Dongle replacement.
- Thread starter enuenu
- Start date
Chili
Site Moderator
Superhuman
Shagaholic
Mine is a legit version of SX3 - never ever had an issue, very stable. I admit that I did have a pirate copy of SX2 which used to crash regularly, the reason I tried the pirate version was really for demo purposes. I liked the product so I paid €750 for the full version. Believe me, the full version is way more stable plus you get the updates and support from Cubase.net.... and yea, you don't face jail time or a large fine!
That's an excellent point. I think this was more an issue for people years ago when motherboards only had 2 USB ports (and none front-side). So while, sure, they could get a USB hub, I can see why it might be considered a minor pain.
Ah, I see. But I'd be surprised if a USB "heartbeat" was as fast as a software one. Though granted, I don't know enough to say this with certainty.
Also, any idea how often the software checks for the dongle? Once every second? Dozens of times per second? Every time I click somewhere?
Oh, and I've read complaints on cubase.net from people who want to use Cubase on a laptop. Few USB ports = dongle annoyance.
That, and if they want to use it in a live setting, there's always the danger of the dongle getting lost/stolen/broken.
NYMorningstar
Recording Modus Operandi
Where's Blue Bear when you need him 
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
I for one don't blame Steinberg at all for trying to protect their intellectual property.
If you don't like it or disagree with it, vote with your wallet. Don't buy it and use another app.
It's not like this is some limitation to the app that gets sprung on you after you buy it. I just don't get the complaints...... (I;m not doggin on you dude, just in general about people who mitch about the dongle).
If you don't like it or disagree with it, vote with your wallet. Don't buy it and use another app.
It's not like this is some limitation to the app that gets sprung on you after you buy it. I just don't get the complaints...... (I;m not doggin on you dude, just in general about people who mitch about the dongle).
It is a lot easier to lose a dongle than a snare drum. I have a USB key in front of me that I have to drop in a colleagues letter box in the morning because he left it behind. Not the first time I have seen USB keys lost. Right or wrong we are only human and it happens. These things have a tendency to get lost.
I guess that the dongle method of securing software must be the most secure method. Otherwise it would be a no brainer that you would include the security system in the software.
BTW I downloaded Reaper for a trial. I've never used anything digital in my music life. It has a free 30 day trial so I thought why not give it a try. Seems quite good to me and I am told it has no technical limitations. Any comments?
Farview
Well-known member
OK, not a snare drum but one of those little $300 iPods, will Apple replace it because you lost it?
How about a diamond? Will the jeweler replace it if it falls out of its setting?
How easy it is to misplace doesn't have any bearing on the companies liability. If it did, dongles would all be tied to cinder blocks like the bathroom keys at gas stations. (that might be your solution, tie it to something big and heavy)
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
Not at any where near the same cost, and it's the end user who has to pay for it. Then everyone'll bitch about that ultimately.
TyphoidHippo
1Trillion K Platinum User
None of them are effective at all - the dongle system can be transferred to other machines more easily - that's the advantage. That's why it's used, I'm pretty sure...for your convenience (ironically enough)
Don't want to mess with the dongle???
Fine.
Go to www.reaper.fm and get a sequencer that doesn't require one (and is cheaper than Cubase, too...)
Fine.
Go to www.reaper.fm and get a sequencer that doesn't require one (and is cheaper than Cubase, too...)
TyphoidHippo
1Trillion K Platinum User
I'm actually quite fond of messing with my dongle.
I checked Reaper out, it seems good and the price is great. But I know very little about this stuff. Can anyone think of a disadvantage associated with a newb becoming committed to Reaper rather than Cubase? I don't want to have to re-learn everything in 3 years if someday I find I started out on the wrong track (product). I am guessing it takes a long time to get deep understanding of a sequencer when you start from a base knowledge of zero. I don't want to do it twice
PS - That was the 1st time I have heard the term "sequencer" used to describe these software packages. I thought we were talking about DAWs. It is good to get the terminology straight. Thanks.
TyphoidHippo
1Trillion K Platinum User
No! A lot of us (well... me, at least) would LOVE to be in that position - Instead, I am totally locked into Cubase now - it would take so much time to switch over to Reaper with all the templates, presets, drum maps, etc. etc. etc. etc. I have spent countless hours building in Cubase that I now rely heavily on to work efficiently. From what I have read and heard, there isn't much, if anything at all, that makes Reaper inferior to anything else, and there are quite a few things that could arguably make it superior. I was fascinated with the plugin scripting system, personally... never seen anything like that - scripting your own plugins=Brilliant!
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
Dame here.
And you won't have to relearn everything - in fact, the vast majority of what you will learn carries from one DAW to another.
Personally, I recommend Reaper to all newbs because of he price point and how user-friendly it is. And it is by no means a poor cousin to any of the other DAWS. So much so that I am considering purchasing it.
And you won't have to relearn everything - in fact, the vast majority of what you will learn carries from one DAW to another.
Personally, I recommend Reaper to all newbs because of he price point and how user-friendly it is. And it is by no means a poor cousin to any of the other DAWS. So much so that I am considering purchasing it.
Great. I can spend a bit extra on an interface (Edirol UA25EX USB was recommended. I thought should go Firewire but not needed and can create more hassles I am told), laptop (?), mic(?) and monitors (?). I could get Cubase 4 cheap as I qualify for an academic version, but Reaper is only USD$50. I thought about Pro Tools but they have nothing between the bundled LE version and the full blown $10,000 version.
If I go Cubase I am guessing with the dongle system I could have Cubase installed on any number of machines simultaneously, carry my dongle with me and plug it in to use a machine. Is this correct?
If I go Cubase I am guessing with the dongle system I could have Cubase installed on any number of machines simultaneously, carry my dongle with me and plug it in to use a machine. Is this correct?
TyphoidHippo
1Trillion K Platinum User
Wait... what? Really? Who told you this, and why did they say it was the case? I don't think this is correct at all - as I have always understood it, the fundamental way that Firewire works is just better for constant streams of information like is needed when doing A/D conversion in real time - you can't afford to just drop bits here and there or you get nasty artifacts/sync problems. USB, however, does not share the same...foundation (for lack of a better term) and is more prone to the afore-mentioned issues. If this is not correct, then I want to know. I could go research it, and I probably will - it has something to do with asynchronous transfers (or something to that effect), if I recall correctly...
That is correct.
Off to Google I go about the firewire vs. USB thing.