Heads up on iZotope plugins if you're considering engaging iLok option...

[TheSteven]

Heads up on iZotope plugins if you're considering engaging the iLok option...
Don't, unless you're going to be using it on multiple machines (as with studios or clients) that already have the iLok licensing authorized/activated for the individual plugins.

Here in lies my cautionary tale...

Been using iZotope for ages and after going through several different suite upgrades now have over 100 of their plugin haunting my system.
Planning on getting a new computer I thought that going the iLok route would make my iZotope migration fairly painless - as using their Product Portal takes most of the pain out of the installation and it's the authorization process that the real pain (having to click past multiple screens for each individual plugin).

But... I was wrong.  Even with iLok you still** have to manually authorize each plugin and if you engage the iLok option on an existing system using iZotope plugins you'll have to reauthorize each iZotope plugin again.
I've contacted iZotope support and they've said basically (to paraphase) "Yup, that's the way it works."

**iZotope's implementation is different than other vendors as in addition to authorizing on the iLok you still have to authorize each plugin on each machine you will be using them on.

 

As shown in the image below from the iZotope Product Portal - the plugin is authorized to iLok but still requires computer authorization

 

and when you fire one up... (yes image shows Nectar 2, same thing happens with Nectar 3 and the rest of my iZotopes.  I just didn't feel like going through the process of grabbing another screen shot).

 

BTW all my other iLok plugs are working fine.

So now I'm looking at spending an unknown extended amount of time individually authorizing all my current iZtope plugins via the Product Portal and the olders one using SaviHost or something similar.
If I was smart I would have just converted one plugin to iLok and tested it out first but I didn't, like most people I've got multiple things competing for my time & attention and I just wanted get it done so that I could move on to the next thing; unfortunately I didn't imagine that iZotope would do iLok differently than everyone else does.

Peace out.

...Steven

Edited December 29, 2020 by TheSteven

[Kurre]

Eventide seems to also do its own negative iLok race.

It was a PB freebie Quadravox that warned me to never buy anything from Eventide.

[user 905133]

Sorry to hear about your experiences, but thanks for taking the time to give us a heads up!  (I am relatively new to using iLok--just since Nov 25th.)

[Bruno de Souza Lino]

Thankfully, you can only register the machine and that registration is tied to your account, so no surprises will happen. Avoid as much iLok stuff as you can. If your PC fails and you can't remove those licenses, you lose them.

[Maestro]

On 12/29/2020 at 5:46 PM, Kurre said:

Eventide seems to also do its own negative iLok race.

It was a PB freebie Quadravox that warned me to never buy anything from Eventide.

 

 

Eventide has always used iLok, IIRC.

Most people who do music production have either iLok License Manager or a Physical iLok dongle, because so much requires it.  If you're the type of person who's been using mostly freebies, iLok may seem shocking... but, copy protection is pretty run of the mill for commercial audio products.  I honestly don't know how most people can get away without having at least the Soft iLok installed on their machines ? 

Companies with some of the best plugins on the market routinely require the physical dongle, as hardware copy protection is a lot harder to crack than software.  This is why Steinberg requires the physical eLicenser for Cubase Artist/Pro (which hasn't been cracked since v5).

For those companies, not using Physical iLok is like you renting an apartment and the landlord requires you to hang the keys on the outside of the front door.  The world doesn't revolve around our comfort.  Businesses have survive and pay their developers, and not everyone wants to exploit piracy to proliferate itself (like FL Studio, REAPER, etc. have/do).

iLok protection is optional for iZotope.  You can also use Machine Licenses and store it on Disk or in the Registry.

On 12/30/2020 at 8:30 AM, Bruno de Souza Lino said:

Thankfully, you can only register the machine and that registration is tied to your account, so no surprises will happen. Avoid as much iLok stuff as you can. If your PC fails and you can't remove those licenses, you lose them.

 

Wrong.  You can contact support and get those licenses reset, or be issued a new license for them.  This is a solved problem with iLok, Steinberg, and other eLicenser solutions.  No difference if you lose or break your dongle; or it's stolen.  The guidance is clear on the website, and everyone should familiarize themselves with it, if they use any plugins or software that utilize iLok.  Typically, you have to contact the software vendor, IIRC, not iLok themselves.

But personally, my stance is that if you don't use a plugin/software often (more than rarely), then you're better off deactivating and uninstalling it, anyways.

[Kurre]

1 minute ago, Maestro said:

Eventide has always used iLok, IIRC.

