Upgrading from PT 11 to PT11 HD without hardware tying - not possible?

[8dB.co.uk]

Avid didn't start the whole "tied to hardware" nonsense - it was a certain fruity company...

[jasperhb]

Originally Posted by CygnusX-1Bk2

That said there is a way to unlock HD capability in the standard version using a complicated keyboard input. But it's really tough to do.

How?

[holler]

Originally Posted by jasperhb

How?

Was an old april fool's joke made by PT Expert

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

Was that I joke? I saw it on a video but can't remember where. I thought it was a debug input for testing. Oh well.

[jasperhb]

Originally Posted by holler

Was an old april fool's joke made by PT Expert

Very funny

[WombatStudio.Org]

Originally Posted by nigelpry

Bottom line ... if you want the features that Pro Tools HD provides, you gotta pay what Avid wants. If you find other software cheaper that does essentially the same thing, and can't/won't pay Avid's HD entry fee, use that other software and be happy.

Agreed.

Just sucks that it'll leave you with a piece of hardware you'll have to attempt to sell on eBay to recoup the cost of entry.

For my setup, the HD features aren't really necessary. I use a PCI interface, so Input Monitoring is a thing of the past (for me), I monitor THROUGH Pro Tools. It's just the nifty bells & whistles they touted up to the release. Disk cache, new metering, etc., only available in HD. VCAs would be nice so I didn't have to remember to hold down Control (or whatever it is) to adjust levels within a group without disabling it. The higher I/O is locked to their hardware, so that's moot. I also don't think I'll be doing 5.1 or x.whatever anytime soon either. Would be nice to have the option to have an upgrade path to enable these options without becoming an OMNI/Native card salesman. Honestly, I don't think I would have ever put out the extra $2000 for these features either, but came close when I saw some deals. The difference between full blown Cubase and Nuendo is $1200 which I guess is the closest thing as a peer in the DAW market. Out of them all (and I tried them all), I preferred Digital Performer (which has one version) but found Pro Tools a much better fit for me when v9 came out.

I think there are a lot of people such as the OP (and me who is looking for a deal) that if it were available, it would be a pretty good seller for Avid.

Oh well, I'm gonna go check and see if VCC for PT11 is out yet.

[nigelpry]

Let me know when vcc aax is out, I've given up looking !

There is no doubt a market for an upgrade path to, or outright purchase of, PT HD software only. I'm sure Avid must know that. It might even be bigger than Avid itself imagines.

However, Avid has a clear strategy that involves restricting access to HD software to HD hardware owners only (apart from pesky ex CPTK owners).

We can make educated guesses as to why, but I don't think that will lead to a strategic rethink.

[jasperhb]

Originally Posted by nigelpry

We can make educated guesses as to why, but I don't think that will lead to a strategic rethink.

I'm afraid you'r right.

Of course, Avid has all the right in the world to run their business how they want. I respect that. However, ignoring your user base have never been a good long term strategy, also I believe the opportunity to take share in the market is there, just as the risk of losing it is there too.

We'll see.

[8dB.co.uk]

Don't forget though that over the years Avid has come under pressure from heavily invested pro users to maintain this gap. They've long felt that semi pro / small outfits could get a "pro" system together for too low a price, undermining their business strategies.

[jasperhb]

Originally Posted by 8dB.co.uk

Don't forget though that over the years Avid has come under pressure from heavily invested pro users to maintain this gap. They've long felt that semi pro / small outfits could get a "pro" system together for too low a price, undermining their business strategies.

Well, isn't that just the reality of life? All technologies seems to go through this cycle eventually. In my view, what seperates the wolfs from the sheeps is how a business choose to deal with this.

Right now, my perspective is that Avid is waiting out the natural development in the market. Will they act soon enough?

There used to be good technical and tangible reasons for the close relationship between the software and the hardware, but those requirements are not longer there for the most part. What is left are business reasons based on an in-side out perspective. Eventually, those false barriers will crumble. Will Avid find a way to canabilize their business and re-invent new revenue streams or will someone else do this for them? That is the real question, I think.

Anyway, I'm repeating myself, as this was also the point in my earlier remark in this thread where I referenced the book "The Innovators Dilemma".