R&S. Seriously? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 03:45:57 am
content: I was looking for videos about R&S's RTO series of oscilloscopes, which seem very nice, and seem to have found one from their own channel. The voice they use in thispisses the hell out of me. What the fuck were they thinking when they made this video?

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 03:51:55 am
content: I think that has been pitch "corrected" (autotune), either THAT or THE fellow HAS very ODD speech PATTERNS.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 04:02:25 am
content: It's what called a "big bottom" audio filter. A lot of radio guys use it when they want to sound important.

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 04:41:58 am
content: Holy shit, that is annoying. Another marketing job well done!

author: Pasky
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 04:42:42 am
content: I was more annoyed by the use of CGI to show the scope off than the voice.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:16:48 am
content: The voice is filter-fiddled AND uses unusual intonation and rhythm for listener attention grabbing and memorability enhancing.Aka mind programming/propaganda. It's another form of neuro-linguistic programming. Similar techniques are used by many advertising and mainstream media groups.Yes, it's obnoxious.

author: true
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:34:31 am
content: I don't know, but I wasn't annoyed, I already forgot most everything in the video and still don't know what the name of the company is.Desensitized?

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:36:20 am
content: Come now, I see it as marketing done right. It's an actual voice actor, it's voiced and done by a pro. What would you prefer? A skinny engineer, babbling with a shaking voice with a silly accent? Yeah, they may have overdone it on the depth of the voice, but I like the ad.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 08:45:29 am
content: Quote from: daqq on February 03, 2014, 07:36:20 amSame here. I do love how engineers think they know how to market things.....

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 08:56:56 am
content: Any clue about the pricing on those things?

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 09:13:16 am
content: Well 15 seconds in I could see the point echen was making, that was over the top and weird voice modification. Then I watched some more and the voice faded in the backround and I became transfixed by blinken lights, that guy could have been speaking jibberish I wasn't listening anymore. I was like one of those epileptic kids mesmerized into a fit of want. By minute 3, with drool dripping, it was if I had been transported into the heavens by angels and allowed to glimpse the oscilliscope of God. Blinken lights .. want ... much want ...

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 09:13:37 am
content: Quote from: daqq on February 03, 2014, 07:36:20 amUsing a voice actor = coolThe deep voice = ok with meThe fact that his pitch randomly shifts in weird and unnatural ways = Total fail, it ruins it.If anyone doesn't know what we're talking about, listen at exactly 40sec, his voice drops way down1min59sec is another example where the word "enables" jumps up in pitch

author: PA4TIM
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 09:57:42 am
content: I have no problem with that voice. Sounds good to me. The things around 40 seconds or so I do not here because the to loud music (I can not filter) But I have more troubles decoding/filering low pitch as high pitch in cases llike this with to loud background music.

author: Gunb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 10:29:32 am
content: If you want to listen to more voices of that sound you just have to watch US advertisement on German TV with original languageI assume this video was made at R&S location in the US.Also don't have any problems with that voice.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 10:34:38 am
content: That was pretty bad, couldn't stand to listen to the whole thing.auto & shortsokay...

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 02:10:01 pm
content: Audio was a little bit annoying, but I wasn't focused on it. By the time it got to the UI, that had my attention, as it appears interesting to me if it actually works the way users need without getting in the way.

author: 1design
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 02:36:59 pm
content: I wouldn't bother so much about their advertising ads, their instruments work and performance is the only factor when buying an instrument. I don't think that you can sell even one 10k€+ instrument with an ad.Just my 2 cents.BR,Miha

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 02:58:25 pm
content: The blinkenlights however, do transport me into utopialand with nude virgins and oscilloscopes. I was drooling all over my keyboard.

author: taemun
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 03:21:17 pm
content: I think they were aiming for this style VO, and missed:

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 03:40:51 pm
content: That oscilloscope. Wow. The features. The technology. The performance. The user interface. If it works they way they show it, that is one cool bit of kit. It's like the Tesla of test gear. They would get my money (assuming I could afford it).

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 06:38:39 pm
content: Quote from: poorchava on February 03, 2014, 08:56:56 amApprox. 10 000 Euro for the entry level version. Beyond that it's "if you have to ask you can't afford it".

