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Hi,
I am not much fan of a subscription, so I upgrade PD every 2 years. Needing to do some simple ads for LED screens, I though I might give PD Business 365 a try, especially due to access to licensed stock images / videos / music.
However, I am not sure I can understand the pricing. It states cca 150 USD / annualy, but there is *, which states, that it's just for the first year of the usage.
Hence my question - after the first year of usage, is there any significant price raise?
Thanks,
/Petr
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To be clear, I was only saying that stopping the subscription wouldn't leave anybody with uneditable projects and that there was a simple way forward.
I have no desire to argue with you or anyone else on the merits or downsides of subscription vs. lifetime licenses, as there are pros and cons of each. Each person has to decide for themselves which option to go with when that choice is present, and whether to stick with a product or switch to another if they're unhappy with a single licensing path.
It's clear where you stand regarding CL products, and the only thing I can suggest is to use Rate Us & Provide Suggestions if you'd like to tell them how you feel.
I vote with my wallet and that's all they need to understand.
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Not really. CL hasn't disclosed specifically what happens to PD's functionality once the subscription ends, but at some point it seems like most or all of the premium abilities will become disabled. Perhaps it becomes something like the trial version - maybe without the watermark?
However, if you ended the subscription and then find out you have a new need for editing or have to go back and revise an older project, you could subscribe for a month and then cancel again once you're finished. I don't think there's any limit on how often that can be done.
That's still a cost than you wouldn't have needed to pay if you have a perpetual license, but at least you won't be totally stranded (unless CL goes completely out of business without leaving any way to recover/convert the subscription product, that is  ).
No, really not. Subscription is a modern plague of how to drag ppl into the corner and make them dependant. I accept subscription for an entertainment services (HBO, Netflix, Spotify, Tidal), I have a reservations for stuff like O365, but for a solid SW, I just say - no.
The only company, which makes it right, is on1 software. They kind of have a reversed subscription - an on1 Plus program. You pay annualy, you get tonnes of extra material, courses / training and an annual SW release is included. Once you end your subscription, you are left with the latest version you have paid for.
Working in IT for 30+ years, there really was no reason to reinvent the wheel and accept the Adobe invented stupidity, which makes everything more expensive for a client. The concept is called a maintanance payment, usually you pay 20-25% for the ability to use new releases and that's just it.
You can use, what you want. What I hate about Cyberlink is, that they have basically removed an option to buy / own Director suite. You have to buy those programs separately. I have stopped to upgrade Color and Audio director because of that and upgrade Director every 2 years.
Once DavinciResolve have enough of simplicity modes, I am simply out. And their new Cut module might be a good step forward. You can have it all for free, or for 1-2 years of PD subscription you get Studio version along with their new Speed editor HW console. Go figure ....
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I had been updating every 2 years, my first was PD10. I bought PD16, but when PD17 came out - I went for the 365 subscription. I always swore I would never subscribe to software (I am old and like to own it ha ha), but I have been very happy with the subscription. Although most of the add-on packs are not particularly good. I mostly appreciate their transitions and text styles. And it is a business expense anyway... 😎
And then you, for some reason, decide to stop your subscrition and all you are left with are - uneditable projects :![]()
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The Summer sale ends 6.9., so expect it being announced on 7.9. already. I just hope they keep the ability to buy their SW. They have already made it rudicuosly expensive to buy (no Director Suite option other than subscription), so I upgrade every 2 years. The day they remove the option to buy the SW, that's day I am done with Cyberlink.
Historicaly I was looking into a Davinci Resolve, but this SW is complex and was kind of slow. In its recent incarnation though (17.x), they have announced speed-up for even notebooks, so maybe a time to look into it again.
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I think nothing is free.
All "free" contents you received cost someone's time, money, efforts to get them done.
A company must find a way to take all the costs back otherwise they will get bankrupted to ashes, or they will need to drop the features to zero one day.
I saw many friends they might purchase one version of software (e.g. Microsoft Office, or cyberlink powerdirector, etc.), and keep it in use for many years without paying any more penies to the software company.
