What happened to my plugins?
 

Hi, I bought a perpetual Pro Tools License a few years ago.

I was on a pretty old computer, so I only ever used pro tools 11. I've just recently upgraded my computer and downloaded PT 2018 (the most recent version I have a license for)

Everything is going okay I guess, other than PT running like an absolute slug because I'm on Mojave :'(

The only thing I'm wondering is, what happened to my plugins?

There are a bunch of plugins (tape echo, orange phaser, studio reverb, black op distortion) which I used to have in pro tools 11.
Now when I boot up pro tools 2018, my old session files tell me that I don't own these plugins, and I am redirected to avids website to buy them.

Has something gone wrong? Or do more recent versions of pro tools require separate licenses for these plugins?


Thanks if you read this far, any help is appreciated.

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

Check your iLok License Manager and see for yourself. Do you "own" the plugins, as in permanent licenses showing up? Are they licensed as subscription which has expired?

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

How do I know which plugins need to have a license vs which ones don't?

There are a plethora of plugins within pro tools that do not require an individual ilok license, I only just learned when booting up pro tools a few hours ago that the aforementioned plugins are not just... part of pro tools (if that is indeed the case.)

All I know is that when I plug my ilok into my old laptop and run PT 11, all of these plugins are authorised for use, but then when I plug it into my new computer with PT 2018, I am no longer authorised to use them :\

Basically at the moment I have to use inferior hardware away from my studio if I want authorisation to these plugins.

I am willing to accept that perhaps it was a mistake that I ever had authorisation for these in the first place, I don't know, it just seems strange to me that I do seem to have authorisation for these plugins, but only when I'm using my older, crappier computer.

Is it like this by design? or is this some sort of bug?

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

Check the ILM first, because you need to know what licenses you have and have they expired. Very simple thing to do, takes a minute or so.

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

I appreciate the responses.

i have uploaded a picture of my ILM.

I guess I don't have the licenses?

How does one tell the difference between plugins which require their own licence, and plugins which don't (such as AIR reverb)

And why am I able to use these plugins on my laptop?

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

Seems you don't have the licenses.

I don't know.

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

Right.

I'm sorry to keep pestering you with questions, but is there anywhere I can get a slightly more thorough response?


I still really want to know how to figure out which plugins come with PT vs which plugins do I need a license for?

I swear that when I downloaded PT 11, those plugins just installed with the program! I will take a snapshot on my laptop tonight when I get home and post it.

I think I am quite justified in finding this frustrating. All of these effects (phaser, reverb) have many alternatives that I could have used. Had I known that I would in future been forced to hand over money for these, I would have used different plugins to achieve the same effect.

For new projects, I do not care about the loss of these plugins, but opening old projects is an absolute pain on my new computer, I have to try and replace these plugins with alternatives and then re tweak the controls. There are up to 30 tracks with missing plugins on some of my project files :(

I am apprehensive at the moment to start any new projects. If I upgrade to a new version of PT in the future, will I suddenly be told that I need a license for the EQ plugin? Will all of my past project files sound like crap until I fork over some money to avid? How do I know which plugins are future proof?

Pro tools is a great product, but compared to most media software, Avids licensing scheme is way too inconsistent and is too often faulty. This is far from the first problem I've had, and Avid have usually been great at rectifying these problems, but I've never had these kind of issues with Ableton, or Logic when I used to use it.


I really think that Iloks are a relic of an age that never even truly came into fruition. It does not surprise me that barely any other software developers jumped on this strange device.

What a headache.

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

Just for the sake of proving that I'm not lying, I've plugged my ilok into my laptop and taken a snapshot.

Here are a bunch of the aforementioned plugins open and working with no authorisation issues.

EDIT: And for the record, my ILM looks identical on the laptop as it does on my new computer.

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

Have you installed these plugins?

They’re not part of the PT package install. They’re separate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: What happened to my plugins?
 

It's been many years since I installed PT on my laptop, so perhaps my memory is eluding me.

At the time, I remember avid sending me an email with links to all relevant installers, as I was having some trouble finding the downloads.

I downloaded everything they sent me, opened PT, and all of those plugins were just there. I never gave it a second thought (the previous version I had used was PT 8, so there were a whole bunch of new plugins to play with when I booted up 11 for the first time.)

I've never had any issues using these plugins :(

I'm currently trying to finish an old project, sitting with my dying laptop on top of my lap when there's a huge powerhouse of a computer right in front of me.

I just wish I could understand why these plugins are authorised for use, but only on my laptop :confused: The more I repeat that, the more I feel like nobody will ever be able to answer this conundrum.