New PT Prefs helper

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by James Steele

I'm the same guy. Digital Performer is, of course, my first (and current) love. I haven't "jumped ship" or anything. I just "dabble" in Pro Tools and am a total newbie at it. I bought a perpetual license for half price off a guy who'd been given it as a gift and already owned it, figuring it would be useful to have should I ever need to collaborate with someone who uses Pro Tools, or if I want to track drums at a studio that only has Pro Tools. It never hurts to have a basic familiarity with more than one DAW.

PT is my main daw. I have some stuff I've done in DP from years back but haven't touched it in quite the while. Stopped at DP 9.52. I just get on with PT easier and quicker than DP. That's a great deal on getting into PT. I got into DP via a crossgrade from Sony Soundforge to DP8. I still have that manual around here somewheres.

[James Steele]

Originally Posted by musicman691

That's a great deal on getting into PT. I got into DP via a crossgrade from Sony Soundforge to DP8. I still have that manual around here somewheres.

Yeah... I bought it in October of 2021. I thought "Surely Avid will have the native version of Pro Tools out by at least October 2022. Then, maybe I'll just let support lapse." Well... then came the subscriptions... and Pro Tools still wasn't native and if I didn't re-up for support for $199 I would lose my "grandfathered" status with the perpetual license and then have to go subscription to get the native version... so here I am... I'm in it now for $499 so far, and now paying $199/year for a DAW. . Oops, I'm sorry I'm paying for "support" and out of fear of losing my "perpetual" license.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by James Steele

Yeah... I bought it in October of 2021. I thought "Surely Avid will have the native version of Pro Tools out by at least October 2022. If they do, maybe I'll just let support lapse." Well... then came the subscriptions... and Pro Tools still wasn't native and if I didn't re-up for support for $199 I would lose my "grandfathered" status with the perpetual license and then have to go subscription to get the native version... so here I am... I'm in it now for $499 so far, and now paying $199/year for a DAW.

Sadly you're finding out what a lot of people have come in contact with - Avid is very slow in getting fixes and updates out. Part of the problem is that when Avid does fixes/updates they not only have PT to do but also their video editing s/w. And qualifications/compatibility testing at Avid means everything in their portfolio has to work of release just doesn't happen. Something about their s/w development you may not know about is it's not done here in the US. All offshore (unless it's changed) in the Russian/Ukraine geographic area.


The way I understand things as regards aax/Apple Silicone development is that there were/are issues between Apple and Avid with the SDK.

[James Steele]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Something about their s/w development you may not know about is it's not done here in the US. All offshore (unless it's changed) in the Russian/Ukraine geographic area.

Yep... I actually knew about that. Anyway, not to open that can of worms again, but once there's a stable native version (I'm on a Mac Studio now), I may let support lapse. Not sure. Like many, I'm not too keen on having to pay $199 year (for now) year after year.

[The Weed]

Originally Posted by James Steele

Like many, I'm not too keen on having to pay $199 year (for now) year after year.

There are Reinstatement Codes sold by Avid Resellers or Avid themselves. Bought from Avid, your Year of Updates & Support for a Perpetual License start right away. Bought from an Avid Reseller, the Year of Updates & Support starts when you redeem the Code in your MyAvid Account. Several posters have banked one or more. YMMV.

[James Steele]

Originally Posted by The Weed

There are Reinstatement Codes sold by Avid Resellers or Avid themselves. Bought from Avid, your Year of Updates & Support for a Perpetual License start right away. Bought from an Avid Reseller, the Year of Updates & Support starts when you redeem the Code in your MyAvid Account. Several posters have banked one or more. YMMV.

Ahhhh okay. So if I can find one from a reseller, I can put that in my back pocket for a rainy day? If I let my support lapse and decide I want to jump back in a year or two down the line I can still use that code? That's a good idea... so long as the rules can't change again. I'll need to look around for where I can buy one of those.

UPDATE: Just checked... $349 at Sweetwater. Hmmm... gotta think about that. I wonder if those are going to dry up at some point? Be good to have in your back pocket. I found a link to some info where it suggests once you get the code you can add it to your Avid account right away but sort of keep it in "limbo" until you need it?

https://www.creativefieldrecording.c...reinstatement/

This is all very good info. The whole pricing structure thing has been a bit confusing for me. Thanks!

[BScout]

Originally Posted by James Steele

I found a link to some info where it suggests once you get the code you can add it to your Avid account right away but sort of keep it in "limbo" until you need it?

https://www.creativefieldrecording.c...reinstatement/

This is all very good info. The whole pricing structure thing has been a bit confusing for me. Thanks!

Absolutely not. Once you add it to your account it becomes active (or if you have a current active plan, it immediately adds to the end of it.)
The whole point of buying from a reseller (originally) is you hold the code and do not deposit into your account until needed. Now a second reason is only a reseller can sell you a code (since Avid immediately deposits when you could buy direct from them.)

As for if it can be used forever and they can't change the rules, there are US laws protecting that (I think EU laws exist too.) So you are safe. You can ask Avid too (and Avid has to operate by US laws as this is an SEC financial accounting issue for a publicly traded company)

[James Steele]

Originally Posted by BScout

Absolutely not. Once you add it to your account it becomes active (or if you have a current active plan, it immediately adds to the end of it.)

Thanks for clarifying. That page I linked to was confusing about that and seemed to imply that somehow it could sit in your account "dormant" and be used later. I just checked and that article is a year old. Anyway, thanks again for correcting that!

[BScout]

Originally Posted by James Steele

Thanks for clarifying. That page I linked to was confusing about that and seemed to imply that somehow it could sit in your account "dormant" and be used later. I just checked and that article is a year old. Anyway, thanks again for correcting that!

Didn't want you to do something accidentally that was unintended when the key is to simply hold the code.

I know a few people (not mixers so not interested in staying absolutely current) that have stocked a reinstatement code in their back pocket. (I was the one who suggested it.) When the update model came out, it took about the fourth year to hold a reinstatement to make it worth it. (I haven't calculated what that would be recently.) And these were users who were happy to stay on a version 5 years+.

[James Steele]

Originally Posted by BScout

Didn't want you to do something accidentally that was unintended when the key is to simply hold the code.

I know a few people (not mixers so not interested in staying absolutely current) that have stocked a reinstatement code in their back pocket. (I was the one who suggested it.) When the update model came out, it took about the fourth year to hold a reinstatement to make it worth it. (I haven't calculated what that would be recently.) And these were users who were happy to stay on a version 5 years+.

Unless I do the math wrong here, the reinstatement is roughly $350 and my annual grandfathered in support renewal for my PT Studio perpetual license is $200. So only takes two years to save you some money. Since I'm on a Mac Studio, I want to have a nice stable native release prior to considering letting support lapse.

Hopefully reinstated licenses get the lower annual support renewal price ($199) as well.