Plugins and iLok

Division Monarchy · Post by **Division Monarchy** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:22 am

I'm starting to expand my plugins beyond the native ones in Ableton and NI. The thing I'm running into is I see many of them requiring iLok. It doesn't take much of a Google search to see that there seems to be a lot of issues people have with licensing, and Pace sounds like a horrible company. What are the thoughts and experiences with iLok? I absolutely refuse to buy a key just to use plugins I purchased a license for, but I hear not all require the USB key. Either way, I still find it insulting to punish paying customers when there are obviously better licensing authorizations out there. Is it worth it to deal with such a method, or is iLok not as bad as what the stories are? If there are so many unhappy customers, why do companies still use this method? Wouldn't easier licensing encourage more sales? There are several plugins that I wouldn't hesitate to get if the iLok wasn't there.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 9:11 am

Your thoughts pretty much echo mine, and it's why I also refuse to buy plug-ins that use a copy protection scheme like that. I like that it's an option for people who travel to different studios a lot and want to bring their plug ins with them, but not as a requirement.

Stromkraft · Post by **Stromkraft** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 1:44 pm

I refuse hardware iLok. Sound Toys have only software iLok and that is OK, but already have run into problems with phantom machines when upgrading the OS. So far unaddressed despite support request.

mmorgan · Post by **mmorgan** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 2:18 pm

My policy is no dongles. It is kind of hard to stay the course sometimes but philosophically I'm simply opposed to them.

sonik777 · Post by **sonik777** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 3:07 pm

I refuse to have anything to do with shitlok.

And I know plenty of producers, engineers etc. that feel the same way.

granted · Post by **granted** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 5:00 pm

I like iLok. It works fine for me. I use it on multiple computers. I also use Waves Central, NI Service Center, eLicenser Control Center (eLCC), and a host of other license management systems.
I've found that a simple uninstall/reinstall, update to the most recent version, or a reboot solves most issues with license managers.

Stromkraft · Post by **Stromkraft** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 5:50 pm

granted wrote:I like iLok. It works fine for me. I use it on multiple computers. I also use Waves Central, NI Service Center, eLicenser Control Center (eLCC), and a host of other license management systems.
I've found that a simple uninstall/reinstall, update to the most recent version, or a reboot solves most issues with license managers.

The only one that has given me any problems is iLok. And hardware iLok, i e a dongle, is not the same thing as any license manager, so please be specific about what you refers to with that term.

I can put waves central licenses on any USB key in order to put my licenses on other machines than my own, or use their server if that's more convenient. Unless I can have this flexibility plus a responsive support I will vote with my wallet and find something else.

florian_bl · Post by **florian_bl** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:03 pm

Four years of iLok, four years of drama. It seems to be the fault of another well known company, not the iLok manufacturer itself. Their plug-ins would often crash Ableton Live if a session was started with those plug-ins in use. The iLok can rest in the same USB slot for months without ever moving it and still not be found by a plug-in sometimes. Think of being in the middle of your composition process. Then you drag in the plug-in and suddenly the DAW is not responding to anything at all. There is no chance to save your work. Everything since the last saving is lost. Then you can force quit Ableton Live, restart the computer again and again for up to an hour and hope that the iLok will be recognized again at some point. Which took very long sometimes.

The plug-in manufacturer admitted to having a bug in their software. They will work on it soon. Tried to sell me more software in the meantime. Four years and a lot of new plug-ins from said manufacturer later the bug was still there. They cared about marketing, sales, writing fancy newsletters and developing new stuff. But not about repairing the broken part in their copy protection system. Only a few weeks ago the troubles stopped after the last update of these plug-ins.

