Steinberg HALion 6 & HALion Sonic 3

[aMUSEd]

Yes it's wonderful, I have just paid them £80 for the privilege of disabling Hypersonic 2.

[Astralp]

Yes it's wonderful, I have just paid them £80 for the privilege of disabling Hypersonic 2.

I've yet to upgrade, but wouldn't it just be replaced with v3 in old projects?

Incidentally I'd love to hear some feedback on how easily 3rd party products can be installed, that is what I am most interested in from a developer point of view

[chk071]

Given that (surely) they were aware of the significant number of their users still on win7

Well, that's an assumption now, isn't it? Steinberg will know, as, with every support request, they also get info about the used OS (It's a requirement to state that for every support request).

[lfm]

But all vendors are not so good in making demos - it could be that, product is better than demos suggest.

+1

Whose gonna buy a product just from viewing a product vid ?

Testing out the demo is what it is about.

Not buying solely on video, but the taster video must taste good - or you won't think further about it either. I was completely unimpressed by vids, as far as sounds go.

But Cakewalks videos are usually crap as well, but products are good, so hard to tell.

Just figured to crossgrade my Kontakt I haven't used in 5 years and get something for that money at least. But being so out of touch and dropping W7 already, seems odd.

It's three years since MS dropped XP, but I still have mine going writing this. So hope W7 will work at least another 5-7 years with vendor supporting it, even if MS drop it. I mean I've huge amount of issues with the windows updates as such, much more than with viruses - so wonder what that is about if not just selling new licenses. Seems MS is more than desperate nowadays loosing so much off to iOS and Android stuff, not even all banks bother to make apps for Windows Phone. I see product placements in almost every series I watch on DVD-series I buy. So sadly W7 might be dropped much sooner to cash in on people forced to upgrade.

Something fishy is going on that MS still can't build safe OS after all these years, so you need to have constant updates. I never used anti-virus software either - and once 10 years ago I downloaded something free that was infected. That is once since 1984 - a virus problem. Last fall I spent 3 days getting two computers to have windows updates work - having to download separately the windows update program, many different versions since it did not find it's way to update at all - just stood there checking for updates that never finished. Similar things when my last updates on XP was to be made, when MS dropped it.

OK, I feel better now venting a bit....

[aMUSEd]

Yes it's wonderful, I have just paid them £80 for the privilege of disabling Hypersonic 2.

I've yet to upgrade, but wouldn't it just be replaced with v3 in old projects?

Not Hypersonic 2 - different thing

[Astralp]

Yes it's wonderful, I have just paid them £80 for the privilege of disabling Hypersonic 2.

I've yet to upgrade, but wouldn't it just be replaced with v3 in old projects?

Not Hypersonic 2 - different thing

ahhhh I see, it must be a mistake I imagine...

Well I've gone for it, praying it will make installing 3rd party libraries easier

[zvenx]

@aMUSed, you do have the latest e-licenser software right?
thanks
rsp

[BassMasterK]

If Steinberg had announced prior - as they did with the switch to 64bit, and the last few Mac OS iterations - that they were phasing out win7 with their upcoming software releases, then fair play to them. But they didn't.

Ok, i'll bite. Why would that have been fair, and why is this unfair now? You either buy, or you don't. They're not obliged to support every OS with one of their standalone software products. If people who use Windows 7 don't buy this, then that's all that there is about it really.

Be happy that you don't use a Mac, man. At least Windows 8 is supported...

Because some people purchased an upgrade to Halion 5 to take advantage of the grace period to upgrade to Halion 6 for free. They made it clear that they were only supporting 64 bit OS months ago. They made absolutely no mention that they were going to not support the OS with the largest user base in existance. The same OS they just released Cubase 9 with support for.

I get that a lot of people, particularly hobbiests don't mind jumping onto the latest great thing and then sort out the headaches later. Those of us who have been around a while know how invaluable a rock solid system that has no issues with any of your gear is. I specifically chose not to upgrade to Win 10 for free because my system works so well. I don't need the headache. The OS will be around at least 3 more years and I'm guessing more because like XP (which MS said repeatedly they were dropping support only to extend it because of how solid it was and the huge user base), it work amazingly well. So for Steinberg to just quietly say "Oh by the way we decided we aren't supporting this" on the day of release is pretty weak. At least they say they are reconsidering. My system and programs should be able to handle Win 10 but honestly the idea of dealing with an OS upgrade and configuration in the middle of several projects is so unappealing and has such a high potential for epic problems I just don't want to do it. I feel sorry for the people who have systems with gear that can't take the upgrade.

[chk071]

As we're already guessing, and assuming, i guess that the least of Halion 6 buyers really took knowingly advantage of the grace period thing. Also, i guess you missed it, but a user already reported that Halion 6 is working under Windows 7. Guess you missed also that i stated that Netmarketshare and Statista reported that Windows 10 is the most used OS now, and Windows 7 is going south, so i don't know why you talk about the "OS with the largest user base in existance".

[vespesian]

Given that (surely) they were aware of the significant number of their users still on win7

Well, that's an assumption now, isn't it? Steinberg will know, as, with every support request, they also get info about the used OS (It's a requirement to state that for every support request).

Surely Steinberg, as a software company, uses metrics far beyond those collated within support requests (e.g., how would they plan new products?). Again - they saw fit to inform users of the 32bit support extinction months ahead of time. The same with numerous MAC compatibility issues...well ahead of time. Mystifying as to why they could not have done exactly the same thing re win7 support in this instance.

