Using an iLok key - what's the deal?

[devin]

I've been checking into Antares Auto-Tune 5, and it mentions an "iLok" key.Am I buying more gear if I get this software?Does anyone know of other music software with this requirement?Thanks in advance for hooking a newbie up!(pun intended....)

[Casey H]

Aug 11, 2008, 3:39am, devin wrote:I've been checking into Antares Auto-Tune 5, and it mentions an "iLok" key.Am I buying more gear if I get this software?Does anyone know of other music software with this requirement?Thanks in advance for hooking a newbie up!(pun intended....)This is also mentioned on another thread. Autotune requires a separate purchase of an iLok key - $40... You can buy it at a music store such as Guitar Center. Apparently, a number of music studio (and other software) programs require this anti-piracy device. You only have to buy one for all your programs.The iLok key is a dongle, of sorts. It must be plugged in to a USB port when using the software. When you first get it, there is process you have to go through with Antares and iLok.com to register and synchronize it. It takes about 10 minutes.It's a bit annoying. You pay a lot of money for something, it comes packaged in a box but you still have to buy something else. It says it on the box I think but in small print.I'm just getting over being pissed off about this!Casey

[gongchime]

I don't like the deal where you have to keep inserting the original cd to run software. If you have to both insert the cd and use a friggin key would put me off completely.

[mazz]

Unfortunately, there's a lot of people out there who think that software should be free (probably some of the same people that download music without buying it) and refuse to pay for it. Software companies, if they are to be able to stay in business and continue to do R/D and develop new products, need to resort to these unfortunate methods to protect their intellectual property. Those of us who actually buy the software have to deal with these measures.The upside of the iLok is that one of them will hold several authorizations. The downside of dongles in general is that there's more than one flavor. There's Syncrosoft and Yellow Tools, and so forth. I have 5 or 6 of them hanging off of a USB hub. I've never had an issue once I got the software authorized, the computer seems to scan them when it loads up any protected software and that's it. Anyhow, until everyone that uses software pays for it, I think those of us with integrity will end up stuck using dongles.Mazz

[nickbatzdorf]

I haven't seen any software that asks for the CD for a long time.And I personally prefer dongles to machine-specific auths, because if your machine goes down you don't have to worry about losing auths if you restore from a back-up. mazz has five or six, I have ten or eleven, and the only problems I've had are with Steinberg software and Syncrosoft dongles on Macs (not other software, just Steinberg). I've never had a problem with PACE-protected sofware going back to floppy disk-based auths in the 90s (PACE makes the iLok).On the other hand I'm not down with their Zero Downtime insurance. To me, you shouldn't have to pay to get up and running right away if something goes wrong with the CP.

[nickbatzdorf]

I should add that the Syncrosoft dongles work fine with other software - it's just some Steinberg software that won't cooperate.

[devin]

Thanks all...this puts it all into context nicely. I support the whole registered software thing (although just a really minor inconvenience with my studio off the 'net).Hey Casey...I was wondering if you've discovered this too. I guess your copy arrived by mail I'm off to grab my first dongle...I'm a bit nervous though.....Should I buy it dinner before trying to insert it?

[Casey H]

Aug 12, 2008, 5:41am, devin wrote:Thanks all...this puts it all into context nicely. I support the whole registered software thing (although just a really minor inconvenience with my studio off the 'net).Hey Casey...I was wondering if you've discovered this too. I guess your copy arrived by mail I'm off to grab my first dongle...I'm a bit nervous though.....Should I buy it dinner before trying to insert it? Yea, my dongle was inserted and functioned well... The whole act from insertion to completion of the act took about 10-15 minutes...

[mazz]

Aug 12, 2008, 6:44am, hurowitz wrote:Aug 12, 2008, 5:41am, devin wrote:Thanks all...this puts it all into context nicely. I support the whole registered software thing (although just a really minor inconvenience with my studio off the 'net).Hey Casey...I was wondering if you've discovered this too. I guess your copy arrived by mail I'm off to grab my first dongle...I'm a bit nervous though.....Should I buy it dinner before trying to insert it? Yea, my dongle was inserted and functioned well... The whole act from insertion to completion of the act took about 10-15 minutes... That's pretty impressive Casey!