Avid did not accept the PT HD software license transfer

[orc]

I just wanted to write my story about license transferring. It was a month ago, I was looking for buying a PT HD license from this website. I found a person who was selling his own Pro Tools HD licence. We bargained and agreed for the transfer. He and I have read all the terms of the transfer procedure. So, there was no problem for either me and him. I sent him some amount as an advance. Here is what happened step by step:

He purchased an Avid Support Code. Then, he filled the Avid Audio Transfer of Ownership Form and sent it to me. I signed it as well and sent him back. And then, he submitted the form to Avid and we started to wait for 5 business days as Avid's term says so.

After the 5 business days, the license still was not transferred. He called Avid and ask our case. But the answer was like they have done nothing yet. After a few days, an e-mail came. Here is the copy-paste of the e-mail (names are deleted):

Hi .....,

I checked in with management concerning your Transfer of Ownership and they told me that we do not process Transfer of Ownerships unless both the software and hardware are transferred. So, unfortunately I cannot complete this transfer request.

We can refund the ASC you purchased to make the transfer if you fill out a digital returns form here:
http://shop.avid.com/ccrz__CCPage?pageKey
Best Regards,
P....
Avid Audio

So, the Avid guy said that they do not transfer unless both the software and hardware are transferred!?!?! :/ I could not find that rule on the terms of the Avid Audio Transfer Of Ownership form. And also I knew that there are a lot of people who transfer their HD licences here on this forum. The result: the seller guy sent my advance back to me. We lost our days with waiting for this transfer...

[propower]

I feel for you but All is spelled out in gory detail here. You can not transfer a PTHD license without transferring a whole system unless it was originally a PT with CPTK that was upgraded to PTHD. Past that if it is already at PT12 and on a support plan there is at present no way to transfer it...

Be doubly aware that AVID has old TOO forms out there that you could easily open instead of this current one...

http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/FAQ/en363631

http://avid.force.com/pkb/servlet/fi...ent_1__Body__s

[Barry Johns]

Not sure if it's worth the hassle or not. But you could always buy a used PCI HD card, for around $100. Transfer the ownership into the sellers name, and then do a transfer of ownership with the court card and the license. You don't need the card you can always turn around and sell it for what you paid for it.

On a sidenote, I'm pretty positive, that is long as the HD license was never part of Avid's new support plan, that you could transfer the license to another user. My understanding is, the hardware restriction did not kick in until you've upgraded to the new support plan.

I have a copy of ProTools HD 10/11, that has never been part of the support upgrade plan, and I know I can sell it without hardware

[Barry Johns]

This what's copied from avid's policy regarding transfer of ownership.


Please note that Pro Tools software products that have been upgraded to the newer 2015 support plans and newer Pro Tools products which include 2015 support plans are not currently available for transfer.

So as long as the license had never been upgraded to the support plan, there should be zero problem doing a transfer of ownership.

[crizdee]

Originally Posted by orc

So, the Avid guy said that they do not transfer unless both the software and hardware are transferred!?!?! :/ I could not find that rule on the terms of the Avid Audio Transfer Of Ownership form. And also I knew that there are a lot of people who transfer their HD licences here on this forum. The result: the seller guy sent my advance back to me. We lost our days with waiting for this transfer...

Hi,

HD licences have not been transferable without the hardware since PT 9 was introduced.

It's always been the case of HD licence and hardware stay together as a complete system. But prior to PT 9 it was doable via ilok.

The exception is HD upgraded from complete production toolkit, obviously as they didn't have any HD hardware.

Not being funny, but the seller should have read the terms and conditions for transferring licences?...



• The seller must be a registered owner of both Pro Tools HD software AND a Pro Tools HD core system (HD TDM, HDX, HD Native, or an HD Native Thunderbolt) and is transferring ownership of BOTH the core and Pro Tools HD software.*

• Or, the seller must be a registered owner of Pro Tools and Complete Production Toolkit that was upgraded to Pro Tools HD 11.

It's all here...
http://avid.force.com/pkb/servlet/fi...BEi0000000LNzq



Chris

[orc]

The seller said that he had read all and, for ensure, I have asked him especially those terms you wrote above and he was positive. But of course, there is no proof though.

And also He replied: ''I bought the software independently of any HD hardware for $1500 2 years ago''. Did he mean not a CPTK?

Well, I forgot to tell the end of the story. After I lost about 10 days with this unsuccessful process, I bought the PT HD 8 to HD 10 upgrade. I wish, I could go with this upgrade the first day when I planed to go for HD 10.


Thank you all for your feedbacks.

edit: Barry, thanks for your suggestion that buying a used PCI card. Yes, that's a good idea. Actually, I thought the same, but you know, I was tired of this license transfer process and I decided to wind up with the upgrade from the Avid's store.

[agershon]

Originally Posted by Barry Johns

Please note that Pro Tools software products that have been upgraded to the newer 2015 support plans and newer Pro Tools products which include 2015 support plans are not currently available for transfer.

I have an Omni and HD Native Thunderbolt that I want to sell, and at the beginning of 2015 I purchased the "Pro Tools HD Upgrade and Support Plan 2015" to upgrade from 10 to 11.

Am I correct that my HD license is now un-transferrable? And, secondly, can I sell my hardware without the license ... will the buyer be able to purchase an HD license on its own to use with the system?

TIA

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by agershon

I have an Omni and HD Native Thunderbolt that I want to sell, and at the beginning of 2015 I purchased the "Pro Tools HD Upgrade and Support Plan 2015" to upgrade from 10 to 11.

Am I correct that my HD license is now un-transferrable? And, secondly, can I sell my hardware without the license ... will the buyer be able to purchase an HD license on its own to use with the system?

TIA

Clear as day Avid says if you upgrade to the 2015 support plan the license is not transferable. So I'm not sure why there is a need to ask.

The buyer will not be able to purchase a license from Avid/a reseller. They can buy a legitimately transferable standalone Pro Tools HD 10 license (one upgraded from CPTK) that has not been infected by the 2015 support plan. Or they buy an unopened/unactivated license somebody has unbundled, or they buy a license on an physical iLok and live with it not being upgradeable by them and them not having an iLok account, or they maybe already own a HD license and just want your hardware. Either way all this helps significantly kill the resale market for your hardware, which is clearly Avid's intention. And a lesson not to trust Avid with this stuff, user burner email accounts tied to separate Avid accounts etc. if you think you may want to sell an physical iLok in future, etc. Hopefully somebody will acquire Avid and put an end to this ongoing customer abuse.

[agershon]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Hopefully somebody will acquire Avid and put an end to this ongoing customer abuse.

Thanks Darryl, and I do apologize for belaboring the point. I've been away from the game for a bit, and I am stunned by the new low to which this company has sunk. Talk about contempt for your customers.