Dumb attention-grabber, huh? Sorry about that, folks.

But I'm trying to keep my sense of humour here, and it's getting tougher by the hour, and the day...

My problem is this. I decided to buy the Studio 12 Ultimate upgrade. So I went to the eStore and began to enter my details. Got as far as "Select a Country", and, lo and behold, there's no Australia! Funny, it was here the last time I looked out the window... Anyway, because I couldn't nominate the appropriate details for the non-existent Australia, I got an error message that said something like, "Who do you think you're kidding?!" Well, I might have just imagined that last bit...

Anyway, then I saw a link for international customers, so I eagerly clicked on it.

It just took me back to the main page. Nothing specifically about international purchases on it.

So, then I knew I was on a quest. So I began to systematically click on every likely link and follow every tortuous trail, hoping to get to a place where somebody would accept my money.

But nobody was interested. Not only that, every click just took me away from the Australian page and back to the UK or the US. Nice countries, but not what I was looking for.. AND, every link took me to Studio 14 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I don't want Studio 14. Call me crazy.

To cut a long, frustrating story short, I'll just throw out this question to anyone who's stayed with this rant so far, before I lose my mind forever and forget why I was here in the first place....

"Can anyone give me a reliable foolproof link direct to the page where an Australian customer can make an online purchase of the Pinnacle product called Studio 12 Ultimate Upgrade?  

I'd be forever in your debt.

Thank you for reading. I'll just go away now and sob for a while...

 Kurt.

Hi Kurt

Looking at the site from old Blighty it would appear Studio 12 has been beamed off the planet by Pinnacle. I can find no reference in the product lists any more, in fact if I go to the eStore there seems to be several problems with the site. Sorry

 

Added

http://estore.pinnaclesys.com/servlet/ControllerServlet?Action=DisplayPage&Env=BASE&Locale=en_GB&SiteID=piestore&id=ShoppingCartPage this link seems to have brought something up but I did'nt go any further!

Hello Kurtain,

You may want to try Ebay (www.ebay.com), there may be some sellers that ships worldwide. Other sites may also be available but not completely sure if they ship worldwide. For purchase on ebay, you have to register first in order to buy products. Registration is free. Maybe someone else can give you more sites to buy your upgrade. Good Luck.

G'day, Yorkie. It sure looks that way, doesn't it!

But when I was going throught the initial process of buying the upgrade, when I got to the roadblock I went back a page and saved it as a Favourite, (which is what I always do whenever I get a problem on the Net). When I click on that Favourite now, I get straight back to the page and it still says I'm about to buy Studio 12 Ultimate upgrade and it even shows that product sitting happily in my cart. For all intents and purposes, it's letting me buy the product, except for the little problem of recognising my country of origin and thus allowing me to pay for the thing!

I can't really believe a company is going to withdraw a saleable product just so that customers will be railroaded into buying a different one!!!

But heck, it almost looks that way, doesn't it!

But I'm not giving up.

Thanks for your interest, Yorkie.

Cheers,

Kurt. 

Yeah, I dunno though, R_Vera. Not really all that confident in eBay. 

Anyway, there are legitimate re-sellers here in Australia who sell the upgrade, but...they charge over TWICE as much as the direct download from Pinnacle. Can you believe it? I may eventually have to swallow that very bitter pill, but I'm not quite ready yet.  

Thanks for your interest.

Cheers,

Kurt.

Kurt,

Have you tried contacting Pinnacle via e-mail for an explanation?  I have found them to be fairly helpful over the years.

I tried to follow through pretending that I wanted to buy the S 12 upgrade using the North American web site and I keep getting only S 14 links.  I wonder if your bookmarked link is just a copy of what you originally had and now it no longer exists on the web site?  It looks as if S 12 is no longer available from Pinnacle directly.  Perhaps your best bet might be to pick up a copy from a reseller after S 14 is on the shelves and you may be able to negotiate a better price.  In another thread, someone mentioned that in the US you can get S 12 for $14.99 after a rebate.  That may be another alternative, even if shipping it from the US could cost a bit.

Hi

You can still download the Studio 12 trial from their UK site. This can be upgraded, as I understand it, to any version level you want via the net.

