I vote for iLock as well. Never had a problem. It just does its thing in background so you never even notice it. With Syncrosoft, however, there is constant updates but worst of all I find it completely unprofessional that it just sits there with no indication of what it's doing for a minute or more when you load a VSL instrument. With today's computing speed I really can't see why it needs more than a couple seconds unless it actually checks the hdd for installed files which should absolutely not happen every time you load up your first instance of a VSL instrument (after loading your daw). This hardware/software combo might be very effective at combating piracy, but it is doing so at the inconvenience of the legitimate users who have invested a lot of money in these products. The iLock shows it doesn't have to be this way.
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I vote for iLock as well. Never had a problem. It just does its thing in background so you never even notice it. With Syncrosoft, however, there is constant updates but worst of all I find it completely unprofessional that it just sits there with no indication of what it's doing for a minute or more when you load a VSL instrument. With today's computing speed I really can't see why it needs more than a couple seconds unless it actually checks the hdd for installed files which should absolutely not happen every time you load up your first instance of a VSL instrument (after loading your daw). This hardware/software combo might be very effective at combating piracy, but it is doing so at the inconvenience of the legitimate users who have invested a lot of money in these products. The iLock shows it doesn't have to be this way.
- Syncrosoft works in the background for me as well.
- I don't update Syncrosoft, except when I buy a new product. Why are you updating more often?
- My licences take 4 seconds to scan. Scanning content takes the next minute.
- I can't compare with iLok directly, as I as only have about 8 iLok products.
DG
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I have a ton of both, spread across 6 machines. I've never had a single issue with ilok ever in either PC or Mac.
It's always worked and just about every processing plug I own is ilok protected.
Syncrosoft on the other hand works fine in my PC's, but I have had some issues with it in Mac. I've had to reinstall
it several times in the last two months because it would suddenly stop seeing my licenses. Usually a reboot
fixes it, but twice I've had to go as far as a reinstall to get it to work.
It does seem that syncrosoft may be more problematic on Mac.
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I am consistently having to reboot my Mac because VE cannot find my Syncrosoft license. With iLock I have to date not had any problems.
Michael
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And there's the rub. I would put money on the fact that the vast majority of users who don't like Syncrosoft dongles are OSX users. Also that the vast majority of users who don't like iLok are Windows users. Not much any of us can do about that.
Having said that, I've been lucky with all my recent iLok purchases, as I've had none of the usual problems associated with iLok in the past.
DG
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Oh , the hits keep on rolling.. I sure hope I'm happy when I finally get to use this product, because it has been PAINFUL just trying to get it. Now, if I'm hearing you right, the iLok doesn't work with VSL?? Boy, what a misrepresentation!! The website indicates the product DOes work with USB security devices... it gives a few examples, but it doesn't say that it doesn't work with one of the biggest selling products in that category!!!!! Come on!!! So now what else do I need to buy to get this to work (if my downloads ever complete)?
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@dinosaur said:
Oh , the hits keep on rolling.. I sure hope I'm happy when I finally get to use this product, because it has been PAINFUL just trying to get it. Now, if I'm hearing you right, the iLok doesn't work with VSL?? Boy, what a misrepresentation!! The website indicates the product DOes work with USB security devices... it gives a few examples, but it doesn't say that it doesn't work with one of the biggest selling products in that category!!!!! Come on!!! So now what else do I need to buy to get this to work (if my downloads ever complete)?Wot U on about? VSL has never used iLok. VSL has never said that it uses iLok. It uses a Syncrosoft dongle.
DG
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Well, I just bought the program. I Also went out and bought me an ILok for it yesteday. From the Vienna website: If you already have another eLicenser USB protection device (e.g., from Steinberg or Arturia), you can use it for the VIENNA INSTRUMENTS, too. Please download the latest “License Control Center” from the eLicenser website so all the relevant VIENNA INSTRUMENTS information is available on your ViennaKey. The only difference from the original ViennaKey is that you can’t run Demo Mode #1 (see the button “Demo Modes” on the product page) on an eLicenser USB protection device not issued by the Vienna Symphonic Library. Is there any indication in there that ILok won't work?? Need Syncrosoft.. Say it!
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Maybe it should be spelt out more clearly, but as Syncrosoft has been purchased my Steinberg and has changed its name, it may be that there was no way to be clearer. FWIW if you had typed eLicencer into Google I doubt that you'd have made the mistake in buying an iLok. Hopefully you can return it and get the correct dongle. on the plus side you will have saved a few pennies.
