Autopano Engine 2.5 Final

[AlexandreJ]

Autopano Engine 2.5 Final

by AlexandreJ » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:27 am

Hi Everybody,

A lot of message for you today

First, let me announce the release of the final version of Autopano Pro / Giga in 2.5 version.
This version was tagged stable enough to be used in production.

As always, we will not stop here our debugging task.
A 2.5.1 version is already on the work ( and a 2.6 too with some nice new features like Adobe Lightroom, Apple Aperture, Adobe Bridge and Google Picassa integration ).

So where is the download ?

On the new website : http://www.kolor.com
I hope you'll enjoy the new design

BTW : changelog is available here : http://download.kolor.com/apg/stable/history

Take care

Alexandre

[GURL]

by GURL » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:35 am

Alexandre, you are a few hours late versus panophoto.org : http://www.panophoto.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=9652&p=133597#p133597

[AlexandreJ]

by AlexandreJ » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:44 am

Hahaha, excellent

Hi Gibie, how are you ? ( this is a test to see if he reads my mind or my writing ... )

[vincen]

by vincen » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:57 am

yep Alexandre, your announcement is in late For integration with Lightroom, what is supposed to be done ? direct export from Lightroom to APP/APG ? What about also use of lenses database of Adobe ?

Good job

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:32 am

Alexandre,

Following the final releases of V2.5 of Autopano Pro and Autopano Giga, and V1.5 of Panotour and Panotour Pro I'm struggling to understand the new pricing structure for Kolor products.

Autopano Pro 2.5 is the same price as earlier versions, 99 Euros plus tax.

Autopano Giga 2.5 is the same prices as earlier versions, 199 Euros plus tax, BUT it no longer includes Autopano Tour and Panotour, Autopano Tour's replacement, is now marketed as a separate product at 99 Euros plus tax. So effectively APG 2.5 now costs 99 Euros plus tax more than earlier versions of APG.

Panotour is priced at 99 Euros plus tax. It is functioanlly roughly equivalent to Autopano Tour which used to be a no cost bundle with Autopano Giga.

Panotour Pro is priced at 299 Euros plus tax. It is functionally roughly equivalent to Autopano Tour (which used to be a no cost bundle with APG) + krpano (a licence for the krpano viewer and krpano tools is 90 Euros plus tax); it has an 'embedded' licences for the krpano viewer and the krpano iDevice compatibility stuff but doesn't include a licence for krpano tools.

What is Kolor's rationale for what is effectively a significant price rise for Autopano Giga from V2.0.9 to V2.5, and what appears on the face of it to be a very high price for Panotour Pro 1.5? I often respond to questions about Kolor products on the panoguide.com forum and I would like to be able to offer some informed explanation/rationale for Kolor's new product pricing.

Is there any sort of 'upgrade' path for those (probably using non-Kolor stitching products, such as PTGui) with krpano licences who may wish to purchase Panotour or Panotour Pro?

What is the situation now for those with a APG 2.0.9 licence who were a free licence key for Panotour?

What is the situation now for those with a APG 2.0.9 licence and a krpano licence who were offered a free licence key for Panotour Pro?

Does Kolor no longer offer the krpano licence from the Kolor Web shop?

Last edited by mediavets on Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Paul]

by Paul » Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:45 am

On the new website : http://www.kolor.com
I hope you'll enjoy the new design

unfortunately a lot of links are ending up in: 404 There are no translations available.

e.g. on this page: http://www.kolor.com/v3/solutions-image-stitching-virtual-tours.html

http://www.kolor.com/v3/index.php/en/component/content/article/2

[[bo]]

by [bo] » Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:47 am

Great work Alexandre and the whole Kolor team!

Now, how to proceed with software upgrade? I have APP 2.0 and would like to get APG 2.5, as the free nodal point is the main new feature I'm going to use. What will be the price for that upgrade, didn't find that in the shop? I'm not interested in Panotour/krpano etc...

[vincen]

by vincen » Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:50 am

']ow, how to proceed with software upgrade? I have APP 2.0 and would like to get APG 2.5, as the free nodal point is the main new feature I'm going to use. What will be the price for that upgrade, didn't find that in the shop? I'm not interested in Panotour/krpano etc...

it's just a regular upragde from APP 2 to APG 2 but not sure how you buy that in store as I don't see upgrade prices

Vincèn

[tived]

by tived » Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:52 am

yes upgrade or side-grade

Having APG and wanting Panotour/Pro whats the demage?

Henrik

[[bo]]

by [bo] » Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:23 pm

but not sure how you buy that in store as I don't see upgrade prices

Well that's kinda my question thanks for you input though.

[John_Sauter]

by John_Sauter » Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:28 pm

Congratulations on the release of version 2.5 final. Are there plans to update the manual to reflect the new software?

[klausesser]

by klausesser » Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:36 pm

Congratulations on the release of version 2.5 final. Are there plans to update the manual to reflect the new software?

:cool::cool:

best, Klaus

[klausesser]

by klausesser » Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:42 pm

Congrats to the Kolor team!!

best, Klaus

[AlexandreJ]

by AlexandreJ » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:00 pm

Let try to answer to all questions. To Mediavets, yes the price structure has changed a lot between the old way ( embedded autopano tour ) and the new way, external Panotour standalone product. See the following image to learn about that : it's what has been announcement since a lot time.

