We purchased Fincast Studio and Teleprompting software bundle.
Originally we opened the teleprompting software with the key and it seemed to work ok except for one minor problem... the SCROLL speed control was not available, only a click and drag speed control or the - and + keys could be used, but the constant tapping of the - and + keys would be picked up by the talent mic. I wrote the company and told them that every other teleptompting software program uses the SCROLL function for speed control because it is silent and does not require the operator eyes to leave the screen.
The day of its first use came. The teleprompter was in place. The script that the talent had emailed was loaded to C:/User/Mike/downloads. Then we tried to open the software and found that we had to load the license key again. I thought this odd. Finncast confirmed that the license key would have to be entered and an Internet connection would have to be available to validate the software everytime it was used.
We tried to open the software, using the license key for an hour with the talent waiting.
The message... "Input string was not in a correct format." kept coming up, blocking us from any use of the software.We tried the key witout the hyphens and even copied the license key from the email and pasted it and it still didn't work. We had to hurridly go out on the web and find another teleprompting program with dual screen capabilities and we found Quickprompt 2.2 which is free and has SCROLL speed control.
We contacted Finncast to remove this repeated validation restriction and they refused. Further, On-Location work would require a smartphone with decent signal strength along with a HotSpot connection adding an additional recurring cost to the consumer of $120 per year.
This was unconscionable.
We have been using OBS for streaming/broadcasting our programs. We use the Industry Standard Disney Chroma Key Paint on our wall. With OBS, it works pretty well. In Finncast Studio it is horrible and noisy.
OBS has eight adjustments to dial-in the Green Screen.
Key Color Type - Green, Blue, Magenta and Custom
Sililarity
Smoothness
Key Color Spill Reduction
Opacity
Contrast
Brightness
Gamma
Finncast Studio has 3
You can pick Green, Blue or Red
The only 2 left are Color and Gain.
The colors are hard-coded and the two adjustments do little in being able to dial-In the Green Screen.
Finncast does not include a Camera with a Green Screen background tutorial. It does provide a still picture with a green background, which is outside the real-world usage of a Green Screen.
None of the recorded output files types are recognised by Premiere Pro and cannot be played by VLC (which can play anything).
I also include this review from another user who purchased Finncast.
Margarita 1.0 out of 5 stars Beta Software
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2018
Thumbs up to Amazon for their incredible quality control. But they still sell this beta software on eBay and I sadly bought it today.
I thought there are a few things you want to know:
- No native broadcasting options besides YouTube
- No camera driver, the output cannot be used in any of your programs
- "Studio version" - It's not possible to invite external speakers. I'm not sure what the point is of having 4 cams. Showing yourself from 4 angles?
- The Chroma Key function is not working properly. It is hard coded and if the color you want to remove is not exactly whatever is coded, you cannot make your background transparent. It does not have functions to remove highlights or do any corrections that are included in every other software I am aware of
- No camera manipulation functions besides contrast and brightness. You cannot flip, cut or otherwise manipulate the camera output and might have to use a different software as a source which will add load to your CPU
- It's not possible to layer over videos
- User interface is not intuitive
I recommend you watch the videos on the YouTube channel of Finncast, I wish I had done so before I bought.
That aside, the software is full of grammar and spelling errors. That would not be a problem if it worked as described but it doesn't and therefore adds to the impression that this is a beta software.
That's on the first look. You can imagine that I felt no desire to dig deeper.
End of review.
Needless to say we applied for a fradulent chargeback.
Here's the response from Finncast sales.
Hi,
Your account has been suspended due t a fraud claim back by you or the card holder. We will fight this chargeback on the grounds that you receive a trial first. You made the claim because you did not get your own way with your suggestions and then demands that were related to a radio station and not a video production. You did not pay for customization and you are entitled to nothing and you wasted enough of my time so go make demands with some other company now if anyone would even listen to you. Oh the software is blocked now!
Regards
Susan Dunne
My advice is to run away from any dealings with Finncast.