Most people who do music production have either iLok License Manager or a Physical iLok dongle, because so much requires it.  If you're the type of person who's been using mostly freebies, iLok may seem shocking... but, copy protection is pretty run of the mill for commercial audio products.  I honestly don't know how most people can get away without having at least the Soft iLok installed on their machines ?

I do have soft iLok. Sonivox and Airmusictech use it in a nice way. Sonivox was a bundle with 20 plugins and did not make me as irritated as Eventide.

I got a notification that they had stopped using serials? There was a serial!? What it meaned in practice was that i had to jump thru hoops. More that before.

I strongly rebuttal your innuendo of me being being whining without any cause.

I hope that last sentence makes some meaning to those of you that are born with a knowledge of UK/US grammar.

[Starship Krupa]

Another heads-up: I'm not an iLok hater, although I see no advantage to using it with iZotope products; even if I'm taking a project to another studio, they're probably going to have the same iZotope plug-ins that I do anyway. I have 4 computers, so their multiple seat licensing works great here at home.

I decided to finally buy a used iLok dongle in order to be able to use certain licenses on my extra, third system.

Unfortunately, I bought an original iLok thinking that the only difference was capacity, and it's now possible for companies to make their plug-ins require an iLok 2 (or PACE driver), so two of my most important iLok'd plug-ins, Phoenix Stereo Reverb and Excalibur (both iZotope, both single seat licenses) don't work with my iLok.

[Maestro]

4 hours ago, Kurre said:

I do have soft iLok.  SONiVOX and AIR Music Tech use it in a nice way.  SONiVOX was a bundle with 20 plugins and did not irritate me as much as Eventide.

I received a notification that they have stopped using serials?  There was a serial!?  What it meant, in practice, was that I had to jump through hoops; more than before.

I strongly rebut your innuendo that I am being whiny without cause.

I hope that last sentence makes sense to those of you who are familiar with English grammar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You just aren't familiar with iLok, frankly.  the way Eventide does this is practically identical to about 500 other companies.  It's the way all big plug-in development companies handle this.

Part of the reason why many people roll their eyes at plug-in bundles (with hardware, for example) is precisely because they couldn't care less to run around the internet creating 100 accounts to download and authenticate all of them.

 

Edited January 1, 2021 by Maestro

[Kurre]

Ok. You don't read and understand things. Have a good time in your own little cloud.

I'm not going to discuss this further.

[Per Westin]

My .02$

Ilok is good if you use several different  computers, if you only use on - it´s kind of pointless for the user. Some companies´ install + activation process (like Izotope) are a bit quirkier than others -  while Slate was very smooth IMO.
Anyway, IMO the modern Ilok is a lot better than some of the other antipiracy protection variants we´ve seen the last 20-25 years, remember the AAS Tassman 2(or was it 3?) which was locked to the specific computer and couldn´t be moved?

That said, I´ve been in touch with Izotope´s support regarding their Product Portal, which isn´t as smooth as it could be, I mentioned good ol´ Cakewalk Command Center and Native Access as good examples of how things could be smoother for the user.

For instance why can´t you just mark the FX you want to install and have a "silent install and activation"?

Why can´t all libraries for Iris be installed with the synth, i.e. click "install all" or just the marked alternatives?

Why aren´t the Exponential Audio FX included in the portal?

 

The guy who (very politely) answered promised to pass my thoughts on to the development team for product portal.

I suggest that anyone who has ideas or criticism contact Izotope´s (or whichever other company it concerns) support, if they don´t see/hear any constructive criticism from the users - why would they try or know how to improve?

[Clovis Ramsay]

you can use a standard USB drive as your authorized  machine to store license for iZotope.   Don't authorize through the portal, and I would even suggest to cancel the screen prompt once the portal has downloaded the files into your download folder and manually install them.  Once you've installed your plugins, go into your daw and authorize each plug in this way as it gives you the option to select a USB flash drive as your machine.  This is how I do mine along with my Waves plugs, however, the Exponential plugs require iLok so I just use the PACE proxy server by the iLok manager instead of using a iLok drive. 

Most license I have authorized from within the DAW has allowed me the option of storing my license on whichever disk is connected at that time.

[Starship Krupa]

On 1/7/2021 at 10:13 AM, Per Westin said:

Why aren´t the Exponential Audio FX included in the portal?

I'd love for them to be licensed in the usual iZotope fashion, but they're re-badged versions of the products they bought along with the rest of the Exponential IP. Exponential was using iLok 2/PACE driver, single seat, so that's how it is.

If we want those sweet Exponential algorithms in iZotope form (with licensing and sweet UI), it's Neoverb.

