VST Connect Pro documentation or lack thereof

When it works, it kinda works…
The documentation that I’ve found thus far is rather sparse in explaining how it works. I’ve looked an YouTube and all I’ve seen is marketing stuff - interesting and shows the potentual, but getting there is another thing.
Is there a secret source for documentation of which 'm not aware?

Using Pro with Cubase 7.5 and 8.05 on PC.

Any thoughts/help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Jeff

bluemuskrat50

The test here is to determine if Cubase and VST Connect Pro is failing at its audio paths or at least see a symptom of it failing

Try this: Load up Cubase 7.5 or 8.05 and VST Pro Template.

Or
Create an Audio Input Channel via VST Connections and name it TB/Performer (if you want or use an existing audio input channel. In the Mix Console Insert VST Connection Pro.

Now create a group track and then delete it. Do this several times if you want, but the end goal is to see if the groups you’ve deleted are still in the list and select-able.

The list I’m referring to is in the project window/inspector where you can set the out of any audio track. If the deleted groups still show up, VST Connect Pro is hosing the internal signal path.

The above is the simplest way to see a symptom of internal connect fail.

And that is why it won’t work and you may even get varying results. i…e remove the VST Connection Inserts and then put them back in to see whats changers is ability… if its as my experience, what part I had working Stopped working.

The idea is to have a group track that you can send whatever tracks you want to the remote or LAN performer summed into this group track. But VST Connection Pro is hosing the connections internally, so this won’t work, its broke.

You can also try in VST Connections to set the audio input channel the VST Connection Pro is inserted into, to an audio signal you know is working, this bypasses or forks the audio signal and sends it to the “to performer” (or whatever track you have VST Connection Cue Mix inserted into and have routing set from TB/Performer.) The remote performer should hear this (assuming you have other things set- like volume to performer in the VST Connection online interface), but its limited to one or two audio signals.

My experience is VST Connect Pro simply does not work in Cubase 7.5 or 8.05 because the signal paths are getting internally hosed.

if interested see the thread of mine “draw me a path/map of connections” and start reading from teh last message backward. there are some images in some of my later posts.

I was getting varying results, unstable… but finally stabilized when I nailed the problem. I can repeat the problem in both CB7.5 & 8.05

Documentation is not Steinberg’s strong suit. This is a typical problem of Software Developers. As such I suspect if they focused on Documentation in the development process it would force them to discover more bugs in development but would also result in release dates between releases to be longer. Maybe such delay would be only until they get the documentation up to speed and integrated into the development process. I don’t know their internal development processes, but pushing for release dates often sacrifice … documentation. I do wonder about test suites they are running the software components through to expose bugs in the development process. Developing test suites is easier than the software its testing and though its can really make a difference… pushing for release dates… argh…sacrifice. Don’t have time to do the things that will save time? It has crossed my mind, does the Steinberg Development team lack a dedicated Documentation position that interacts with the development team, possibly having the side effect of bug exposure? Or maybe its all about finding someone to pay to teach your how to use the software and that would not be so uncommon with complex software. As many times as others have commented regarding difficulty with following my communications…I would probably do a better job with Documentation if I worked in such a position. I do believe I nailed the VST Connection Pro problem as best anyone can from a user POV. And It was very frustrating… duie sparce documentation.

3seas,
Thanks for your extensive reply. I took a brief look at your posts regarding connections yesterday, but will take a closer look after your reply. I will also try the experiment you suggest and see if I get the same result.

I worked for many years in the software documentation field during the 1980’s (showing my age, I’m afraid) and I work in marketing as a writer now. It is true that software companies abandoned documentation when trade writers took up the task (Cue, Addison-Wesley, even Dummies Press) – the for profit motive seemed to produce more, though not always better results than in-house documentation staff. However, Cubase is a complex product involving an interaction between disparate elements (hardware and software) that can interact unpredictably.

Overall, my impression is that Steinberg’s Cubase documentation is pretty task-driven (configure this, use these steps to turn on this), but that approach assumes that you understand what task you’re trying to accomplish. Some of the “connecting tissue” is missing. I don’t know about the trade documentation – perhaps it provides what Steinberg can’t.
In any case they could do a better job, I think. I’m sure that you are correct that they are driven to continue to push the product forward and let the documentation catch up. Also, programmers by and large make poor technical writers, if only because they have a hard time seeing the program from the end user’s point of view.

Anyway, please excuse the rant and let me thank your for your observations again.

Jeff

There is indeed a bug that leaves deleted Groups in the bus lists. It is fixed with the new version to be released in just a few days, we apologize. Apart from that, if you avoid deleting Groups or use deleted Groups all should be fine.
With the new version there is a one-stop “Create VST Connect” (as already with the SE version) which further simplifies the task.
As for documentation, we are all open to improve if you have suggestions. It’s kinda tough though to know what you need or what the docs lack of, based on your post. Thanks for cooperating.

Thanks for the information on the new version which sounds like it may address the problems outlined in some previous posts.

I agree that my comments about Cubase documentation were not very specific, but I appreciate what I perceive as challenge to be more more specific. As to specific suggestions, I will think about those before I respond to your post.

Thanks…
Jeff

Perhaps consider an open Wiki for documentation with the only requirement for editing is that one must be registered, as it is with posting here. Given this forum is using phpBB and with that pmwiki or mediawiki (i.e. what wwikipedia uses) might be fitting.

As there is editing history that can be seen it might be easy to check for accuracy of information from within Steinberg perhaps even having developer review of what they are knowledgeable of… could also help them see a bit from the user POV.

How the current documentation plays in this is, of course it needs to be available, seen and referenced at times in user created documentation, but perhaps not directly editable???

Of course this may or not work depending on user contribution level. Documentation structure, table of contents might evolve to be more user oriented.

BTW If I want to prnt a few pages from the PDF manual, I have to first print it to a pdf (only what pages I want to print) and from there print it, otherwise that User Manual PDF is…uh, broken :unamused: