Issue With Chicken Systems Translator 6

[chickeneps]

I found the user interface to be...unusual...and it took quite a bit of time to figure out

Just to comment on this, and I'm not disagreeing with you or others - the interface is simply "containers on the left; select a container, the contained objects appear on the right".

A video showing the interface and how it works is here:

http://www.chickensys.com/_videos/tlr_navigate.mp4

A "container" is always what we call "folder", although it may have a number of different names (drive, partition, volume, directory, sub-directory - or even a file where you are looking INTO what is has in it, like a Kontakt NKI and you are viewing the samples it references).

(BTW, one of the best shortcuts - I use this all the time - is to double-click on a container on the RIGHT while holding down SHIFT. That will expand/open that same container on the left and display the contained objects on the right. I almost prefer to do that and not just drill down on the left.)

OK, maybe I'm disagreeing =) I wouldn't call the Translator interface unusual. (But to each his own.) That's the way File Explorer works on Windows and mostly how the Finder works on Mac (although frankly I think it's better than Finder). There are also a number of videos we've created that shows you how to work the interface to narrow down your areas of interest and only show those things. www.chickensys.com/support2/software/tr ... ideos.html

One thing that will appear - probably in Translator 7 - are several Wizards where an interface becomes unnecessary. (There is already one, sort of, http://www.chickensys.com/translator/do ... ation.html)

[AnalogGuy1]

I found the user interface to be...unusual...and it took quite a bit of time to figure out

Just to comment on this, and I'm not disagreeing with you or others - the interface is simply "containers on the left; select a container, the contained objects appear on the right".

A video showing the interface and how it works is here:

http://www.chickensys.com/_videos/tlr_navigate.mp4

One thing that will appear - probably in Translator 7 - are several Wizards where an interface becomes unnecessary. (There is already one, sort of, http://www.chickensys.com/translator/do ... ation.html)

Yes, your videos helped me figure out the process. And of course the interface is unusual because the need to autosample and convert to a patch is unusual. I'm just saying I remember I had quite a bit of trial-and-error with the process, and I'm computer-literate (I'm an ECE professor with a doctorate in EE/CS from MIT).

The tutorial videos were very helpful, but for a process that most people will probably only need to subject themselves to a few times in a lifetime, I agree: wizards are definitely the way to go. No "shortcut" keys necessary on this program!

[chickeneps]

Thanks for the feedback, we try to always listen.

[audiojunkie]

I too want to chime in and say that I own Translator 6 and it's been great. I've called and asked questions before and after purchasing, and again, it's been great. I have no complaints, and I'm a happy customer.

[lxworld]

Since you excommunicated me, a mildly disabled, paying customer, how's Translator 6.2 coming on Garth?

Background: In their January 2019 newsletter Chicken Systems wrote:

"We've put up a last update before Translator 6.2, just to fix some minor things. All other products have been updated as well, since most use the Conversion Engine. Registered owners can update via the Check For Updates function in the program.
Looking ahead to v6.2 - There's been a large wave of re-interest in vintage samplers - the Emu Emax and Emulator III and II, Akai S900, Roland S50/550, and many more. Version 6.2 fills many of those needs. Plus, there's some very cool new features coming in. Look for it to be released some time in February 2019."

I don't think the Chicken likes to be too rushed...

[synthmagic]

Must chime in here to give credit where it is due and mention the good support I had from Chicken Systems, regarding a recent issue I had when using Translator. Turns out it was not a Translator issue, but how a certain thing I wanted to convert was originally setup and it turns out Translator handled it and converted as it was supposed to. I sent a support mail and a .zip of the thing I wanted to convert (CS did a conversion of the thing I sent to test it and clarify what was happening). I sent a support ticket on a Saturday, and received support within a couple of hours and on a bank holiday weekend.

[chickeneps]

Thank you, it's the least we can do. I don't want to get mushy but it is Memorial Day Weekend, where we remember soldiers giving their lives, we're just giving tech support =)

We've been doing this for a real long time, and still really enjoy doing it, maybe even more as time goes by. If anyone has thought we treated them unfairly over the years, please contact us and make a real honest attempt to resolve it with us. We have no reason to treat anyone unfairly; just as we would never like to be treated poorly, we would never treat anyone that way, at least knowlingly.

And to those occasional posters on KVR who continue to think we're a "scam" or the usual litany of accusations, well, without any specific information or real names attached to the accusations, there's not anything we can comment on. I guess after 30 years there always will be disgruntled this or disgruntled that. But we are always willing to resolve anything, give us a call at 320-235-9798. You'll talk to a real person!

[chickeneps]

All Chicken Systems programs can be updated by simply starting the program; it checks to see if it's the latest version/build. If not, it tells you what the latest version is and allows you to update it by downloading the updater directly from the app. If it's not v6.2, I hate to state the obvious but I guess it's not out yet.

[lxworld]

So what is taking so long bearing in mind your January newsletter?

[chickeneps]

Just lots of work I guess.

[DrGonzo]

So what is taking so long bearing in mind your January newsletter?

What feature in 6.2 are you waiting for?

/C

[lxworld]

So what is taking so long bearing in mind your January newsletter?

What feature in 6.2 are you waiting for?

/C

More stability.

They make and break their own release dates though.

Like I said before they have ex-communicated me - a paying user so I can’t contact them by email any more - although it doesn’t get returned so I believe they do actually receive it! They just don’t respond! I believe this is largely down to a sweet lady who works for Samplerzone.com (for some reason they distribute their products via a separate company called Samplerzone.com that mails off the cd - yes you heard right - CD!) called Cheryl-Ann Mays who is really behind the ex-communication. Pirates get a better deal!

[DrGonzo]

More stability.

No problems with stability on my system.
What specific problem do you have with stability?

They make and break their own release dates though.

Sure. And so does Ableton, Native Instruments, Apple, Elektron, Dave Smith, Akai, Access, Waldorf and pretty much every software and hardware developer.

Like I said before they have ex-communicated me - a paying user so I can’t contact them privately any longer. I have tried and they don’t respond! Pirates get a better deal!

I wonder why. Pirates get a better deal? Dude. Are you for real? That's seriously uncool.

/C

[lxworld]

As I said before I am a paying licensed user! I do not use pirated software! I was making an analogy in the level of support I am given! Do you work for them or are you a friend of theirs? Or are you genuinely trying to help?

[DrGonzo]

As I said before I am a paying licensed user! I do not use pirated software! I was making an analogy in the level of support I am given! Do you work for them or are you a friend of theirs? Or are you genuinely trying to help?

Dude. Ease up on the intake of caffeine ok? Why would me having a different opinion from yours make me work for Chicken Systems?

I work as a sound designer and I bought their software 15+ years ago. Translator has always been a peculiar software with a confusing interface. I've had my issues Translator over the years, but I have figured out how to use it and now I have no problems with it. Last time I was using Translator was converting a bunch of sounds to an Akai Z8 sampler. My first attempt doing the translation the result was catastrophically bad. All I got was a large amount of clicky and weird sounds. I spent half a day experimenting with setting the conversion parameters and after that my conversion went 99% perfect.

When speaking with other users, that's the conclusion most people seemed to have reached. It's not a point and click software. You need to figure out how to set things right.

Sure, I can try to help you if you want. Exactly what are you having stability problems with?

/C