Video Jocks A "warning" about Pinnacle 12.

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Papa Deuce

Mac Daddy DJ
Aug 8, 2006
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As cool as it looks _ and I admit it looks VERY COOL - be aware of a strange clause in the user agreement that I read about several times on amazon, while I was deciding to buy it or not.

Basically, you are only renting the program for 2 years. After 2 years it locks up and you must repurchase the program.

It is mentioned in at least 5 of the reviews I read on amazon.

At about $125 for one of the better versions, I personally think that sucks.
 
Papa Deuce said:
As cool as it looks _ and I admit it looks VERY COOL - be aware of a strange clause in the user agreement that I read about several times on amazon, while I was deciding to buy it or not.

Basically, you are only renting the program for 2 years. After 2 years it locks up and you must repurchase the program.

It is mentioned in at least 5 of the reviews I read on amazon.

At about $125 for one of the better versions, I personally think that sucks.
Click to expand...

Iteresting.... I haven't read that on their site yet... but, will now go looking for it.

BTW: $125 is way to high... you can get it from their site for $99.00
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Is it extra for uplighting?

If the software has to travel xxx miles, is that different?

Are there stairs involved?
Click to expand...


Well, I wouldn't buy Rockit if it stopped working in 2 years...
 
I'm reading the License agreement in the user guide and I'm not finding anything about that Papa...:sqerr::sqembarrassed:

I'll look some more.
 
Kirby Ball said:
I'm reading the License agreement in the user guide and I'm not finding anything about that Papa...:sqerr::sqembarrassed:

I'll look some more.
Click to expand...

Here is just one review on amazon that states it:

74 of 91 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Beware Pinnacle's Duplicitous Practices, July 28, 2008
By P T - See all my reviews
Pinnacle's Serial Numbers and Activation Keys expire after two years.

This applies to all Pinnacle software, not just software downloaded online. Activation Keys bought online AND Serial Numbers for software bought in retail stores only work for two years.

It's in the fine print - which you can't even see until you rip open the box (thereby forfeiting your right to a refund) and click the "Yes, I Agree" button during installation.

If you have to reinstall the program (or any part of it) two years and a day after buying it, you will have to completely repurchase the software.

What's especially fishy about Pinnacle is how it will suddenly start crashing at 2 years after initial installation. My video drivers stopped working at a point, I'd later realize, coincident with the 2 year anniversary of my having installed the Pinnacle software.

In trying to fix the suspiciously-timed program crash I was mystified to learn that a number clearly printed on a CD sleeve was suddenly "Not a Valid Serial Number." The Activation Keys I'd bought online, and had on file, were suddenly incorrect.

I contacted Pinnacle, who informed me of the two year statement in the agreement. Here is an excerpt from their email:

"The reason you are not able to obtain a redownload of your purchase is
that the Extended Download Service was not purchased with your download
and the time to purchase this service has expired. Unfortunately, this
means that in order to obtain the product, you will need to repurchase
it."

Keep in mind - I was asking Pinnacle for no software. All I needed was a Serial Number and Activation Keys, because the Serial Number printed on the CD sleeve itself, and the Activation Keys I'd received two years earlier no longer worked.

Just something you might want to keep in mind before buying Pinnacle software.
 
Papa Deuce said:
Well, I wouldn't buy Rockit if it stopped working in 2 years...
Click to expand...

Do you stop working after yer allotted hours...? :sqwink:


BTW, Rockit is not licensed that way, but my RockBox Jukebox software is in fact licensed that way. The reason is, that I give a low up front startup fee, along with a subscription based payment plan.

People can get started with little dollars, and pay off the real amount over time :)
 
Hank, how long have you had your Pinnacle software? Any issues yet?
 
jokerswild said:
Okay.... that's shady... but, after 2 years don't you think it might be time to update the software anyway?
Click to expand...


Then offer paid updates, but the software shouldn't stop working / start crashing.

