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Junior
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/11/2008 3:04:22 PM
Posts: 30,
Visits: 102
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June 21st. First day of spring. And I'm back up with iClone. With a $200+ NVidia GeForce 8800.
I spent 4 days on the phone with microsoft support (who finally acknowledged they have a SP3 problem with AMD chips). They gave up after 4 days and recommended reinstalling XP Pro. At least they tried.
Now, it is my stubborness (not wanting to wipe away my whole system just to get iClone to once again function with ATi video cards) that has kept me unproductive for so long. But, you know there's always a but, that doesn't change the fact that three different vendors support departments were completely useless in troubleshooting my problem. That the 'problem' still isn't resolved and WILL come to bite others (I'm sure of it) in the future.
MS XP PRO, MS service pack 3, ATi video cards and iClone are a combination in restraint of accomplishing 3D animation. The three support departments each get a failing grade for helping a customer with a problem. Microsoft gets a 50% (they did spend a lot of time with me on the phone trying to figure this out. And from Bombay, that's a hell of a lot of phone charges they'll absorb). Reallusion gets a 25%. Kelly from their support department sent me two emails, but let's face it - he (or she) didn't put all that much time in considering my plight and passed me off to ATi and Microsoft as quickly as any hot potato has ever been buck-passed in the history of mankind. (Well, maybe that's a little over the top, but not a lot).
ATi, gets the lowest grade - 5%. They sent a list of bios settings (none of which matched the bios options offered me at bootup) and declared the problem 'resolved'! When I attempted to tell them that the "solutions" they offered were unacceptable, they just restated that, as far as they were concerned, the problem had been resolved. Now isn't THAT special?
And what's it all mean? Who knows. I'm out a bunch more money. I know that using iClone has become a very expensive proposition over the last 7 months. I know I'll never buy another ATi product. I know that at least Microsoft cares enough to send 5 different tech support people to the phones for long periods to try and resolve a customer's problem. Tho' it should be pointed out that none of the tech support people had more than 3 years working with Microsoft and they were all in Bombay, rather than the USA, they DID expend time and energy in trying to help me. That was WAY more than the other two vendors offered. So I guess it means that ATi and Reallusion should be ashamed of what they call tech support. It was made painfully obvious to me these last few weeks.
Peter, you say Reallusion cares? What, exactly, makes you think that's a true statement? Just curious.
-blue
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Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 10:12:37 PM
Posts: 19,
Visits: 328
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I just saw this thread, and I believe you are/were having the same problem I did with iClone. Every time I loaded the motion editor as soon as I clicked on anything to edit it would hardlock my computer. ( Intel core two, with an ATI 3870). After getting no help from iClone I found out some more on the problem myself. The error code it was throwing out for me related to something trying to adjust your video acceleration. For me I was able to get the motion editor to work, if I went into the control panel and turned down my video acceleration. However the regular iClone program will not work with your video acceleration turned down. So if you want to actually work with both parts of iClone you have to constantly be turning up and down your video acceleration, which is hardly a solution IMO. I followed up with reallusion tech support to give them all the information I had found regarding this problem hoping it would help them come up with a proper fix. The response I got was " We are glad you fixed your problem". Peter here on the forums was doing a great job trying to be helpful, but the actual tech support from reallusion was pitiful. Through out the course of my conversations with them, their main bits of advice were, try using a geforce card, or wait for iClone 3.0 to come out and see if that fixes the problem.
I really liked the potential I see in iClone, but it impossible for me to work with it in it's current shape. I keep looking back here from time to time to see if there's been a patch or some sort of fix, but it seems more unlikely all the time.
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Tutor
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Today @ 8:41:33 PM
Posts: 1,475,
Visits: 2,537
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| Hi jjwebb and jman64, Thank you for your feedback on this particular problem. I can assure you that the fact that Reallusion support was unable to give you both an acceptable resolution was not down to lack of caring but purely down to not knowing enough of the changes made by Windows XP SP3 and the impact on those with AMD/ATI setups. I also have to say that maybe it is a little unfair to compare the support departments of the largest software company in the world (Microsoft) and Reallusion. Sure Microsoft were able to get 5 support representatives out of the many 1000's they have to talk with you (jjwebb) but as you admitted they were unable to solve the problem even though they built and issued SP3. If Reallusion had the same numbers of support staff I'm sure you would have had an equal service. Now don't take my statement above as an excuse because it isn't. No matter how big the support department is, the aim should always be to help resolve problems and in these cases they couldn't and for that I truly apologise. I do reiterate though that Reallusion do care about their customers. I base this on the fact that in all my discussions with the team, the subject of customer satisfaction is always top of the agenda and new ways to improve things are constantly being looked at. Again I thank you both for sharing your views. Your feelings about customer support will be noted and reviewed and hopefully this will lead to improving things for the future.
Peter Edwards
Forum Moderator iClone Daily Blog
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Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/6/2008 7:30:39 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 2
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Hi there,
Is there a solution to this problem yet ? - I get iclone working for about 10 mins and then - yep blue screen of death.
Running iclone 3, winxp sp3, dual core intel, 3Gb RAM & ATI card.
Is iclone a stable product ? Your view please.
Duncan
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Tutor
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Today @ 8:41:33 PM
Posts: 1,475,
Visits: 2,537
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duncwilson (10/6/2008)
Hi there,
Is there a solution to this problem yet ? - I get iclone working for about 10 mins and then - yep blue screen of death.
Running iclone 3, winxp sp3, dual core intel, 3Gb RAM & ATI card.
Is iclone a stable product ? Your view please.
DuncanHi Duncan, The problems reported in this thread were referring to iClone2/AMD/ATI issues. The problems you are having with iClone3 may be unrelated to this issue. Which ATI card do you have. Does it meet the minimum requirements for iClone3? Also please make sure you have the latest drivers installed for your card and that they are working without any errors. You can check by running DXDIAG.EXE (Click Start then Run and input DXDIAG.EXE) Look at the Display and Sound tabs for problems. If everything appears ok spec wise, then please contact support for help with this. They may well have an answer for you. It's worth a try. http://www.reallusion.com/CustomerSupport/User/QForm.aspx I hope you get this resolved soon.
Peter Edwards
Forum Moderator iClone Daily Blog
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