Hi, Just downloaded and installed the new V-station 1.1. Loaded up an existing project with 6 instances of V-Station and went to open the control panel of one of them only to find a complete grey panel where the controls should be. I dont mean options or controls greyed out, I mean a complete grey rectangle panel where the V-Station controls should be.

I havent changed anything from 1.0-1.1 and I've even had to go back to 1.0 because of existing projects and that works fine.

I've emailed novation tech support but I dont know how long they will take to get back to me.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this with the 1.1?

Thanks

english

I upgraded V-Station yesterday from 1.0 to 1.1 and tried to test it in Chainer. It wouldn't run because 1.1 requires a new authorization code. Your 1.0 auth code won't work with 1.1 -- nasty, huh? So, I had to go to the Novation website and go through the challenge/response process again. You need to select the option that asks for an auth code for a new machine, even if you are still on the same machine. I called Novation tech support in the UK; but they were closed for the weekend. Fortunately, I was able to get in touch with their US support representative who gave me all of the above info and got me going -- otherwise, I would have been down the whole weekend. Hopefully, Novation will not count the new authorization code as a second machine authorization. But who knows, the process is pretty messed up and confusing, IMHO.

James

jamescalthoff wrote:

I upgraded V-Station yesterday from 1.0 to 1.1 and tried to test it in Chainer. It wouldn't run because 1.1 requires a new authorization code. ....

The front page article *did* say:

"Changes in v1.1: ...

* Security enhancements. "

I suspect it wasn't the security of your machine (fixing a buffer overflow that would allow someone to hack your DAW over the internet, for example) that they fixed.

Edit: from their site:

"Once the V-Station has been successfully installed a new unlocking code will need to be requested for the new machine ID that will be generated. Two installs of the V Station 1.1 are allowed for all registered V-Station owners. "

Doug

Well, I'm not a big fan of challenge/response either -- especially when the system has glitches. And, especially, when upgrading to a new bug-fix release requires going through the whole challenge/response process again!

Edit: Notice, though, that if you follow the link to the authorization dialog, you get only two choices: "new user" and "second machine". I think this could be improved/clarified.

James

2 instances only

I was set to buy it next week, now I will have a rethink as I will have a new computer in 2 months, so all my security used up. Charming.

It might be one of those deals where you get two auth codes automatically from the web site; but, you might be able to get more by explaining your computer upgrade situation to technical support in an email or phone call. I hope that's the case, anyway.

James

jamescalthoff wrote:

It might be one of those deals where you get two auth codes automatically from the web site; but, you might be able to get more by explaining your computer upgrade situation to technical support in an email or phone call. I hope that's the case, anyway. James

As much as I personally dislike C/R software*, the common view seems to be that no vendor will deny authorization to a legitimate customer, as long as it isn't abusive.

Obviously, if they only make provision for two automated authorizations then the third one will involve some kind of human intervention, possibly involving a long distance phone call.

* It's not uncommon for mainframe and mid-range server software authorization to be dependent on the processor ID. It's just "one more step" in a hardware upgrade. My one personal experience was with FLS 4.0, but they both explained a reasonable policy on granting authorizations, and removed it in 4.1. After watching some people struggle with various vendor C/R incarnations - for whatever reason - I just decided that Novation, Sampletank, Plugsound, NI, and etc just don't need my money.

Doug

Quote:

I just decided that Novation, Sampletank, Plugsound, NI, and etc just don't need my money.

Fun, i decided the same.
I want clean dll, ini file if needed, and thats about it.
Ohmforce idea is great imho, writting user's name on the plug gui.

Quote:

After watching some people struggle with various vendor C/R incarnations - for whatever reason - I just decided that Novation, Sampletank, Plugsound, NI, and etc just don't need my money.

I'm almost at that point, myself.

Fortunately, most of the NI stuff hasn't gone C/R -- yet, anyway.

James

Quote:

Fortunately, most of the NI stuff hasn't gone C/R -- yet, anyway.

But you have to (sometimes) insert cd, which is even worse...

I don't mind inserting the CD. I just rebuilt my secondary computer, again. This means I have to do challenge responce again on GigaStudio. Even Windows XP allows you to install again without problems after a few months. This is still the reason I have not yet picked up Atmosphere or Trilogy. If they used the CD check system I would have all three.

Robert

GigaStudio huh. Just make sure you have everything from the registration.txt file is EXACTLY the same as it was on the old machine or you will have to call them. Funny thing is that I had to call when I originally installed GigaStudio, and then again when I built a new system a couple of months ago. On my first installation I never got a reply via email and had to contact them to see what the problem was. Apparently that time it was a glitch in the system. The second time it was because I changed one thing in the registration information and the new info didn't match exactly with what they had on file.

