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Author Topic: Analog Factory Experience and Syncrosoft Key  (Read 4066 times)

umutgokcen

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Analog Factory Experience and Syncrosoft Key
« on: March 04, 2008, 07:05:13 pm »
I just bought the Analog Factory Experience package and luckily the installation and verification process went fine, unlike other posts in this forum,  and everything works fine for now, phew...

However I am confused about the copy protection system because everything I've read about it refers to the analog factory software and not to the keyboard bundle. I was thinking that the keyboard itself would act as the hardware key, negating the need for a usb dongle. The fact that the Analog Factory Experience package does not contain the USB dongle (unlike the prophet V which does), seems to confirm this idea. Can anyone from Arturia clear this up? That is, can I install the software on 2 computers (e.g., desktop and a laptop), and then whichever one I plug the Arturia keyboard into is the one that runs? This is what one would naturally expect from a "hybrid" synth.

Thanks,

Umut

Antoine

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Analog Factory Experience and Syncrosoft Key
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2008, 10:50:35 am »
We firstly thought about integrating the protection system inside the AFE keyboard, but this feature has been rejected after deeper economic study.

The only way to use your AFE on several machines is to transfer your license from the Soft-eLicenser (software dongle) to an USB-eLicenser (hardware dongle), which won't be possible before the 5.4.0.0 version release of the Syncrosoft License Control Center scheduled for this month March'08.

This possibility was previously scheduled for December'07, the delay is causing slight trouble in our users base, and therefore to our Technical Support. :roll:

Sorry for temporary inconvenience caused.
ex-Arturian

umutgokcen

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Analog Factory Experience and Syncrosoft Key
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2008, 06:39:11 pm »
Thanks for the quick reply Antoine, but I have to admit that I am quite disappointed with this copy protection scheme you have chosen to adopt. :(

I don't have any live gigs very soon so waiting for a month to transfer licenses does not bother me much. However having to carry the USB dongle to every gig does. They are easy to misplace, lose, break etc..., especially in a bar/club environment. I understand that this was probably a cost effective solution for you guys, incorporating the syncrosoft technology into the keyboard does not sound trivial at all, but this is a prime example of how the copy protection hurts legitimate users and not the pirates. I really don't see the point of having an extra layer of copy protection for hardware.

I have a few suggestions that you might take into account for future updates. I am sure these would make the Analog Factory Experience a much more competitive product, particularly with respect to other hardware synthesizers.

There might be a special version of the analog factory software that only works with the Arturia keyboard. When launched, it would check the midi interface connected and quit if it cannot find the Arturia keyboard. This might have the slight disadvantage that  if in the future I decide to use the software with a different controller I would not be able to, but then I could choose to adopt the syncrosoft protection scheme. I think giving the users this kind of a choice - either software that works on all platforms with the syncrosoft key or software that only works with the included keyboard -  would be a big plus. I'm not a coder myself but it seems to be that such a modification to the analog factory software would be quite simple and easily be downloaded as a patch.

My second suggestion is about the software e-licenser. I think there should be way to transfer licenses through syncrosoft's server. We all upgrade our computers every 2-3 years, so what's going to happen then? Locking one computer indefinitely is quite meaningless when in five years or so all those computers will end up in the trash bin. Maybe you could modify your agreement with syncrosoft to allow software transfers, but still keep it limited it to a single computer at a given point in time.

And finally, if you insist on the USB dongle to transfer licences, then you should include one in the box. I use logic as my main sequencer and mostly rely on NI plugins, and so I don't have a syncrosoft key already like other cubase users might. Now I have to go through the trouble of  ordering one, and besides inconvenience this also increases the cost of the Arturia Factory Experience, making the advertised price slightly misleading...

To end on a positive note, analog factory sounds great and I plan to use it for many years to come. That's why these issues are important to me and possibly other users who have invested in your products.

Thanks,

Umut

V-Tek

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Analog Factory Experience and Syncrosoft Key
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2008, 09:16:11 pm »
I agree with umutgokcen on this, locking one machine for use with AF is counterproductive to me. As was stated above most all of us change computers every so often, further more what if a hard drive goes out or a motherboard fries, AF dies with the computer? this is not a very good selling point for such a great sounding product.

I too feel the usb key should have been included with AF 2.0 box as it was with version 1 why arturia decided to go with this system is beyond me, luckily for me at least is that i already have a key to use, but now have to wait for syncrosoft to get their arse's on the ball.

As much as I like the products that arturia make this experience with AF has made me not wish to invest further in any more form them, I really don't like the idea of purchasing a product and then waiting a month to use it because I can not transfer the license to be able to use with my gigging laptop.

However... I understand this is not entirely arturia's fault, but more in syncrosoft's front yard for dragging their feet on the update since Dec 07.
I say to the developers at Arturia you have some outstanding instruments but you really need to refine your protection system especially for AF.


Cheers.

V-tek

 

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