I got this in a further response today:

"You can not use Mercalli V4 Stabilizr and CMOS Fixr from the older Vegas Pro 14 bundle in the new Vegas Pro 15. This version was only for Vegas Pro 14. You now need an upgrade, which we will soon be offering on www.prodad.com."

I don't remember that this information (Mercalli in VP14 Suite is only for version 14) was anywhere, does anyone remember?

You now need an upgrade

Upgrade from version 4.0 to version 4.0?

Das ist cool?!

I got this in a further response today:

"You can not use Mercalli V4 Stabilizr and CMOS Fixr from the older Vegas Pro 14 bundle in the new Vegas Pro 15. This version was only for Vegas Pro 14. You now need an upgrade, which we will soon be offering on www.prodad.com."

Thanks Nick. Of course Magix has responsibilities here too, oh wait, maybe it's buried in the small print 300 miles down.

Magix should make it clear and up front in future that the product being bundled with THEIR product is limited to that version of Magix ONLY.

I don't remember that this information (Mercalli in VP14 Suite is only for version 14) was anywhere, does anyone remember?

Was the Information there, that the bundled Mercalli 4 plugin is also for other applications or for other Vegas versions?

I do not think so.

Well, one does have to be bit careful with that kind of "negative option" thinking. It normally annoys customers, which nobody wants.

The question is one of what is normal practice and therefore reasonable expectation ( this is also the standard in many areas of commercial law BTW) - in this case it is a bit fuzzy, because many people knew there were limitations as that is the way Sony did it in the past. Obviously, some people did not know, and are now unhappy.

On a happier note, I see retailers are offering discounts on upgrades, so for example, upgrading to Vegas 15 EDIT is $179 USD. Not even the cost of a family restaurant meal. :)

Well obviously you have a very big family, congrats.

a reasonable expectation would be a bit more transparency with the add ins, I'm a customer of Magix/ProDad, so I want the best deal for myself, if I worked for either company of course I might be making excuses for them in this regard.

On a happier note, I see retailers are offering discounts on upgrades, so for example, upgrading to Vegas 15 EDIT is $179 USD. Not even the cost of a family restaurant meal. :)

I am a Vegas Pro user since v9 and I used to pay around $120 for the upgrades.

And offering different plugin packages with upgrades looks like a bait and switch biz tactic to me.

I am seriously going to look for alternatives first or maybe getting the basic Vegas version and buying the full plugins might be the way to go.

Well, one does have to be bit careful with that kind of "negative option" thinking. It normally annoys customers, which nobody wants.

Generally spoken, that is not negative thinking but typical in business. You will get what you have paid for, and what was agreed. 

The question is one of what is normal practice and therefore reasonable expectation ( this is also the standard in many areas of commercial law BTW) - in this case it is a bit fuzzy, because many people knew there were limitations as that is the way Sony did it in the past. Obviously, some people did not know, and are now unhappy.

The "reasonable expectation" is that the plugin works within the bundle where it was sold. And this Mercalli Version seems to work with Vegas Pro 14. I do not know why you expect that it has to work with other applications also - especially if everybody can find the information on the proDAD homepage that the Vegas Plugin for Mercalli has a significant price too.

Do you think really expect that there is a "free lunch" in this world? How should that work? Do you work for free?

If you are referring to me, I don't have any such expectation; I purchased Mercalli separately so don't have a problem.

You have your view of the "contract" and others have their view. Not a matter of free lunches at all. For EITHER side. Understand?

For me it would be reasonable when I could use my Mercalli Plugin in just ONE Vegas application, either VegasPro14 or VegasPro15.

This thread has gotten pretty interesting! And clearly some here don't get it. The market of free enterprise and planned obsolesces is a tough game to play in, for consumer and seller. But it appears that here, the sellers aren't playing the game right.

If I purchase a car that is offered fancy tires from another manufacture to sweeten the deal then I, the consumer, might think I got a good deal. But lets say a year later the car manufacture decides to make some changes or improvements to my car (we are talking hypothetical here) for what ever reason and to sell me those improvements so that they can turn a profit and remain in business. Well, the tire manufacture doesn't get to tell me I can't keep my tires on my improved car. It is still the same car. Especially if the same tires continue to function as original. However, if the car manufacture was playing the game right, they would have modified the car so that I would have to buy new tires (say they went to 6 bolt hubs instead of 4 for safety). Well then I could see where paying for new tires might be needed and justified.

