Pro Tools Studio: Current "Perpetual" policy... Penalty or not?

[ihate100bees]

Pro Tools Studio user:
Windows 10

I am a bit confused on the current Perpetual License changes, in regards to penalty fees being waved? I have always paid, to keep my "perpetual license" on going for Pro Tools "Studio". Has Avid waved ALL penalty fees now??

My license will expire tomorrow. The fee to renew is $200. Can I renew at a later time, at my choice without a penalty or do I still need to continue to renew by my deadline (tomorrow)?

If I don't renew... will I still continue to receive PT updates? I don't need support, never needed it.
Thanks

[Darryl Ramm]

If you don't renew you can stop getting updates. That's the whole point of a support/update plan.

As it stands with the latest licensing changes you can restart an update/support plan at any time in the future. i.e at "no penalty" in your words.

All this until Avid changes their mind again...

[ihate100bees]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

If you don't renew you can stop getting updates. That's the whole point of a support/update plan.

As it stands with the latest licensing changes you can restart an update/support plan at any time in the future. i.e at "no penalty" in your words.

All this until Avid changes their mind again...

Ok... so basically, I just wouldn't be able to get updates from here on out, or support until I renewed at a later time for the same price, correct? When I do renew... say in June, will I have access to any updates between now (Nov 2023 )and then (June 2024)?

Years ago, if you didn't renew... you either had to pay a huge fee to get back (which was darn near the orig price of the software), or go to subscription. Once, I missed my deadline due to a medical emergency during that time, and Avid made me get a letter from the doctor (surgeon), in order for them to reinstate me! Seriously! Since then I have made sure I've always continued to be on time. This is why I am concerned. It will help me out if I can now put this off another month. Thanks

[Darryl Ramm]

I would expect you to have access to previous versions when you renew your update/support plan. It's just impractical for Avid to not allow that, and I doubt they would be so petty, and the licensing mechanisms naturally allows this.

If you need stronger assurances, hopefully Charles Vicente from Avid can chime in.

[BScout]

When you do reinstatements, you get access to all older versions up to your (new) release date limit. (Barring going any further back than when they changed to the year, month versioning structure. If you want to go back to 12.5 or earlier, you'd need a cluster iLok license that is only "inheritable" from previously having it.)

We've had to do this before to get reinstatement or new licenses to use on older systems with different compatibilities than the currently offered version of Pro Tools. (Pace/iLok isn't that advanced of a licensing structure that it could even do this kind of limitation because Pro Tools has been using the same license asset with different release date limits for users. The only way the Pace/iLok could "revoke" the ability to use a time period of releases is if they were different license assets for that period of time -- which they aren't. Having dealt with Paci/iLok on license pricing/protection, I imagine if something like this even existed, it'd cost Avid too much in licensing fees to Pace/iLok.)

[ihate100bees]

Thanks so much for your reply. I sent a message to avid but I'm still waiting for their confirmation. Thanks so much again.

[cvicente22]

Hi ihate100bees,

The renewal and reinstatement has been simplified, meaning that there's no more additional penalty if you missed the 30-day grace period. Staring September 21, 2023, if you own a Pro Tools Perpetual license you just need to purchase a Pro Tools Perpetual Upgrade regardless if you still have an active or expired plan.

If you let your plan expire, you won't be able to receive any further updates and your add-value plugins such as Avid Complete Plugin and heat will stop working as well.

But if you want to purchase the perpetual upgrade on a later date even more than 30 days after the expiration date, that should be fine you will be charge $200 (PT Studio Perpetual Upgrade)

If you need further clarification, feel free to reach out.

[stargazer]

Glad I found this thread.
Now I know it’s the License ”Upgrade” option I’m looking for (this year anyway).
Checking a few resellers, some still market a ”Renewal” product that doesn’t help the confusion.
In my Avid account there’s no info under my products, just the usual red text warning me that my plan/license is expiring soon.
Also, maybe a new sticky on this forum and remove this one:
https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=421084

[Southsidemusic]

Hej Stargazer

Check the Black friday at thomann and from monday also Deluxe as they usually have a good pricedrop during the blackfriday sales.

And 20% off at Avid.com will probably not get better with any other dealer store as it would be less than 3300 svenska kronor om du köper via Avid.

Originally Posted by stargazer

Glad I found this thread.
Now I know it’s the License ”Upgrade” option I’m looking for (this year anyway).
Checking a few resellers, some still market a ”Renewal” product that doesn’t help the confusion.
In my Avid account there’s no info under my products, just the usual red text warning me that my plan/license is expiring soon.
Also, maybe a new sticky on this forum and remove this one:
https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=421084

[stargazer]

Thank you!
What I was trying to say was that I think Avid cold explain their different products and licenses in a better way. And that this forum could update a few stickies to reflect the latest policies regarding licenses and upgrades.
What was important for me to learn was that the former License Renewal (for Perpetual) is now called License Upgrade and that you can let it expire and buy an upgrade later without a ”penalty”.

I’m going to check out the web shops you mention, thanks again.
(I know the thread starter uses Pro Tools Studio, but I’m on Ultimate, so the price will be a bit higher. Also, my license is Perpetual, and the 20% off at Avid seems to be only for subscriptions.)