And why update if it does what you want it to do?

But what really gets me is that they don't let you know this before the box was opened. I am in 100% agreement with the guy who wrote that review. At least let us know we're gonna get screwed before we buy. If it was actually listed on the box, I would be about 90% OK with it... but I would still not be thrilled.
 
Papa Deuce said:
But what really gets me is that they don't let you know this before the box was opened. I am in 100% agreement with the guy who wrote that review. At least let us know we're gonna get screwed before we buy. If it was actually listed on the box, I would be about 90% OK with it... but I would still not be thrilled.
Click to expand...

Total agreement -- it should be made clear up front.
 
I agree, they need to be upfront about it. If I buy a program regardless if it's 10 years old if I still run it or use an old computer for it it's my program. I didn't rent it I bought it. If I buy programs that need payment to keep using after x amount of time, I want to know before making a payment.

If there's a fee to upgrade I'm fine with it.
 
Kirby Ball said:
Hank, how long have you had your Pinnacle software? Any issues yet?
Click to expand...

This is my fourth year. I started with version 9 and upgraded to 10 a while back. I would have to check the install date to know if I've past two years, but I believe I have.

Curious.
 
The only thing I'm finding in the user guide concerning this is....

1. License Grant. Subject to the restrictions set forth below, this License grants you a non-exclusive, perpetual license.....etc.
 
Well, now, FURTHER DIGGING on amazon might show that I was wrong.... YET even further digging confused me again... There are LOTS of complaints on there, YET I found this:

-----------------------------

@ P T

Our serial number and activation keys do not expire. You can have your serial number(s) emailed to the address you registered the product with, at this link:

http://apps.pinnaclesys.com/cdb/register/getserialnumbers.aspx

There are times when activation keys have to be regenerated but that is usually when you install the software on a newly formated hard drive or you install it on a new computer. You can use the link below to regenerated new keys in these cases. You just need to enter your serial number and the passport of the computer (in Studio, click on Help - About Studio and the passport number is displayed).

http://unlock.pinnaclesys.com/premiumcontent/regenerate_keys.aspx?Langue_ID=7&loc=lMen1800

Some of what you are referring to is how downloads work and the other is how serial numbers work, which are not the same thing. To install, a "download version" will need the downloaded file and the product's serial number. Again, these serial numbers don't expire. When customers buy a downloadable product, they get a 30 day window to download the product. They can pay a small fee to extend that to 12 months. Customer can also order a backup disc at same time. We also recommend that customers save the downloaded file to some media (such as a CD, DVD, flash drive, backup hard disk) as a backup. So most customers have multiple options to make sure they can install their purchase later.

Since you are getting an invalid serial number, this is most commonly due to a typo (it is a 25 digit number which is rather long for security purposes). There can be other causes such as having multiple versions of Studio and using a serial number for one of the other versions. There isn't enough detail in the post and I can't find your case (no contact info in your profile) for me to give more than the most common causes of that error. I wish I could help more.

I apologize for any misunderstanding and hope that this explains what could be going on and that serial numbers and activation keys do not expire.

You can contact me at redgley@ pinnaclesys.com if you would like me to look at your case.

Rich Edgley
Pinnacle Systems
 
I have an earlier version of Pinnacle.. his crash problem is probably from a Microsoft update .. that is what killed mine.. I had Pinnacle eleven until Microsoft updated and installed IE7... it crashed my program and now I can only get it installed to 10.3... which sucks... but.... none of my license keys have failed and it's been 4 years...

I think he punched a number in wrong...

BTW... the part you quoted only refers to the extended download service that makes it possible to download from the site if you have to reinstall... that is only for two years... if he has the disc he needs to make sure he typed the key in right..

I printed the list of all my keys and also created a notepad doc with the numbers... with the notepad I can copy and paste the numbers into place... no way to error..



Just my experience with Pinnacle....
 
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