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Comparison of Video Products I am now selling a few different video products. People ask, "wait...what is the difference?". This matrix will help you to figure out the Total Training vs Podcast vs LiveLessons products. blank Resolution 1024 x 768         640 x 480         800 x 600 Hours of Video         5 Hours 45 Minutes                 21 Hours             8 Hours for Excel 2007 6 Hours 50 Minutes for Excel 2003         Excel Version         2007                     85% 2003 15% 2007                     Separate Versions for 2003 or 2007     Booklet         None                     Searchable E-file                     120 pages     Sample Files         Available from Video Player                 None                     In a Folder on DVD         Production Quality             Perfection; Not a syllable out of place                     Occassional Slip-ups; Recorded daily at 6:00 a.m. What do you expect?                         "Live"; Occassional misspoken words major flaws edited away         Price         $99                     $49                     $39.99     So - which is the best? It is hard to say. Total Training is focused on video training. They have a beautiful player. They assume you have a wide screen monitor. Every word and mouse action was watched by three producers, two editors and a quality control person. You can pause the training at any moment and open the associated sample file with a mouse click. Total Training doesn't understand that as of May 2008, 88% of the world has not upgraded to Excel 2007, so there training is only targeted at those people who have upgraded to Excel 2007. LiveLessons are produced by QUE...who are experts in book publishing. They include a 120 page book and are priced low because most books are priced in the $40 range. I feel that more of my humor and personality is allowed to come out in this product. However... they assume you have smaller monitors, so I am constrained to working in an 800x600 window. If you want to open a sample file, you need to go browse for it on the DVD. On the plus side, the 88% of the world who still uses Excel 2003 can get something out of the 2003 version of the training. The podcast DVD contains an incredible amount of content, but it is basically the result of a daily production. They are edited, but not reviewed. You might have me give one answer and then a few days later read viewer mail showing a better way to do something. They are the smallest resolution, because they were planned to be viewed on mobile media players. Still not sure? Answer these questions: 1. What version of Excel are you using?    a) Excel 2007 - go to question 2    b) Excel 2008 for Mac - go to recomendation 6    a) Excel 2003, 2002, 2000, 97 or other - go to question 6 2. OK. You have Excel 2007. How Wide is Your Monitor?    a) 1024 or smaller (e.g. 1024x768 or 800x600) - go to question 5    b) larger than 1024 (e.g. 1280x1024 or 1440x900) - go to question 3 3. Excel 2007 & widescreen. Who is paying for the purchase?    a) My company - go to recomendation 1    b) I'm paying - go to question 4 4. Would you consider yourself a perfectionist? Have you ever written to a book publisher noting corrections to the book?    a) Yes - go to recomendation 1    b) Not really - go to recomendation 2 5. Excel 2007 but a smaller monitor. Who is paying for the purchase?    a) My company - go to recomendation 4    b) I'm paying - go to recomendation 2 6. Excel 2003 or earlier. Who is paying for the purchase?    a) My company - go to recomendation 5    b) I'm paying - go to recomendation 3 Recomendation 1: I'll recommend the Total Training Advanced Excel 2007 for $99. Why: It matches your version of Excel, It works great with a wide screen monitor. The production quality is perfect. Recomendation 2: I'll recommend the LiveLessons Power Excel 2007 for $39.99. Why: It matches your version of Excel, It works great with any size monitor. It is offered at a budget price. Recomendation 3: I'll recommend the LiveLessons Power Excel 2003 for $39.99. Why: It matches your version of Excel, It works great with any size monitor. It is offered at a budget price. Recomendation 4: I'll recommend the Seminar Bundle 2007 for $85. Why: It matches your version of Excel, It works great with any size monitor. It includes the LiveLessons DVD and the Podcast DVD for one low price, plus a book. Recomendation 5: I'll recommend the Seminar Bundle 2003 for $85. Why: It matches your version of Excel, It works great with any size monitor. It includes the LiveLessons DVD and the Podcast DVD for one low price, plus a book. Recomendation 6: You have Excel 2008 for the Mac. I'm sorry, but none of these products will match your version. Thanks for your interest! This page originally published on May 16, 2008.

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