Softube VCA Compressor Worth $149 - Free During March 2024

[User 905133]

7 minutes ago, User 905133 said:

• Are you saying I need to unactivate it someplace and activate it in iLok so the app will pick it up?

Deactivating the plug-in for my current PC in iLok on my current PC and then reactivating it in iLok doesn't make the app see that it's activated.  Hmmmmm.

Edited March 3 by User 905133
clarifications added

[Solidos]

@User 905133 I would just take a break and leave it. Their site was highly overloaded when the freebie was made available, it's possible that some other problems resulted because of that.

[User 905133]

6 hours ago, Solidos said:

@User 905133 I would just take a break and leave it. Their site was highly overloaded when the freebie was made available, it's possible that some other problems resulted because of that.

Good idea.  I waited several hours yesterday after there were website issues before downloading it and the plug-in worked, so I assumed I was OK. I already decided to see if rescanning CbB's VSTs will trigger a correction, but I might as well just let the rescan continue. 

Edited March 3 by User 905133
deleted material from a different post

[jackson white]

@User 905133 not sure this helps, but as mentioned earlier, had a bit of trouble with the ST Software Central app not listing the correct status for purchased plugins. They also hung up the vst scan in Studio One. After several rounds and jumping through hoops with their support team (quite responsive btw) managed to get things working by deactivating all ST plugins in iLok3, running a machine activation, then re-activating on iLok3. why? ticket closed, but not solved.

the CW vst scan also hung on the Tape Multi Track.vst3. SI scan ran fine, and so did the CW scan after deleting it, but  the first time the CW scan ever hung on anything, believe it used to scan fine. CW support declined to investigate (don't blame them as it's a S1 only feature).

the ST SC app still shows 2 plugins -not- activated, but all are installed and run as expected.

NB. could be this box showing some signs of age/MS inflicted entropy. 

and to keep things OT, finding this to be a pretty useful compressor.

 

[User 905133]

Thanks for the comments.  I've figured out the problem, sort of: I have 2 of these VCA Compressors listed in Softube Central! (Never had one before.)  Both the web page and iLok only show one. It works in CbB and another host. That's good enough for me

Maybe someday I'll try uninstalling the one that's not activativated.

[mibby]

If you go into Softube Central, Settings, the first item in there is "Auto Activate" which is set on by default and activates to the machine.  I was getting squirrelly results attempting to active to my iLok only.   By toggling this to OFF, I was finally able to active the VCA Compressor to ONLY my iLok.  Before, I couldn't figure out how/why it was always doing a Machine Activation no matter what.  And yes,  I uninstalled and there was another one in there.  Anyway, I'm on iLok only now with 2 other activations available.  HTH!

Edited March 4 by mibby

[John Maar]

15 hours ago, User 905133 said:

• Hmmmmmmm. Maybe I did something wrong.
  • ILok has it and shows my current computer is activated.
  • The My Account / My Products page  of the website says it is a Full License and it is Activated.
  • The app (Softube Central, latest version--even installed a second time) says it is not Activated.
    • Each time I start the app, it briefly says it is not connected, then it seems to connect, I am told to wait while info is fetched, and the app seems to sync whatever it needs to sync.
    • Yet, in the app it shows as Installed and "You don't have any activations."
    • Under settings
      • iLok is listed as Connected (Backend Services)
      • Installer Service Revision:   2.5.79
      • iLok License Support Version: 5.9.0
      • Current Locations:
        • { My Current PC }
        • { My E-mail address }
  • I believe I added the serial number either in the website or in the app.
    • Are you saying I need to unactivate it someplace and activate it in iLok so the app will pick it up?

OK, after playing around some with the iLok License Manager and hiding a bunch of plugins that I had previously unauthorized and trying to connect a very old USB iLok key which my laptop failed to recognize in any of the three USB ports I tried it in (this is why I hate it, and I go WAY back to the original Centronics printer port iLok dongles where each one was keyed for a single program and they all wanted to be first in line or they failed to be recognized, so I was forever swapping dongles in and out; end of rant), I opened Softube Central...and got the same error message! But...after clicking on "Keep" and scrolling down the list, I found a second entry for the VCA compressor and it showed as activated on my laptop. That was why it was working for me. Whatever, it's a glitch on the Softube side. I don't think uninstalling it will fix the problem. I need to play around some more with it, but in any case, it works fine for me.

EDIT 1: I should have read the Page 3 posts before responding, so there are others in the same boat. I wonder if this is due to the VCA compressor being around for so long. Did Softube use a different authorization scheme before switching to iLok, like PSP is doing on a one-by-one basis with their plugins?

EDIT 2: This has to be a problem with Softube Central. My Account on the Softube website shows 5 plugins, and VCA comp as Authorized. There is no second VCA license shown, but S.C. shows 6 owned plugins, with VCA duplicated. Also, there's only one VCA key in iLok, and it shows 1 of 3 available authorizations used. I just rewatched the original Ghost in the Machine movie last night, so, yeah, there's a ghost in S.C.

Edited March 4 by John Maar

[CSistine]

It seems it has been a wise decision NOT to use Softube Central, because I've never had any problems with Softube plugins using the direct installers and the iLok license manager. 😉