BEYOND on your system?

[Things]

Hey all,

Have been mucking around in BEYOND a bit more lately, and have noticed while watching shows that it seems to do a bit of a "catch up" every few seconds or so. Originally I had an issue with build 442 where adding audio to a show would drop the framerate dramatically. After updating to build 533, it seems to have fixed that issue, though I'm having the catch up issue.

Not sure if this is my system or what, I'm using a Pentium Dual 2Ghz proc, 4GB of RAM and Win 7. Has anyone else noticed this? What computer setups do you run BEYOND on?

Dan

[norty303]

I use an aging T61 Thinkpad on XPSP2 with 2ghz Core2Duo and 2GB RAM.
No issues that I've come across but I don't run shows. 1 to 3 FB3's at a time

[White-Light]

I've not noticed anything here but I rarely run with the FB3 connected as I usually test PC only unless looking for output issues. Also, my laptop pc is quite highly specc'ed - a Dell XPS i5 with 6GB and gaming graphics card. Someone else reported some pauses on an earlier build but I understand that was fixed. I suggest you contact Pangolin via their contact form as that's by far the best way of getting a response.

[Things]

Yeah, have been talking to Bill, but thought I'd get a few opinions, as don't really want to bother him if my system is just too lacking to handle it.

Not a huge deal though, with the amount of codec and driver issues I've had on this machine, wouldn't be surprised at all if it's only an issue for me

[planters]

No it's not just you. These releases seem to fix one issue and then there will occasionally be a new one. We have a memory leak, yet to be fixed, whenever we play Q.S. shows on a comp loaded with Beyond. This leak is to the RAM, and when it approaches 4 Gigs, yes that's right 4 Gigs after aprox. 2 typical Show Space shows then the program locks up and we have to reboot. Just before it locks we notice this stick/ slip in the slider like you describe. The build is #523 and it runs Beyond shows flawlessly. I think you should contact them. I just haven't had the time or a lot of enthusiasm for this.

[White-Light]

We have a memory leak, yet to be fixed, whenever we play Q.S. shows on a comp loaded with Beyond.

A memory leak was found and is logged as fixed in Build 531, so you probably need to obtain a later build.

[Pangolin]

Hi guys,

Here's yet another example of how -- when clients contact us directly, they get faster service.

A week or so ago, a client called our attention to the problem you're talking about. We fixed it immediately and uploaded a new version of BEYOND (we're now up to build 535). The client who let us know they were having the problem received the fix, but the only others to receive the fix are ones who have contacted us since then.

Folks, we really hate it when you have trouble, so we prefer direct and immediate contact. We do not routinely monitor PL so it might have been weeks before we ran across this thread (or until someone called our attention to it). So please folks -- when you have a problem just give us a buzz or drop us a line.

Bill

[norty303]

Bill, given the rate of releases, would it not be better all round if Beyond tried to check for new versions on startup (if selected by the user) and then download any update as required?
Given that we don't know when Beyond gets updated, it sounds like we either have to run across a problem, or we have to email you twice weekly to see if something has changed/been found.
Neither is particularly good use of time for us as users, or you as suppliers.

The number of times I've seen you post 'ah, but you see we're up to build nnn here, email me for an update' is a particularly good example of how your current process for software update delivery doesn't seem to work very well.

I was going to ask the question about what was the latest version available for download from the updates site, but I've just seen Beyond isn't there. Why the disparity with Beyond releases compared to all the other software? Is this an IP/cracking thing?

P.S. thank you for the email link to the update the other day, was that a general email to all Beyond users on a distribution list?

[Pangolin]

Bill, given the rate of releases, would it not be better all round if Beyond tried to check for new versions on startup (if selected by the user) and then download any update as required?

It might be just me, but I've never liked those kind of software systems. Personally, when I get software that works (as well as wives, houses, cars, employees, etc.) I stick with them, rather than trying something new in the hopes that newer is better. After all, is VISTA better than XP?

Given that we don't know when Beyond gets updated, it sounds like we either have to run across a problem, or we have to email you twice weekly to see if something has changed/been found.

Well, actually either approach is workable right now. After all, if a particular build of BEYOND does exactly what you want, then why change? On the other hand, if you're having a problem or even looking for a new effect, then you can let me know and we'll get you hooked up.

Neither is particularly good use of time for us as users, or you as suppliers.

Sure. But I've been pretty clear that BEYOND is in a developmental state for a while, and as such, we're working in this area, and then in that area. Since progress is made in only certain areas at a time (not all at once) we may have several appropriate builds for a client. Right now, I still like to get into the discussion "how are you using BEYOND, what would you like it to do, where are you having problems", and then we send them the best build to accomplish specifically what they are wanting to do.

With that having been said, I do believe we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel here. BEYOND has really come a long way and it now does everything we really envisioned for a strong release build. Once we're finally at a release status -- and out of a development status -- then we'll put generalized versions on the web so people can download them at any time, just like we do with LD2000, QS, IMU, and all of our other software.

In the mean time, we thank you for your patience, and ask that you do something a bit unconventional -- actually communicate with the developer, rather than download from an impersonal web page...

Bill

[norty303]

It might be just me, but I've never liked those kind of software systems. Personally, when I get software that works (as well as wives, houses, cars, employees, etc.) I stick with them, rather than trying something new in the hopes that newer is better.

That's why it's just a flag to say software is available, rather than an auto-updater. I tend to stick with stuff until I have to change as well, don't fix what isn't broken, etc), but access to new stuff is always useful, and we don't know what other cool stuff people are asking for and getting unless we ask you!

But I get the point the versions are incrementing quickly at this time, and that it'll slow down at some point.

where are you having problems

Spending too long on the hardware and not enough time to spend playing with/configuring the software! Can you help with that?? A 28 hour day and a child minder should do it I reckon.