Vegas+DVD -- Product Activation?

[TwistedLincoln]

Sony's website says that "Most of our current applications do not require an activation code when installed from CD" -- does anyone know if their Vegas+DVD software suite uses activation when your purchase the retail version?

I am very interested in purchasing this, but I sell computers for a living and end up replacing my computer every six months or so, so activation would be unacceptable. I have no intentions of making unauthorized copies, or installing it on more than one machine at a time, but I should be able to re-install it on replacement machines as many times as I like, without having to ask for permission first...

Can anyone confirm or deny the existence of product activation in the retail box version of Vegas+DVD?

[Cornucopia]

Confirm. It has a serial# on the disc, but it still calls home.

Scott

[TwistedLincoln]

Ick. Any suggestions on a different program with similar functionality that does not have activation? It looks like Premiere Pro has activation as well, as do the various products by Avid...

[Cornucopia]

In the past, AVID had hardware dongles (1st MacSerial/PCParallel, then USBKey). Unless they've changed in the last 6 months, they still do. There are MANY production houses that have AVIDs which specifically are standalones as well as those which are connected to an intranet but not the Internet.

Call up the Vegas people, explain your circumstances, and see if they have a non-activation version...

Scott

[edDV]

Ick. Any suggestions on a different program with similar functionality that does not have activation? It looks like Premiere Pro has activation as well, as do the various products by Avid...

Why is it such a big deal to call them when you want to change machines?

This is common practice with professional software.

[guns1inger]

The process for Vegas is basically a registration and a serial number. You can do this online, or you can generate a html file that you can use on another PC to get a serial. This means you do not have to have the PC you install it on connected to a network.

[slacker]

I did not have to register Vegas+DVD 6.0 after installation. Since you need to register in order to take advantage of the Platinum Service Plan I CHOSE to register online a week or two after installation to debug an audio plug-in issue.

[TwistedLincoln]

Thanks for the help! Hardware dongles would be perfectly acceptable -- as I said, I want to do things legally, I just don't want to have to rely on an activation process to use my $600+ software...

I'll call up Sony and see if I can get a firm answer from them on the issue, and post my results here.