Long Time Ots User But Very Down Right Now

[djriptide]

Thanks for letting me join this forum. I'm a DJ in SW Florida and have been using Ots for about 10 years now.  I can only remember one gig where I double clicked and pointed at something and it happened in a flash, I shut the program down in the middle of a song.  Otherwise, it's been very smooth sailing and I wouldn't use anything else to DJ with.  I went from 3 Nomad players on my table to a computer with Ots when I started.

Yesterday, Oct. 30th I downloaded OtsAv DJ Silver 1.90, thinking that I could now use the beat mixing, Karaoke, Video, and listening to a channel while cuing with the program.  I spent most of that day trying to figure out how to make just the basics work like showing a whole title to a song instead of just a couple words of the title.  The way it was going, I was very upset with the whole thing and I'm a pretty easy going person. I'm also very good at reading and comprehension but still could not get the right information from the Ots help files.  Even to Google some of the problems I had turned up very little information.  For instance, the help file led me to believe that placing the mouse pointer over a title should expand it out but that didn't work at all.  I sent an email to Ots technical to please let me have my Boombox 1.15 back.  I have a wedding coming up this weekend and using the new program would be a real trial.

Today, October 31st, after checking the help file again and looking around the web I noticed that I really needed to buy OtsAv DJ Pro 1.90 to get the above features that I really wanted.  I noticed that the face of the program looked much better and there was a tool bar just like my old Boombox 1.15 had.  So, I bought and downloaded the OtsAv DJ Pro 1.90 and to my dismay still did not see the tool bar or the mouse pointer flyover.  After more searching I found a screen shot of the Pro today that did not show a tool bar so I'm thinking that it doesn't have one.

My questions:  does OtsAv DJ Pro 1.90 have a tool bar somewhere that can be turned on?  Also, the color contrasts of the program are really terrible and is there a way to change the colors? 

I have to make this thing work but right now I am very sad with the layout of the new program and really wish I had just left well enough alone. 

Hope someone can help, I may just be stupid and am not seeing how these things can be changed or made better by the operator.

[Darryl]

I feel for you.  The interface change is quite a lot to take in at first.  I think you need time to play with it without the pressure of an upcoming gig.  I'd recommend you go back to your old version and (if you have one) run the trial version on a separate computer to get the feel for the new user interface.

There is a toolbar - in the middle of the screen rather than the top.   Some of the user interface elements only show if your screen is not wide or tall enough to fit it all in - if you've got a fairly large screen, but run it at a lower resolution to increase the font size for example, you may not see all of the new user interface.

If it is any consolation to you, I found some of the user interface changes trying (there's one in particular about not being able to scroll with synaptic touchpad controllers combined with new scroll bar functionality that still annoys me), but with some time and practice I can see the advantages in (most of) the things the Ots Labs have chosen to do.  I've been vocal and critical about some of Ots Labs decisions in this release, so believe me that this isn't my attempt to "big up" Ots Labs because I've been a long-term user/supporter - it's honesty on my part - at first I didn't like the changes, but they have grown on me.

Perhaps they will grow on you too - but do give yourself time and of course do ask on here - the documentation for this release is not perfect, but many of the forum members have had time to get used to the changes and might be able to help you out.

[John Webb]

Welcome djriptide and well said Darryl sound advice as always
If you check my posts on here you will see on release date of Esperance I really gave them a hard time poor Steve at Ots AV must have hated me!!
But unlike you I kept my 1.85 pro on my live laptop and downloaded Esperance onto my home laptop so I could practise and read all new things being discovered on this forum about 1.90. Much comments & advice was being offered by Steve and long serving members like Darryl.

Now having been so negative in July on the first of November I would not want to go back to my old work horse version and find it a chore now when I open up my copy of 1.85 pro on my home machine as it doesn't have the new things I now love!!

There are a lot of hidden things in Esperance and once you find them they are truly brilliant?
I know this isn't much help if you don't have a back up copy of your old program but then that is also not really Ots AV's fault is it

[tjmalvesti]

As a longtime OTS user (12 years) I have refrained from posting my true opinions about Esperance as I know that they will be countered by users who feel that OTS can do no wrong. I am a professional DJ who has invested hundreds and hundreds of hours on my OTS database over the course of 12 years. Specifically setting up categories for everything from processional/recessional music, cocktail, father/daughter, cake cutting selections (you get the point). Since the release of Esperance, I have been using it at events on a weekly basis, but after 3 months, have had enough of it. Last week at a Halloween themed wedding, I went back to beat mixing on CDs and reverted back to the previous version of OTSAV. I've read all of the tricks and workarounds to make Esperance work efficiently and it's just not working out for me. I know that some will say that I'm off base, but why should I have to adjust my screen resolution to be able properly see the text and use the turntables? Again, someone will flame me and say, "it's stable what are you complaining about?"

Can someone honestly tell me what, other than looping (which you need a controller for) and enhanced search features has made the program better? Other than a fresh coat of paint, I feel that we've gained very little. Is OTS addressing any of the concerns specific to the poor GUI? And is it too much to ask for version of Studio that supports CD Text?

Thanks for listening.

[Jigger]

tjmalvesti
We have always said Ots is a personal choice, and with anything in life when things change it is often difficult to get to grips with it, example I am trying to get to grips with win8 similar to Ots. With a major change.
Anyway back to Ots as you say on the surface  only a few major changes but it is the base for other things to come, and before you say it (whenever that will be) I am now use to Espearance and enjoy using it and would not go back to earlier versions
I can see and understand how you feel, I wouldn't flame you for your opinions and agree with you and a lot of other members here that the program does need new features as mentioned above, which are supposedly planned for the future.
So use what is best for you.

[Jumpin' Jeff]

tj,
as you know, the change in GUI with Esperance has been nearly as contaversal as the ABM mixing released in Oct 2006. You're free to speak your displeasure kindly, as you did in your previous post. Only those with a knife or gun in hand, looking for blood will be caged. Through some of the friendly debates, we've all learned some things. Sometimes it's us the supporters learning, other times it's those complaining doing the learning. If you are looking for blood, you can't learn a thing as you're too close minded to do so. Friendly scuffles are always welcome. We just don't like to see them get out of hand.

The point is to keep an open mind, and keep it friendly. If you're beyond this, it's really time to move on, and live life to your fullest elsewhere.  

Progress is made with open minds!