Existing Perpetual License Owners

[jeffro]

Originally Posted by scardanelli

Having looked at the number of authorised resellers, including in France where I live, I find that there are many reputable online retailers, Thomann, Bax, Woodbrass, offering the UPD despite not being authorised. So what happens if I buy from an "un-authorised" re-seller? And how can they sell the product which obviously has to report back to Avid to get the iLok license etc? Is there any reason why I shouldn't buy the product at the best price?

I'd say 'reputable' is the key here. Of course there are many reputable dealers out there who are not authorized Avid resellers, but we just don't have much leverage with someone that is not an authorized reseller. If there's a problem with the sale (e.g. wrong product provided) you're likely on your own to try and resolve it.

[scardanelli]

These are major retailers. Are you suggesting that they would be selling a product with misleading information? How does the upgrade to a current perpetual licence work? I get a code, enter it on the Avid website?

In the case of software, what "risk" am I running buying from Woodbrass or Thomann? - it's your software, they're just selling me a code. Please could I get some clarity about the actual process. Why would anyone pay 75 euros more for the software? It's a fact that no retailer (and I'll bet that applies to your authorised re-sellers) gives refunds on software. And basic consumer protection applies in the case of mis-sold products, not as advertised etc. Sorry to go on about this but it smacks of protectionism or restrictive practices to me!

Come to think of - how do they get these codes to sell anyway? Surely they must originate with Avid? Most odd.

[jeffro]

Originally Posted by scardanelli

These are major retailers. Are you suggesting that they would be selling a product with misleading information?

I am in no way suggesting that any of the retailers you mentioned are misleading anyone.

How does the upgrade to a current perpetual licence work? I get a code, enter it on the Avid website?

Correct, the code is entered at https://my.avid.com/products/redemption which will add the product to my.avid.com/products. You then go into that product to select the old license to surrender (and you get a new perpetual license to replace it).

In the case of software, what "risk" am I running buying from Woodbrass or Thomann? - it's your software, they're just selling me a code. Please could I get some clarity about the actual process. Why would anyone pay 75 euros more for the software? It's a fact that no retailer (and I'll bet that applies to your authorised re-sellers) gives refunds on software. And basic consumer protection applies in the case of mis-sold products, not as advertised etc. Sorry to go on about this but it smacks of protectionism or restrictive practices to me!

A discounted price from a dealer you trust is fine. Again, I am not accusing either of them (or any others) of anything nefarious. Just pointing out that buying from anyone other than an authorized reseller is more similar to a private sale so it's best to deal with someone you trust.

[john1192]

one of my concerns is: how long will Avid "Sell" reinstatement licenses ???? and it sounds like they will give out a Notice like they are saying No More Perpetual Licenses (without some hardware)

Perpetual Users are a good revenue stream- thin about it .. we bought the Full Version for 600 bones or like most of us we are 20 + years into the Digital/Avid World - I have spent ten's of thousands with Digital/Avid ...

if you do NOT need any updates for at least 9 months !! then it is a wash lapsing and reinstating a Perpetual License !!

update being current: 199.00 per year = 16.58 per month
update using reinstatement code: 349.00 for One Year so, 349.00 / 16.58 = 21 months !!! so, buy a reinstatement code, wait at least 9 months and you are good to go until the next Year and have not spent more money ... then either re-up or try and buy another reinstatement code ... if they are available .. if not just Update !!! if they take that away and go ONLY subscription, well lets cross that bridge when we come to it ...

WHY: because like me I bought a reinstatement code hoping that M1 compatibility would come before the year was up .. it did not, so, the question is, Lapse with Code in Hand and Wait until M1 is compatible -OR- pay now and after two years I would have paid 398.00 (2 yrs at 199.00) ...

is any of this worth 49.00 of a difference !! it ONLY makes sense if you are going to WAIT more than 9 Months !!! that's the only way to Save any Money !!

this "is" the Best Deal ... the Perpetual Update !! no one has it better at Avid than Us .. Ultimate well, that's just too much imho ... but that's just me ..

299.00 annual for subscription is 24.92 per month !!! 16.58 is not bad, Right !!! ... and the Choice as well to re-up or wait and reinstate !!

cheers ... John

[Justin1524]

Here are a few examples of how subscriptions vs perpetual policies/fees make zero sense at all for customers:

1.) Example One: HD Native/HDX owners - Your choice is own a Ultimate Perpetual license and renew at $399 a year or a Flex subscription at $999 a year. That's a $600 price difference for the same software? You must use Ultimate with this hardware, Artist and Studio will not work with it! Oh but if you own Carbon, Pro Tools Studio version will work with it! Lucky you!

