Complicated instructions

[Moonchild]

I am afraid I have to say that with the best will in the world, I find the instructions prohibitively confusing. I know it's not just me.
When I had difficulty before I asked several people and all of them were similarly confused.
I am sure that to those who are very familiar with this kind of thing, it is easy to understand but for enthusiastic lay people like me? I am left frustrated.
For instance, it was only recently that I was able to access the different charts, that was a real help but before that , the info told me very little about the difference in programs apart from the very basics.

I am still totally confised about the difference between having the lights synchronised or alternate flashing.
The user mode is not explanaroty either. Not only is it complicated to use but the benefits are not revealed. For instance, if I want to go to theta and stay there..........do I toggle down myself and what about the end of a session? Will it not be a bit disorientating to go from Theta to Beta when the program finishes?


These are the things that we need to know. I would also like to know if the Protesus is able to synchronise itself to mp3's played at the same time? If not, why not? By that I am asking if I play music with certain beats, do the
lights and sound synchronise.
I hope you can see my point here.No doubt many who buy these machines are skilled in technology or brainwaves ect but for people like me, I have to say that the instructions do not give enough info neither are they geared to the ordinary person.
This was why I gave up before but I do not want to give up again.

Thanks for any help

[Andy]

I am afraid I have to say that with the best will in the world, I find the instructions prohibitively confusing. I know it's not just me.
When I had difficulty before I asked several people and all of them were similarly confused.
I am sure that to those who are very familiar with this kind of thing, it is easy to understand but for enthusiastic lay people like me? I am left frustrated.
For instance, it was only recently that I was able to access the different charts, that was a real help but before that , the info told me very little about the difference in programs apart from the very basics.

That's one of the reasons the support site and forum was started in 2006. I'm sorry you only came upon it recently. Luckily, the links to these sites are in the manuals and now easily findable via an internet search. Hopefully others looking for help will not give up in frustration but come here and get the help they need.

I am still totally confised about the difference between having the lights synchronised or alternate flashing.
The user mode is not explanaroty either. Not only is it complicated to use but the benefits are not revealed. For instance, if I want to go to theta and stay there..........do I toggle down myself and what about the end of a session? Will it not be a bit disorientating to go from Theta to Beta when the program finishes?

Have you had a chance to read through the great information on this web site? To understand how to best use the Proteus it will really help you to get a good understanding of how and why AVS works. I would recommend starting here: http://www.mindplacesupport.com/foru...splay.php?f=15

I would also like to know if the Proteus is able to synchronise itself to mp3's played at the same time? If not, why not? By that I am asking if I play music with certain beats, do the lights and sound synchronise.

Not with regular music. With AudioStrobe-encoded discs they do this. However, you can listen to music and just run one of the programs or use manual mode set to the target frequency you're looking for and just wear the glasses.

Hopefully that helps!

-Andy.

[Marisa]

Hi Moonchild,

I am afraid I have to say that with the best will in the world, I find the instructions prohibitively confusing. I know it's not just me.
When I had difficulty before I asked several people and all of them were similarly confused.
I am sure that to those who are very familiar with this kind of thing, it is easy to understand but for enthusiastic lay people like me? I am left frustrated.

Yup, you sound frustrated. I can appreciate your feelings of not finding some of the information easy to navigate. The manual explains basic operations for the unit and the details that you are looking for will be found in the programming manuals - which are on line: http://www.mindplacesupport.com/Proteus.htm .

I am still totally confised about the difference between having the lights synchronised or alternate flashing.

This makes no difference "therapeutically" - it's more of a versatile feature that can make the segments more interesting because you can change things up a bit.

There are a lot of things to do with the machine that you don't really need to know unless you are starting a program from scratch. If you want to know anyway, take a look through the on-line manuals and guides.

I'll finish this response in a bit. Sorry, I have to run for now.

M.

[Marisa]

Part two,

I am still totally confused about the difference between having the lights synchronized or alternate flashing.

This has to do with creating or modifying a program: "... you can select whether the lights will flash at the same time (on/off) or alternate (red/green)". Proteus Session Programming Guide.

The lights will flash according to the frequency that is selected - the difference is how they flash.

The user mode is not explanatory either. Not only is it complicated to use but the benefits are not revealed. For instance, if I want to go to theta and stay there..........do I toggle down myself and what about the end of a session? Will it not be a bit disorientating to go from Theta to Beta when the program finishes?

Maybe it would be helpful for you to download the current manual? Perhaps there is some information missing from your manual? The Proteus has evolved since it's creation and many features have been added and the OS modified over the years.

This is what I found in the manual: "USr User Mode. Use this to experiment with real-time changes in pulse rate, audio pitch and to toggle the light frames between all lights on and alternating (red/green)."

It's just meant for experimenting, not using as an actual session.

It would not be disorientating to go from Theta to Beta, as is often done in the preprogrammed sessions because it's a way of waking you up. Unless you are using the machine for sleep, you do not want to stay in a theta dominated state after a session because it will interfere with your ability to concentrate. Theta is a good place to visit but you don't want to live there.

These are the things that we need to know.

The basics are in the user manual and the details are on the Support Site and here. The company choose not to put all of the information (programming etc.) into the manual because it would become to big and heavy and the info is easily accessed on the support site and forum. The newer manuals have the links listed. Your manual probably didn't.

I would also like to know if the Proteus's is able to synchronize itself to mp3's played at the same time? If not, why not? By that I am asking if I play music with certain beats, do the
lights and sound synchronize.

The Proteus does not have this ability. Why? Because they chose not to add that particular feature to the Proteus. The Sirius, on the other hand, has this feature. It's called "ColorPulse". You can read about it in the Sirius manual on pg. 12 - that is, if you are interested.

I hope you can see my point here.No doubt many who buy these machines are skilled in technology or brain waves etc but for people like me, I have to say that the instructions do not give enough info neither are they geared to the ordinary person.
This was why I gave up before but I do not want to give up again.

Thanks for any help

Like Andy said ... and that's why the forum exits.

Hopes this helps.

M.

[Moonchild]

Thanks folks. I think I have the old manual.
I am enjoying reading the different threadss and certainly learning. I think that I have got all confused about things like making my own progs when in actual fact, I am not looking to do that, only work with self hypnoses tapes and self help tapes.

On that subject, is it better to work with the learning progs or the visalization progs?

I think the forum is a great facility. Once my printer gets fixed i am going to ptrint out all the progs with their corresponding wave pattern etc so that I have a better idea what I am doing. Anyway, I have now introduced my son to it and so my wish list is now to get a Procyon for me and let him have my Proteus.

[Marisa]

On that subject, is it better to work with the learning progs or the visalization progs?

The MindLab Learn programs (P23-27) are mostly Theta, where the Visualization (P33-37) programs are a combination of Theta, Alpha and SMR (low beta). I think you may want the Learn programs for your mind explorations. You may also want to explore the "Relax" sessions (P12- 16)as they contain a nice blend of Alpha Theta.

M.

[Moonchild]

Many thanks Marisa I will try them