Major Update Policy Change For Slysoft Products From January, 2009

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Major Update Policy Change For Slysoft Products From January, 2009

1gkar

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#28996 18-Dec-2008 17:23

If you have been considering purchasing a product like AnyDVD(HD) now may be a good time. From January next year, Slysoft will be charging an annual subscription for their products, instead of the free lifetime updates as of now. They state they will honour any software updates bought before the New Year.

Also, they have 20% off until New Year's Eve.

http://www.slysoft.com/en/purchase.html#products

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#185015 18-Dec-2008 17:59

The 20% off does not include upgrades though

Bad timing just when everyone is tight on money they go and force you to spend more

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1gkar

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#185023 18-Dec-2008 21:21

Nety: The 20% off does not include upgrades though

Bad timing just when everyone is tight on money they go and force you to spend more

I feel yer pain. I held off buying AnyDVD(HD) as it did not really add to my HTPC, apart from making it region free & I had ways around that. But next year I'll probably take the plunge into a Blu-ray drive.

Can you tell me if the supplied PowerDVD programme that comes with a Blu-ray drive is crippled to the extent you can't get SPDif? I read on AVSForum.com that the crippled version restricts audio to 2-channel. But quite often that does NOT preclude SPDif.

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#185030 18-Dec-2008 22:18

My understanding is that the bundled versions are crippled to 2 channel anything. My drive did not come with anything and I got Total media theatre as it intergrates with VMC very well which nothing else currently does.

I am going to have to break the news to the minister of finance and see if I can get purchasing approval to get the upgrade. The problem is right now I have no need for it even though we are watching blu rays. The only reason I can really see a need for it at this stage is if I want to bring in any US blurays that are region locked. Sure without it I would be stuffed for DVD playback as we have a range of region DVD's plus so many of them have those stupid "do not pirate" messages that you cant skip past. Even though of course any pirated movies have those removed anyway... well duh!!

But on the other hand I can't take the risk that something pops up that I find I really need the HD side for and then have to pay a annual fee for.

1gkar

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#185061 19-Dec-2008 07:09

Of course, the other main benefit is AnyDVDHD allows you to rip the unencrypted files to your hard drive for backup storage. And as I understand it, you can then use Handbrake for compression of the movie. Haven't done any research to verify this, though.

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#185062 19-Dec-2008 07:21

I buy DVDs. Not many now that I have an iTunes Store US account, but still buy some. If I wanted to make backup copies I would never "rip" but instead create an ISO. It uses a lot more space, no doubt, but preserves the original DVD...

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#185116 19-Dec-2008 11:48

The other good thing with AnyDVD HD is that it will turn off BD-Live on Blu-Ray which speeds up the load time. I make an ISO copy of my favourite Blu-Ray discs (and kids dvds) so that they can be played in the lounge or family room without the kids going anywhere near them!

IMHO I think the current purchase model of ANYDVD HD with lifetime support is a good investment.

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#185119 19-Dec-2008 12:14

"lifetime" is a bit of an oxymoron in this industry, but I have been a fan of Slysoft for years and have been running legit versions of their software since i found out about them. Having the apps prompt me every few weeks that there is an update available is just brilliant. get in quick if you can, this subscription model is going to be painful.

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#185191 19-Dec-2008 18:24

I now have AnyDVD HD

By the way also worth noting that with their license agreement you can install on more then one pc providing you are never using more then one copy at any one time (and the PC's are yours of course)

1gkar

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#186547 29-Dec-2008 17:43

Well, I went to purchase AnyDVD HD. Pressed the buy button & got one hell of a shock. I've never had experience with the Euro currency so fell over when it stated the cost was about NZ$154.05. No way can I justify that dollar amount, especially when you consider I still have to purchase both a BD drive & PowerDVD8 Ultra for playback plus any surcharges the bank will impose.

I'll be looking at other options -freeware- for ripping & transcoding Blu-ray to HDD. I don't use or condone using pirated software, but I am beginning to understand it: that amount for one piece of niche software is blatant theft IMV.

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#186656 30-Dec-2008 12:20

1gkar: ...that amount for one piece of niche software is blatant theft IMV.

One fitty for a very useful piece of software which promises life time updates (providing you by it before 1 Jan 2009)? What's theft about that? Just how much would you expect to pay for software like that?

I purchased AnyDVD HD a few months ago (albeit at a more favourable exchange rate) and have never looked back since. Not sure why you think their pricing is 'theft' given what it offers. Now downloading a pirated version...there's your definition of theft.

