LE Not Compatible w/ANY M-Audio Gear!!! DigiGreed!

[Chase Holden]

LE Not Compatible w/ANY M-Audio Gear!!! DigiGreed!

Let's all email & demand Digidesign be fair and allow LE to work with M-Audio!

Digidesign refuses to allow existing LE customers who already paid for ProTools with other DigiGear to allow it to work with any M-Audio interfaces, etc like the Ozonic I just purchased.

They demand you spend another $300 for an add'l version of "ProTools M-Powered" software. Who needs 2 versions of ProTools? So you can ADD $300 to the purhchase of any M-Audio gear, which is ridiculous if you already shelled out money for ProTools LE with your other gear (MBox,001,002...)

Email Digidesign to complain about this disgraceful act of greed and demand compatibility for existing loyal customers. Otherwise, Logic is starting to sound better & better in my opinion.

Email complaints to: [email protected], [email protected]
Sample Complaint:
I think it is unreasonable and unbusinesslike to demand your customers purchase 2 versions of your software (M-Powered & LE are nearly identical) after purchasing additional M-Audio hardware. Already owning LE + Digihardware, and then purchasing M-Audio hardware requires an add'l $300 purchase otherwise your M-Audio hardware is totally useless. I am now considering using another DAW application. I have been a loyal customer for some time now and demand fairness. Thank you for your attention to my input on this matter.
Signed,

[Rail Jon Rogut]

So what.. you can run 2 instances of Pro Tools at the same time on separate computers when only paying for the software once?

Rail

[ejwells]

Christ almighty, another disgruntled bonehead that's going to change the way Digidesign does business.

[Obsidian Dragon]

Think of it this way. Protools M-Powered is Free! But the dongle will cost $350.00 list price. Seriously, Digidesign has a business reason to recover the cost of R&D needed to make the Protools software work with the newly aquired M-Audio hardware. You may not agree on the price but that is what they have determined as appropriate in this market. Some people purchased M-Audio gear before Digidesign aquired M-Audio. Is it fair to simply give away the software to these people? Given the competition (like Sonar, Cubase, Digital Performer, Logic Audio, etc., I think the $350.00 price is reasonable.

Uh Oh...Here comes another one of those stupid analogies...

Suppose you bought a Mercedes S55 luxury sedan (Digi002R). It came with the fiber optic CD changer(Protools LE). Now Daimler Benz (Digidesign) acquires Chrysler Motors (M-Audio). You now buy a Chrysler M300 (Ozonic). You don't get the fiber optic CD Changer (Protools M-Powered) for your Chrysler (Ozonic) even though the difference between the fiber optic CD changer (Protools LE) that came with the Mercedes (Digi002R) are almost identical to the copper wired CD Changer (Protools M-Audio) on the Chrysler (Ozonic). Unfortunately the fiber optic CD changer (Protools LE) that came with your Mercedes (Digi002R) don't work on the Chrysler (Ozonic). You must purchase the copper wired CD changer (Protools M-Powered) separately to use with your Chrysler (Ozonic). And just for completeness, the copper wired CD changer (Protools M-Powered) won't work with the Mercedes (Digi002R) either.

I know analogies are never perfect (sorry) but I'm just trying to make sense out of this for you. You are free to change DAW's if you like. For me, Digidesign and Protools have made my job of recording, editing, mixing, and producing music more enjoyable and easier. I get more clients because they see that I'm using some version of Protools. It could be Protools HD/Accel, Protools LE, or Protools M-Powered. It's all good!

[Icabod]

Anyone know where I can trade my 002 for an S55?

That's a pretty good analogy. How about this one...
You buy a Mac. You buy Photoshop. You buy a PC. Guess what, that version of Photoshop doesn't work on PC. You want Photoshop on the PC, you have to buy another copy. Same with Office, or almost any other software now days.
Back in the day (4.0!!) the CDs were cross platform, but not anymore.

It would be kind of cool if Digi would allow currently registered users of LE some type of discount, but if not, so be it.

[madrock]

let's see now... you can use your maudio gear with wavelab, right? and how much does wavelab cost?

makes $350 seem fairly reasonable, huh?

[madrock]

Suppose you bought a Mercedes S55 luxury sedan (Digi002R).

and what does that leave for an PT HD analogy?

[Calvin]

A Learjet of course.

Only the big boys play with learjets.

[Obsidian Dragon]

If we keep it in the automotive realm, you might consider the ProTools HD like a high end Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche. Others might prefer the Rolls Royce, Bentley, or Maybach luxury. Maybe a Formula 1, NASCAR, or NHRA top fuel dragster is more to your liking.

[myfm]

Digidesign has a business reason to recover the cost of R&D needed to make the Protools software work with the newly aquired M-Audio hardware.

Just how much did it cost Digidesign to take out a few features and tell their software to recognize M-Audio? I believe most of the work was already done.

Digidesign is a company first. Their first loyalty is to their shareholders who always want the company to be more and more profitable so their divident cheques are bigger. This is another bonehead make money at all costs and screw the consumer because they won't know kind of decision. Digidesign uses far too many resources ensuring their hardware only works with their software and not enough giving their customers systems that will do what they want (eg the VST wrapper - just put it in the software).

There are companies that let you install their software on more than one computer, a trend I'm hoping all companies adopt - they certainly charge enough for it. The intellectual property laws pertaining to software have gone way too far in favour of developers.

Some companies deactivate their software when they don't want to support it anymore (thankfully not Digidesign) which is completely unacceptable. Using the inapt care analogy, if I buy a car and take care of it, it was last a good long time. I wouldn't want Ford suddenly deciding to take away my drivers license or anything else that would prevent me from using the car just because they don't want to make parts for it anymore. It still works.