Gforce 4 and Win 7 Media Center 64-bit?

[Gringo]

Ok, so now I'm pretty fed up with the whole issue with 64 bit suport on WMC.

This was broadly ecpected to be around at the start of the year, ok it wasn't.

The biggest problem is that complete lack of communication about the whole thing. The last update from soundspectrum was in May. (in this thread) And my post in June has been completely ignored.

I dont think it's too much to ask for an update every now and again....even it's just to say there has been no progress.....

Also a bit frustrated. I purchased another license last winter only because it was announced that there would be 64-bit support. Otherwise, I would have waited until ________ [date they actually release a 64-bit compatible version here] to purchase a new license.

There has been zero gain for me as my only real option for viewing G-Force in Win 7 64 is through iTunes which seems to work the same whether it was version 3.xx or 4.xx. My only incentive to purchase a license is so I can have the standalone run fullscreen (and audio through my common Soundblaster XiFi) on a second monitor while I work.

I understand that there are developmental issues - it's just difficult as a consumer when you have paid money for something that didn't happen. And yes, I understand it was an anticipated date...but nearly a year past that projected time frame?

I would hope there would be an extension for updates for those who had previous license(s) and purchased during the time frame when 64-bit support was announced.

[ozbeats]

Agreed! Look back into the previous years, numerous updates, beta's, fast fixes for itunes and winamp.
Then take a look into SS's version history of g-force (and whitecap) in the last couple of years and last and this year. Spaced well apart or basically one big update per year?

If the cash we all pay to maintain a platinum license isn't enough to cover costs, resources and more frequent every few weeks / at least once per month udpates, fixes, beta's etc -
then personally i'd prefer to pay that little more for somthieng that is modern, cutting edge, udpated and has no limitations for 64 bit users.

Adobe has released a pre-release / beta version of adobe flash 10.2 (square) which now supports 64 bit flash as well for those who also installed a 64 bit only browser with their OS, and support IE9 beta, it's truly damn amazing.

Also further more, java is and has been available in both 32 and 64 bit versions from day 1 of windows 7 release.

So in my Win7 Ultimate 64 bit system i installed the active x and plugin version of adobe flash 10.2 sqaure pre-release so it also support firefox and google chrome browsers.

Then I also always ensure that each java is installed in both formats to support any needs for 32 bit and 64 bit processes and programs.

Andy said SS cracked the 64-bit coding several months back and we are all paying for continued license support,
yet still they now fail to continue offering more frequent updates which makes it appear as a hobby project,
or have the mindset they only will update and correct it when more than 50% of their customer base cant use then we'll fix it scenario, its terribly wrong.

Besides, it's inconsistency ruins their own reputation overall and the perception they portray with users, professionalism, honesty, diginity and as a viable commercial enterprise,
and that which is inter-matchable with other companies considering joint ventures, promotional integration or specialist businesses and even concert tour managers and organisers and nightclub who may need or wish to request individual licensed customization, much like SS's ommercial license owners, etc.

Thanks, post your thoughts below....

Cheers from Alf Penny

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Ditto. I'm quite upset. I got Platinum years ago, and I only use it for WMC. I have been holding off going 64-bit because the suppliers didn't seem mature enough. But now I took the plunge, only to discover G-Force doesn't work in WMC. That is a disgrace - it is NOT a cheap software. For that money I really expected it to work. G-Force is horribly overpriced I find. Updates have been dismally minimal.

Really dissatisfied.

Brgds

Danny

[juxtiphi]

Hi!

Ditto. I'm quite upset. I got Platinum years ago, and I only use it for WMC. I have been holding off going 64-bit because the suppliers didn't seem mature enough. But now I took the plunge, only to discover G-Force doesn't work in WMC. That is a disgrace - it is NOT a cheap software. For that money I really expected it to work. G-Force is horribly overpriced I find. Updates have been dismally minimal.

Really dissatisfied.

Brgds

Danny

if you are dissatisfied you should open a support ticket and ask for your money back.