Yes, I know that you all down under had some problems with the Queen and something about tea -- but don't choke on your biscuit and here is a link

Also, there is a link on that page to download and buy, Got a good connection-- its 1.6GB

skeeter:

Hi

You can still download the Studio 12 trial from their UK site. This can be upgraded, as I understand it, to any version level you want via the net.

I am not sure that you can upgrade from Studio 12 anymore, even from the European site.  If you go to the 'upgrade' button in your link, the only choices are Studio 14 or Liquid.

Hi Igor

I didn't go that far. I just tried out the trail link and it leads you to the trial download if you are a registered user at Pinnacle.

I would imagine that with the trial one could update via the Pixi tool.

Hey Kurt

My sympathies to our cousins over the ditch and not just because of the rugby score. 

If you think Aussies have a problem being recognised by Pinnacle, image how us Kiwis are getting on. When Studio 12 first came out, I discovered the same issue you are dealing with now. I pleaded on these forums for someone from Pinnacle to take my money for the new software. Now I know the kiwi dollar is not that flash but at the time, there was no response from Pinnacle. I can only assume they had no interest in my custom.

Many, many months after the Studio 12 announcement, Studio 12 became available in NZ at around 3 times the retail price overseas. I never bought here but managed to use a Brits credit card and order from UK. A dodgy way pehaps but worked.

Now that Studio 14 has arrived, I have specifically asked if us antipodeans will have equal dibs on the software along with other worldwide communities. Once again there has been no answer from Pinnacle.

So sorry Kurt. It appears Pinnacle do not give a toss about us here so should we give a toss about them?

Rant over

Regards from over the ditch

Keith

ps Oh and bye the way, did I mention the rugby score? What netball?

 

VE7AXO,

I searched high and low for a contact email but the closest I came was a place where I could ask a question about my order, which, of course didn't exist because they hadn't let me place one.

Your suggestion to buy from a reseller after 14 is released sounds like the best bet.

Thanks,

Kurt.

Skeeter, you can still download the trial version of 12, and you can upgrade too, but only to 14!

Man, this Version 14 had better be good! Not that I intend to buy it, but when a software company starts limiting customer choices instead of adding choices, they're taking an awful chance!

Time for a nice cup of tea and a bikkie.

Thanks,

Kurt.

Keith, don't mention the football mate, I'm depressed enough as it is!!

Sounds like Pinnacle has something against the southern hemisphere. Maybe jealous because you blokes came up with Lord of the Rings and their mob didn't.

I got a reply from a reseller in Sydney this morning. I'll probably bite the bullet and just get it from him. Bl00dy twice the cost, but then the thing I want it for, (Magic Bullet Looks), is over $400 Australian by itself from Red Giant! Dunno how that works, but apparently it's right.

Thanks for your input. I'll let the footy comments pass....since I know how much you blokes are still upset about the Blackcaps and India....   

Cheers,

Kurt.

the thing I want it for, (Magic Bullet Looks), is over $400 Australian by itself from Red Giant! Dunno how that works, but apparently it's right.

I guess you'd have to be sure that the bundled article is the same as the unbundled article - perhaps the Looks with Studio 14 is some kind of "Looks Lite" - I'd certainly be deeply suspicious...

Ozpeter:

the thing I want it for, (Magic Bullet Looks), is over $400 Australian by itself from Red Giant! Dunno how that works, but apparently it's right.

I guess you'd have to be sure that the bundled article is the same as the unbundled article - perhaps the Looks with Studio 14 is some kind of "Looks Lite" - I'd certainly be deeply suspicious...

perhaps the Looks with Studio 14 is some kind of "Looks Lite"

IMO - Correct.

Kurtain:

Skeeter, you can still download the trial version of 12, and you can upgrade too, but only to 14!

Man, this Version 14 had better be good! Not that I intend to buy it, but when a software company starts limiting customer choices instead of adding choices, they're taking an awful chance!

Time for a nice cup of tea and a bikkie.

Thanks,

Kurt.

Ah, I was refering to updates, which as you all know is not the same as upgrade.

