• We're currently having issues with our e-mail system. Anything requiring e-mail validation (2FA, forgotten passwords, etc.) requires to be changed manually at the moment. Please reach out via the Contact Us form if you require any assistance.

Physical Copy of V4 Question

Sep 21, 2019
1,401
I know a question similar to this has already been asked, but my question is a little bit different. I was going to purchase Una's V4 when I noticed they sell a bundle deal that includes both Una and the editor as a physical edition, but my computer doesn't have a disc drive. I do, however, have the demo version of the editor still on my computer, so does the physical copy come with an activation code I can use to just activate the version I already have installed? Or, will I have to buy a CD drive and just reinstall the editor, but from the disc?

Also, do I need to have a Japanese address in order to purchase the physical version, or can I use a proxy to have it shipped?

Thanks! And, sorry if this isn't the right place to post this question! ^^
 

mobius017

Aspiring ∞ Creator
Apr 8, 2018
1,982
does the physical copy come with an activation code I can use to just activate the version I already have installed?
Hmm, not having tried it, I don't know about this. Some software's demo/full version is really the same, except for the code, and some isn't. If you have easy enough access to use/purchase a CD drive, you could always purchase the physical version and try it out. If it doesn't work, then get the drive and reinstall from the disc.
Also, do I need to have a Japanese address in order to purchase the physical version, or can I use a proxy to have it shipped?
If you don't get a reply from someone here who has done this, you will very possibly be able to tell from Internet Co.'s order page (Which is where you're ordering from, right?). Hopefully there will be a clue as to what will/won't work there. For instance, some Japanese sites will say that they can't ship outside Japan/overseas. Or you might see that the places where you fill in the shipping address either do/don't allow you to enter foreign countries (Through a dropdown list, maybe.). Or the form might be obviously set up as though it's intended for Japanese addresses, with spots for prefecture, zip codes of Japan-specific length, or something like that.

If they do only ship from Japan, I don't see why you couldn't use a forwarding service. I guess the only potential downside would be that you wouldn't be making an account on the Internet Co. site when ordering, if that offered any benefit (Activation should be handled through the Vocaloid activation mechanism, of course.), but I assume you could do so later once you had received the VB. I think Otaku Republic will order pretty much anything you request of them, provided you can give them a URL of where to get it. CDJapan has a custom ordering service, too.

Hopefully that helps. Maybe someone who has ordered physical VBs from Internet Co. can chime in?
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
For physical copies of the editor, I'd assume they work the same way physical Vocaloids work: you have to actually install them with the disk before you can activate them. Once the demo expires, it's basically useless. You typically have to download what they give you, because that specific version is programmed to work with that specific code. Or something like that.

However, you can get an external disk drive, and that will solve your problem! (It would also allow you to install physical copies of future voicebanks you may or may not buy, if you love having physical copies like I do.) You can find them pretty cheap, especially on eBay. If you're skeptical about the quality, Best Buy will probably have one (or an equivalent electronics store), and it won't cost you a whole lot more.

As for ordering directly from a Japanese company: they usually don't ship internationally except through third-party sellers. (All of my physical-copy Vocaloids I got through third-party sellers, either through Big Fish Audio, eBay, or Amazon.) Once I submit this I'll test it with Internet Co., and then I'll report back. When I first got into Vocaloid, I tried ordering Rin and Len through the Japanese Vocaloid website (this was before Crypton pulled them from the website), and I BS'd an address - they wouldn't accept it. I don't honestly know how forwarding services work, though, so I'd take Mobius' advice, and if anyone else wants to elaborate that'd be great!
 

peaches2217

Give me Gackpoid AI or give me DEATH
Sep 11, 2019
1,930
26
Arklahoma
Alright. I've tested it, aaaaaand they don't ship outside of Japan. I WAS able to BS an address and get to the point of paying, but given it's physical and not a download, someone in Takinosawa was about to get a confusing and expensive present, so I didn't go any further. So it looks like you'll need to use a forwarding service.

Mobius, what do you need to do? Just contact Otaku Republic, give them the URL to the bundle deal, and hand over the money? (I'm genuinely curious, as I've never tried using a forwarding service and I might in the future.)
 

mobius017

Aspiring ∞ Creator
Apr 8, 2018
1,982
Mobius, what do you need to do? Just contact Otaku Republic, give them the URL to the bundle deal, and hand over the money? (I'm genuinely curious, as I've never tried using a forwarding service and I might in the future.)
@peaches2217: Yep, that's basically it. Forwarding services typically have a page where you can request a specific product. You describe what you want to them, making sure to include the URL and anything else they need to know (Though for stuff they would order online, the URL is probably enough most of the time.). Be sure to check whichever company's page describing how the process works to know for sure how they do things, but at that point, they'll come back with a listing on their site of the product you want to order (assuming they could find it and aren't unable to order it for some reason), and you'll order it from them in a manner very much like how you would order it on their site normally. So it's sort of like you're suggesting a new product to them, and they're listing it on their site for you, and you then purchase it from them; they, in turn, are going to the company you pointed them toward, and buying the item from them for you.