Finncast Reviews
We purchased Fincast Studio and Teleprompting software bundle.
Originally we opened the teleprompting software with the key and it seemed to work ok except for one minor problem... the SCROLL speed control was not available, only a click and drag speed control or the - and + keys could be used, but the constant tapping of the - and + keys would be picked up by the talent mic. I wrote the company and told them that every other teleptompting software program uses the SCROLL function for speed control because it is silent and does not require the operator eyes to leave the screen.
The day of its first use came. The teleprompter was in place. The script that the talent had emailed was loaded to C:/User/Mike/downloads. Then we tried to open the software and found that we had to load the license key again. I thought this odd. Finncast confirmed that the license key would have to be entered and an Internet connection would have to be available to validate the software everytime it was used.
We tried to open the software, using the license key for an hour with the talent waiting.
The message... "Input string was not in a correct format." kept coming up, blocking us from any use of the software.We tried the key witout the hyphens and even copied the license key from the email and pasted it and it still didn't work. We had to hurridly go out on the web and find another teleprompting program with dual screen capabilities and we found Quickprompt 2.2 which is free and has SCROLL speed control.
We contacted Finncast to remove this repeated validation restriction and they refused. Further, On-Location work would require a smartphone with decent signal strength along with a HotSpot connection adding an additional recurring cost to the consumer of $120 per year.
This was unconscionable.
We have been using OBS for streaming/broadcasting our programs. We use the Industry Standard Disney Chroma Key Paint on our wall. With OBS, it works pretty well. In Finncast Studio it is horrible and noisy.
OBS has eight adjustments to dial-in the Green Screen.
Key Color Type - Green, Blue, Magenta and Custom
Sililarity
Smoothness
Key Color Spill Reduction
Opacity
Contrast
Brightness
Gamma
Finncast Studio has 3
You can pick Green, Blue or Red
The only 2 left are Color and Gain.
The colors are hard-coded and the two adjustments do little in being able to dial-In the Green Screen.
Finncast does not include a Camera with a Green Screen background tutorial. It does provide a still picture with a green background, which is outside the real-world usage of a Green Screen.
None of the recorded output files types are recognised by Premiere Pro and cannot be played by VLC (which can play anything).
I also include this review from another user who purchased Finncast.
Margarita 1.0 out of 5 stars Beta Software
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2018
Thumbs up to Amazon for their incredible quality control. But they still sell this beta software on eBay and I sadly bought it today.
I thought there are a few things you want to know:
- No native broadcasting options besides YouTube
- No camera driver, the output cannot be used in any of your programs
- "Studio version" - It's not possible to invite external speakers. I'm not sure what the point is of having 4 cams. Showing yourself from 4 angles?
- The Chroma Key function is not working properly. It is hard coded and if the color you want to remove is not exactly whatever is coded, you cannot make your background transparent. It does not have functions to remove highlights or do any corrections that are included in every other software I am aware of
- No camera manipulation functions besides contrast and brightness. You cannot flip, cut or otherwise manipulate the camera output and might have to use a different software as a source which will add load to your CPU
- It's not possible to layer over videos
- User interface is not intuitive
I recommend you watch the videos on the YouTube channel of Finncast, I wish I had done so before I bought.
That aside, the software is full of grammar and spelling errors. That would not be a problem if it worked as described but it doesn't and therefore adds to the impression that this is a beta software.
That's on the first look. You can imagine that I felt no desire to dig deeper.
End of review.
Needless to say we applied for a fradulent chargeback.
Here's the response from Finncast sales.
Hi,
Your account has been suspended due t a fraud claim back by you or the card holder. We will fight this chargeback on the grounds that you receive a trial first. You made the claim because you did not get your own way with your suggestions and then demands that were related to a radio station and not a video production. You did not pay for customization and you are entitled to nothing and you wasted enough of my time so go make demands with some other company now if anyone would even listen to you. Oh the software is blocked now!
Regards
Susan Dunne
My advice is to run away from any dealings with Finncast.