[dbjorck]

Hi!

if you are dissatisfied you should open a support ticket and ask for your money back.

No, because I paid for the 32 bit versions for years. I was well aware of the subscription aspect, and accepted it. I stopped renewing when I realised I wasn't getting my money's worth. But that is my fault, falling for it to begin with. The company does not owe me anything. But that doesn't change the situation; had I renewed last year, I would have been paying for a product I can't even run... I still want it, but it certainly is unfair to ask for money for something you know doesn't work. That is like 19th century charlatanism.

Brgds

Danny

[markcu]

To be honest I think you are wasting your breath (or your time to type)

It's pretty clear that as a company there is little respect going to the consumer in relation to this issue.

Any requests for an update have simply fallen on deaf ears. To be honest my view is that it's just rude. I was always taught that if someone asks a question then you should at least answer.

I guess those manners don't prevail here.....

Regardless of anyones point of view it would take about 5 minutes to give an update on whats happening.

It appears we are not even worth 5 minutes..

[juxtiphi]

To be honest I think you are wasting your breath (or your time to type)

It's pretty clear that as a company there is little respect going to the consumer in relation to this issue.

Any requests for an update have simply fallen on deaf ears. To be honest my view is that it's just rude. I was always taught that if someone asks a question then you should at least answer.

I guess those manners don't prevail here.....

Regardless of anyones point of view it would take about 5 minutes to give an update on whats happening.

It appears we are not even worth 5 minutes..

Only thing is, I'm quite sure that when I bought it, it said it was 64 bit compatible on Vista. Other software companies charging this kind of money make sure to keep up with the latest Windows versions. And that's where my main beef is; we're paying an awful lot IN ADVANCE for something we don't know if we'll get.

First of all, for those not aware, I do work for SoundSpectrum and I occasionally read and reply on these forums for guidance or informational purposes. Though, as mentioned in other places on these forums, I must stress that if you are a current or previous customer experiencing problems with our software, have sales questions, or are dissatisfied in any way, please contact us directly via our Contact form.

http://www.soundspectrum.com/support/contact.html

dbjorck and others, I am sorry that you are dissatisfied and your points ARE well taken. However, please note that SoundSpectrum has NEVER advertised 64-bit plug-in support.

What are the system requirements?
http://www.soundspectrum.com/g-force/faq.html#system

The current iteration of this FAQ entry has been in place ever since Windows x64 systems started becoming more popular and we started receiving more support questions regarding compatibility. Also, to be clear, our current updates run fine on x64 systems, just not within 64-bit media players, such as WMC x64.

Though jerohm makes a point that one of the reasons we provide free trials for all of our visualizers is so that you may test out whether our software will work on your system before purchasing, I will never fault someone for not taking this step first or not reading through all documentation before purchasing as this can seem a daunting and somewhat unnecessary procedure, especially since we live in an era where the assumption is that if you have a recent computer you should be able to run all recent software. Additionally, in the case of 64-bit support, the dialog between consumers and developers regarding what's possible is only just beginning, and this relatively new and more "powerful" platform as it relates to the consumer market is still in the process of being universally understood by developers, for good and for bad. As such, assumptions, correct and incorrect, on both sides, abound.

That being said, as our head developer Andy notes in a separate thread...

Also, to put things in perspective, please realize that there are exactly ZERO third party developers that currently offer 64-bit visual plugins under Windows, for ANY audio player. SoundSpectrum will be the first -- but let's just hope there's no major roadblocks.

http://www.soundspectrum-forums.com/vie ... php?t=6522

As the world's leading makers of music visualization software, we excitedly accept the role of leading the way towards 64-bit plug-in support, and to describe the amount of development time and energy put into this endeavor thus far might overwhelm you, mostly given the fact that there is currently little to no documentation to draw from on blazing this 64-bit trail. But, honestly, as much as we want to make this support available to our overwhelmingly supportive customer base as soon as possible, it is difficult to defend against those who chastise us for the lack of a product or feature that doesn't exist yet... anywhere. In some ways, I do feel the urge to apologize on behalf of myself and my colleagues for letting the cat out of the bag by revealing our intention to develop 64-bit support and for attempting to provide a timeframe on availability, in the midst of the complicated hurdles mentioned above. However, as a small company, we tend to prefer transparency where many (often big) software companies do not. Given, I'm sure, your familiarity with both kinds of companies, which would you prefer?

