If I purchase a $999 HD10 upgrade, will it apply towards Hardware Exchange?

[jeremiahmoore]

My assumption is no: If I buy the PTHD software upgrade today, the "free" upgrade that comes with the eventual hardware exchange is moot.

Any indications otherwise?

We're in a different game when software upgrades are $1000.

-jeremiah

[Matt_G]

I think we would all wish for this, but I sincerely doubt it. There is no mention of this from Avid anywhere.

[SOUNDDECISION]

I asked this exact question at AES and was told no.

Which obviously makes no sense.

I really wanted to upgrade to 10 but since I am not sure yet about HDX,
not to mention it is not even available yet... I have to wait and not give them
my $1000. Seems like a lose lose policy...

[jeremiahmoore]

Thanks for relaying the clear answer.

I suspected as much, but wondered: Certainly AVID wants to get HD users onto 10 quickly? But many will wait for the hardware upgrade, or at least wait to see how things shake out.

$1K is a non-trivial expense for software upgrade, so it would help to allow people to make the upgrade in stages.

-jeremiah

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by jeremiahmoore

Thanks for relaying the clear answer.

I suspected as much, but wondered: Certainly AVID wants to get HD users onto 10 quickly? But many will wait for the hardware upgrade, or at least wait to see how things shake out.

$1K is a non-trivial expense for software upgrade, so it would help to allow people to make the upgrade in stages.

-jeremiah

It's a good question. I discussed this with my dealer and he indicated that I may have jumped the gun by upgrading the software now.

[roberts]

NO

[Neale Eckstein]

I'm on PT 9 and an HD3 Accel system. I think Avid could have foreseen that $1000 upgrade was not going to met with smiles and joy. I'm sure we'd all really like to know what the reasoning was for this move. We all have theories from push us to do an annual maintenance plan to push us to buy the new hardware to they drank the Kool-Aid of their own marketing hype. Whatever it is, they've angered and alienated a large segment of their current users.

I would like to have the new software but there is too much uncertainty about the value of it for current HD systems and I'm not ready to pull the trigger on a minimum $7k hardware upgrade that will include this software. We've also all been around long enough to see deals and bundles appear that further piss us off when we've just spent money with very short amnesty periods. At any rate, Avid is not going to lower the price of the Pt10 update. For one thing, what would they do with the people who already paid $1000 or more?

So what could they do? What would make me buy this upgrade? Give me a non-expiring coupon for say $800 toward the purchase of HDX hardware when I purchase the software and send it to everyone who's already done this. I think it would remove a lot of the uncertainty and while it would still mean I have to lay out $1000 for a software upgrade, I'd know I would get a good part of it back if I decided to trade in or buy an HDX system down the road.

Neale Eckstein
Fox Run Studio

[Marsdy]

Originally Posted by jeremiahmoore

My assumption is no: If I buy the PTHD software upgrade today, the "free" upgrade that comes with the eventual hardware exchange is moot.

Any indications otherwise?

We're in a different game when software upgrades are $1000.

-jeremiah

I'm thinking I'll upgrade to HDX but not until all my plug-ins and VE Pro are AAX compatible. I'm guessing this will take up to a year from now.

So... I'm holding off on PT10 at its current inflated price knowing it will be included with HDX. Had the PT10HD upgrade been $399 I'd have bought it already.

Avid lose out, I lose out....

This is a daft situation.

[mattrussell]

this seems really, really odd to me. if you buy an HD10 lic now, you don't get credit for it in a trade-in or in a flat out purchase? on the other hand, is the app included in an HDX upgrade or purchase? hasn't it ALWAYS been included in these situations?

as no one here can point to a specific policy, can someone from avid please chime in and clarify this?

m

[kittonian]

Here's the deal.

If you upgrade to HD10 now for $1000 you do not get a credit towards your hardware exchange.

Yes, of course PT10HD software comes with the purchase of an HDX card.

Essentially, if you choose to upgrade to 10HD now and then buy an HDX card later, you are paying for the PT10HD software license twice.

My best guess on this pricing debacle is that Avid made the price to upgrade to 10HD so high in order to encourage HD users to hold off doing a software only upgrade and instead wait to purchase an HDX system, which will of course include the PT10HD software and the new card.