For Autopano Pro / Giga 2.0 users : you don't need to do anything, because Autopano Pro / Giga 2.5 is sharing the same license keys than the 2.0 version. So, just install new version and you're done.
For any other upgrade, you need to go through your customer portal : http://www.kolor.com/magento-support/. There, you'll find the upgrade button that depending on what you have, will explain what you can get for free or at what price.

The manual is finished in French and it will be translated into English within 2 weeks. If you already want to have a look and use google to translate it quickly, here's the link : http://www.autopano.net/wiki-fr/action/view/Support_technique

[gkaefer]

by gkaefer » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:05 pm

I've to subcribe the lines from Andrew,

the shop page is not constitent and in some points unclear:

example:
http://www.kolor.com/buy/software/panotour-pro/pack-autopano-giga-panotour-pro.html
(available via www.kolor.com -> store -> and see creenshot (sorry not possible to add images in announcment..., ok the top two icons with the offer to the bundles)
why is the most expensive bundle package APG+PTP for 479€ and under details its listed that the "old" APG 2.0 version is included?

so you can buy APG 2.5 single and PTP 1.5 single (for 565,60€)
or a bundle of APG 2.0 + PTP 1.5 (for 479€)

and what if you than want to upgrade to APG 2.5?

Liebe Gruesse,
Georg

Last edited by gkaefer on Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[AlexandreJ]

by AlexandreJ » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:09 pm

This has to be updated Georg, you are right. Modifying the full webshop at the same time is a bit complicated

[gkaefer]

by gkaefer » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:19 pm

This has to be updated Georg, you are right. Modifying the full webshop at the same time is a bit complicated

ok - I see
PS: loogin into the my account -> and listing my licenses -> the "krPano Flash Panorama Viewer - Unlimited Domain License" is listed, but the zip file cant be downloaded with IE8 nor with Google Chrome....
... and uups its possible to upload the same krpano license more than once and it is than listed multiple times...

Liebe Gruesse,
Georg

Last edited by gkaefer on Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Ronald]

by Ronald » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:30 pm

I cannot find Autopano Pro; it would be a different release?

[AlexandreJ]

by AlexandreJ » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:34 pm

Autopano Pro was released : first in the line : http://www.kolor.com/v3/download-autopano-panotour-panorama-virtual-tour-software.html

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:43 pm

Let try to answer to all questions. To Mediavets, yes the price structure has changed a lot between the old way ( embedded autopano tour ) and the new way, external Panotour standalone product. See the following image to learn about that : it's what has been announcement since a lot time.

To my mind 2.X would include 2.5 - is that correct?

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:56 pm

Let try to answer to all questions. To Mediavets, yes the price structure has changed a lot between the old way ( embedded autopano tour ) and the new way, external Panotour standalone product.

So you agree that APG is now effectively 99 Euros plus tax - the cost of Panotour - more expensive than before?

How do you explain/justify/rationalise that Panotour Pro is 200 Euros plus tax more expensive than Panotour, and way more costly than most of its competitors - Pano2VR, Flashificator+Flash Panorama Player, not to mention krpanoviewer+krpanotools+iDevice compatibility add-on which now incorporates droplets that will produce complete virtual tours with thumbnail navigation (superior in that regard to PT/PTP IMO). And PanoTour Pro doesn't even offer a licence for krpanotools.

PTP is a good product, but...the only similar product positioned at that price is EasyPano's Tourweaver standard edition.

[AlexandreJ]

by AlexandreJ » Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:19 pm

Yes, I agree with you prices has changed but I don't think it's overpriced for the quality of the software. When comparing how easy it is to do a virtual visit with Panotour Pro compared to any other competitor, I think it worth it. A lot of people don't know XML coding required for true virtual visit coding : Panotour is here for them and as you said it's a good product.

And it will continue to improve a lot over time.

[tived]

by tived » Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:47 pm

Ouch - Panotour Pro ....199 euro!!! i suppose its better then 299 euro's :-)

Henrik

better sell some pano's then

[Rami]

by Rami » Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:49 pm

@mediavets:
Yes. Buying v.2.0 or v.2.5 is actually the same thing, as v.2.5 is a minor update (even if it contains major improvements!). This is why the update is free and you don't need a new registration key when updating from v.2.0 to v.2.5.
We still have some links and info to update on our websites (kolor.com, the store and the wiki). If you find major issues please don't hesitate to tell us.

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:59 pm

Yes, I agree with you prices has changed but I don't think it's overpriced for the quality of the software. When comparing how easy it is to do a virtual visit with Panotour Pro compared to any other competitor, I think it worth it. A lot of people don't know XML coding required for true virtual visit coding : Panotour is here for them and as you said it's a good product.

And it will continue to improve a lot over time.

I agree that it's a very accessible product but at that price I feel it's really only going to appeal to those who make these tours for money. I think it's too costly for most hobbyists, and hobbyists make up the majority of the pano products market.

I would feel a more comfortable about/with the price of Panotour Pro if it included a licence for krpanotools, and if it incorporated a Google maps with hotspots and radar feature, and if it had a much enhanced thumbnails capability, a much improved non-Google maps feature with radar, a 'smart' built-in XML editor, a means of protecting custom edits to the XML, and explicit support for Flash-capable mobile devices (such as Android tablets). Are any of those things on your list of potential improvements 'over time'?

I think such features would make PTP considerably more attractive - as a Rapid Application Development tool - to those pros who are able and willing to do some additional XML coding; and it's fee earning pros who are more likely to find it easy to justify the cost.

Last edited by mediavets on Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.