How can Avid Studio be so good and yet so awful at the same time?

Downloaded and installed the trial after initial problems with Pando.

Works great and completed my first edit. Thought I'd start a new edit this morning, but why not upgrade first and see what extras I might get? - big mistake.

Paid for the upgrade and followed the instructions. Software informed me that it was upgraded. Followed the instructions to install the additional plug-ins. Didn't work. Link to install plugins just does nothing.

Now when I launch Avid Studio the fire up screen still says 'Trial Version'. It then says the trial period is over (it's not) and when I click OK it tells me I have successfully upgraded. Clicking the only button (OK), then tells me again that the trial period is over and that I have to upgrade to the full version of the product!

The software then closes.

I've been emailed with the unlock code, but sadly nowhere to put it, although I can certainly think of somewhere I'd like to stick it!

Read through the forums, and although many threads seem to start discussing the issue, I've found none that solve it. Found Pinnacles support portal, but unable to access it because I haven't been sent a customer support code!

So does any one have any suggestions to get this software installed, clean uninstalled or registered?

I don't usually take the upgrade path but I think this is the way it works.

If you have older Studio versions that you own and have registered then an upgrade version of new software can be purchased and downloaded.

Before installing, any trial software will need to be uninstalled.

When installing the 'upgrade', proof will be required of the Studio version that is being upgraded from in the form of the serial number for that version.

It doesn't appear to work that way David.

I've never used studio before and this machine is just a week or so old, so clear of previous versions.

Installed the trial - worked perfectly.

Followed the upgrade message at launch, and now it seems to have forgotten if it's a trial or an upgraded version!

Is there any way to insert the serial/unlock code?

Whats the procedure for removing all components for a clean install?

I've uninstalled once but it was still aware of the upgrade upon reinstallation. Still folded after launch though.

Is it my imagination, or is this whole Corel/Pinnacle/Avid arrangement very confusing when it comes to support and finding relevant info. Although I love the software, everything after that just seems to be a shambles. Am I missing something? Perhaps the common sense not to have purchased the full version?

What happened when you decided to unlock? And this is Avid Studio? Because I don't know where you would have downloaded that trial recently - AS was replaced by PS16 about 3 months ago.

The other problem mis that Avid no longer support the products,Corel/Pinnacle do, so I don't know where upgrading AS fits into that.

Did you get any sort of email?

Here's the download page: http://www.pinnaclesys.com/AvidStudiodownload/avid_download.htm

So what I thought was a very confusing branding arrangement, just got another level of confusing?

So I just paid to upgrade an obsolete piece of software.

Tell me you're winding me up!

The upgrade went through digital river, email receipt and all!

Sorry, I'm not winding you up. Did you get to that page via the Avid website? It needs to be removed.

Does the code look like a serial number - 5 blocks of 5 letters? Does the email contain details of an Avid account? If it does and you log in you should find your support code.

This is just amazing. If you look at the link above you can see the page is on the pinnacle website. Who is this owned by now? Corel or Avid?

Paid by credit card fortunately - so should get the cash back one way or other.

The credit card route might be easier in the long run, or I can try to escalate this for you.

Can you tell me how you navigated to that page so I can report this? Or was it via an external link? The website was ported over a week or so ago and it looks like the page went over, but there should be no way to reach it via an internal website link.

It's probably best that you don't continue to try to activate the software -S16 is in virtually every respect an improvement on AS so you would be wasting money.

If you search Google for 'avid studio download' without quotes the page is in pole position!

I've just uninstalled Avid Studio. Will download and install S16. Wonder if the Avid unlock code will work?

I'll report this and hopefully the page will be disabled. I doubt if the code will work as the money went to Avid, not Pinnacle!

Let me know how yopu get on.

Actually it looks like the cash went to Pinnacle!

Does that mean the code did work? I've reported the page.

When I did a google search there are loads of 3rd party places to download AS from, so perhaps the upgrade option ought to work.

Code doesn't work, but publisher is still shown as Avid!

Still downloading the content packs.

That's an entire day lost because Corel/Pinnacle failed to put a redirect on an outdated download page for an obsolete product.

When you load it, check the version. If it is 16.00.00.75, then there is a patch which will change the branding.

Cheers Jeff. I just checked, and luckily it is that version.

Just imported the edit I finished yesterday and with a few minor exceptions, all looks good. At least I don't have another learning curve - not that I've really done more than scratch the surface.

Crusty,

I just sent you an email regarding this.  Can you take a look and reply when you have time?