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

[jasperhb]

Hi,

In PT10 it was possible to buy an upgrade from PT10 to PT 10 HD without purchasing hardware priced out of range of most hobby producers/mixers such as I.

Will such options be available in PT 11 also? I’m willing to pay a little extra (i.e. in the range of $300 – $500) for features such as VCA Faders etc. I.e. features that hardly requires high-end low latency hardware solutions but does enhance the work-flow and make mixing and producing more fun.

However, as much as I’d like to get my hands on those features I can for obvious reasons not effort to pay 5-10 k$ for this, which currently seems to be the only way due to the nonsensical tying between the HD software versions and hardware. The reason I say it is nonsensical, is that the hardware does not seem to be a technical requirement here. I fully understand that there are business reasons, although I would argue in this day and age that also those are like nonsensical as I think that the right pricing scheme and licensing model could be a win-win-win-win for consumers, prosumers, professionals and Avid alike.

Thank you

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by jasperhb

In PT10 it was possible to buy an upgrade from PT10 to PT 10 HD without purchasing hardware priced out of range of most hobby producers/mixers such as I.

No, it wasn't.

But if you have a PT10 and a Complete Production Toolkit option, you can upgrade that combo to a PT11HD license. That is the only non-hardware route to HD.

[jasperhb]

Originally Posted by JFreak

No, it wasn't.

But if you have a PT10 and a Complete Production Toolkit option, you can upgrade that combo to a PT11HD license. That is the only non-hardware route to HD.

I don't. So I guess this is feedback then ;-)

[JFreak]

This is the cheapest way into HD. Or find a 2nd hand 002R from the fleebay and use this promotion.

[jasperhb]

Originally Posted by JFreak

This is the cheapest way into HD. Or find a 2nd hand 002R from the fleebay and use this promotion.

Thank you. I appreciate the assistance.

My conclusion so far is that "cheapest" way into PT 11 HD is to Invest approx. $ 4.000 - $5.000,- in hardware to get the HD software. And while I do appreciate the help to get to this conclusion, I also think that it pretty much sums up my point made above ;-)

The fact of the matter is that I don't need the hardware, what I need is the software features that improves work-flow. Software features that I'm rather convienced can run just fine and dandy without actually requiring the hardware to do so. The hardware will of course give me lower latencies and other benefits, but those are not what I am looking for - at least not at the moment.

[JFreak]

Well, Avid has said so that you need to buy a whole system to get into HD, so that's it for now.

[holler]

Originally Posted by jasperhb

Thank you. I appreciate the assistance.

My conclusion so far is that "cheapest" way into PT 11 HD is to Invest approx. $ 4.000 - $5.000,- in hardware to get the HD software. And while I do appreciate the help to get to this conclusion, I also think that it pretty much sums up my point made above ;-)

The fact of the matter is that I don't need the hardware, what I need is the software features that improves work-flow. Software features that I'm rather convienced can run just fine and dandy without actually requiring the hardware to do so. The hardware will of course give me lower latencies and other benefits, but those are not what I am looking for - at least not at the moment.

I agree.

I've mentioned and discussed this in other threads too. I would not mind paying about a 1000$ to get the Pro Tools HD Software. But I don't need their interface and what not. It's not how most studio's work anymore, and there are multiple reason's why people would only need the software.

Definitely think Avid should re-think this.

br

[jasperhb]

Came across this article talking about this too: Have Hardware Solutions Had Their Day Or Not?

The argument here is simply; that Moore's law have caught up with yet another industry - i.e. the hardware dependant DAW.

This makes me recall a book I read some years back. In the book "Innovators Dilemma" Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen describes the challenge we might be seeing here with DAW's tied to hardware. The book includes a great number examples of how incumbants have missed the boat due to fundamental shifts in the industry (usually driven by technology) only to discover their oversight when it is too late to stop the disruption from below by players that at first seemed inferiour but later ended up eating their lunch and then some. It is not too late for Avid I think, but things are certainly changing fast right now.

I would argue that the tying between software and hardware used to be based on performance and technology constraint making tight compling compelling. However, due to primarily Moore's law what used to be a strong connection between the two is now becoming more and more loose. In fact, we are most likely currenctly at an inflection point where the connection is becoming so loose that it is challenging existing business models and revenue streams. If this analysis is correct, then Avid is facing a tough choice: cannabalize yourself or become eaten. Or, come up with something totally new that opens up all new market opportunities.

[albee1952]

From time to time, you can find an HD license, but the cost is usually around $1500. There are a few packages on eBay right now with an HD/Native card and software(you buy the package, keep the HD asset and sell the hardware), but its not such a great deal. Consider this in your thought process; all you really need is the HD asset on your iLok(or on any iLok2) as all the features are installed already. Its the iLok asset the tells the software which features to unlock.

BTW, I agree that Avid should offer an upgrade path But if you are a hobbyist(or other non-"pro" user) then there are ways around some of the limits(for instance, busing a set of tracks to an AUX track will give you much the same functionality of a VCA).

[nigelpry]

Unfortunately, the debate is long over, from Avid's perspective ....

There USED to be a way to acquire HD functionality without buying the HD hardware .... that addon was called Complete Production Toolkit. It's purpose was exactly ... to unlock HD functionality without requiring HD hardware attached.

When PT11 was announced, CPTK was withdrawn, leaving people without that route. PT11 doesn't recognise CPTK. Avid offered existing CPTK owners the chance to upgrade to HD.

If you can buy a 2nd hand CPTK licence, you'll be able to take up hat offer, otherwise your only option is to buy HD hardware. Or you can buy an older HD licence and upgrade from that.

Avid's decision resulted in lots of discussion, criticism etc, but to no avail.

Check out this thread if you want to see the discussions in detail

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t...highlight=cptk

Warning ... don't go there unless you are willing to spend some time .... it's a huge thread ... and you'll just end up even more frustrated about it than you already are how!