Has the Update Service Expired?

browj2 wrote on 8/17/2017, 8:00 AM

Looking at the Magix.com site, there is no longer mention of the update service except if one clicks on small "i" in the circle beside a button that says "Upgrade" and clicks on the link "Learn more about the Update Service." And I received a message from Magix support about my MusicMaker that has expired, indicating that "...the concept of the Update Service will no be relevant in future."

So, does this mean that the trial was a failure and that we are going back to +/- annual releases? If so, then I hope that they at least keep the concept of not making a complete new installation as before, causing us to have to set up everything each time and copy in the various effects that were dropped from older versions.

Anyone have more insight into this?

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 8/17/2017, 3:41 PM

Hi John CB

. . . . Looking at the Magix.com site, there is no longer mention of the update service except if one clicks on small "i" in the circle beside a button that says "Upgrade" and clicks on the link "Learn more about the Update Service." . . . .

Where is this 'i' button on the magix.com website ? Either I am looking in the wrong place or I need new glasses 😬.

AFAICS there is no mention of any changes to the update service in the magazine.

Cheers

John EB

browj2 wrote on 8/17/2017, 4:12 PM

Hi John EB,

See the image below. Before, the Update Service was shown directly on the web pages, something like "with Update Service." Now nothing shows.

Judging from the reply from tech support, it looks like it is being dropped. My MusicMaker expired and I received no warning or messages to renew, so I asked. The reply was as I indicated.

I think that Magix has had trouble trying to figure all of this out. In particular, look at what happens with Premium versions and VPX; they come with third party software or other goodies. How do they offer these to existing users who are renewing, not purchasing. As happened with me, upon renewal of VPX, which was well after expiration, it was like purchasing a new version with new addons. Without these addons, and they have to be new ones, it is hard to justify the renewal price, which is already very (too) expensive for what you get.

There is another wrinkle, if you don't feel that the new features that have come out are worth the renewal price and you don't renew, waiting for better new features, you can't subsequently try them out as there is no new version. If you try to install the trial version, it will likely say that it is already installed. This came up on the Xara forum and Xara has not been able to respond. So one cannot try out new features after expiry of the one year period.

I think that there were just too many problems, and it was just too hard to keep coming up with sufficient new features every few months to justify the scheme.

John CB

emmrecs wrote on 8/18/2017, 3:44 AM

Hi John and John.

@browj2 I followed your route of accessing the main Magix site, selected a product, clicked the little "i" and a pop-up window opened which included a link to details about the update service. That link led here so either the web site is rather out of date or the information you received from support is somewhat wrong!

Whatever, like you I hope the Update Service in the form that it has been, i.e, periodic updates to any product, will continue without, as you say, the hassle of buying and installing a completely new version every year, with all its attendant potential problems.

Jeff

johnebaker wrote on 8/18/2017, 4:10 AM

Hi John CB

. . . . I received a message from Magix support about my MusicMaker that has expired, indicating that "...the concept of the Update Service will no be relevant in future." . . . .

Thanks for the info, as you can see above I thought you were referring to Music Maker, did not notice that you were posting in the VPX forum 🙁

I too get the same result as Jeff, the Update service page.

Cheers

John EB

browj2 wrote on 8/18/2017, 4:31 PM

Hi John EB and Jeff,

The link still goes to the Update Service page, but that is the only way to get there. Before, there was Update Service mentioned right on the screen, usually near the beginning, I believe, of every product that had the Update Service , for new purchases. Note that the small "i" is beside Upgrade, and not indicated anywhere for new purchases. I cannot see Update Service mentioned anywhere on the main screens for any of the products except as a footnote for Xara. So someone purchasing MEP, VPX or MusicMaker new will not see anything about Update Service, unless I missed it. This, plus what Magix said, is why it looks the Update Service is becoming extinct.

John CB

Larry98 wrote on 8/18/2017, 4:35 PM

On the packshits it still says Including Update Service, unlinke on the audio cleaning software where they removed the info weeks ago.

browj2 wrote on 8/18/2017, 4:39 PM

@Larry98

Do you see it mentioned anywhere on the website except for Xara? The packages would have been done a while back, so I would expect Update Service to still be on them.

I think that the Update Service for Audio & Music Lab Premium and Audio Cleaning Lab disappeared months ago. At least it did for me, and Magix mentioned to me that no upgrades were being planned.

Larry98 wrote on 8/18/2017, 4:54 PM

@browj2 Rescue your video tapes, photomanager deluxe and video pro x, got new packshots 1-3 ago and does still say update service, none of the new ones removed it.

browj2 wrote on 8/18/2017, 8:38 PM

@Larry98

"packshots?"

I just looked at Rescue... on Magix.com and I don't see any mention of Update Service, none for Video Pro X, none for Photomanager Deluxe, except when clicking on the small "i" beside Upgrade buttons.

Larry98 wrote on 8/18/2017, 10:26 PM

@Larry98

"packshots?"

I just looked at Rescue... on Magix.com and I don't see any mention of Update Service, none for Video Pro X, none for Photomanager Deluxe, except when clicking on the small "i" beside Upgrade buttons.

I didin't check how it is in your country, but here in germany (which is the standard location of magix) it is known as "Retten Sie Ihre Videokassetten" and got a new packshot around a month ago.

With packshot i mean the picture of the retail box

browj2 wrote on 8/19/2017, 6:27 AM

@Larry98

The boxed version was undoubtedly printed and sent out before. I am talking about the online website. Look at it in German. No Update Service is mentioned in German, is it?

Larry98 wrote on 8/19/2017, 6:36 AM

Yes, but i not think that they removed it from all programs. And as i said before they would update the packshots when they removed it like they did on audio cleaning lab

browj2 wrote on 9/13/2017, 12:30 PM

I just found out what Magix support meant about MusicMaker when they said that the Update Service would soon be irrelevant. A new MusicMaker or MusicMaker scheme was announced in German with details in the Magix Magazine, German version.

The new scheme is updates for life or for as long as Magix keeps providing content that they can sell. I presume that this means that Magix has decided that the current version (or the next one) is mature, with nothing much more to come in the way of development. This has been made obvious by adding in the Store and pushing content, which looks to be much more lucrative than the software itself.

However, it appears that the Update Service will continue in the video editors and Xara, at least for the time-being. The new version without a number/year is confusing with the old new version. New year, I guess that they will have a new, new, new version.