[Clovis Ramsay]

8 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

I'd love for them to be licensed in the usual iZotope fashion, but they're re-badged versions of the products they bought along with the rest of the Exponential IP.

I just had a problem with my iLok manager creating a duplicate “Machine” location that was holding my Exponential codes hostage for a week!  It took contacting iLok (next day reply) then iZotope (2 day reply) to make me whole again.  
 

With the price tag being what it is, there should NEVER be such a situation as this to occur!  My 3 plugins would have paid for the programming it takes to make the “duplicate machine” problem a thing no more.  Its 2021, we can do better!

[Starship Krupa]

1 hour ago, Clovis Ramsay said:

holding my Exponential codes hostage for a week!

This would seriously harsh my mellow. Phoenix Stereo is The Answer.

[Clovis Ramsay]

On 3/16/2021 at 9:04 AM, Starship Krupa said:

This would seriously harsh my mellow. Phoenix Stereo is The Answer.

seems we've tapped into the greater beyond with our Exponential praises, as they are on sale right now!

[Clovis Ramsay]

On 12/29/2020 at 5:29 PM, TheSteven said:

Heads up on iZotope plugins if you're considering engaging the iLok option...
Don't, unless you're going to be using it on multiple machines (as with studios or clients) that already have the iLok licensing authorized/activated for the individual plugins.

Here in lies my cautionary tale...

Been using iZotope for ages and after going through several different suite upgrades now have over 100 of their plugin haunting my system.
Planning on getting a new computer I thought that going the iLok route would make my iZotope migration fairly painless - as using their Product Portal takes most of the pain out of the installation and it's the authorization process that the real pain (having to click past multiple screens for each individual plugin).

But... I was wrong.  Even with iLok you still** have to manually authorize each plugin and if you engage the iLok option on an existing system using iZotope plugins you'll have to reauthorize each iZotope plugin again.
I've contacted iZotope support and they've said basically (to paraphase) "Yup, that's the way it works."

**iZotope's implementation is different than other vendors as in addition to authorizing on the iLok you still have to authorize each plugin on each machine you will be using them on.

 

As shown in the image below from the iZotope Product Portal - the plugin is authorized to iLok but still requires computer authorization

 

and when you fire one up... (yes image shows Nectar 2, same thing happens with Nectar 3 and the rest of my iZotopes.  I just didn't feel like going through the process of grabbing another screen shot).

 

BTW all my other iLok plugs are working fine.

So now I'm looking at spending an unknown extended amount of time individually authorizing all my current iZtope plugins via the Product Portal and the olders one using SaviHost or something similar.
If I was smart I would have just converted one plugin to iLok and tested it out first but I didn't, like most people I've got multiple things competing for my time & attention and I just wanted get it done so that I could move on to the next thing; unfortunately I didn't imagine that iZotope would do iLok differently than everyone else does.

Peace out.

...Steven

This IS the way you want to authorize as it will lead you to a drop down list of all drives connected to your machine that will store all license on, such as any USB flashdrive formatted FAT (less than 16GB capacity) or FAT32.  All izotope plugins that can be downloaded via portal can be authorized inside your DAW prompting this screen each time and it is worth doing since it allows you to save license virtually anywhere.  iLok activations are offered just as a courtesy to those industry engineers who have to use iLok on company machines.  iLok is optional and a good thing to have as backup.

[TheSteven]

Regarding comments about Eventide - they have great customer service.
I had an iLock issue  with one of their plugins activated on a dead computer and they cleared it so that I could reuse it with no fuss.
When I complained to them (before upgrading to Anthology) about their plugins not remembering the installation locations and having to set it for every plugin every update they added the feature to their todo list and fixed it.
 

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by TheSteven

[TheSteven]

8 hours ago, Clovis Ramsay said:

This IS the way you want to authorize as it will lead you to a drop down list of all drives connected to your machine that will store all license on, such as any USB flashdrive formatted FAT (less than 16GB capacity) or FAT32.  All izotope plugins that can be downloaded via portal can be authorized inside your DAW prompting this screen each time and it is worth doing since it allows you to save license virtually anywhere.  iLok activations are offered just as a courtesy to those industry engineers who have to use iLok on company machines.  iLok is optional and a good thing to have as backup.

My iZotope issues are resolved. They finally after multiple conversations un-iLok-ed their plugins in my account.

Using their Portal you can install and authorize all their plugins.
Once my iLok issue was cleared I was able to authorize all of my iZotope plugins at one time, painlessly; no need to authorize in my DAW.
I still could have authorized them individually in the Portal but no point in doing so.