Buying ProTools used... transfer perpetual license?

[James Steele]

There's someone selling an unopened copy of ProTool with perpetual license locally on Craigslit. He's asking $300.

https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/msg ... 97944.html

I heard that Avid has done away with perpetual licenses. I'm thinking of maybe buying this. Don't know what version it is yet, but I want to be able to run it on High Sierra. I have a MacPro 5,1 12-core and I'm thinking I may be on this machine for a while, so getting an older version of ProTools that runs on High Sierra and being locked in for a few years till I figure out if I want to upgrade my computer hardware makes sense.

Does anybody know if it's a big ordeal to register an older unopened copy of ProTools if it has not yet been registered? I think it uses iLok? So if there's a card inside with info to install a license on iLok, will I be okay?

[mikehalloran]

You need to be in communication with the other license holder unless the license really has never been used. Besides this,
https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/servl ... n%20the,3.

PACE charges $25 per license to transfer from one account to another with a $50 cap.

If it's really an unused license, then you should be able to register it as new but you may have to register with AVID first.

[Michael Canavan]

It should be noted it looks to be three years old, and there is still a perpetual license to Pro Tools, like Reason Studios they just push the subscription hard.

[James Steele]

It should be noted it looks to be three years old, and there is still a perpetual license to Pro Tools, like Reason Studios they just push the subscription hard.

Yeah... that whole subscription model just gives me the heebie jeebies! I know it supposedly makes better sense financially, but I don't like feeling like I'm hooked into something where my software will stop working if I don't keep making payments. Maybe that's now how it works. Dunno. I wrote to the seller and asked about the license transfer and got no reply, so who knows? I always feel a little bit uneasy. Don't like the idea of shelling out cash, going home and THEN risking hitting a snag registering it.

[Michael Canavan]

It should be noted it looks to be three years old, and there is still a perpetual license to Pro Tools, like Reason Studios they just push the subscription hard.

Yeah... that whole subscription model just gives me the heebie jeebies! I know it supposedly makes better sense financially, but I don't like feeling like I'm hooked into something where my software will stop working if I don't keep making payments. Maybe that's now how it works. Dunno. I wrote to the seller and asked about the license transfer and got no reply, so who knows? I always feel a little bit uneasy. Don't like the idea of shelling out cash, going home and THEN risking hitting a snag registering it.

I hear you! I buy second hand software on KVR often enough, but I go by post count etc. The only time I got burned was when the ex European distributor for East West was having a blow out on old stock and sold me EWSO platimum for super cheap. He sold me a used iLok copy. Then stopped returning calls. Luckily East West support felt bad for me and gave me new serials for it.

[James Steele]

Yeah. Well I emailed the guy a second time in the hopes that I hear something back. I also send him a text message and rather than overwhelm him with my concerns about registration, I simply asked him what version it is. If it's 3 years old, it might be version 2018.1 with does support High Sierra. To buy in to PT perpetual new (which appears to still be available on their site), I'd have to go up to Mojave and I'm concerned what software it might break. I think 32 Lives bites the dust on that. But only thing really dependent on that is my Liquid Mix and now I have Console 1.

Other concern is if it was purchased 3 years ago, is support and upgrades for 1 year from purchase date or one year from registration. I suspect it's the former and I'm buying into something that is EOL? If it's true, then I'm hoping it's v 2018.1. Only reason I'm even thinking of doing this is not to switch DAWs, but simply make life easier if I collaborate with someone with ProTools. I can go through the conversion hassles myself and send them a PT project. I'm actually not relishing the thought of going through all the installers for my 3rd party plugs and having to install AAX versions which I have never done, choosing instead to only install AUs when that option was available.

[James Steele]

Heard from the seller. He included another photo that shows that he purchased this on 9/23/21. So I'm assuming it's a new version. I guess you can't return software, even if unopened? I asked him why he's turning around and selling such a new copy. I am concerned that if it is 2021.7 that it requires Mojave, but I think Avid will let you download older versions? Not sure.

[James Steele]

It appears I can go to Mojave without breaking 32 Lives. That's the last version it works on. Will my MOTU PCI Audio support still work?

[James Steele]

Well just as an update, I bought the unopened copy of Pro Tools from the guy. Met him at a public place where there was WiFi and made sure I was able to register it with Avid online before he walked away with the money. Not bad. $300 and I have Pro Tools 2021.7 installed now on my studio Mac. I really don't plan to work much in ProTools... don't feel like having to do the learning curve, but I wanted to have it for compatibility if I have to exchange projects with other musicians that are using Pro Tools.

On that note, I'm going to be researching the ideal method for moving a project from DP to PT and vice versa.

[rickorick]

Great that’s what I would like to do. Just so I could have a copy and learn more about it. I have a couple books “Pro Tools For Dummies “ and another one, I can look up the key commands things like * and the measure number gets you around.
What I’ve always done is merge all the soundbites from the beginning and export them and make a standard MIDI file and send that, anyone should be able to drop them in any DAW.
I’ll keep looking for my copy.

[James Steele]

Great that’s what I would like to do. Just so I could have a copy and learn more about it. I have a couple books “Pro Tools For Dummies “ and another one, I can look up the key commands things like * and the measure number gets you around.
What I’ve always done is merge all the soundbites from the beginning and export them and make a standard MIDI file and send that, anyone should be able to drop them in any DAW.
I’ll keep looking for my copy.

Yeah... you can use OMF/AAF and but there's a certain degree of fiddling with it that's necessary. I'd like to bring in some of my larger projects, but I can't see a way around having to largely re-add virtual instruments and re-create plug in settings, etc.

Tonight I finally got around to experimenting with Vienna Ensemble Pro Server. You can run it on the same Mac in the background and then host VIs on it. This lets ProTools use instruments that don't have AAX versions, for example. But another benefit I've heard from several people is that when using DP, hosting your VIs in VEP (even on the same computer) lessens the load on the computer. For some reason, it's more efficient that way than hosting VIs in DP itself. I may do some experiments with larger projects and move VIs over to VEP and see if the project runs more smoothly.