Questioning the Portability of the I-Lok??

[teacherman]

Quote from DigiSupport Page:

“The iLok USB Hardware Key enables you to carry all of your authorizations with you wherever you go using a single key.
It's Portable: iLok enables you to easily move authorizations from one computer to another. Use your software at home, at the office, at a studio, or at a friend's house. iLok makes it portable.”


My question is: How portable is the I-Lok when moving from computers running different operating systems?

For instance: Currently, All my plug-ins and bundles and Wave Shells are versioned for PPC Mac Pros running OS 10.5.8.

What happens when I need to work at different ProTool studio whose Mac Pros are Intel-based running at much higher OS such as 10.6.x or higher… AND the studios don’t have the plug-in bundles pre-installed that I have on my ILok?

What's the proper procedure to make ILok Portability from studio to studio?

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by teacherman

Quote from DigiSupport Page:

“The iLok USB Hardware Key enables you to carry all of your authorizations with you wherever you go using a single key.
It's Portable: iLok enables you to easily move authorizations from one computer to another. Use your software at home, at the office, at a studio, or at a friend's house. iLok makes it portable.”


My question is: How portable is the I-Lok when moving from computers running different operating systems?

For instance: Currently, All my plug-ins and bundles and Wave Shells are versioned for PPC Mac Pros running OS 10.5.8.

What happens when I need to work at different ProTool studio whose Mac Pros are Intel-based running at much higher OS such as 10.6.x or higher… AND the studios don’t have the plug-in bundles pre-installed that I have on my ILok?

What's the proper procedure to make ILok Portability from studio to studio?

Make sure you have the latest versions of any plugin assets. The last I knew the latest Waves Asset would also authorise Waves back through version 6 (and I beleive Version 5). Autotune7 now comes with a asset for EVO bundled to it. The latest Digi plugin assets authorize their legacy counter parts although the host computer may need to update the plug in bundle once and a while. If you upgrade the DVTK2 to the CPTK2 and need to work in 8.0 you will need to contact Digi for a NFR DVTK asset.

If your legacy system has the latest updates and the guest computer has the latest updates your probably going to be in pretty good shape. I think it would be wise to verify that any Must have, Go To plugs are going to work where your headed by staying up to date on their compatibility.

Also we are probably in the sweet spot for backwards compatibility with PPC. Moving forward I would expect things to break.

[teacherman]

@sunburst...thanks for the reply.

So....in short...what you're saying is that I-Loks are not really "Portable".

Here's the reason why I brought this topic up in the first place: PLEASE try to understand my Frustration.

A newly built Guest ProTool'ed studio commissioned me to Mix serveral projects. Problem is: the studio manager DID NOT budget for 3rd party plugins when purchasing the PT HD4 rig. The only plugs he has is to work with are the DigiRack plugin's that came standard with PT8. Although the Financial Investor realizes the mistake, he is unwilling to spend ANY more cash on addtional plugins.

Now, according to SunBurst's comments, it looks like I've got spend $$$ (or charge the client) to update all my plug-in bundles to work on a higher version Mac OS system that I have on my computer.

What I can't figure out is.....If I update my I-Lok to satisfy the compatibility requirements for the Guest's Mac Intel 10.6.4 computer/PT 8.0.4 cs2, what happens when I go backward to my MAC PPC 10.5.8/PT 8.0.1 cs2?

I'm hesitant to take the Guest Studio job if upgrading my Ilok results in upsetting my personal studio's PT rig.

I'm sure there are lots of freelance engineers that own I-Loks full of plugin bundles that often roam from studio-to-studio and they too have the same concerns that I'm facing. I'd like to hear how you overcome this issue.

Thanks.

[sunburst79]

Originally Posted by teacherman

@sunburst...thanks for the reply.

So....in short...what you're saying is that I-Loks are not really "Portable".

Here's the reason why I brought this topic up in the first place: PLEASE try to understand my Frustration.

A newly built Guest ProTool'ed studio commissioned me to Mix serveral projects. Problem is: the studio manager DID NOT budget for 3rd party plugins when purchasing the PT HD4 rig. The only plugs he has is to work with are the DigiRack plugin's that came standard with PT8. Although the Financial Investor realizes the mistake, he is unwilling to spend ANY more cash on addtional plugins.

