Why is 12 three times more expensive for HD owners

[Rectifried]

Consider it frozen

[LDS]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

The cost is no more than HD's high-end pro audio competition.

I doubt any of the competition has released a paid 'upgrade' with so few new features though?

The riff between Vanilla & HD is the problem I think. Why do PT11 users get a half priced support plan compared to PT10/9/MP 6-9 users, while PT HD11 users pay the same as PT HD9 users?

It does seem as though the HD users who have paid Avid the most over the last few years are the ones that are getting stung the hardest?

[Skytouch]

Originally Posted by michael c

With all the flaming and complaining on these forums, whether justified or not, can someone officially from Avid please explain the reasoning for the extreme higher cost to HD owners to upgrade their license(s)? I know in my case, whether I feel your answer is valid or not, it will at least give me a sense of why you are charging your most loyal customers who have put out the most money for your software AND hardware an idea why they are being charged so much more. We have been loyal customers since 1998 and before that, owned an Audiomedia card...

It seems odd that we can't even 'downgrade' to vanilla PT12 and use our expensive Avid hardware, and if we upgrade this year to 12HD we will now never be able to sell our licenses? It all feels punitive.

If you can give us HD owners an official statement, I think I will at least feel you are being honest to your customer base. Once you reply, you can even lock the thread to avoid having to constantly reply to other related questions.

Thank you.

Michael, this is exactly where I am stuck on updating PT11HD Omni to 12HD. Well stated. I am sitting on an unregistered 12 Vanilla license upgrade purchased a day ago, deciding if I want to upgrade my HD license instead before Dec 31st. I just can't get past the penalties and risks associated with breaking up a perfectly fine, integrated 11HD HW+SW system.

Sky

[Skytouch]

Originally Posted by Chingy

One sec...so if PT 12 vanilla is $29 / month (monthly plan), that's $360 a year for PT vanilla. PT 12 HD upgrade is $599 for the first year (no idea why), but then $399 a year after that for PT HD.

So really, you're spending $278 more for the HD version over the course of 2 years. That's not that bad, though I don't know why PT HD upgrade is $599 for the first year - that really makes no sense to me.

I see the 2015 pricing this way:

HD = $200 for the 11>12 perpetual upgrade, plus the first annual $399 support subscription bundled in.

Vanilla = $100 for the 11>12 perpetual upgrade, plus the first annual $99 support subscription bundled in.

The big cost difference is in annual support. Someone with a complex HDX system may need higher levels of support, but someone with a desktop Omni HD DAW? Their support needs are much closer to a Vanilla user, albeit still not software only.

Sky

[Skytouch]

Originally Posted by Wall2Wall

That's not a bad idea. Much cheaper than the hardware requirement. But...they will be leaving the low end completely. They can't compete in the low end anyway with logic, cubase, live, et al.

My view is that they should create one unified software product and drop a yearly major update in the Apple Store (Mac users) each Jan 1st @ $399. Then make it clear, that all support and value-add updates stop for prior versions. That would have the same effect as the current HD upgrade plan, without all the confusion and extortion tactics. Maybe the price could be a bit lower to capture more in the Vanilla market.

For comparison, this is what Apple is already doing with Logic, although updates are less frequent than yearly. When a new product drops, it's $199. No special upgrade pricing.

Sky

[Skytouch]

Originally Posted by propower

AVID will continue to charge what they do until they believe that they can make more money by charging less. It is great they gave up the unbelievably stupid original idea of freezing out HD owners that don't jump onboard. The fact that your HDN and HDX systems won't run without HD software means they already have you. They can actually ask any price they want. You will either pay it, stay with your system as is or leave. Eventually (like when you need a new computer) you will pay or leave. Sadly - I don't think the company cares any more than that. They are perfectly willing to let all the ones that don't "have" to use HD leave. They even price reduced Vanilla to the point that if you could use that instead - it is 5 to 10 times cheaper to maintain up to date.

For a business - I say "whatever"... its peanuts. To folks who love HD and are not in business - it costs the same as 3 movie channels/month. Is it "worth it"? If you need it - yep. If you want it - yep. If you can live without it - nope.

Will there be deals down the road? Most likely but not for certain.

My hope is that the yearly numbers for AVID are so bad they sack the whole management team. I believe they are the problem...

Solid analysis.

Sky

[Skytouch]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

Nuendo and Sequoia are right up there. CueBase is equivalent to vanilla. The change happened when PT started being able to run on other hardware.

The thing to do is freeze your system at current versions. That's what most major music studios do.

Current HD/HDX hardware is certainly a good match for cheese grater Macs. Locking into this combination makes sense for someone not needing more than what PT11HD offers. Even 12HD can work here. Pay $599 to get in and let the support plan expire next year, unless Avid offers an upgrade worthy of continuing into 2017.

Sky

[Logichead]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

The thing to do is freeze your system at current versions. That's what most major music studios do.

Avid proudly introduces *System Freeze HD* for 2016!

No need to upgrade if your system is already working!
Save days on system installs!
$ave lot$ of ca$h on plugin update$
You can still sell your iLok asset!
Buy used pieces of Avid hardware when you need them!
Collaboration via DropBox for free!
You'll be free to focus on your music!
Keep your chickens fed!

Avid is "listening" to your requests!

Best...H

[TAMBOR]

Originally Posted by Logichead

Avid proudly introduces *System Freeze HD* for 2016!

No need to upgrade if your system is already working!
Save days on system installs!
$ave lot$ of ca$h on plugin update$"
You can still sell your iLok asset!
Buy used pieces of Avid hardware when you need them!
Collaboration via DropBox for free!
You'll be free to focus on your music!
Keep your chickens fed!

Avid is "listening" to your requests!

Best...H

You used to be a staff writer for Saturday Night Live, right?

[alex s]

What I find most gut churning, and believe me, it makes me furious every time I think about it is the $999 charge if your support plan lapses.

How many customers are shelling out their $599 or $399 simply to avoid incurring such a ridiculous punitive cost ?

Ok, so Avid can do what they like regardless of fairness. Looking at the upgrade / no support plan option available to standard PT owners not available to those who have HD is a good example.

But the the $999 charge is coercion and according to the dictionary obtaining money, property or services from a person, entity, individual or institution through coercion is extortion.

If the $999 isn't just a strong arm tactic by Avid to keep people on their support plans I'd like to hear how that figure was reached ?