[Solved] iScreensaver 5 and Windows 7

organics

I am testing version 5 and it works great on Windows 10, but I get an error message on Windows 7 ("Unable to display 'screensaver_name.mp4' It may not be a valid video or movie type for this computer."). That was with a UHD file (size 368 MB). With a Full HD video it was very glitchy/juddery (size 169 MB). The Windows 7 PC is very high spec.

As of November 2015 49% of users used Windows 7, source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_systems#Desktop_and_laptop_computers .
This kind of makes version 5 useless if it doesn't support Windows 7 as only 10% of all computer users are on Windows 10 (I am sure it is higher now but it seems like people love Windows 7 and are sticking with it).

A friend tried it on his super powered Windows 10 PC and got black screen (maybe 30 seconds) when pressing preview (it worked instantly for me on a much lower specked machine). After a while the screensaver came on for him, this is something we can live with. The Full HD version worked fine for him.

On his 2 Windows 8 laptops both work on one and not on the other. Not great laptops- 3 years old.

As it stands I would need to make a screensaver for Windows 7 using V4 and one for Windows 10 using V5. With a grey area for Windows 8 and low specked machines.

Is Windows 7 going to be fixed for version 5 or will I need to keep using version 4? Also I got loads of errors with version 5 and trying to generate an email error report function doesn't work. For a software which I have already paid for and you want an extra $500, this doesn't bode well.

iScreensaver Designer Log:

1:15:47 0 3 Helper App Crashed: Designer-14816-helper-0
1:18:40 38 3 Unhandled Exception: 0 NilObjectException in cBuilder.MakeInstallerWin%s%oo
cBuilder.MakeInstallerWin%s%oo
cBuilder.ThreadedBuild%%o
cBuilder.Event_Run%%o
cThread.Event_Run%%o
1:18:40 8 3 writing log to C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Roaming\iScreensaver\Logs\iScreensaver Designer 5.exe Crash 2016-01-26 011840.log
1:18:57 17364 3 ### CrashReporter: User Chose CONTINUE
1:27:39 15 3 cPicture.GetPicture OutOfMemoryException non-recoverable
1:29:08 43 3 Unhandled Exception: 0 NilObjectException in cBuilder.MakeInstallerWin%s%oo
cBuilder.MakeInstallerWin%s%oo
cBuilder.ThreadedBuild%%o
cBuilder.Event_Run%%o
cThread.Event_Run%%o
1:29:08 24 3 writing log to C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Roaming\iScreensaver\Logs\iScreensaver Designer 5.exe Crash 2016-01-26 012908.log
1:29:30 22030 3 ### CrashReporter: User Chose CONTINUE


Please can you let me know what you know regarding the different versions of Windows.

Thanks

[Eds: edited thread title to be more representative]

iScreensaver

What version of iScreensaver Designer 5 are you testing with? We recently rolled out some updates in version 5.0.0.1118 which help with Windows 7 compatibility. If you haven't yet, please re-build with version 5.0.0.1118 and let us know what happens:

http://iscreensaver.com/forum/discussion/469/iscreensaver-designer-5-release-notes#latest

Once we hear back we can address the other comments, thanks.

iScreensaver

In regards to Windows 7 support: Please read our official statement on the topic:

http://iscreensaver.com/help/notes/windows_7_compatibility/windows_7_compatibility.shtml

iScreensaver

For the crashes you encountered: without the full log file it's hard to say, but looks like a simple out-of-memory problem. Most often this would be triggered by using too many or too-large image files.

However, we'd love to see the actual log files. Would you please locate them in C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Roaming\iScreensaver\Logs\ and email copies to us : bugs @ iscreensaver.com

iScreensaver

"For a software which I have already paid for and you want an extra $500, this doesn't bode well. " -- Certainly, nobody wants to pay for buggy software, and nobody wants to pay twice.

As for bugs, we will do our best to address the issues you are seeing, but in the mean time please note that return customer upgrade pricing will qualify you for a substantial discount (50% or more depending on details). As always, if you have a unique situation and want purchase advice, just shoot us an email.

organics

Thanks for your responses. I downloaded version 5 yesterday (looks like it was about 15 hours ago). So I assume I have the latest version. Either way I haven't the time to make 2 new screensavers and then send them to a friend and us test them on 5 different computers again.

I think this is all I need for now from one of your links:
"We do not officially support the use on screensavers built with iScreensaver Designer 5 on the Windows 7 operating system."

It is just too much hassle and too messy at the moment to have 2 versions of every screensaver. Customers won't know what to use, so they will download both costing us more, plus they will get annoyed with the inevitable problems.

Sorry but we are going to have to look elsewhere for Windows and just continue to use V4 for OS X.

Please do let me know if V5 ever supports Windows 7 fully.

Thanks.

iScreensaver

Version 5 support for Windows 7 is actually quite good. It is our guess that some, or perhaps all of the issues you are having are more related to the specific audio/visual content that you are using rather than Windows 7 per se.

If our hunch is true, then you won't have any better luck using Version 4.5 either.

We would be happy to look into this further.

If you'd like more help, please:

* email us with copy of the log files (as indicated above)

* email us a URL where we can download an example of the finished screensaver that is giving you trouble.

We will run your demo on our test systems and see what's going wrong.

organics

Thanks for your speedy replies. I have emailed you.

iScreensaver

We have a new build out (5.0.0.1123) which includes fixes or improvements for several of these issues. Please check out our Release Notes: http://iscreensaver.com/forum/discussion/469/iscreensaver-designer-5-release-notes#latest

organics

Unfortunately UHD screensavers still don't work on Windows 7. We just tried on a powerhouse PC. Full HD does work. Works great on Windows 10 though, so overall we are happy and will just have to stop Windows 7 users using UHD screensavers.

iScreensaver

Thank you for the feedback, and your solution (of offering two versions, a "high" quality and "ultra high") is good advice for many screensaver authors. There will also be Windows 10 users who are running less-powerful CPUs or GPUs and they may also need to use the HD version.

organics

Thank you for all the great customer support too

iScreensaver

We have a new build out (5.0.2.1125) which further improves Windows 7 support: Please check out our Release Notes: http://iscreensaver.com/forum/discussion/469/iscreensaver-designer-5-release-notes#latest

organics

Great news, thanks for letting us know.