Be aware that forwarding services, as far as I know, typically increase the price of whatever you're buying by some amount so that they make money on the deal. It makes sense, since they're committing time/effort to purchase the item for you and then pass it on, but sometimes the increase in price can be steep. From that perspective, I think Otaku Republic is often more expensive than other forwarding services, so you might want to try CDJapan first.

Though CDJapan actually lists Miku V4X on their site, so you might want to check their regular stock first before ordering from their forwarding service, if you're buying a Vocaloid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: peaches2217

Rylitah

kiyoteru enthusiast
Staff member
Moderator
Apr 8, 2018
575
If you have any questions about forwarding services, I use them quite often. Most should keep the price of the item you're buying the same, however, and just tack on a service fee. They're usually pretty clear about what's what in the breakdowns of their invoices.

I use Tenso the most just because it also can serve as your own Japanese address if you need it (the address they give you is a bit personalized (it's a warehouse, but your Tenso address includes your user ID in the form of numbers) so anything you buy that gets sent to it, they immediately know it's yours) -- the only downside is that you need to provide ID proof, and it takes some time to get confirmed. I just used my driver's license and they verified me the next day, but I've heard different experiences. Their service fee varies and they offer extra things on top of it, but in my case it's usually between 300 and 600 yen.

Outside of that, I've also used Zenmarket which is okay, though I've heard a few complaints. I haven't had much issue with them personally, except I'm not a fan of the wallet thing where you have to put in money in order to spend any of it, and any money you don't spend that you want refunded has to go through a process. Usually I just put in the exact amount I need and it's not a problem, but if you want to bid on an auction on Yahoo and you lose said auction... putting the money back is annoying orz. Their service fee is 300 yen per item. Not a problem if you're buying one thing (in this case, a Vocaloid), but it really adds up if you're buying multiple things.

I've also used Big in Japan, which I think is good but also gives me anxiety orz. There's only one physical address to send your item to, and they know it's yours by you buying a ticket in advance of them receiving your item and describing in detail what the item(s) is/are. I've never had any issue or problem in doing this, they've always found my stuff just fine, but still... it's a bit nervewracking, aha. That's just them as a forwarding service though; they also have a proxy service where they actually buy the item for you, but I've never used it myself. I think you have to email them all the details, but there should be more information on their site. Their service fee (aka price of the ticket) is a flat 500 yen.

There are a few more forwarding services I've tried, but these are the big three. If you do go with one of them and have any questions, let me know! I'm pretty familiar with them all.
 

___

Oct 8, 2019
1,546
To be honest with you, I don't think it's worth the hassle.

You wouldn't be missing out on much if you were to use Una only in Piapro Studio and any plugings that seem useful are specific to the vocaloid ( like Maika ). Like yea...it would be probably ideal to use her in the editor but I dunno if it's worth the trouble when you can use her and your other vocaloids just fine in piapro studio. I think you're better off purchasing her from the vocaloid website.

That's just my suggestion, it's up to you what you'll decide.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarlet Illusion
Sep 21, 2019
1,401
@Rylitah - Oh, wow! I really appreciate such a long post of information about forwarding services! I've used Zenmarket before, and good gosh, I'm with you on the wallet thing. It's so irritating when trying to buy multiple items and also, their instructions on how to do it are kind of confusing, imo. Also, when adding things from other websites outside of the few you can access directly through the website, the processing takes forever! Mandarake and CDJapan take an excessive amount of time for them to process, especially for some reason. >.>

I'll have to check out Tenso, though! I've been trying to find an alternative to Zenmarket for a while.!

@patuk - Thanks for the suggestion! After doing some research of my own, I see that V4 has a lack of useful plugins anyways and Piapro works fine for me, so I'll probably stick with Piapro! ^^
 
  • Like
Reactions: ___

___

Oct 8, 2019
1,546
@Rylitah - Oh, wow! I really appreciate such a long post of information about forwarding services! I've used Zenmarket before, and good gosh, I'm with you on the wallet thing. It's so irritating when trying to buy multiple items and also, their instructions on how to do it are kind of confusing, imo. Also, when adding things from other websites outside of the few you can access directly through the website, the processing takes forever! Mandarake and CDJapan take an excessive amount of time for them to process, especially for some reason. >.>

I'll have to check out Tenso, though! I've been trying to find an alternative to Zenmarket for a while.!

@patuk - Thanks for the suggestion! After doing some research of my own, I see that V4 has a lack of useful plugins anyways and Piapro works fine for me, so I'll probably stick with Piapro! ^^
I think you made the right decision! Either way it's good you brought this up because people posted lots of useful information here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarlet Illusion

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)