Most countries' laws specify that if a problem existed during the warranty period but it's not fixed within the period, it must still be free. The opposite here - it takes more than a year to get fixes, and meanwhile people have to subscribe for another year to get that fix.

We may be a software company but we are not robots (as far as you know ), and our licensing system is not inflexible, provided we know of your situation. Though 64-bit plug-in support is a feature request and not a bug, if a situation arises where a version we release contains a bug and a user finds their license expiring before an update which addresses the bug is released, we have never been shy about providing access to the "fixed" version, just as long as we are notified of the problem as it is occurring or not long after. Additionally, though we provide a renewal discount that extends for one-month after your license expires, if you wish to wait for certain features or implementations to be addressed before renewing again, and this falls outside of the one-month renewal window, we will gladly discuss any options or renewal discounts that might be available to you at a later time. Again, this requires that you open this discussion with us, preferably around the time your license expires. As Andy mentions in a previous post in this thread, "There's a pretty good chance we'll hear your case and want to make you happy -- why wouldn't we??"

I do want to commend this forum's administrators, moderators, and vocal and enthusiastic users for helping spread information about and support for our products and for generally making our community as amazing as it is. Anything that falls within or near what I listed in the above paragraph:

Contact Us:
http://www.soundspectrum.com/support/contact.html

[markcu]

I think my points have somewhat been missed.

Soundspectrum 'let the cat out of the bag' and annouced their intention to do something, they also gave a time frame.

Ok, the time frame wasn't met. This is software developement and that happen all the time, all over the world. My 'beef' is not that it hasn't been delivered.

I am not interested in supported os lists, FAQ's, trial software, if this is the first of it's kind or the last.

My issue is with the fact that people have asked for updates, asked for some idea on progress, and had nothing in return (and actually still havn't). That is not acceptable. If an expectation is set, then you are left to manage that expectation. Failure to do so will be at your detriment.

[juxtiphi]

I think my points have somewhat been missed.

Soundspectrum 'let the cat out of the bag' and annouced their intention to do something, they also gave a time frame.

Ok, the time frame wasn't met. This is software developement and that happen all the time, all over the world. My 'beef' is not that it hasn't been delivered.

I am not interested in supported os lists, FAQ's, trial software, if this is the first of it's kind or the last.

My issue is with the fact that people have asked for updates, asked for some idea on progress, and had nothing in return (and actually still havn't). That is not acceptable. If an expectation is set, then you are left to manage that expectation. Failure to do so will be at your detriment.

your posts have not been missed, we understand you, you want 64 bit blah blah blah. Andy has stated how hard it is to do this but you dont get it.

out of all the folks registered here and all those people who use GF with no problems, there are only a handful of complaints. I think thats a pretty good record considering companies deal with thousands of complaints all the time. can you say creative audio

your problems are that you dont have any idea what it takes to continuously keep GF current with all players as a plugin and you cannot except the fact that a 64 bit GF is unnecessary.

ICBW but there probably will never be a final GF especially when the makers of these players do not keep GF in mind when they make a change to the way their player handles plugins or the way it controls its vis windows.

you want them to make you happy over all the other customers who dont give two shits about a 64 bit version of GF thats funny!

like I said if you dont like this company or the way they do business then dont deal with them. go and get milkdrop and be happy.

[BTT]

you want them to make you happy over all the other customers who dont give two shits about a 64 bit version of GF thats funny!

like I said if you dont like this company or the way they do business then dont deal with them. go and get milkdrop and be happy.

