Is H6 Upgrade or CrossGrade – you decide

I take the view that the new H6 licensing from SB a “FORCED Cross-gradeand NOT an Up-Grade

For example:
When I upgrade my Cubase Product to C9, I can still run prior versions of Cubase, be it for backward compatibility, simply by either launching the prior Cubase version application.
It was the same when I upgrade 8.0-to->8.5, or 7.5-to->8.0 and so on … …

At any time, I could/can run any/all Cubase versions, simply by unplugging the USB-dongle from one PC to another, or to an OSX machine or to a laptop etc, all of which could have different versions of windows or OSX and/or Cubase version installed.

I have not yet paid for the so termed “Upgrade to H6” that is on offer in the SB-shop -
I am waiting for the trial version to test
I am waiting for WIN7-64bit Official support
I am waiting for the right to use my previous versions of HALion

Like many I was shocked at no support for win7-64bit, and furthermore their deprecating WIN7-64bit support without any pre announcement or fair warning from SB

NOW, … I’m reading from the below links regarding the loss and right to use HALion5 !! 
ref ( This Is Ridiculous! - Virtual instruments - Steinberg Forums
Lost my H5 licentie when updated to H6? - HALion - Steinberg Forums
)

We as consumers/users should still be able to run BOTH H5 and H6 or other Upgrade purchases we have made.

If I want to run HALion 4.x on my old PC running an old operating system, I SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO.

SB must not disable / remove / deactivate the use of any (32bit or 64bit) release versions of any software product from our usb-elicense keys – WE HAVE PAID FOR THE RIGHT TO USE PRIOR VERSIONS THAT WE HAVE UPGRADED FROM!!

I have even read of an offer to have an “add-on” 32bit H5 licenses installed on users usb-elicensers. from SB (refer to the URL links/posts above)

This is NOT good enough SB, consider:
if I (or any other user) is running a WIN7-64b system with C9 (or C7.5) and using rewire to also drive other software (eg Reason) in a large project consuming significant RAM resources, CPU resources, using specific audio interfaces on our platforms.
How are we to open our older 64bit address space projects, [systems that have 24Gb, 32Gb, 64Gb or more RAM] with all our other software integrated (eg rewire) if all you are offering is ADD-ON band-aid 32bit-HAL5 ?

In fact, the more I think about this, the bigger the problem gets, seeing as for example Propellerhead.Reason is not available in 32bit (since version 8.2), this now breaks down the option and work-flow operation of even being able to open all inter-connected vendor technologies. – why , because SB are revoking the purchasers use of H5 64bit or H4 or H3 (or any versions the user has paid for, in upgrade monies) if they opt to take H6

SB please consider that you are significantly impacting/imploding our ability to operate the workflows that we have built up over a long period of time on WIN or MAC platforms.

These are frameworks that we have invested time in , recorded projects in… where we use and choose what versions, of HALion or Cubase or whatever other software license that we have upgraded to over the course of years.

I for one believe that this is not good enough.
This is not an Up-Grade, it is a H6 Cross-Grade to a mutually exclusive alternate release version that is bound to specific operating system versions that SB as the software vendor are stipulating / mandating onto us.

Consider us users that have paid our way through upgrades.

regards,
/Stef

Hi Stef,

the HALion 5 Add-on license includes the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of HALion 5 and HALion 4 and also covers HALion 3. You can put this license on your USB dongle and use it on every system that you want to.

Is this H5 Add-on license free for existing H5 users?

No, the H5 Add-on license is just for HALion 6 users. There is no benefit if you already have a HALion 5 license.

So as an existing H5 owner, I can continue to use both after installing H6?

I too would like the ability to run my (erased licence) for H5 on another machine that runs windows 7.

I’ve read here that we need to connect with support to request a new H5 licence.

However, on the Steinberg page for Support, I read the following that states there is NO available H5 licence for those that updated to H6.

What’s the solution to get the H5 licence replaced?

Thanks

hi Matthias, thank you for the prompt reply.

The SB help centre link : https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/115000114850-HALion-6-update-FAQ
only mentions 32bit, perhaps this page needs to be updated as it is confusing and not accurate …

If/when I choose to upgrade (I’m patiently waiting for the trial version), I will certainly want both 32b and 64b HAL5 versions still available on the usb-dongle.

I guess the remaining issue - which does not appear to be resolvable - is that HAL6 cannot co-tenant on the same system “and play and get along in the same sand-pit” as its elder siblings.

As a bonus question: (and still referring to the help center link above), when will HAL6 users be able to migrate
their soft-elicense onto the usb-elicense?
The link above, reads with information about :
Our eLicenser team is investigating a solution to move the license.”

regards,
/Stef

Yes, you can use both when you have the HALion 5 Add-on license and the HALion 6 license but not on the same system since HALion 6 replaces the HALion 5 installation.

When you update from HALion 5 to HALion 6 your HALion 5 license will be replaced by HALion 6. But you can get in touch with the support team to get a HALion 5 Add-on license that will be placed on your USB dongle right next to your HALion 6 license. When you connect your dongle to your W7 system with HALion 5 installed and you will be fine.

Unfortunately that is correct.

When you update from HALion 5 to HALion 6 the HALion 5 license on your USB eLicenser will be replaced with HALion 6. In this case HALion 6 can currently not be moved from the USB to a soft eLicenser.

If you purchase a full retail version of HALion 6, you will get a HALion 6 soft eLicenser version that doesn’t require the USB drive. This soft eLicenser can be moved to a USB eLicenser. BUT it cannot be moved back from the USB to the soft eLicenser. This is what the eLicenser team is working on: Moving a license from the USB to a soft eLicenser.

Why is this all so complicated and confusing?

Ahh, I see now (said the blind man .),
thank you for the explanation Matthias, I had not picked up that new product purchsers/owners initially
receive a soft-elicense

… ok, the above I consider (normal/business as usual behavior), as this is also how it has always behaved with product.licensing with for example Cubase.elements … you could soft.elicense your machine, you could then transfer it onto a usb-elicense key, … but once you did , you could not revert back the soft-elicense back onto the computer (or transfer onto another computer)