[chk071]

Given that (surely) they were aware of the significant number of their users still on win7

Well, that's an assumption now, isn't it? Steinberg will know, as, with every support request, they also get info about the used OS (It's a requirement to state that for every support request).

Surely Steinberg, as a software company, uses metrics far beyond those collated within support requests (e.g., how would they plan new products?). Again - they saw fit to inform users of the 32bit support extinction months ahead of time. The same with numerous MAC compatibility issues...well ahead of time. Mystifying as to why they could not have done exactly the same thing re win7 support in this instance.

Fair point. Maybe they will change their mind, and support Windows 7, at least, if enough customers show that they would like to see Halion for Windows 7. With Halion, maybe they didn't expect as much of an interest as for Cubase, hence didn't feel the need to support, and work with, an older OS.

[aMUSEd]

@aMUSed, you do have the latest e-licenser software right?
thanks
rsp

Actually I see they have just updated it - fingers crossed

[vespesian]

Given that (surely) they were aware of the significant number of their users still on win7

Well, that's an assumption now, isn't it? Steinberg will know, as, with every support request, they also get info about the used OS (It's a requirement to state that for every support request).

Surely Steinberg, as a software company, uses metrics far beyond those collated within support requests (e.g., how would they plan new products?). Again - they saw fit to inform users of the 32bit support extinction months ahead of time. The same with numerous MAC compatibility issues...well ahead of time. Mystifying as to why they could not have done exactly the same thing re win7 support in this instance.

Fair point. Maybe they will change their mind, and support Windows 7, at least, if enough customers show that they would like to see Halion for Windows 7. With Halion, maybe they didn't expect as much of an interest as for Cubase, hence didn't feel the need to support, and work with, an older OS.

My theory is that there has been a deranged, lone-wolf product manager on the loose for some time at Steinberg HQ. You know, the one who, until recently, insisted using installers that didn't install, and included those extraordinarily irritating edge tabs in Cubase 8-8.5 for no apparent reason? Kidding. Sort of.

[PAK]

I have none of that

Of course you do. Updates are not optional on Windows 10. That's part of the deal. Unless Stockholm Syndrome is confusing you that the ability to "schedule updates" means the same thing as having full control, which you most certainly do not have. After a certain point they MUST be performed. Schedule them, or it will do it for you.

Sometimes it will update and reboot regardless of what you tell it. This is part of the "random fun" of Windows 10 - an OS which knows better than its users.

Forced configs? Spybot Anti-Beacon if you will. Forced drivers? There's an option to disable that.

You initially said "nope" about forced configs, then edited your response

I can only assume you go with the stock config and haven't tried to change a whole lot. It's also not helped by the schizophrenic nature of the change over between the Windows 7 control panel, with its configuration settings, and the Windows 10 settings panel, where ones settings may conflict with the others.

Also, be very careful with stuff like that Spybot app. In typical fashion Microsoft can invalidate the install license (forcing a reinstall) if you tell it to switch off the Telemetry data. Because only Corporate licenses have that right, remember?

As for disabling anything, drivers or otherwise, it's also part of that "random fun" thing where it tends to do what it wants. If you haven't been part of the reboot lottery then be patient and perhaps you too will get a losing ticket

BTW - Group Policy Editor is usually the best bet, in terms of making settings stick. Registry settings are more iffy in the age of Windows 10.

Performance hits? I see none with Reaper. In fact W10 over here performs better than W7 ever did. So I'm happy.

Like I said, even Steinberg's own testing acknowledges issues with reduced audio performance, so it's not just "IMO" that Windows 10 can, and does, perform worse under various scenarios. In your own case your words suggest you may have had a configuration issue with 7. Windows 10 adding even more background processes, and giving you even less control, is not going to help audio performance, even if those background processes are "mostly" idle Audio users are not Microsoft's focus, and never will be.

As for Windows 10 Pro, it's "pro" in name only. You're using a consumer version. Naturally, Corporate clients aren't expected to put up with the same BS. Whether it's more freedom about if, when, and what is updated, or proper opt outs for telemetry user data slurping.

Windows 10 was a free update. If nothing was sold then YOU are the product. If it can't sell you services, it's going to slurp your user data and make money from that. Because, if Google do it, why shouldn't they? Plus, to be more like that cool kid Apple, maybe they should adopt an "our way or the highway" attitude towards consumers too?

In searching for a direction, they've decided to adopt the worst elements of their competitors to try to survive in the consumer space. Unforunately, audio users are also lumped into this group. But, even if they stopped the nasty telemetry nonsense, I still think Win 10 has become a buggy piece of junk thanks to the rapid update nonsense, and I know of far too many instances where it's somehow managed to corrupt its own install.

But, if it works for other people, great. Just maybe don't count on it lasting

[chk071]

I have none of that

Of course you do. Updates are not optional on Windows 10. That's part of the deal. Unless Stockholm Syndrome is confusing you that the ability to "schedule updates" means the same thing as having full control, which you most certainly do not have. After a certain point they MUST be performed. Schedule them, or it will do it for you.

To my knowledge, the Pro version of Windows 10, which ED talked about, indeed gives you the option to control updates. See here also: http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to- ... g-updates/

But, hey, going deeply offtopic here, are we?