What is the free Kontact 5 player?
Are there any gotchas? time limits etc.? Is it Kontact without editing capabilities? Seems like a pretty good deal for free.
I know I'm missing something...> ?

  You are missing something. See the comparison chart here between the player and the full version: http://www.native-instrum...kt-5-player/?page=2493

  In particular, you can't load unlicensed libraries without triggering the 15 minute demo mode. A number of the best deals on Kontakt instruments are unlicensed libraries. This has typically been the biggest point of confusion over the Kontakt player.

I was curious about the unlicensed libraries myself. You get 15 minutes in demo mode but is that 15 minutes with all the features available? Or is it limited in features and time? I have a couple of libraries that I want but they require the full version of Kontakt. What I would really like to do is buy one of the cheaper libraries and try it out with the player version but was curious if I would be able to actually do so.

So, bottom line is, it's more trouble than it's worth?
I have Kontact 4 that is flaky at best and was thinking of this as an alternative.

From you're all interpretations, it's sounding like a very intrusive deal.

K4 has always been rock solid for me.... if K4 is flaky I would really hesitate to buy K5...

I'd look into the reason why K4 isn't stable before I dumped more money into an upgrade that might not work either.

timidi


So, bottom line is, it's more trouble than it's worth?
I have Kontact 4 that is flaky at best and was thinking of this as an alternative.

From you're all interpretations, it's sounding like a very intrusive deal.

I would not say it was an intrusive deal. I have the full version of Kontakt 4 and Kontakt 5 player installed. ( mainly to test it works OK on Vista as NI say only WIN 7 is supported) All the licenced stuff works well in 5 Player e.g. the Kontakt factory library, Scarbee basses and e-pianos, Vintage Organs, Steven Slate drums, Kirk Hunter pop and rock strings, and Sonic Reality "Infinity player".
 
Kontakt 4 is solid for me, as Guitarhacker says you may be better off finding out why its unstable. Otherwise the chances are the stability issues will continue with 5
  
 

I was curious about the unlicensed libraries myself. You get 15 minutes in demo mode but is that 15 minutes with all the features available? Or is it limited in features and time?

 
Full features but time limited

Glyn Barnes

  

Full features but time limited

Mix quickly...

In the last little while I have purchased a few loop construction kits from Band on Demand which are wav files. I have recently discovered Big Fish Audio construction kits and there is an option to purchase the kit in wav or the KLI series which requires Kontact 5 to work however it appears that the files are midi when transported to Sonar, so does this mean that any wave loops that I already have is not compatible to use and manipulate with Kontact. I like the realism of the wav audio files but the Big Fish loops are impressive. Any opinions?