Now, according to SunBurst's comments, it looks like I've got spend $$$ (or charge the client) to update all my plug-in bundles to work on a higher version Mac OS system that I have on my computer.

What I can't figure out is.....If I update my I-Lok to satisfy the compatibility requirements for the Guest's Mac Intel 10.6.4 computer/PT 8.0.4 cs2, what happens when I go backward to my MAC PPC 10.5.8/PT 8.0.1 cs2?

I'm hesitant to take the Guest Studio job if upgrading my Ilok results in upsetting my personal studio's PT rig.

I'm sure there are lots of freelance engineers that own I-Loks full of plugin bundles that often roam from studio-to-studio and they too have the same concerns that I'm facing. I'd like to hear how you overcome this issue.

Thanks.

You need a better reply from some one that regularly moves between modern and legacy Mac systems. I was pointing out some potential pitfalls-not saying that it wouldn't work.

[Craig F]

Waves is probably the trickiest
Updating kills the previous version, usually.
I think 7 works on PPC 10.5.x but I could be wrong

I'd charge the client for rental or take the client someplace else and tell the studio they lost the client do to not having what you needed.

[sunburst79]

Waves Host Support Page

It looks like PPC and Intel support between Waves version 5-7 depending on OS revisions and PT version number.

[Dism]

Originally Posted by teacherman

@sunburst...thanks for the reply.

So....in short...what you're saying is that I-Loks are not really "Portable".

Here's the reason why I brought this topic up in the first place: PLEASE try to understand my Frustration.

A newly built Guest ProTool'ed studio commissioned me to Mix serveral projects. Problem is: the studio manager DID NOT budget for 3rd party plugins when purchasing the PT HD4 rig. The only plugs he has is to work with are the DigiRack plugin's that came standard with PT8. Although the Financial Investor realizes the mistake, he is unwilling to spend ANY more cash on addtional plugins.

Now, according to SunBurst's comments, it looks like I've got spend $$$ (or charge the client) to update all my plug-in bundles to work on a higher version Mac OS system that I have on my computer.

What I can't figure out is.....If I update my I-Lok to satisfy the compatibility requirements for the Guest's Mac Intel 10.6.4 computer/PT 8.0.4 cs2, what happens when I go backward to my MAC PPC 10.5.8/PT 8.0.1 cs2?

I'm hesitant to take the Guest Studio job if upgrading my Ilok results in upsetting my personal studio's PT rig.

I'm sure there are lots of freelance engineers that own I-Loks full of plugin bundles that often roam from studio-to-studio and they too have the same concerns that I'm facing. I'd like to hear how you overcome this issue.

Thanks.

Nothing will happen to your iLok.

The iLok only contains licenses for your software. The iLok's "portability" has nothing to do with mismatched software.

I've switched between Mac OSX and XP systems with an iLok. All that matters are that the versions are correct for the system you are working on. The licenses only activate the software. Since most licenses are either version independent, or stack on top of previous versions... it's not your iLok you have to worry about... it's the software versions you are trying to unlock.

That being said... this really is the fault of the studio. If you need to shell out more $$$ for plugins you already own... you shouldn't be working at that studio. You definitely shouldn't have to update anything on your iLok that might compromise your own personal setup. This is why most studios that offer "guest" rooms generally offer different versions already set up on separate drives, and different computers to suit individual needs. It's impossible to offer a single computer with one OS as a solution for all potential guests.

[teacherman]

@Dism.
You're comments have begun to ease my pain.

Yes, I understand now "how the system" works.

I guess I'll just charge the client for all the Plug upgrades to all plugs so to be compatible with the Guests Computer.

From a clients view point...I realize that hanging out in a studio in Nashville (though saddly very unequipped) is more glamorous than hanging out in a fully equiped studio in Birmingham.

[Eric Seaberg]

I've gone back-n-forth myself. We've got 4 systems on Macs with Waves Diamond, as well as all the included Avid plugs. In our HDTV truck we have Windows XP. I don't always need plugins in the truck as we have an SSL C200 console which does WAY MORE than any plugins ever could... but there have been occasions where I wanted to use the Waves Diamond on that system.

The Waves plugs are installed on the XP system and I move the WaveShell file in or out of the ProTools plugin folder as needed. I only need to plugin one of my iLoks from one of the Mac systems and everything loads up as if it were always there. When I'm done, I move the WaveShell file back into an "unused plugins" folder and take back my iLok.

Works like a charm...