Let's hope that now someone has had the guts to stand up to a few losers that will be the last we hear about this subject.

Andy and SoundSpectrum who I have had dealings with for at least ten years have been the friendliest, kindest and fairest people to deal with.


BTT

[sitsparky]

I think my points have somewhat been missed.

Soundspectrum 'let the cat out of the bag' and annouced their intention to do something, they also gave a time frame.

Ok, the time frame wasn't met. This is software developement and that happen all the time, all over the world. My 'beef' is not that it hasn't been delivered.

I am not interested in supported os lists, FAQ's, trial software, if this is the first of it's kind or the last.

My issue is with the fact that people have asked for updates, asked for some idea on progress, and had nothing in return (and actually still havn't). That is not acceptable. If an expectation is set, then you are left to manage that expectation. Failure to do so will be at your detriment.

I think juxtiphi pasted my response from a different thread as a response to your dissatisfaction with what you perceive as a lack of communication between SoundSpectrum and it's customers. Please allow me to reiterate this again so there will hopefully be no more confusion (until this thread becomes old, of course ):

The SoundSpectrum forums are administered, moderated, and monitored entirely by our users and fans. JayPro, juxtiphi, markofkane, et al., are and always have been wonderful customers, contributors, and (sometimes) police officers of our software and the information disseminated about our software in this forum. This is a user-moderated forum partly because we are a very small software company who chooses to spend our time and resources on further developing our products, though we do read and post here on occasion, certainly when major issues are involved. This doesn't mean that we do not want to answer your and other posters' questions but, more simply and more often, we are not present in this venue to hear you. Additionally, forums are inherently public AND anonymous venues, and without knowing whether you are a current customer, a past customer, a pissed-off customer, or not even a customer at all, it is difficult to impossible to provide you with the appropriate and specific information for your specific question or concern.

That being said, at the top of this forum there is a link for "Support" which will take you directly to the Support page on our website. From here, click on the "Contact Us" link. By submitting a question, comment, angry tirade, etc. via this Contact page you will create a ticket within our support system as well as let us know who you are along with the licenses you've purchased, past and present. ALL tickets are answered, and ALL tickets are typically responded to within 24 to 48 hours.

If you are a current customer or your license just expired; If you renew your license every year within our renewal discount window; If you recently purchased or renewed your license with the expectation that you would receive 64-bit plug-in support for WMC during the year-term of your license; If you have any question at all that you feel requires a direct and succinct answer from us:

http://www.soundspectrum.com/support/contact.html

Though this will probably not put this matter to rest:

64-bit plug-in support for WMC -- We are working hard to provide this support in a coming update, however we cannot give a specific timeframe on its availability. If you are a current license holder waiting for this support and find that your license expires before a compatible update is released, see above. If you regularly renew your license but do not want to renew until this update is released, though you want to make sure you are able to take advantage of some sort of renewal discount, see above.

Though many of our customers easily find happiness just launching our visualizers and planting their faces to their screens, it is understandable that some need something more out of the product they purchased from us. Write to us and let us know what you need, and we will try to make you happy.

[Gringo]

Let's hope that now someone has had the guts to stand up to a few losers that will be the last we hear about this subject.

Wow, way to show off ignorance and offensiveness all in one post.

Many of us "losers" who use a 64-bit operating system do so because we either do graphics, video editing, or simply need to use more RAM than the limiting 4 GB that the 32-bit OS allows.

I understand that you don't "get it" and I'm not here to educate you on the benefits. You, like many others, are unaware that 64-bit is the direction both Microsoft and Apple are moving to, but that doesn't give you a license to to be rude.

You can have disagreements with people and discuss them. There's just never a reason to turn those disagreements into insults.

So please understand that the discussions about 64-bit compatibility will continue on. If you don't want to read them or don't feel they are applicable to you, then simply don't read them. It's really that easy.

Hope you have a good day.

John

[markcu]

I think my points have somewhat been missed.

