Upgrade from HD3 to HDX. Question regarding license.

[Christer-André]

Hi guys!

I just found a very cheap HD3 system for sale. This does not include the PT license. However, I upgraded to PT HD 10/11 from CPTK 2 some time ago so I already own a license. Will I be able to buy the HD3 cards and upgrade to HDX by using the license I already own?


Thanks in advance,

Christer

[JFreak]

Yes. Hardware upgrade deals don't involve licenses as you should already have one.

[The golfer]

I 'm not sure you would qualify for the upgraded price (saving $3000 to $4000) unless you have a transfer of ownership for the cards and software. But I might be wrong...

[nst7]

Also, I don't know if the price savings would be that different, if you have to first buy an HD system, and then do the trade, vs. just buying it new, especially when many dealers give good discounts on these systems (and have more flexible margins to do so then they do with the upgrade packages).

Also, though it's a hardware trade in, there have been cases where those who traded in the hardware also had to surrender their existing HD license as well. It didn't used to be that way with hardware trade ins, but things may have changed as Avid has started enforcing their strict rules about buying and selling HD licenses.

So I would still be cautious about going this way.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by The golfer

I 'm not sure you would qualify for the upgraded price (saving $3000 to $4000) unless you have a transfer of ownership for the cards and software. But I might be wrong...

Sure, things might have changed -- but when I upgraded from MIX to HD all I had to do was send the old cards back after the new ones were delivered. There was two weeks grace period in which time the cards needed to be delivered back. Nobody asked serial numbers or whether I was the registered owner (or was the cards registered at all).

[nst7]

They may have been getting more strict in recent years. When HD Native came out, they offered a trade from old Mix core cards. I bought one off Craigslist to do the trade, but Avid told the dealer it needed to be registered in my name, so I had the guy do a transfer if ownership. They may be even more strict now.

[Christer-André]

Thanks a lot guys.

Appreciate it.

Maybe I should ask Avid directly about this.

I can get a great price on the HD3 system, around $1.500, so I reckon it will be cheaper than buying a new hdx system even if I get a good deal.

Don't know what kind of discount dealers are giving?

[Darryl Ramm]

You really need to call an Avid dealer with all these questions.

[The golfer]

If you do buy the HD3 and decide not doing the upgrade now, just takes note it will only work with Pro-Tools 10.

[Christer-André]

Thanks Serge, I know.

My only reason for buying the hd rig is to upgrade to hdx.

I'll ask an Avid dealer and pass on the info here.

Cheers,

Christer