PT licensing confusion/question

[Bender412]

I'm a little confused ...

I have an HD|3 with PTHD8. I bought the hardware used (no transfer of ownership), and the PTHD8 license from a seller on Ebay. I've been running this system for almost 2 years.

Last year, I purchased Digi's MassivePak8 from Sweetwater. At the time of purchase, they asked for my core card's serial number. I gave it to them, and the sale went through with no problem, even thought the card is obviously not registered to me.

So, CAN I purchase and install the PTHD9 upgrade for $350 or not? At what point is the core card serial # required - during purchase or during install?

I was under the impression that I could purchase the upgrade online, and that the installation would see the valid HD8 license on my iLok, detect my hardware, and proceed. Am I mistaken about that?

Thanks!

[OddsAre]

On the LE side of things, I was asked for the serial number to my Digi002 after the purchase and before the download. My guess is that you will have no problem, unless the person you bought it from kept the serial number on file and used it recently to purchase PT9 for themselves. I assume they keep track of it that way... but that is pure speculation on my part.

[HD2]

I think the OddsAre probably right.

[Bender412]

Hmm that's helpful, but I hope I can find out definitively, cause it would suck if I purchase the upgrade, then run into a snag with the serial number when trying to download!

[crizdee]

Originally Posted by Bender412

Hmm that's helpful, but I hope I can find out definitively, cause it would suck if I purchase the upgrade, then run into a snag with the serial number when trying to download!

Hi,

All you need is the core card serial, to qualify for the HD upgrade. this is because PT9 HD is only available as an upgrade to HD owners and not available as a new purchase.

so yes you have your core card serial number, you're good to go.

You will also ned to create an Avid account, its free and no need to register any product yet, but you will need the account to register your PT9 HD auth code and generate your ilok auth.


Chris

[yeahimsteve]

And now, I answer your question, with a horror story of my own:

The day PT9 came out, they advertised it as "Hey, come use our software with any audio card ya want now!" Some dude on a laptop, working HD. No core cards, no nothing. I'm thinking, "wow, did Avid just grow a clue?"

I pay the $350 online, they take the money. Only AFTER selling it to me, do they ask me for a serial number to my core card before allowing me to even download the product!
These fktards took my cash even though I wasn't even qualified for the download. It wasn't like they let me download the software and then asked me for a core card serial during install. Nope. It wasn't like they asked for my serial BEFORE they took my money. Nope....they waited until they had my cash before saying, "Sorry, we're taking your money and we're not even going to give you a product in return."

Obviously it was the first day of release and everything was new to me, so I didn't fully understand the fine print at the time. I didn't understand at the time why no hardware was needed to run HD, yet, I'd had to have specific hardware to be allowed to use the software.

So at that point, I spend another $250 for what I AM allowed to use; PT9 regular.

Since the HD license wasn't activated or used, they said they'd allow me a refund. I had to fax in something, saying I didn't steal or use/misuse their software. Only problem is, they never actually gave me a product to "misuse," nor did they ever give me the refund. I'm pretty sure that to this day, they still have not credited my card back. In fact, they sent me an email a month later, telling me that I hadn't downloaded my product that I paid for yet! Haha, can you believe this dysfunction? By that point, I should have already been reimbursed. It's like they didn't even notice my fax. Double whammy.

So yes, they will take your money, but if your core card's serial number was indeed kept on file by the guy who sold it to you, and he went ahead and used that serial to get his own upgrade of PTHD9.......you are effed, in typical Avid fashion. Hey, its true, and I'm only telling it like it is.

Bottom line: Buy the upgrade, but don't expect them to make good or give you your money back if they decide not to let you qualify for whatever shoddy reason they come up with. Heaven forbid they actually let you re-register hardware that you bought from somebody else!! That might actually prevent you from getting the bum end of the stick, and we can't possibly have that now, can we?


(side note:: If you buy a Universal Audio DSP card, you are more than free to sell it to somebody else and transfer registration/ownership and it's embraced by UA)


One might assume that I'm a hater. I'm not. I'm just tired of everything being a struggle with these guys. The very fact that you even had to ASK if you'd qualify or not is a TESTAMENT to how poorly they have communicated with their user base.

Tellin' it like it is! And......I'm done ranting.

[DigiTechSupt]

Originally Posted by Bender412

I'm a little confused ...

I have an HD|3 with PTHD8. I bought the hardware used (no transfer of ownership), and the PTHD8 license from a seller on Ebay. I've been running this system for almost 2 years.

Last year, I purchased Digi's MassivePak8 from Sweetwater. At the time of purchase, they asked for my core card's serial number. I gave it to them, and the sale went through with no problem, even thought the card is obviously not registered to me.

So, CAN I purchase and install the PTHD9 upgrade for $350 or not? At what point is the core card serial # required - during purchase or during install?

I was under the impression that I could purchase the upgrade online, and that the installation would see the valid HD8 license on my iLok, detect my hardware, and proceed. Am I mistaken about that?

Thanks!

Given the timeline of your used card purchase, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to purchase the PT9 HD crossgrade, as it's unlikely the previous owner would have kept the serial number handy to use for a PT9HD purchase themselves.

The serial number is required during the purchase process. You will provide your card SN and your iLok ID (user name), both of which will be verified. Assuming your SN has not been used for a previous PT9HD purchase, you will get an iLok auth for PT9HD in your iLok account and you will be required to surrender your PT8HD auth when you download the PT9 auth to your iLok.

If you like you can send me the SN of your card and I can let you know if it's eligible or not - email me at: vi [at] digidesign [dot] com.

[Bender412]

Hey DigiTech thanks for the info. I just emailed you my serial #

[DigiTechSupt]

Originally Posted by Bender412

Hey DigiTech thanks for the info. I just emailed you my serial #

I'm still trying to find out for you...hang tight!

[Bender412]

Thank you!