They might ask for technical support after approximately 3~5 years because the OS has been upgraded to Windows 10 and The old software didn't work well on the new OS. And, they think they are entitled to the free technical support because a software isn't like a hardware that would get physically broken. Software won't die actually as they are digital products.
The service cost is considerably huge when these requests require support agents or engineers engaged additionally.
The conventional "one-time payout" business model would gradually suffocate software companies as the margin of PC industry has decreased largely nowadays.
I vote for subscription as it is a sustainable concept and brings mutual benefits between customer and manufacturer.
Subscription model is imo well suited for the broadcasting services as a good example - you either consume movies / series or you don't. Nothing makes you dependant upon the service.
With the SW, it is a complete different situation imo and working in an IT area for cca 25 years, I regard it being a scam. Your example of friends requesting support after 5 years is an extreme example made just for the sake of the argument itself. IT industry knows something being called a maintanance fee, which sits usually in a 17-23% territory, which entitles you for a continual usage of the product. Once you stop your payments, you are left with the working product, which one day, might stop to work with the next SW update. But - your investment is protected.
And you know what? on1 software introduced kind of a subscription too. You get bonuses, monthly extra material and I pay gladly 130$ annualy. But once I stop the payments, I am still left with the last SW I have paid for and I can edit my previous work, if there is a need. With pure subscription model, this ability vanishes and I regard it being extremly stupid. Gee, I would pay even 150 $ for PD, if they would let me to use the last version, once I leave the subscribtion payments, for whatever reason.
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Exactly! I was a long time Director Suite customer/upgrader. Our studio is on a tight budget and the video is not our primary business, photography is. I want to feel safe doing some investments, in a sense that when I stop paying, I am left with the last version of the product I have paid for. It worked for tens of years in the IT business and is called a product maintanance fee.
The only company which seems to understand that, is on1 software. You might pay a "subscription", which also means tons of additional monthly bonuses, courses, trainings, special forum, for free. Once you decide to terminate the annual upgrade program, you are still left with the latest app version you paid for. Win-win situation. What's there to not understand about that?
But Cyberlink has stopped to offer perpetual upgrade options to Director Suite as a whole package. So last year I have upgraded just a Power Director. No special options for Audio and Color director and this year no special discount for Power Director either, so the situation gets only worse.
3 years ago I looked into a Davinci Resolve. It was kind of a resource hog on my notebook and quite complex. But you know what? In last 3 years, they have added an audio module (Fairlight), integrated their Hollywood grade special effects module (Fusion) and just recently added a Cut module apart to Edit, so that basic cuts are easier to do. And all of that is for free. If you decide to go Pro, you pay 299 USD. Not annualy, this is a one-off payment and you get asccess to additional plugins. A real plugins, not a hybrid versions like outdated Titler which Cyberlink is offering.
Time to hit the download button again and see, where the world has moved.
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Is this the first year of a missing Black Friday option for the lifetime licence of a Power Director? This completly sucks ....
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To add my 2 cents to this discussion for Marketing, the reason that I came from Magix to CyberLink's PD was because Magix decided to go to a pseudo-subscription model. (You pay for one year of patches. If you ever reinstall on a new computer after a year, you lose all the patches.)
I, for one, will never pay to rent software - which is essentially what a subscription model is.
Hopefully CL will reconsider after it sees how the market reacts.
No, CL will not consider it. The decision they have made, is irreversible imo. I saw several companies doing so. They will lose some customers, but gain new ones. They don't care, which is a slap in a face of those loyal ones, who have invested annualy.
You can still buy PD separately, but if you would like to get AD and CD too, it gets quite pricey. Not to mention content packs.
There is only one company, which in my eyes, does the cloud quite well. It is on1. You pay annualy, you receive a training, bonuses on a monthly basis, special support. And their product license is included. So when you decide to stop paying, you are at least left with the latest version of their SW. The other cloud wannabies will just left you in the water.
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Hi,
As far as I am aware the Director Suite is now only available via a subscription plan.
