I haven't purchased Vidyou yet, but have searched "vidyou" on Youtube and watched each of the videos I found there... repeatedly... so I'd be sure about my purchase, if I buy. So take my response however you see fit. But, the one thing that stood out to me with vidyou... is their templates are unforgiving... meaning... do it right or suffer the consequences of my ignorance. The majority of the both the reviews and QandA's here pretty much give that warning... either from experience... or from complete exasperation.

This, however, does not dissuade me from buying Vidyou. As a former software tech writer and support desk manager, my experience tells me that 95% of all software problems either occur when new buyers do not read and follow instructions or do not watch and follow the tutorial videos... OR... they are the logical result of poor or no instructions provided. Right now, regardless of the reason, Vidyou's usability is pretty low, despite the fact that it's clear that certain people are having no problems in getting it to do exactly what the developer promised.

This could be a simple language barrier problem. It could be something far more serious. My "useful" suggestion to you is to take a look at the Google Spreadsheet Feed Creation tutorial on Youtube and how she set that up. Clearly, the XML feed you're using is not out-of-the-box useful to you or to Vidyou's precise requirements... if you stop to look at what the template and feed fields really are.

For example, when filling in the template, you input text where only numbers will do. You skip the percentage discount field, when that's actually required. Vidyou wants you to provide both a before discount price and a discount price, but you didn't do that.

I watched you struggle through your video... and... you gave me good warning when you titled it with your desparate question... something like "Is Vidyou Rubbish or Am I Braindead?" Or something like that.

Honestly, I empathize with your "fair" question... and... at this point... I can honestly answer... no, Vidyou is rubbish... and... you are not braindead. Right now, you and the software and the developer are not all speaking the same language.

In fact, the problem here... all the problems here... stem from a total lack of proper documentation... a step-by-step set of written instructions. It is not enough to make a video tutorial without a script. Every set of instructions must be written and documented somewhere. This is not a preference. This is a requirement.

My review of all the reviews and all the Vidyou website writings, graphics, templates and videos is... Vidyou appears to be a good product. AND, there is no direct correlation to your or anyone else's successful implementation of any kind of reasonable planned launch of Vidyou for product promotions... without... written... documented... instructions.

So why did all those big brands buy Vidyou? Large brands have documentation departments. They write their own. No lie.

Dang it! I boo-booed! Left out a "not." That should have read:

"Honestly, I empathize with your "fair" question... and... at this point... I can honestly answer... no, Vidyou is NOT rubbish... and... you are NOT brain dead. Right now, you and the software and the developer are not all speaking the same language."

As Cool Hand Luke's tormentor would say, "What we have here is a failure to communicate."