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:04:10 pm
content: It's like he's doing a really bad Sean Connery impression.

author: pomonabill221
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:08:32 pm
content: Sounds similar to Rod Serling.... with a touch of Brittish accent. They are trying to get the WOW affect....

author: scientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:12:20 pm
content: The way he pronounces R&S... Arde and Sharts...:lol:

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:16:25 pm
content: Quote from: scientist on February 03, 2014, 07:12:20 pmQuote from: rdl on February 03, 2014, 10:34:38 amHaven't you people ever heard a foreign language before?Sounds like decent German to me...

author: Yago
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:38:44 pm
content: SM7b mic, "voice of god" plug-in, pitch shifted down a little, plus I think some dodgy editing where words are cut and pasted together from different takes/sections.Sounds like they were trying to go for the big "Coming soon" at the movies voice and missing the mark (perhaps with a bit of Neo thrown in).Heard and seen worse, a lot worse.

author: manticore00
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 07:51:19 pm
content: I've never had to buy T & M equipment like this in a professional sense, but I've got plenty of experience buying software and systems and this sort of marketing never grabs my attention. Maybe this stuff is focus a CxOs and other higher ups, but when it eventually filters down to my level I tend to give the marketing speak short shrift and just say, "give me a live demo and then let me play with it." My first hurdle is always what Dave uses when testing kit, if as an educated and experienced engineer I can't do a basic install and have a go at it without reading the manual they lose a lot of points(I'm looking at you Oracle/IBM). It may sound silly, but when you've got to manage it and have varying degrees of talent/skill in staff, intuitive UI makes a bit difference. Performance metrics always are big point earners for me too.Again, I deal with software and blackbox appliances rather than T & M stuff. Anyone that's more deeply involved with that professionally able to chime in? Maybe there are some marketing-droids on this forum who'll read it.

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 08:31:05 pm
content: Quote from: scientist on February 03, 2014, 07:12:20 pmI found the voice quite annoying, like someone announcing the next big crappy Hollywood blockbuster.The way he pronounced Rohde und Schwarz was actually quite good for an English speaker.Could Dave get his mitts on one of those scopes? Would love to see how they stack up with the other big scope manufacturers, keeping in mind they now own Hameg.

author: Mark_O
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 09:25:15 pm
content: I just thought it was rather odd, for a professionally produced piece for a very expensive scope, that they uploaded a 240p video to YouTube.

author: G0HZU
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 09:33:29 pm
content: Quote from: david77 on February 03, 2014, 08:31:05 pmAt work we've had the 20Gs/s (1044?) model on trial for a few weeks. I've not used it myself but I've watched others use it. The button lamps are very bright indeed. Really annoying but I think you can turn down the intensity and even alter the colours. It does run quite warm at the sides as well.Also, if you press for simple functions like the trigger then you get hit with an onscreen system diagram that looks like something drawn in visio. Too much info for me as I'm just a casual user of big DSO/MSO scopes. The screen/trace quality does look really nice but the onscreen icons at the top are a bit distracting as they look like little advert icons on a web page

author: Mark_O
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2014, 09:41:40 pm
content: Quote from: echen1024 on February 03, 2014, 03:45:57 amThey were thinking,"How can we manipulate the voice-over on this video, so we can really piss the hell out of somebody? Who will then post how annoyed they are, and the video will go viral... with a gazillion views, and a lot of discussion (buzz). Even after it's been out for over a year."Bingo.

author: jeroen74
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2014, 04:06:02 pm
content: This voice over is slightly weirder

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2014, 05:46:58 pm
content: Quote from: david77 on February 03, 2014, 08:31:05 pmRight on the money, it's yet another cheap impersonation of the late Don LaFontaine.

author: rjk5378
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2014, 08:27:08 pm
content: Quote from: echen1024 on February 03, 2014, 03:45:57 amThere was a mix-up at the talent agency. R&S got this guy, and the announcer they were supposed to have was sent by mistake to do voice overs for coming attraction movie trailers.- Bob, KY3R

author: SArepairman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2014, 12:39:34 am
content: did anyone feel that the chinese win win factory video thing kind of reminded you of an ocean movie? (like oceans 11 12 13 etc)they put exciting jazz type music on shit that is pissssss boring (like tinning wires all day) and suddenly it seems exciting, as if they are going to use those tin wires later to break into a bank vault)some of those employees are probably barely functioning kept up by coffee life support n smoking opium in the bathroomand those dudes keep inspecting those connectors quite a bit.*dude that shit looks like its a million miles long, like some sort of space snake*oh yea and seeking transcendence. lmfao. all i can think of is the new riddick movie now

author: scientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2014, 03:57:36 am
content: Factor-uh. Dev-a-lupment. Porducts. Devahlupment. Positave afforts. Succassfully dev-ah-luped.It's like he's forcibly repressing his Chinese accent...

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2014, 04:05:02 am
content: Quote from: scientist on February 05, 2014, 03:57:36 amI was wondering if it might actually be a voice synth instead of an actual human.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2014, 04:07:07 am
content: Quote from: nanofrog on February 05, 2014, 04:05:02 amyeah, i think so too