PSA: Plugin Visuals selling pirated soundsets

[binaryoblivion]

[MOD EDIT]
Links to suspicious sites removed
[/MOD EDIT]
I noticed today that [REMOVED] is selling one of my soundsets without permission. I haven't seen the site before, but it looks legit so I'm assuming someone impersonated me and created an affiliate account. Either that, or the entire site is a scam.

Pirating soundsets is one thing (and not a good thing either), but selling pirated soundsets is next level assholery.

Other sound designers: you may want to check that your products aren't being sold there without your knowledge.

Update: Also [REMOVED], which looks like it's run by the same people (very similar layout). Looking increasingly like a scam, and I'm guessing that everything in both stores is pirated.

Update #2: My soundset was removed from both sites within a couple of hours after I contacted them. No explanation, but at least the desired result was achieved.

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

Years ago i saw one of my old Sylenth1 sets offered by some weird site,but that makes me smile.
It's annoying but that's reality.
Work hard and hope somebody to appreciate it
Would be nice to keep this topic online when somebody find such sites to warn here.
Cheers

[HAL76]

That seems to happen often these days. I´ve seen comparable threats on etsy for example (E-Mu libs) or things like "5000 Diva Presets" on ebay.

And what is happening behind the language-wall is an other topic. Not funny.

I hope we´ll soon see completely new mechanisms to protect CRs of digital products and that those won´t be too disadvantageous.

[Bastiaan from Tone2.com]

Looks like it is all pirated releases. I noticed four Tone2 products available on there, PC versions only and each page has a warning not to use the developer's update mechanism to update your purchased copy!
So yeah, does seem to be a bit sketchy.

[thecontrolcentre]

I see they are selling Tone2 synths as well as presets. I've written to Marcus @ Tone2 about it.
(whoops. Didn't see Bastiaan's post before mine)

[binaryoblivion]

It's annoying but that's reality.

For sure, piracy something I learned to accept long ago. I issue DCMA takedown requests to Google when I see links to pirated versions of my stuff appearing near the top of search results, but I don't try to chase down individual offenders.

This one pissed me off though, because genuine customers could be easily fooled into giving these guys money. Their sites look so legit, and are appearing on page 1 of Google search results when you search for the name of one of my recent soundsets.

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

Yeah agree,it's amazing how these guys doesn't care about any rules or ethic.
From my point of view sound design is equally important to developing the synth,but sound sets has no protection like serial numbers or licensing system.
Some upgraded versions stop working with sound banks made with older versions like Sylenth1,but that's all.
Other like Synthmaster you could name your presets as author,but that's not a real protection.
Most synths just save presets and that's all.
If developers do not start to provide any kind of protection for sound designers,it's more enthusiasm,than a business
If a registered user of a synth could save a preset and lock it with password for example or if developers start to sell sound set with authorizing code or something else,will begin a new era of sound design,but for now is just a hobby like 'better do it for your self
That's the reality,don't like it but can't change it.
Cheers

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

it seems nobody care about protecting sound designer's work....

[bagpipe200]

Why would a developer bother to provide this extra functionality? Whats in it for them?

I can see from your point of view why you'd want this, but I can't see a developer taking on the extra work when there's no return for them. Unless they were also planning to sell additional presets banks of their own.

If developers do not start to provide any kind of protection for sound designers,it's more enthusiasm,than a business
If a registered user of a synth could save a preset and lock it with password for example or if developers start to sell sound set with authorizing code or something else,will begin a new era of sound design,but for now is just a hobby like 'better do it for your self
That's the reality,don't like it but can't change it.
Cheers

[thecontrolcentre]

If developers do not start to provide any kind of protection for sound designers,it's more enthusiasm,than a business
Cheers

Maybe you didn't notice but these pirates are selling vst synths too ... synths which have copy-protection built-in. Some people don't give a f**k about developers or copyright and that includes the twats who buy these pirated products.

[binaryoblivion]

If developers do not start to provide any kind of protection for sound designers,it's more enthusiasm,than a business

To be truly effective, a copy protection mechanism must be onerous for the customer (e.g. iLok). Everything else gets pirated in the end. For my software products I choose to employ only very basic copy protection.

Although sound design and plugin development is only a part-time income for me, I believe it's very possible to earn a good living from it, even without copy protection.

My only aim is to make it difficult for genuine customers to stumble on pirated versions of my products, so they are not tempted down the dark path. It is frustrating to see links to pirated copies of my software appearing in Google's search results. IMO domains that are repeat offenders should be permanently removed from search engines, rather than copyright holders having to issue takedown requests again and again.

[bagpipe200]

I feel your pain. In my pre-retirement life I was a software developer (not on any music related software).

I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to see your endless hours of design and development become available for free to any jackass with an internet connection!

If developers do not start to provide any kind of protection for sound designers,it's more enthusiasm,than a business

To be truly effective, a copy protection mechanism must be onerous for the customer (e.g. iLok). Everything else gets pirated in the end. For my software products I choose to employ only very basic copy protection.

My only aim is to make it difficult for genuine customers to stumble on pirated versions of my products, so they are not tempted down the dark path. It is frustrating to see links to pirated copies of my software appearing in Google's search results. IMO domains that are repeat offenders should be permanently removed from search engines, rather than copyright holders having to issue takedown requests again and again.

[wangeroge]

Ebay knows it and doesn't do anything about it, because they earn money from it.

[arkmabat]

People who sell patch banks: subtly misspell one word per bank sold and track whose is whose. The pirate will not notice until it is far too late. Let's make these pirates a little par@ni0d, yu n0?

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

Why would a developer bother to provide this extra functionality? Whats in it for them?

I can see from your point of view why you'd want this, but I can't see a developer taking on the extra work when there's no return for them. Unless they were also planning to sell additional presets banks of their own.

yep that's the bottom of the problem,nobody cares