You are right, the new dongle is somewhat small, and you really have to keep an eye on it, that's propably why Emagic did put a keyring on it - to take it with you wherever you go. If you have several authorisations on it, it becomes a little gem. But IMHO, this key is the future - all auth's on one dongle, instead of reinserting CDs every few weeks. Or taking your mix somewhere else, where they don't have EXS - no problem, just carry your own auth's round your neck and insert, if the studio misses your favorite softsynth.

Niko

...just to add that this new dongle is propably the easyest way to take your auth's to another spot? I had so much hassle with key-disks and such...looking forward for storing my GRM-Tools or Waves on my XS-key!

And to answer your question:
Yes, you have to return your old dongle and CDs to emagic(distributors) to permanently authorize the key with a code for each program/plugin/softsynth.

In the upgrade-package are all emagic softsynths/samplers as a 12 weeks free demo included. - until then you should have returned your old dongle and CDs to emagic and will have received the new authorization-code (per e-mail).

Thanks for the reply. There's always good and bad with new technologies and techniques. But, do you have to buy everything all over again if you loose the key?

Thanks

propably yes!

Its sad that this awesome program will be cracked in a few months. key or not.

And, no software is not too expensive. If it sold for $20, people still would not buy it. See how cd sales have dropped so drastically in only one year.

Next thing we know, everybody has a computer and a key, and everybody has software they paid for, and the keys are getting lost and stolenm, and what do you know, it goes from being a keyring to being a necklace to being inserted in the right hand. hmm

"And to answer your question:
Yes, you have to return your old dongle and CDs to emagic(distributors) to permanently authorize the key with a code for each program/plugin/softsynth."

Niko, I know this is not your doing, but this is my attitude about this practice:
This is total BS. This is why I have stuck with Samplitude for the last several years, because they don't pull this crap, they just let you use what you paid for. And now that Samplitude has sold out to the Logic dickheads, I read where it will also require a dongle. I guess it's not hard enough to get a Windows machine optimised for audio, now we have to enable ports that would otherwise not be taking up an extremely valuable IRQ, just because these paranoid assholes think all musicians are inherently dishonest. I can only speak for myself on this, but I personally have no software on any of my machines that isn't either paid for, demo, or freeware. Also, I sometimes work til all hours of the night - Where do I go for help at those hours, if your precious dongle fails? Don't we have enough links in the chain without adding yet another to fail? My premise is this: I don't steal your software, don't steal my songs. I know this is not the way a lot of people do it, but I would rather they raise the price or be more reasonable about profit expectations than resort to further complicating my life.

Take all your dongles and stick them where the sun doesn't shine - I'm staying with the last version of Samplitude that makes sense. When that quits working, I will find old analog gear and refurb it rather than support this crap. Logic, you may have gained a product for your line, but you just lost a loyal customer. Up yours. Sincerely, Steve

Originally posted by knightfly:
I read where it will also require a dongle. I guess it's not hard enough to get a Windows machine optimised for audio, now we have to enable ports that would otherwise not be taking up an extremely valuable IRQ,

Fortunately XS Key can hold authorizations for all Emagic apps, as well as potentially other manufacturers' (as I understand), which means only one USB port in use. I haven't yet found a convenient way run a Mac or PC DAW with basic backup/storage peripherals without using USB at some point. Most Midi interfaces are all USB now (luckily my Unitor 8MkII still has serial ports). So far I haven't had any problems sharing IRQs between 2 USB 1.1 ports, a 4-port built-in USB 2.0 hub and my RME Digiface and UAD-1 cards. All with my XSKey and a Zip Drive taking up two USB ports. I know USB has caused problems in the past, but it has been a breeze on my new system and on my G4 Mac. Eventually we won't need serial and parallet ports, as USB and firewire will replace them completely, allowing many more devices with only a couple of IRQs to sacrifice for it, instead of 1 device per IRQ.

Copy protection is a pain, but at least I don't have to keep 9847323987 PACE codes written down, pray my OS drive never crashes, and avoid reformatting or reinstalling at all costs.

I understand your frustration with copy protection, but IMHO, the problem with having to use a USB port that uses an IRQ isn't dongles themselves, its' an archaic interrupt-based hardware design, and an APIC bandaid that only works on some systems (i.e. not mine - still stuck with 16, but I don't blame Emagic for that).

Regards,
Dedric

Copy protection is a pain, but at least I don't have to keep 9847323987 PACE codes written down, pray my OS drive never crashes, and avoid reformatting or reinstalling at all costs.

:D :D

speaking as a Mac-guy, I more likely put an USB-Dongle in my keyboard (easiest access, btw) and add one system extension, than put 3 Pace extensions in the system folder and an USB-floppy to authorize my internal system HD...

...Pace ate two Autotune keydisks, and none of the two companies felt responsible for substitution. :mad: :mad: :mad:

The new Potools HD(¿high density?)-CP is way more picky than the XS-Key- i.e. You cannot use it with an external FW System-drive, it accepts the internal HD (¡harddisk!) only

:confused:

Niko

"You cannot use it with an external FW System-drive, it accepts the internal HD (¡harddisk!) only" - -

Niko, this is why I also do not own ProTools - From what I've heard, Samplitude kicks its ass, at least in the earlier versions , and without any copy protection other than CD Key and Serial #. In fact, I personally called Martin Ucik when he was head of SEKD USA, and asked him if it was OK to install Samplitude on my laptop AND my Studio machine, so I could use it in the field for small projects - He said "sure, as long as you only use it on one machine at a time..."I am glad Version 6 of Samplitude does everything I can think of needing in the forseeable future, because of just what you mentioned above. Consider this: If you buy a CD of your favorite performer, and the CD will only play on ONE non-portable CD player in your home, would you still buy it? As long as only one user is using the software at a time, who in hell has the right to tell the buyer HOW he has to use it, other than HOW MANY? I think it's time to put the power back in the hands of users - if more users vote with their pocketbook, perhaps companies like Steinberg, Emagic, Digidesign, etc, would be forced to listen. I know just one or two dissenters won't do it, as I've already emailed Steinberg a couple of years ago about having to keep their CD in a drive so they could verify it. I recieved no answer whatever, but if 100 people, or 10,000, wrote them and told them why they were NOT going to buy Steinberg, there might be a different response.

And, yeah, you're right - I AM frustrated, and this is just one of many causes for my frustration. Putting together a serious project studio, including designing and building the space yourself, is a daunting enough project without companies claiming they want to help you while they're actually nailing your foot to the floor. I'm normally pretty easy-going, but this kind of crap is enough to make Mary Poppins pick up an axe and look for an organ donor... Steve