Upgrade from PT11 to PT12 Cost

[nigelpry]

Originally Posted by Rosco1969

This is what I don't buy.

Can you actually show us where AVID have stated this "fact"?

.

Erm .... YES! (sigh)

Avid originally had the information (mostly) all in one place, but it is now split across the licensing page on the website here ..
http://www.avid.com/US/products/pro-...ware#licensing

The licensing FAQ here ...
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...-Licensing-FAQ

And the software upgrade FAQ here ...
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/e...2014-Offer-FAQ

They are ALL worth a read, and I suggest you make the effort, so you know what the new regime actually involves.

If you focus on the licencing faq first though ...

Let's try looking at question 6 first, just to get your attention ...

Q. I have Pro Tools | HD 11, but am not yet on an upgrade and support plan. Why should I upgrade to Pro Tools 12?
A. Pro Tools 12 sets the stage for Avid Cloud Collaboration and Avid Marketplace, enabling you to collaborate with others and get recognition and payment for your work. This upgrade also includes an annual upgrade and support plan, so you'll also receive all future updates, upgrades, and priority support for one full year, renewable annually. You have until December 31, 2015 to get on a plan to upgrade your perpetual license and stay current for the next 12 months; otherwise, you will no longer be able to upgrade your software. And if you want to get early access to Avid Cloud Collaboration for Pro Tools, you will need to upgrade to Pro Tools 12.

Then, when you've got that clear, try looking at question 3, which confirms is applies to 'vanilla' as well as HD.

Q. Will my Pro Tools perpetual license stop working at the end of the one-year upgrade and support plan period?
A. No, you can continue to use Pro Tools if you allow your upgrade and support plan to expire. However, if you want to continue receiving updates with new features, you will need to renew your plan before it expires or switch to a subscription. Pro Tools and Pro Tools | HD owners will have through the end of 2015 to get on an annual upgrade and support plan. If you don’t get on a plan, you will not be able to upgrade your software in the future.

Now for question 4 ...

Q: If I have a Pro Tools perpetual license and my upgrade and support plan expires, what are my options if I want to upgrade later on?
A: You will have two options to get access to the latest version of Pro Tools:
Subscribe to Pro Tools software on a monthly or annual basis
Purchase a new Pro Tools perpetual license (full product) that includes an annual upgrade and support plan.

After you've read the FAQ extracts I've provided above for your ease of reference, AND made the effort to read through the two full FAQ documents (both to confirm the extracts are accurate and to educate yourself) ...

perhaps you'd care to edit your post to REMOVE THE SARCASTIC DOUBLE QUOTES YOU PLACED AROUND THE WORD "FACT" and acknowledge the accuracy of my recent posts on the subject.

Obviously I accept I did a little paraphrasing, using words like 'ever' and forever' and 'for any amount of money', whereas Avid simply says that you will not be able to upgrade in the future, and that if you want to, you'll either have to buy a new permanent (perpetual) licence or start renting (subscribing). But I reckon the meaning, and intent, is the same.

[Rosco1969]

Yes but, you'll either have to buy a perpetual license or a subscription...? So, does that not mean I can buy an annual subscription after my perpetual license expires?

[roberts]

Originally Posted by nigelpry

If you don’t get on a plan, you will not be able to upgrade your software in the future.

This is the sound of Avid committing suicide with it's customer base.

[nigelpry]

Originally Posted by Rosco1969

Yes but, you'll either have to buy a perpetual license or a subscription...? So, does that not mean I can buy an annual subscription after my perpetual license expires?

Yes ... but ...

Your perpetual (permanent) licence does not expire. If it is not on a support plan by end of 2015 it can still be used, but can no longer be upgraded. It is forever stuck at that version. You can use it as long as you can keep a computer running that will support the version of Pro Tools unlocked by that licence (eg Pro Tools 11 if that's the version you have at the moment).

If you then later decide that, actually, you would like to have a newer version of Pro Tools than your perpetual licence provides you with, you can either buy a new perpetual licence, or start a subscription (rental) of one.

You should bear in mind that the subscription cost will be MORE than $199 per year, so it will be cheaper to buy and keep renewing a support plan for your perpetual licence than to start subscribing. If you ever need a second licence, especially if only occasionally, a monthly subscription might be an attractive option.