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#186671 30-Dec-2008 13:40

I understand where you are coming from 1gkar, it does seem like a lot of money for what it is However when you look at the big picture it is not so unreasonable.
It is not like most programs where the developers write the software, release a couple of patchs as they are found and the sit back bringing in the money. AnyDVD is very similar to antivirus software it constantly needs updates which = developer time, so cost.

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1gkar

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#186717 30-Dec-2008 18:51

Satch:
1gkar: ...that amount for one piece of niche software is blatant theft IMV.

One fitty for a very useful piece of software which promises life time updates (providing you by it before 1 Jan 2009)? What's theft about that?

I purchased AnyDVD HD a few months ago (albeit at a more favourable exchange rate) and have never looked back since. Not sure why you think their pricing is 'theft' given what it offers.

Satch: Now downloading a pirated version...there's your definition of theft.

A more than fair assessment. I was probably a bit overboard with my, 'blatant theft' statement. But it achieved its goal" reaction.

Just how much would you expect to pay for software like that?

You asked for it: in my view, for software of this nature, I would not pay more than NZ$100. A nice, round figure, but one I find acceptable. That's just me. Others, such as yourself find the cost as stated acceptable. I don't: simple.

Before anyone starts spouting piracy to any of these discussions, let's remember that ALL the paying software like AnyDVD, DVDFab 5, etc., as well as all the freeware apps, all are breaching the movie industries' supposed protected encryption algorithms -maybe? I'm not a lawyer. But logic dictates it is.

OKay, let's break down the package deal into areas of price viability:

1) -the region-free decoding. That is relatively simple to do yourself. Basically, depending on your PowerDVD player version -7.3 or 8 Ultra. But the ins & outs are here.

2) -restricting the DVD's spin-rate to make it quieter. That is usually free, in the form of Drivespeed, when you purchase a standard DVD drive. Admittently, it is less easier to configure, but not much.

3) -ripping the Blu-ray's file structure to HDD for ease of playback & protection of your purchased Blu-ray movies. DVDFab 5 trial package will do this. After the trial expires, the ripping app will continue to function.

The only thing missing: the programme being updated without having to download & reinstall it, occasionally.

I looked at DVDFab 5 & they went the annual sub approach in May, this year.

Personally, I would rather support the smaller, well supported programmes, by authors that are respected on the various forums than the corporates. Again, that's just me.

What am I going to with some of the money I have saved: one thing is something I should have done a while back: donate to Mediaportal!

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#186728 30-Dec-2008 19:13

You missed that it removes the prohibited user operations flag.. you know the stuff. That "ad" that tells you not to pirate the DVD/BD even though the only reason you are watching the "ad" it at all is because you are have NOT pirated the thing!! For me that is one of the big plus's with AnyDVD. Being able to skip past rubbish that should never have been forced on you in the first place.

AnyDVD HD has been updated 3 times this month so I would suggest it is updated more often then the majority of smaller apps. However annoyingly it does not update itself. You have to download the new version and install over the top.
Also one problem with the smaller apps is often they are supported by one person (whoever wrote it). If they loose interest or stop support for some other personal reason then the app often dies.

1gkar

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#186740 30-Dec-2008 20:51

Nety: You missed that it removes the prohibited user operations flag.. you know the stuff. That "ad" that tells you not to pirate the DVD/BD even though the only reason you are watching the "ad" it at all is because you are have NOT pirated the thing!! For me that is one of the big plus's with AnyDVD. Being able to skip past rubbish that should never have been forced on you in the first place.

AnyDVD HD has been updated 3 times this month so I would suggest it is updated more often then the majority of smaller apps. However annoyingly it does not update itself. You have to download the new version and install over the top.
Also one problem with the smaller apps is often they are supported by one person (whoever wrote it). If they loose interest or stop support for some other personal reason then the app often dies.

Thank you, nety. I knew I had missed one thing as I wrote the above post.

But as I tend to watch DVDs/nowBlu-rays -hopefully- from HDD the ripper will remove any PUOs.

1gkar

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#187301 4-Jan-2009 13:02

Went back to check on Slysoft's new pricing to find this:

"Extended Offer:
Based on tremendous customer response, SlySoft management has decided to extend both, the current 20% promotion and lifetime free updates, until Sunday, January 11 2009 to give everybody a chance to sneak a peak at 2009 prices and subscription fees for better comparison."

Yeah, right. Make a Tui billboard, that one

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