2.) Example Two: If you buy Carbon for a whooping $3999 it used to include a Ultimate Perpetual license (not sure if that applies anymore). But if you already have a an Ultimate perpetual license (worth new $2,599) you can't buy Carbon for less, you'll be stuck with an additional license. I guess you could sell it but who wants that?

3.) Example Three: Avid has created the "Inner Circle" for subscribers only, current Perpetual holders are excluded. I guess this is to incentivize customers to choose subscriptions or maybe convert from perpetual to subscription. I call it shady and deceptive. After all, many of us "perps" have been paying loyally for years and years. We should be given incentives and bonuses too, not treated like rogues!

4.) Example Four: When you (Avid) take the majority of features of Ultimate and toss them into the Studio version, this means that those of us who have paid a premium for years for our perpetual license own a de-valued product. I paid money for HEAT, I paid money for Ultimate. I don't mean to sound greedy but this is robbing Peter to pay Paul. But you know what, I don't care so long as you give me, the premium customer, added value as well! You (Avid) have not. Higher paying customers should get more than lower paying customers right? And not just more tracks, more than anyone could ever use. It's insane!

[SKI]

We are really treading on some slippery ground in this whole situation.
What is it that we are actually paying for as perpetual owners?


With a subscription they are paying for the right to run Pro Tools but we are buying support plans that really only buy you a phone call if you have a problem.


With the lax way updates are released it's pretty hard to value you that point both from the perspective of new features or bug fixes.


The whole get current or plan renewal is slowly becoming smoke and mirrors.
Instead of renaming the tiers for the products and causing more unneeded confusion they should have changed the name of what's offered to perpetual owners from Support Plan to Insurance because it's more like insurance since you are paying for something you don't really use but have to have.


You pay for 12 months of Support which should get you a minimal of a release in each quarter of the year.
Maybe what they should do is give you back a portion of the cost of your Support Plan if you don't contact Avid Support in a 12 month window?


The $199 for renewal is not expensive the issue the lack of return you actually get for what you pay, because you already have access to Pro Tools unlike the subscribers.

Which once again leads us right back to more consistent updates.

[ledbellysound]

I have Pro Tools Ultimate vers. 2021.3 with a perpetual license.
as of the 1 year date of activation, the Avid Complete plugin bundle, that came with Pro Tools, is asking for reauthorization and reactivation.
I opened ILok Manager, reactivated/refreshed the 26 licenses, and still nothing.
I even trashed Pro Tools preferences, then reopened Pro Tools, which rescanned all the plugins, and still nothing.
The searches I have done so far assure me that those plugins are part of the perpetual license and shouldn't have to be
renewed.
Can anyone help me with this issue?

[BScout]

Originally Posted by ledbellysound

The searches I have done so far assure me that those plugins are part of the perpetual license and shouldn't have to be
renewed.

Nope.
What searches?
You only get them while you stay on a plan. Stop paying for the plan, the perpetual ProTools license will keep working.
Plugin bundle does not keep working.

[scardanelli]

I have to say that whilst I've been very favourably impressed by my PT 2022 trial, I am now dis-inclined to "re-instate" my licence. What kind of business model offers a "perpetual licence" but a plugin bundle that you effectively rent? I'm finding Avid's policies too opaque to keep up with, and am now veering more and more towards Nuendo. Add to this the vagueness of whether perps will continue, and the rather shifty attitude of Avid towards authorised v./ un-authorised sellers, and the fact that the ads on third party re-sellers sites are also obtuse; it is necessary to check very carefully what exactly one is buying. Clever wording can get you to buy a subscription over a perpetual re-instatement. Reading posts on various forums confirms that there is a great deal of obfuscation on Avid's part, and a lot of very unhappy clients. No other DAW puts so many obstacles in the way of prospective clients. Given that PT is the most expensive DAW on the market, I'm not exactly sure what I'd be buying back into, the brand is not instilling confidence. So for now, it's a no.

[cqd]

Yeah, the plugins being tied to a subscription passes me off..to the point where I don't even install them..
The new synthcell and groovecell, like, is a synth and a drum machine too much to expect with a sequencer costing so much?..when was there last a new plugin with pro tools?..
When they were tied to the subscription I was pissed..