Demo - upgrade - trial - full - huh?

filmy wrote on 4/19/2004, 4:44 PM
Ok - I just have to ask this - others have asked this is some form or the other and in a related issue there is the whole sn issue - so ok, here goes.

I downloaded the demo of Vegas 5. Right now it is running in "trial" mode. I can't see where there is any limits to it. Not that I am complaining mind you - just I am confused. Somewhere on the Sony site there is information to the effect of "Contact us if you are having problems with entering your SN for the demo version" and than it goes on to say that you can *not* uninstall any demos that you do install. (???)

Ok - so in Vegas 5 I am playing around and I am *GASP* reading the help file and come across the descriptions for some transitions -

3D Blinds (Available only in the full version of Vegas)
3D Cascade (Available only in the full version of Vegas)
3D Fly In/Fly Out (Available only in the full version of Vegas)
3D Shuffle (Available only in the full version of Vegas)
Portals (Available only in the full version of Vegas)

Ok - but all of these I have. They all work fine. So I thought to myself maybe they were reading from the Vegas 4 install - so I open Vegas 4 and look.

Vegas 4:
Portals - "Sonic Foundry VideoFactory Effects Plug-in" Version 1.0 (Build 371)
3D Blinds - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 205)
3D Cascade - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 205)
3D Fly In/Fly Out - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 205)
3D Shuffle - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 205)

Then -

Vegas 5
Portals - "Movie Studio (TM) Effects Plug-in" Version 1.0 (Build 571)
3D Blinds - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 338)
3D Cascade - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 338)
3D Fly In/Fly Out - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 338)
3D Shuffle - "Sony Vegas Video Plug-in Pack" Version 1.0 (Build 338)

So no - they are not the same versions. So this all leads me to this thread and topic. So the Demo/Trial is the exact same as the "full" version, which is the same file as the "upgrade" version, except with a 30 day limit of use? What happens after 30 days? Does my machine implode if I don't buy the "Full" or "upgrade" version? Why can't the demo verison be uninstalled? Why is this so confusing? In the SoFO days one installer is all you needed - unless you entered a SN it stayed in limited DEMO mode...Matter of fact your help pages still says as much:

Double-click the application's icon and enter your serial number. If you do not have a serial number, select "I would like to run the Demo" or "I don't have a serial number." If your serial number returns a reply stating that it has timed out, select "I don't have a serial number" and click Next.

Anyone? What happened to the KISS doctorine?

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 4/19/2004, 4:47 PM
They mean that those are available in Vegas 5, not Vegas LE & all those others.

And, at the end of the 30 days it just won't work anymore.
rmack350 wrote on 4/19/2004, 4:52 PM
It's not so simple.

What I did after reading people's posts was to go find the 199.00 special upgrade offer for the production suite. Paid and downloaded all. Saved everything, receipts and confirmation email too in a folder and then I uninstalled the trial. Then installed the full version.

If the trial is still installed when you try to install the full version then you'll be asked if you want to repair or uninstall. Just uninstall and then start over-installing Vegas 5.0.

Don't bother trying to figure it out. It's like the "Confuse a Cat" sketch.

Rob Mack
rique wrote on 4/19/2004, 5:12 PM
"Why can't the demo verison be uninstalled?"

Actually, what it says is:
Once you uninstall the trial you will not be able to reinstall it and use it again on the same computer.
rique wrote on 4/19/2004, 5:14 PM
"If the trial is still installed when you try to install the full version then you'll be asked if you want to repair or uninstall. Just uninstall and then start over-installing Vegas 5.0."

I just entered my serial number in the Trial version and it's unlocked to full version now--no 30 day limit.
filmy wrote on 4/19/2004, 5:24 PM
Now to add more confusion to this - I am reading another thread that touches on like issues and Brian from SOny says:

Unfortunately there is no MPEG/MP3/AC3 support in the trial due to licensing restrictions...

Than, like myself, someone points out that Mpeg renders fine. For me I also have Mp3 support in Vegas 5. However there is no AC3.

SO Susan from SOnys adds to this issue:

The mp3, mpeg, ... restrictions for trial software only apply to users who do not already have licenses.

Ahhh...ok, so than shouldn't that work for AC3 as well? But on the other hand - the Sonic Foundry Vegas is in it's own folder along with the cidecs/files. And the Sony Vegas is in its own folder with its own codecs/files. So, for example, the Mpeg codecs are in two seperate directories and one isn't suppoed to affect the other I thought. (And FYI I have not even touched the included migration tools)

And to add some more confusion about all of this - on the Vegas+DVD front - this is really confuing to me. Susan adds on I should add that DVD Arch is only available as a demo and it has more restrictions.

*sigh*



TheHappyFriar wrote on 4/19/2004, 6:21 PM
Use the migration tools. Noise Reduction wasn't showing up in V5, so I did the "Copy SF liscences to Sony" and it showed it. It shouldn't break anything...... i'm not give you a warranty though. :)