The Plan agreement is here: https://www.cyberlink.com/stat/company/enu/subscription-agreement.jsp
and
your question seems to be answered here in the updated EULA :
https://www.cyberlink.com/support/product-faq-content.do?id=23377&prodId=4&prodVerId=1339&CategoryId=-1&keyword=EULA
"**SUBSCRIPTION LICENSE
The SOFTWARE is licensed for subscription purposes. You agree that CyberLink may change the version of the SOFTWARE provided to you at any time without liability to you. Ongoing access to Subscription SOFTWARE requires a working internet connection, CyberLink’s receipt of recurring subscription payments and agreement to the terms of use and/or service for Subscription SOFTWARE to be found on the downloading site. The rights granted to you herein will cease after a specified time period and the SOFTWARE usage is time limited, after expiration of which it may be disabled."
Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator
Thanks for the clarification. So it is as bad, as it can be - no more on premises Director Suite ...
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Hi,
I am a bit confused - is there going to be no Director Suite 7, just an monthly / annual subscription model? Then there is one crucial question to be answered - what happens, when you stop to pay? Are you left with the last version you have paid for, or just with nothing? I am using photo editing tools, so I know both subscription models ....
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So what is actually new and a significant featuer too? Last year, if you were not intersted in the 360 or vertical video, it might be a blend modes. I upgraded mostly because I like to have latest and greatest.
Scratching my head right now, asking to myself - what innovative feature Cyberlink brought to the table this year? Maybe a color match or video collage?
I will repeat my question from the last year - is PD finally on the list of the Titler Pro supported platforms?
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Isn't it just about the time the PD 16/Director suite 6 should appear? Any leaked info yet? :![]()
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I have upgraded to the latest Director Suite just because I am mostly used to upgrade. This time, PD15 introduced almost nothing worthwhile - I don't care about the 360 or vertical videos at all, so the only welcomed feature for me was the mask designer.
Now - DaVinci Resolve 14 is in a beta. DR is a de-facto industry standard for color grading. They have added strong sound support, are much better in media organisation and since version 12 are more and more becoming an NLE solution. Their Studio (Pro) version went down from 999 USD to 299 USD.
Of course PD is more compact, easier to use, has stuff like particles, easy project templates, etc. But - for just at least two PD iterations, I am mad at Cyberlink for tossing us a bone, but keeping us away from meat - plugins. We got Titler Pro 1.0, later on I think version 1.5, for free. I did not bother to install the latter, as I already bought Titler Pro 4 back at that time.
Unless PD provides industry standard plugin interface, I am done with the whole suite. Just go and look into the NewblueFX home page and find the list of supported NLEs. If Sony Vegas can be there, so should be the PD. Do I need to mention, that DR is there of course?
We simply need plugins -no package is complete on its own. Please allow Titler Pro to work with the PD in its recent version ...
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It works for me ok. I am too, logged into their App Manager, but dunno if it has any influence.
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It is a double speak, from both companies. So they let us use Titler Pro 1 few years ago, Titler Pro 1.5 with recent release, to just lock us in the situation, where you can't use their most recent version. And how is Sony Vegas more pro than CL?
This time, CL is not going to get my money for the upgrade, if they drag us into situation, where they promote Titler Pro 1.5 as a "feature", yet they are lazy to provide proper hooks to allow more pro solution to integrate ....
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Any info on the newly included Titler Pro 1.5? In the past, we've received Titler Pro1. Some of us updated to Titler Pro 4, which, sadly, does not work as a plugin. Contacted both companies several times, but no relevant info received. Now I wonder, if the plugin API was adapted for just the old 1.5 to work freely, or will it enable even Titler Pro 4 to work? Anyone?
Thansk,
Petr
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Well, if one is not interested in 360 or vertical video, PD 15 got just the blending modes, nothing more to be excited about here ...
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So it's out ![]() So the plug-in section says, it supports/delivers TitlerPro 1.5. So CL and FX had to work on bringing it onboard. I will be very disappointed, if the interface still will not allow Titler Pro 4 support. We will see - need to debate myself, if the Suite 4 to Suite 5 upgrade is worth it ....
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Well, I have no interest in 360 video, mobile phone video, or Go pro sports stuff. So the only new feature for me is - blend modes. Sounds good, but too little to upgrade. And once again, and over and over again, I can see absolutly useless cartoonish non-professional font type presets. And my guess is, that those interested in Titler Pro plugin, will be again left in the water, with some typical company excuses ....
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