Vegas Pro is Vegas Pro. Version 1-15 doesn't matter, unless the maker of Vegas (we're on our third owner now) decides to change something that makes ProDaD Mercalli (or any other bundled plug-in or addition) to need physical change to continue working then the makers are playing the game right... planned obsolesce here means something in Vegas Pro must require a physical change in it's plug-in partners to keep working. That didn't happen. ProDad made their money.. on the original bundle. This B.S. Lawyer crap doesn't change any of this. If ProDad feels entitled to more money then PrpoDAD needs to step up to the Vegas Pro table with a new and improved product.
 

You don't have to stop driving on your bundled tires just because you got your oil changed. Mercalli 4 works as is on VP15.... the license should have automatically transferred. If ProDAD offered a better version (personally I think Warp Stabilizer sets the bar) then I might have incentive to upgrade. But moving my existing license for ProDAD Mercalli 4 (or anyother bundle that still works) is not an "upgrade" as others are trying to call it. It's the same damn plug-in that will work on the same damn editor. The only thing ProDAD has lost is their's and Magix's failure to play the game right and together... unethical practice would dictate that Magix and ProDAD would have broken their software in the change to force us (out of false necessity) to pay for them to fix it for us. So while everyone argues over whether we should be paying again to keep using the same stuff we had before, consider the truth outside of the fancy lawyer misdirection and misrepresentation to dumb us all down and take our money.

Skyml, well said, bravo!

Excellent!

Unfortunately it is not up to the user to change the licensing conditions that will be defined in contracts between the companies for the old bundled Vegas Pro 14 offer. Regardless what you assume here, regardless what car examples you construct here.

Nobody knows here the contracts behind the scene, and for sure they will not tell us details here. But If the plugin was licensed for a specific version of the software only, then it is as it is.

If proDAD is clever they would come up with a special upgrade deal for useres who desire to continue to use the plugin in VP15. But I do not think they will give you that for free but maybe with some discount, because they have to defend their price point of the standalone plugin.

I agree with you.

Software is not a physical good, and certainly is nothing like a $30,000 automobile; the economics are not comparable.

Unfortunately it is not up to the user to change the licensing conditions that will be defined in contracts between the companies for the old bundled Vegas Pro 14 offer. Regardless what you assume here, regardless what car examples you construct here.

Nobody knows here the contracts behind the scene, and for sure they will not tell us details here. But If the plugin was licensed for a specific version of the software only, then it is as it is.

If proDAD is clever they would come up with a special upgrade deal for useres who desire to continue to use the plugin in VP15. But I do not think they will give you that for free but maybe with some discount, because they have to defend their price point of the standalone plugin.

 

+1
I fully agree with the conclusion and the suggestion.

Well, here we are on Day three since the release and major flop for Magix and ProDAD on providing VP15 upgraders any solution - good or bad - for stabilizing our footage.

First off, ProDAD telling us Mercalli 4 would be an "upgrade" to keep using with VP15 from VP14 is a bad joke (the argument and interpretations are vast)... it's NOT an upgrade if nothing in Mercalli 4 changed. But to remove Mercalli 4 as an option is Bad for Magix, image stabilization is important especially when Premier has Warp Stabilizer built-in. Vegas's own attempt and unimpressive "Stabilizer" (cic) is so bad that they had to entice us with ProDAD Mercalli 4 when they put out VP14 but now they ignored the issue and left us hanging with, what is by far, the most expensive upgrade to Vegas Pro yet!?!

Come on Magix! PIP and instant freeze frame and a newer looking interface (color) are all fine a good but don't forget what your customers need in this tool box of video editing we use and consider what the competition has been offering for some time!

I am personally 2 day now (spent one recovering from the first days crashes) into an edit on a project in the new VP15 and I need to stabilize and have no option... looks like I have to move to plan B because waiting on you and ProDAD is nothing but a let down on a major scale.

+1
I fully agree with the conclusion and the suggestion.

Agreed (a GREED! hahaha). Our old stereo or tires or seat covers should fit if we just bought the same car, just a year newer. SERIOUSLY doubt there was enough code change to warrant needing to RECODE the plugin.

Mercalli 4 plugin in VegasPro 14 was for me the most valuable innovation of VegasPro14. That I'm not allowed to use it anymore in VegasPro15 is for me the greatest disappointment of VegasPro15, despite all good UI innovations and faster rendercapabilities.