If I hadn't spent the money on these plug-ins and would be able to find a good alternative, I wouldn't have used this product anymore. So yes, iLok copy protection can be one more source of troubles in your system and it is hard to find out if it comes from a broken iLok or a broken plug-in. You can't just insert a friend's iLok into your USB slot and try out your plug-in, since it is locked to the maybe defected iLok.

mrgrim3 · Post by **mrgrim3** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:12 pm

i have some plugins that use ilok software liscense manager and i haven't had any problems with that except that i don't like how you cant disable your network because it uses your network adapter mac address i think as your machine identifier

i cant say you about the ilok dongle because i never had one , i only use a dongle for Cubase 8 and i have had it break 1 time only and i couldn't use Cubase at all for a week

Division Monarchy · Post by **Division Monarchy** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 9:42 pm

Well, after reading these responses, I think I'll maintain my stance on the matter. Perhaps it's not a bad experience for everyone, but the negative seems to greatly outweigh the positive. ILok just seems too antiquated. After posting this, I tried to use a few demos of software not knowing they required iLok, and when I declined to try them, it just crashed Ableton on startup. Not a good way to win a potential buyer over.

I realize piracy is an issue, but taking it out on customers is not the answer. I think if someone is really serious about making music, they will buy their software anyways. Most users that sit there and try to get cracks on everything will spend more time trying to find those cracks than making music, and were never potential customers in the first place. Also, when a user pays for it, it actually gets used, rather than sit there in a sea of cracked plugins. I really wish Softube and a few others would understand this. It's because Waves moved into their own system and away from iLok that they have a new customer with me, and I just dropped about 500$ on their stuff in the past few weeks, with plans to get a whole lot more.

I don't mean to rant, but I enjoy buying software. I can appreciate every single plugin I buy.

braduro · Post by **braduro** » Wed Nov 02, 2016 5:19 pm

Late to the game here, but in the light of the Izotope promo for Synchro Arts Revoice I got today in the mail, I thought I should mention that after all the checkout and buy here details failed to mention, this is not for a license but rather for a dreaded access code to an iLok. They conveniently overlook that I'm not actually paying for a license, just stale air that is only available with a dongle.

I'd like to preface this by saying
a)this was a purchase specifically for my line of work in location dialog for broadcast/film and was made after much deliberation.
b) this need not reflect on Izotope's own products, which despite an over-eager and inconvenient "check for updates" updater has pretty basic installation requirements and terrific promos over the course of the year.

But really, after pulling this on me, I feel mugged. Like if you stole my bicycle off the street. Just so peeved.

That's how much I hate iLok. I hate even the fact that iLok software is on my computer. I hate that it probably wormed it's way into my systems folder. I hate that they're charging me for a flashdrive-like useless item that isn't even a USB fan, lightbulb, or paper holder. Just a stupid key chip that takes up a port, gets corrupted, gets lost. And how in the hell will I get a refund for the software after this bait and switch? Almost impossible; there's no material transaction. Wait for it, they're not $20, they're something like $45-$49. As if buying into this software piddling didn't already hang you out to dry. So now I have paid for something that I won't even have an opportune moment to use unless I get this thing. It just sits there like I'm some strange virtual hoarder of RPG items that belong in a virtual kitchen stuff drawer.

So, for the love of god: kill protools/sibelius/and whatever expensive-as-shit plug-in for some fetishy audiophile tinkering and get on with your life. If a software company goes iLok, I hope their future is flushed down the toilet.

Richie Witch · Post by **Richie Witch** » Wed Nov 02, 2016 7:49 pm

I have iLok and eLicenser with multiple licenses on each. Never had a problem on either of them.

login · Post by **login** » Wed Nov 02, 2016 10:42 pm

If anything I would tolerate the plug ins that allow dongle-less authorization and more than one activation.

The only dongle product I have is Largo which uses elicenser, right now I am using the soft elicenser and it is annoying not being able to use the synth in my laptop too, currently installed on my desktop only.

braduro · Post by **braduro** » Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:48 pm

Well thankfully the refund may not be as complicated as I anticipated. In my case, the real stinker is that Revoice is really where it's at for ADR. If I thought I could use Melodyne, I would

Plugins and iLok

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