DG
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@dinosaur said:
Well, I just bought the program. I Also went out and bought me an ILok for it yesteday. From the Vienna website: If you already have another eLicenser USB protection device (e.g., from Steinberg or Arturia), you can use it for the VIENNA INSTRUMENTS, too. Please download the latest “License Control Center” from the eLicenser website so all the relevant VIENNA INSTRUMENTS information is available on your ViennaKey. The only difference from the original ViennaKey is that you can’t run Demo Mode #1 (see the button “Demo Modes” on the product page) on an eLicenser USB protection device not issued by the Vienna Symphonic Library. Is there any indication in there that ILok won't work?? Need Syncrosoft.. Say it!Im just curious, exactly where on the VSL website you saw that quote about other eLiscencer USB Devices. Im not implying it's not somewhere on the site, but i looked around and it would appear that nearly every instrument page lists the Vienna Key as a requirement....
Just curious
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I've been a VSL user since the very beginning of the libraries. Just yesterday I got Apassionata Strings, and I swear that nothing's changed in terms of installation and VSL just being generally overly complex and convoluted to install. I'm downloading stuff, and there's drivers, and rebooting, and then supplimental apps to run to control directories, blah blah. I have no idea why the install and usage process is so unintuitive. Eventually got it work, of course. It should just be like every other piece of complex software: one install app, get it done.
_Mike
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I am using both: Synchrosoft for Cubase and VSL, iLok for the PLAY-Version of the EWQL Orchestra Gold.
I never experienced any trouble with Synchrosoft, but just recently I upgraded my EWQL Orchestra Gold from the old "Kontakt" to the "PLAY" Version, therefore the iLok-Key came into my life (it wasn't needed before).
It's hard to tell what actually happened: most probably the authorization code was wrong...anyway: it took me more then 3 weeks to get this solved, although the support at "soundsonline.com" tried to be very helpful. Nobody trusts you, when you contact the support and write "I already tried everything, but the authorization code seems to be wrong. Dozens of mails and 3 weeks later they offered me a new license, I could download from iLok.com to my key.
I wasn't amused. And I keep asking myself, what a poor musician with little knowledge of computers would have done.
Maybe this was just a mistake of the software-producer, not one of the iLok-people... but I definetely don't need more of this!
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My two cents - I've never had a problem with Synchrosoft/Vienna Key (for VSL, Wavelab and GVI) on Windows XP SP3 or Mac OS 10.5.7. I just got some EWQL libraries (not the orchestra or pianos, I swear!), installed them and the iLok on the Windows machine, and went through hell. After the initial install, the PC (an ADK laptop, centerpiece of my studio) wouldn't even start up without 2 hours of emergency tinkering to get it going again. I still have occasional trouble starting it up and haven't totally narrowed it down, but unplugging the iLok seems to help.
So I'm another user happy with the eLicenser!
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I vote for any solution that does not require these things! But if I have to choose? I have an iLok and a Synchrosoft. The iLok just sits there and works. The synchrosoft needs updates all the time and VSL takes minutes just to load in Logic: I expect Synchrosoft to be the problem. It's too late now but I would never buy VSL again just because of this. The sounds are great but the copy protection shouldn't be our problem!
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I vote for any solution that does not require these things! But if I have to choose? I have an iLok and a Synchrosoft. The iLok just sits there and works. The synchrosoft needs updates all the time and VSL takes minutes just to load in Logic: I expect Synchrosoft to be the problem. It's too late now but I would never buy VSL again just because of this. The sounds are great but the copy protection shouldn't be our problem!
Why would Syncrosoft need updates all the time? Providing you don't change anything, it should be fine using the version you installed. Maybe you updated some other software and forgot about that.
As far as loading time, there are three issues:
- Licence scanning. Takes a longer time in OSX, but only around 4 seconds in Windows
- Content scanning. Takes around the same time in Windows and OSX (for me around a minute).
- Sample loading. This will depend on a number of things, but they are all hardware related.
The only one that is a pain is number 2, but you only have to do this once a day, it is no real hardship. I don't see why it is such an issue to some people. I'm sure that it takes the kettle almost as long to boil for that first cup of coffee. [;)]
DG
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I may have mentioned this already, but it takes me about 15 minutes to startup VE or VI due to the license and content scanning issue.
It took up to 25 minutes before the recent updates that made things more efficient.
I suspect this is because my old computer, aside from being probably the oldest of anyone on this forum, uses USB 1.1. No one ever confirmed this.
If it still takes this long once I finally get a new computer, I will know it is strictly a function of the licenses, and I have a lot as I used the DL libraries as a way of incrementally buying into the DVD collections/expansions.
It is for this reason that I wish VSL offered a way to consolidate licenses once someone has, for example, all of the Keyboard collections -- or at least all of the ones offered as a bundle currently (since any sub-grouping might potentially add new content libraries, whether download or DVD, later on).
I can't imagine that being much different from replacing a demo license with a fully paid license -- although I can't remember if that's how things work on eLicenser (it is how they work on iLok).
I am a Mac user, and PPC at that. I used to have more trouble with Synchrosoft than iLok, but both have gotten better. At this point, I rarely have trouble with either (technically), though sometimes the eLicenser key has to be re-plugged to a different USB port to be recognised. Certain vendors sometimes mess up their iLok licensers.
