I am so beyond frustrated I have made over 20 attempts to get this cart installed to test it both through manual installation and the auto installation method on the site here.
 
I have read the manual, watched the flash video and re uploaded files over and over trying every setting I can think of with no luck. Every single time I try the auto install I get the message that install failed due to incorrect remote path and yet I can find no clear instruction on what syntax the remote path should be or why path is incorrect.
 
When I attempt to install it in the root directory (which I do NOT want to do) I still get the exact same error:
 
Fatal error: Corrupted encoded data detected in /home/....../includes/va_functions.php on line 0
 
This forum is nearly useless due to the lack of real search function and when I emailed support I waited three days for an answer that was basically a cut and paste of the equally useless manual.
 
I have worked with over a dozen other shopping cart/cms scripts and not one of them was this difficult to install. Even the free ones have better support forums!
 
The only reason I haven't given up yet (which I'm about to do) is that the feature list is so impressive. Unfortunately if I can't even get the thing installed in the first place, these great features are not doing me or my clients any good!

Good thing I'm stubborn...looks like try #33 was the charm. Seriously though...the manual could definitely stand some beefing up in the installation area!