Thanks for the warning about VStation. It wasn't on my wish list, but now it's on my "never gonna get it" list.

Back to the main topic of the thread, has anyone had issues with the control panel being a complete grey rectangle on the new vstation 1.1?

Im using it in cubase sx and when I open an existing project with 6 instances all of them are grey rectangles. If I open a new project and load 3+ the same thing happens. Loading just one instance is fine though. Totally wierd.

english

I just tried loading multiple instances in several hosts, including Cubase SX. Based on some quick testing, it looks to me like this: you can create multiple instances so long as -- after creating each instance -- you open up the V-Station UI before creating the next instance. If, however, you create several instances without opening up the UI after creating each one, you get the blank UI thing. Looks to me like a serious bug. I sure hope we don't have to go through the C/R thing again when this gets fixed -- which better be soon.

Edit: Actually, it looks like things are ok so long as you open up the V-Station UI after creating the first instance. Of course, you don't have much control over this if you are loading a project that already has instances in it.

James

Great, glad im not the only one this was affecting. Yes it is a serious problem. I cant use any of my existing projects that use VStation because of this anal bug (back to 1.0 for the time being). I hope Novations programmers are better than thier tech support. I have sent them several emails in the past and not had one reply.

english

I think its due to the security issue that V-station was updated so quickly.. they don't seem so eager to update the bugs in their hardware synths.
I finally got fed up of a lack of response regarding a k-station problem - they asked for midi files, sysex dumps etc.. which I happily supplied - then all I got was silence.. I just wanted to know if it was a bug or a problem with my unit.
After a month of unreplied emails I sold it.. and don't regret it for a second!
Additionally the original Bass-Station came out much later than promised when they took my money, Drum-Station clicked, Supernova 1 always had various problems and still does with latest OS.
No more Novation stuff for me!

I don't understand what companies hope to accomplish with all this C/R and fancier copy protection schemes. Lets face it, 99.9% of audio software gets cracked and released, V-Station included (I give it a few days for the groups to release a 1.1 update). All they succeed in doing is alienating the people that aren't pirating the software. I just don't see how that makes sense on any level...

floyd wrote:

I don't understand what companies hope to accomplish with all this C/R and fancier copy protection schemes. Lets face it, 99.9% of audio software gets cracked and released, V-Station included (I give it a few days for the groups to release a 1.1 update). All they succeed in doing is alienating the people that aren't pirating the software. I just don't see how that makes sense on any level...

Yup, FLS 4.0 beta C/R was cracked and put up on warez sites even before 4.0 final was released (which tells me that one of the beta testers let it out...) Meanwhile they antagonized some paying customers. That (IMHO) is why they scrapped C/R in 4.1. Unfortunately, warez is a fact of life, as I'm sure JMC, Rene, Tick, WilliamK & Peter can tell us.

But to the topic at hand, it's really sucky that the vendor of a big-ticket softsynth* apparently has such little regard for the buyers of their software (or hardware, based on what MikeAsh said). I once looked at a used KS-4 at a good price, I'm glad now that I didn't pursue it.

* I suspect that if Novation wasn't in the hardware business, the V-Station would have sold for a lot less.

Doug

I was told that the new authorisation codes were for v1.1 and beyond (so they won't change on further releases). The v1.1 codes are longer than v1 codes. I guess they had to beef up security since v1 was cracked?

It will be interesting to see if the 'security enhancements' were worthwhile...

As far as I know we're allowed 2 codes for 1.1 but I'm sure it would be possible to get more codes we asked?

Got this email from Novation tech support this morning...

"there will be a version 1.11 released later on today for the PC only (this is a PC version problem). This version will take care of this problem."

Nice to see fast support on the Novation software front (I only emailed them on saturday about the 1.1 gui bug)

Nice work Novation....there u go Ned, no reason not to get it now

english

Hi all,

the GUI problem spotted on Saturday has been rectified. This problem applied to the PC version of the V-Station 1.1 only. We have released V-Station 1.11 for PC users now. This is available from our website. This problem is not present in the Mac version hence the Mac version stays at V1.10.

Users who have registered a copy of the V-Station 1.0 with us can download the latest V-Station and install it on their computers. Once installed the unlocking window will appear and it will need a new unlocking code to open the V-Station. This can be obtained by filling in the authorisation re-request form from our website. All existing V1.0 users have automatically been given 2 extra unlocking codes to allow for this.

Users who downloaded, installed and authorised the V-Staiton 1.1 for PC over the weekend can now download the latest version and install this in their PCs. This will not prompt for a new unlocking code.

Best regards,

Nick Bookman
Novation.

And here it is

http://www.novationmusic.com/nov_route/docs/prods/vstation/vstation_1_ 1_download.htm

seems to be working fine now

english

Thanks Nick!!

Working here, too.

Good job, Novation!

James