Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.audio
Subject: OctaMEDProV3
From: Michael Whitten <M-WHIT2@UMINN1.BITNET>
Date: Monday, 31 Aug 1992 09:00:56 CST
Organization: University of Minnesota - Computer & Information Services

On 12 Aug 92, Jason.Honingford@afitamy.fidonet.org said:

>I've really had it with OctaMEDPro V3.0!! I've used MED for years and even
>bought OctaMED2.0. OMEDPro V3 is not much of an upgrade. In fact, I'm having
>to use version 2.0 for compatibility reasons. I'm considering switching to a
>mod tracker, but at the moment I don't have access to a good mod editor.

>Anyway, I'd like to list some major problems I'm having with the new version
>of OctaMEDPro (3.0):

>1. OMEDPro will not save all the instruments I load into it. It takes the
>   liberty of leaving out all the unused instruments when you go to save
>   the song you're working on. This means I have to either reload all the
>   instruments I ment to use, or use the first block to enter a note from
>   all 64 instruments to make OMEDPro think I'm using them.
>
>2. Because of the nifty' slide and fade command, all of the songs I've
>   written with earlier versions won't slide and fade correctly when
>   played with OMEDPro. I've developed a way of doing it before this new
>   command came out, just by alternating commands. Alternating commands
>   worked a lot better than these new combined commands because you had
>   more control. Welp, slide and fade command just messed it all up and
>   now I have to go back and change it in my songs.

>3. OMEDPro, of all versions, did not come with instructions. Lucky for me,
>I've learned how to use it from earlier versions. If you've never used
>   MED before and don't have earlier versions such as "MED3.10", don't waste
>   your money on OMEDPro, since, without instructions, you'll never know all
>   the special commands. The earlier PD versions have instructions and from
>   thoughs instructions, not much has changed.

The more I use this software, the more disappointed and frustrated I get.
All the things Jason pointed out are true.  I have my own compatibility gripes
with OMED3, too.  The program is supposed to be able to save in ST/NT mod
format - it will not; in fact, its supposed to be able to save in all of
the previous MED formats....song+samples, song-samples, MED module, etc.  It
does none of them.  I saved a module I wrote using one 4-octave sample created
with PerfectSound and MED3.1, MED3.21, and OctaMED1.01 could not read ANY
OMED3's possible save formats.  What's the point of using a mod editor if
only those with OctaMEDv3 can hear it?  Ahhhh, well there's the freely-
distributable OctaMEDPlayerV3, right?  Wrong!  While OMED3 plays what I wrote
just fine......its own player cannot!  Nice going, Amiganuts!  The player
program screws up the octaves, and I suspect it is the extra 2 octave ability
in V3 that is fouling things up.  Luckily, there was an amusing article in the
accompanying CU Amiga mag about 2 Brits with an Amiga-only MED module on the
UK charts, so my money wasn't totally and utterly wasted.  (Most mod composers
can't distribute mods on the airwaves, and have to rely on module data..umph!)
As much as I admire Teijo Kinnunnen and MED, I have to question the more-
esoteric-features for less-compatibility direction he has chosen.  He seems
to pride himself on adding newer and newer features to his music editor
programming, but why bother if the already in-place Save features don't work?
<X>


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  +          Michael D. Whitten M-WHIT2@VM1.SPCS.UMN.EDU                 +
  +                         M-WHIT2@UMINN1                               +
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