I've not seen a definite published figure for subscription fees yet, but various people are speculating in other threads. You could take a look at the figures for Avid's other software app (Media Composer) which already has pretty much identical options for purchase or rental implemented, to get a feel for how subscription costs compare to purchase. I will be surprised if Avid doesn't use a similar purchase vs rental price ratio, and we know the purchase cost for Pro Tools is now $899, so you could make an educated guess as to cost.

If you start a subscription you will get a new licence, and that licence will stop working if you ever stop subscribing. This subscription licence would be a completely separate entity from your existing perpetual licence.

[Rosco1969]

Well, if that's the case... It's back to Logic for me. I was always a Logic user until Protools 10. Jumped ship. Loved the workflow. But if AVID are indeed going to take a massive dump all over us like this, I'm out.

[nigelpry]

Originally Posted by roberts

This is the sound of Avid committing suicide with it's customer base.

Well, that remains to be seen.

I've already said, explicitly and publicly, in this forum, that I won't be signing up to the support plan, but not many other people have sade the same.

Maybe Avid will lose a lot of customers over this, and maybe it won't. The fact is ... it is intresting that they are taking such a gamble.

The fact that they are doing it could be suggestive of lots of things that we could speculate about, but I'm over it, I've made my decision. I can't be bothered speculating. about their reasons.

I'm entitled to PT12 for free, as I've got a couple of student licences on the four years of free upgrades deal, but I'll be reading the T&C and EULA before surrendering my existing licences.

But my PT11HD will become version frozen.

I'm fortunate that 50% of my clients ask to work in Logic or Cubase, and some of the people I use PT for could care less which DAW I actually use. I expect my use of PT will just gradually dwindle over time as I persuade more and more clients to work in Logic or Cubase.

Its a real shame though, as I much prefer using Pro Tools, unless there is a lot of complex MIDI stuff involved. Still, I'll get over that.

[nigelpry]

Originally Posted by Rosco1969

Well, if that's the case... It's back to Logic for me. I was always a Logic user until Protools 10. Jumped ship. Loved the workflow. But if AVID are indeed going to take a massive dump all over us like this, I'm out.

Don't forget to remove the quotes around "fact" before you leave ;-)

[propower]

Originally Posted by nigelpry

I've not seen a definite published figure for subscription fees yet, but various people are speculating in other threads. You could take a look at the figures for Avid's other software app (Media Composer) which already has pretty much identical options for purchase or rental implemented, to get a feel for how subscription costs compare to purchase. I will be surprised if Avid doesn't use a similar purchase vs rental price ratio, and we know the purchase cost for Pro Tools is now $899, so you could make an educated guess as to cost.

In Tony Cariddi's interview at NAMM last week he said WRT PT Standard (Vanilla)
Monthly subscription = $29.99/mo ~$360/yr
Yearly subscription = $299/yr
We already knew Purchase and Support plan is $899 Then $199/yr after 1st yr.
So yearly subscribing is $100 more than the maintenance on an owned copy

This is where I got my 7 year break even from --
And why I am almost thinking it is unwise now to Buy PT if you don;t own it already
Renting is fiscally pretty attractive .... especially if there is no equity in owning!
WAY different than Media Composer (3 year break even)!

Years -- sub monthly -- sub yearly -- Buy and Maintain
1 ............. 360 ............. 299 ............. 899
2 ............. 720 ............. 598 ............. 1098
3 ............. 1080 ............. 897 ............. 1297
4 ............. 1440 ............. 1196 ............. 1496
5 ............. 1800 ............. 1495 ............. 1695
6 ............. 2160 ............. 1794 ............. 1894
7 ............. 2520 ............. 2093 ............. 2093
8 ............. 2880 ............. 2392 ............. 2292
9 ............. 3240 ............. 2691 ............. 2491
10 ............. 3600 ............. 2990 ............. 2690
11 ............. 3960 ............. 3289 ............. 2889

[Darryl Ramm]

Logic X $199, no fees, no subscriptions, you own the license, no confusing bs. Up to date with OS X and a lot less hassle than care and maintenance of Pro Tools. And every few years you expect to spend ~$200 or so an a new version, ... if you want to.

[propower]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Logic X

I so try to like that program

Maybe I can try harder -- LOL