Cubase dongle replacement question

I broke a dongle, and got a new activation code after sending it in. But, a new empty elicencer dongle goes for around $30, which basically adds $30 to the price of Cubase Studio 5, and is also far more expensive than even 4gb usb thumb drives which you can use for a lot more, including speed up your computer, store all kinds of files on and more. The elicencer can store one type of file. Even a brandname 4gb usb flash drive is far cheaper.

My question is, is there anyway to get around that, the price? I assume it’s not possible to use a regular usb flash drive to download the activation code to, right, as the elicencer dongle has some special chip in it that regular usb dongles don’t?





But I’m holding off, because $30 for an empty dongle somewhat irks me. It’s about equal the coupon value that motivated me to grab the software at that time. I’m not going to go all into the pros cons of dongle software, but I do agree with the view that you pay for the rights to use a software, and shouldn’t be punished for others dishonesty. Ideally a new license dongle would cost a few bucks. Also, not to extend this post, but it also takes time to get the new license code sent. That could be valuable time, what if you’re mid important project and break your dongle. Anyway, ignore this last paragraph, since the question is contained in the first two.

So, cheap license dongle alternatives do they exist? Meaning around $10 or less? Thanks for any advice.

You need to buy a Dongle. No other alternative.

No. What I meant was whether there are alternative licensing dongles that cost less than the elicencer one. For instance, there’s another licensing brand, forgot its name, but whose dongle can hold several licenses for different software, don’t know if they’re cheaper, but the point is that there is at least that alternative, so there might be others (that are cheaper), that someone might recommend, I wondered?

If you’re using a software that uses the elicense protection you need a Steinberg key (which can hold several licenses too, btw.) Your so called alternatives use a different technology and therefore arent an alternative. And if you dont want to spent additional money on a new key, dont break it. Its really that simple

If you’re using a software that uses the elicense protection you need a Steinberg key (which can hold several licenses too, btw.) Your so called alternatives use a different technology and therefore arent an alternative. And if you dont want to spent additional money on a new key, dont break it. Its really that simple

Is it really that ‘simple’? To a typical cubase n**i, you bet. I don’t understand what kind of dumb reasoning you have, but it seems to match Steinberg’s own (a dongle with a licence stored for copy protection equals a ‘watch’, yea right), to punish their honest customers for the actions of the dishonest ones. You’re saying that people break things deliberately, are you insane? The freaking dongle sticks out 2-3 inches, if you use your laptop and carry it around daily, you just ‘may’ drop it at some point. Have you ever broken anything? What a fool you are. Why did you do that for? If you don’t like broken things that you’ve paid for, then don’t freaking break them. Did you ever break a leg or a tooth? What an idiot, why would you do that for, etc…


The point is that I don’t want to pay $30 for a freaking empty dongle when I’ve already PAID for the right to use the software, which is what you pay for. You don’t pay for the dongle. You don’t pay for ‘dongle’ slash ‘software’. Is that enough of you, or are you too thick? I really thought the dongle would be 3-4 bucks. Or, honest, at first I thought Steinberg would replace it free of charge minus shipping, given it’s a small piece of mass produced plastic that they chose, not are forced to, use.


This is just. At least two answerers, but every time there are these obnoxious replies. Such as “if you don’t like it, move on”. What kind of community is that? If you don’t see where people’s frustration comes from even when it’s obvious and clearly explained, perhaps it’s really no wonder you’re happy with paying the tab for those that steal. I don’t know what your matter is, but you must be a moron to say something like that. I didn’t come here to be lectured, but for a simple advice. I didn’t tell you off. You could’ve left your bizarre lecturing behind, but chose otherwise. And if you don’t like to read replies like these, then don’t reply the way you did, it’s that simple.

im afraid studiofive that is the only answer , there has been many threads on this subject and the steinberg dongle is the only way and you are right a certain members manner on this forum does leave a lot to be desired and is rude to most people ,just foe him like most people !

regards
freq

http://www.computermusicshop.com/Steinberg-Key-USB-eLicenser-p/stkey.htm

There you go, just saved you $10…

Woah, calm down…
What I´m sayin´is, that if you break something, You usually have to pay for it, if you want it replaced. Do you go to your Laptop manufacturer´s site, and start whining you have to buy a new laptop though you already bought one, but broke it…?

´s people like you in here, who understand how this whole dongle business works… :wink: Obviously, I´m too thick - fortunately there

I don´t mind reading replies like these. That´s why I reply the way I did. It´s you who seems to have a problem…

Thanks. I appreciate your answers people.


Thinking cap. What I mean is that the dongle method i s not a given. Steinberg chose to implement it, knowing it’s not a perfect method. Therefore, since they chose to implement it, they should subsidize the cost. People pay for the software, not the dongle.

It’s not like a bicycle lock, where the lock Is the only solution to secure the bicycle. If I lost a bicycle lock I wouldn’t have expected the bike manufacturer to replace it. But if there were cost free methods of securing the bike and I noticed other bike manufacturers using those methods, I would be mad to to buy a new lock it it wasn’t even be necessary, especially if the lock cost noticeably much.

Also, if you lose the Cubase dvds And the dongle And don’t have the serial number stored, then it wouldn’t be reasonable to expect a replacement. But this is just a dongle, the software and license number which are what you’re supposed to pay for, are still paid.

And many software including Abelton Live do not use dongles. Korg stopped using dongles.
Steinberg insists on using dongles, and charge $30 for a replacement, even though they apparently own the company that makes them.


You pay for the rights to use a software when you buy it. The dongle is not for Your benefit. It’s for the Vendor’s benefit. In fact it’s because of us that they were able to buy the dongle company to begin with. If the dongle’s purpose was to secure the software for me, I wouldn’t have minded paying. But I’m subsidizing their fight against piracy, which I already did when I purchased the software.
It’ll be possible to lose or break the dongle again, especially over time. That means the post purchase expense would go up to $60. See, and it’s a price you pay not because there’s no other way, but simply because Steinberg apparently think they’re special. There are twice as expensive software that don’t use dongle copy protection.



Anyway, thanks for the answers, now I don’t have to waste time looking around for alternatives.

I understand you are frustrated because you broke the Dongle. You are asbolutely wrong, however. Now, go buy a new Dongle, and start making some music.
Sincerely,
J.L.

Yup. And I will leave it at that while shaking my head! :mrgreen:

Hello…Is this a legit site to buy a dongle because I believe mine is on life support about to die in a minute? Another question…Can you tell me what the process is on how transfer the license from one dongle to the other…Thank You

Don’t see why not?

I merely had a google about because the OP was whinging about the price of a dongle and I know you can get them cheaper.

Does one just not drag and drop between dongles?

It’s maybe worth pointing out that the dongle is not just a USB thumb drive. [As pointed out earlier] It’s custom made (in relatively low volumes) to prevent piracy.

But yeh, they’re not cheap.

R.

So is there a certain process to transferring the license to another dongle?

Did I not already tell you?