Soundspectrum 'let the cat out of the bag' and annouced their intention to do something, they also gave a time frame.

Ok, the time frame wasn't met. This is software developement and that happen all the time, all over the world. My 'beef' is not that it hasn't been delivered.

I am not interested in supported os lists, FAQ's, trial software, if this is the first of it's kind or the last.

My issue is with the fact that people have asked for updates, asked for some idea on progress, and had nothing in return (and actually still havn't). That is not acceptable. If an expectation is set, then you are left to manage that expectation. Failure to do so will be at your detriment.

Though this will probably not put this matter to rest:

64-bit plug-in support for WMC -- We are working hard to provide this support in a coming update, however we cannot give a specific timeframe on its availability.

Thank-you, for me this does put the matter to rest. I now know that you're still working on it, and you don't have a date yet.

Thats fine. That now gives me the information to make choices as to what OS's to build a new machine on and what I do regarding licences.

Many Thanks.

Mark.

[markcu]

I think my points have somewhat been missed.

Soundspectrum 'let the cat out of the bag' and annouced their intention to do something, they also gave a time frame.

Ok, the time frame wasn't met. This is software developement and that happen all the time, all over the world. My 'beef' is not that it hasn't been delivered.

I am not interested in supported os lists, FAQ's, trial software, if this is the first of it's kind or the last.

My issue is with the fact that people have asked for updates, asked for some idea on progress, and had nothing in return (and actually still havn't). That is not acceptable. If an expectation is set, then you are left to manage that expectation. Failure to do so will be at your detriment.

your posts have not been missed, we understand you, you want 64 bit blah blah blah. Andy has stated how hard it is to do this but you dont get it.

out of all the folks registered here and all those people who use GF with no problems, there are only a handful of complaints. I think thats a pretty good record considering companies deal with thousands of complaints all the time. can you say creative audio

your problems are that you dont have any idea what it takes to continuously keep GF current with all players as a plugin and you cannot except the fact that a 64 bit GF is unnecessary.

ICBW but there probably will never be a final GF especially when the makers of these players do not keep GF in mind when they make a change to the way their player handles plugins or the way it controls its vis windows.

you want them to make you happy over all the other customers who dont give two shits about a 64 bit version of GF thats funny!

like I said if you dont like this company or the way they do business then dont deal with them. go and get milkdrop and be happy.

Juxtiphi.

I'm sorry but I would not expect to see a post like this from a moderator.

But to answer some of your points.

I dont think I need to get it. My complaint is not about the fact it hasn't been delivered. I think you have missed that point.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'creative audio'

64 bit is required if you want to use Gforce under WMC on a 64 bit os. If there is a workaround thats means thats not required then I'd welcome options. Currently my PC has 24G of ram in it so 32bit os isn't an option.

I dont see the need to swear in your response. As far as I know I have posted without bad language and kept things non-personal.

I dont think I need to comment on your last words of 'getting a milkdrop and being happy'

Just for any avoidance of doubt and so we are all 100% clear. ..My complaint was about the lact of response to requests for updates once an expectation had been set.

My complaint WAS NOT about how long it was taking and why it hadn't been delivered.

At this point sitsparky has answered my questions and I thank him for that. I can now go and make some informed choices based on that information.

Mark.

[juxtiphi]

At this point sitsparky has answered my questions and I thank him for that. I can now go and make some informed choices based on that information.

Mark.

sorry for the lack of etiquette , I told you to ask support about this but you declined. I then pasted one of sitspark's posts which I felt addressed all your concerns but that didnt help either.

Its been said many times before in many posts that this forum isnt run specifically by SS, its monitored by people like jaypro , marko and myself who simply have a love for this program. We dont work for SS, all we do is try and provide simple guidance. If you want more from SS by the way of support you should always open a support ticket with them that way all the answers you get will be from the horses mouth and not some volunteer who may be having a bad day.



ps. creative audio is a company that makes high end audio cards for pc. They are notorious for ignoring customers and they sell millions of pieces of hardware a year.