decision if his cashflow declines. I would gladly pay for continued upgrades rather than see PTE collapse for want of cash. I realise that Igor might feel bad about doing that, so an interim solution comes to mind. A lot of programs, like Irfanview for instance, have a donation policy where users can pay what they feel is right for the use of the program.

Igor, can you set up a voluntary payment scheme, maybe through Visa, or Paypal, where we can make donations? I'm sure a lot of users of PTE would be happy to donate, particularly professional photographers and slide-show makers who are earning good money from the use of PTE.

Regards to all,

Colin

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Good Idea, I would go along with the donation.

Yachtsman1

[xahu34]

... A lot of programs, like Irfanview for instance, have a donation policy where users can pay what they feel is right for the use of the program ...

... I'm sure a lot of users of PTE would be happy to donate ...

Hi Colin,

I have some doubts that donation will be good model for PTE. Irfan Skiljan has millions of users, and in his case, donation for private users in combination with a registration fee for commercial users, seems to work well. Adding donation to the present payment scheme for PTE may lead to a lot of confusion. Maybe it would be better to add new features (like the integration of video objects into slide shows) to the deluxe version in order to motivate users to purchase an upgrade.

Best regards,

Xaver

[Eric Athroll]

I have Qimage and VueScan software, which also gives a lifetime upgrade. In the case of Vuescan, I recall at one point there was a change to the structure of the software to a two tier system; current users were automatically given the higher value version and retained the lifetime update but new users were offered the choice; one with lifetime updates and the other with one year of free updates. I also have some software that requires me to pay an nominal annual subscription to get free updates.

I agree, however, that it is rare and most require an upgrade fee (usually discounted for current users) with a major update release. An example here would be from version 4 to Version 5. I would certainly not object to paying an update fee in such circumstances but would expect it to be significantly less than the full cost to a new user. However, it might be considered unethical to promise lifetime updates and then rescind this at a later date unless it only applied to new purchasers.