Customer Reviews (case 22515)

[jarvis24]

Overall, I think DirectRT is a fantastic product. The software is easy to use, versatile, and the customer support is outstanding. The program itself offers ample help with examples, sample programs, and text, so there are various methods to solve problems. When I do e-mail customer service, I typically get a response within 24 hours. Empirisoft customer service helped me design solutions to my particular needs and they were incredibly helpful. In the past, I used a different experiment-building program. It was slow, difficult to navigate, couldn't organize files well, and was simply limited in the amount of information that could be included (text, video, images, sound, animation, etc.) The customer service for the other program was polite, but seemed like it was limited by the many constraints of the software. With DirectRT, I was able to run twice as many studies in half the time. The programming was easy to learn, and it was possible to incorporate all kinds of media. The program allowed me to organize hundreds of files with ease. The cost of the program was very reasonable. I highly recommend this software!

Mary Alt,
University of Arizona

[jarvis24]

With MediaLab/DirectRT, a truly straightforward device which does not require elaborated technical knowledge finally has become available for researchers. With this truly user friendly program endless opportunities for psychological research are being provided. MediaLab/DirectRT offers a variety of different options making more extensive research and the handling of complex issues possible. With its highly flexible character this program certainly has contributed to facilitating lab research. The positive effect MediaLab/DirectRT also has on the participants and especially the excellent and immediate support offered by the programmer, further contribute to this remarkable flexibility. In addition, MediaLab/DirectRT not only eliminated the extensive waste of paper as well as of other resources, but even more importantly, its automatic storage of data in the appropriate formats like SPSS or Excel enables the attainment of better data while simultaneously saving a lot of time and effort. This program is definitely more than a device; MediaLab/DirectRT marks the beginning of a new era in computerized research…

Markus Denzler,
International University Bremen

[jarvis24]

DirectRT has the potential to simplify the life of any experimenter. As a researcher with no experience in computer programming, but with some complicated experimental requirements, DirectRT has been an invaluable tool for me. It offers great flexibility and precise control, via an intuitive Windows-based interface. Various types of experiments, from ratings of pictorial stimuli to response times of verbal stimuli, can easily be conducted either independently or simultaneously. Learning to use DirectRT is simple and quick. I had programmed my first experiment within 2 or 3 hours of installing the software on my lab computers. The instruction manual is comprehensive, including several easy-to-grasp tutorials, and the experiments can actually be programmed in the familiar Microsoft Excel environment. Technical support from the folks at Empirisoft is speedy, excellent, and personalized--when I encountered a problem I didn't know how to solve, they worked with me to create a solution. And finally, the data are saved in a well-organized manner that facilitates immediate analysis. I do not hesitate to recommend DirectRT to experimenters at all levels of experience.

Zachary Estes,
University of Georgia

[jarvis24]

I am a clinical psychology Ph.D. student, but my interests often require methodology outside of my area of expertise. For my dissertation study, I wanted to create a new Implicit Assumption Task (IAT), but I was daunted by the required programming that I had seen in other software packages. I downloaded a trial version of DirectRT and was amazed at how quickly I was able to get an experiment up and running. DirectRT decreased the amount of time it took to set up my dissertation study substantially, and has provided reliable and accurate data recording throughout my data collection. Any time that I encountered difficulties, they were quickly addressed by Empirisoft (actually, it's more accurate to say immediately, given the fast support turnaround). I would recommend DirectRT to anyone in cognitive/social psychology, but would even more strongly recommend it to those in other areas who have avoided data collection methods that require precision and accurate timing.

Bryan Cochran,
University of Washington

[jcallaire]

[edited for kindness by moderator :]
I just started using DirectRT and MediaLab this month, and all I have to say is I love them. If you are using ******* or some other program go throw it in the garbage and buy these programs. You will not be sorry.

Jason Allaire
NC-State

[David McFarlane]

After all the glowing reports above, a note of dissent is in order. Let's see if Empirisoft dares to keep this in here.

Shortcomings of DirectRT include:

• Cannot do loops. E.g., cannot repeat a stimulus or trial an indefinite number of times until the subject gives a correct response (see forum threads support.empirisoft.com/showthread.php?t=975, support.empirisoft.com/showthread.php?t=698).
• Cannot do arithmetic. E.g., cannot halve a stimulus parameter on response success, and double it on failure, in order to derive a threshold value. (And do not even imagine using anything like Maximum Likelihood Estimation for adjusting stimulus parameters during the experiment.)
• Cannot process strings.
• Cannot draw. E.g., cannot draw a circle of arbitrary diameter calculated during the experiment.
• Cannot stop sound playback once started (User's Guide 3.12, p. 30).
• Displays a blank, black screen during every intertrial interval (see forum thread support.empirisoft.com/showthread.php?t=37).

Shortcomings aside, DirectRT clearly remains a superior platform for a select class of experimental psychology researchers engaged in a select subset of psychological work. But for many others, DirectRT will not do at all. Fortunately, plenty of other products will. Despite the banner on Empirisoft's web site, DirectRT is *not* THE way to do computer research. If your experimental designs by their nature entail any sort of computational complexity, you will need to look beyond DirectRT.

David McFarlane, Systems Designer
Dept. Psychology, Michigan State University

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer or anyone else associated with me.)

[jarvis24]

David, thanks for taking the time to provide a thoughtful review. And although I altered the formatting here and there, your review has not been censored in any way. Fwiw, we are working on adding the kinds of features you have mentioned--all great ideas. And thanks for the kind words--I did find them!!