The online treasure chest buttom is still working fine and well inside of Studio 12, and this is where one would change from trial to basic, or to ultimate through purchases.

Cheapest way would of course to obtain it over a third party, from an owner.

Yes, I know, it sounds a bit shonky, Ozpeter. But I can't find anything anywhere that actually mentions that. Not a hint that the bundled version is limited in any way.  Maybe it's some kind of reciprocal arrangement between Pinnacle and Red Giant. I don't know. And it seems impossible to find out.

All I know is that the "features" for Studio 12 Ultimate describe Magic Looks exactly the same as the Red Giant site does. If they're pulling a swifty, it's a lulu!

Cheers,

Kurt.

Skeeter, the other problem I have is that the computer that's running Studio 12 isn't connected to the net. Still, I might try the treasure chest button and see if it gives me guidelines for upgrading  to 12 Ultimate somehow.

Otherwise, yes, I'll be contacting my interstate reseller here in Aus today.

Cheers,

Kurt

Hi Kurt

In my experience this has happened each time a new version has come out. I missed out on jumping to Studio 10 (which may not have been a bad thing since 9 was working fine for me) and stayed with Studio 9 until uprading to Studio 12 ultimate two weeks before it disappeared off the Pinnacle website.

You can still get the Studio 12 ultimate upgrade from City Software (www.csw.com.au) although its a bit dearer than what I got it for from Pinnacle. I have used them in the past and they have always been reliable.

I'm guessing you may also find it from other online suppliers.

Not a Pinnacle link, but hopefully of help to you.

cheers

Ian

G'day, Ian,

Just did that yesterday. I've ordered from City Software and I'm sending a cheque today. Yes, dearer than a download from Pinnacle, but I haven't got a choice now, thanks to Pinnacle's peculiar retailing strategies.... makes me wonder if they're going to still be in business a year from now. You don't get rich by making your product hard to find! Granted, my order will actually net them more than if I had paid direct for the download, but that's a hell of a way to cultivate customer loyalty!

I only want it for Magic Bullet Looks, Pro Dad, and Boris Graffiti anyway. I'll be using those apps for particular processing of scenes, but I'll be using Adobe Premiere for full editing and authoring. 

Cheers,

Kurt. 

 ,,,,,,,,,,

Ozpeter, I found this tutorial which seems to suggest that Studio 12 Ultimate does indeed have the full working version of Magic Bullet Looks.

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/au/PinnacleLife/Content/Tutorials

Maybe I've missed some tiny disclaimer somewhere on the page, but I don't think so. It sure seems like the full version, with editing tools to tweak the presets. That's good enough for me!!!!!!! 

It's kind of funny really. I've used Pinnacle products for many years. Last week I spent a number of hours searching for where I could buy Studio 14 Upgrade with the 20 percent discount. Pinnacle was kind enough to send me this offer via email. Howerever when you click on the links, New Zealand does not exist. They know full well that I can't purchase it.  They might as well offered me a 70 percent discount. It would have cost them no more.

Anyway to cut a long story short I spent hours searching and found it's impossible to buy the product. However when doing a legitimate search for Studio 14, I found pirated versions are already circulating on the web. Imagine that Pinnacle. You won't allow your customers to buy a legitimate version and yet other unscrupulous people are offering it for $10.  Mmmmm,

 

Yes, it doesn't make sense, does it.

I've dealt with quite a number of internet retailers, but none of them have been quite so difficult to do business with. This is the kind of experience that makes one extremely curious to know just who runs the company. I mean, are they experienced at retail, or merely experienced at code-writing?

I guess that's probably a problem inherent in all internet software companies. What a software company really needs are both kinds of people. But one could be forgiven for thinking that Pinnacle, (or Avid), is staffed by good code-writers who just haven't got their selling act together yet.     

Bargee:

However when doing a legitimate search for Studio 14, I found pirated versions are already circulating on the web. 

Sorry, I don't think you can realistically use the words "legitimate" and "pirated" in the same sentence.

The Torrent Slimes have been touting downloads of S14 for quite a while now, so I don't think the versions are valid. Do a search for Studio 13, it's still available too !