[Windows Software] Cubase

[googlemad]

So we've got a new IT suite to set up with a load of music packages one of which is Cubase

I've just noticed the Cubases come with USB dongles for licensing!!!

Does that mean they have to be plugged in to the PCs all the time?! And once in a PC, can they be transferred to another in the future if required?

[Theblacksheep]

Dongles.... your version must be too new!

[flyinghaggis]

Does that mean they have to be plugged in to the PCs all the time?! And once in a PC, can they be transferred to another in the future if required?

Fraid so It literally checks for the dongle everytime you run the program. In Cubase 5 the dongles need to be activated online with the key supplied in the box before using them (so don't throw this away!). I really wish Steinberg would make an online licence server as it's such a pain to have to go through activating each one individually. In addition to this, in the interests of security, we fit USB cards into the music PCs and install the dongles interally to make sure they don't go walkabout given they're effectively worth about £300 each!

Way too much work for one piece of software!

Dongles.... your version must be too new!

Every version of Cubase since SX 2.0 has had them AFAIK. I think some of the Cubase 'lite' versions don't use them though.

[teejay]

Yes, they have to be plugged in to use Cubase. If your PC's don't have an internal USB socket, get some USB extension cables and run them through a blanking plate into the pc, then secure with cable ties, hot glue etc etc. If you lose a dongle, you have to buy a replacement, so it's best to keep those wondering fingers away from them ;-)
Yes, you can move it to do different PC if you need to.

[john]

Fraid so It literally checks for the dongle everytime you run the program. In Cubase 5 the dongles need to be activated online with the key supplied in the box before using them (so don't throw this away!). I really wish Steinberg would make an online licence server as it's such a pain to have to go through activating each one individually. In addition to this, in the interests of security, we fit USB cards into the music PCs and install the dongles interally to make sure they don't go walkabout given they're effectively work about £300 each!

Way too much work for one piece of software!

Its still that way for the latest version of Cubase as well after talking to them last week about buying some upgrade copies There are ways around it but there not for discussion on here but I can assure you I have seen it done where you don't put the dongles in the PCs but you do have them still (locked away in a safe place!)

[Theblacksheep]

Every version of Cubase since SX 2.0 has had them AFAIK. I think some of the Cubase 'lite' versions don't use them though.

Yep, still on Cubase here.

[dhicks]

Does that mean they have to be plugged in to the PCs all the time?! And once in a PC, can they be transferred to another in the future if required?

You can transfer them between PCs, but you'll need to make sure the dongle driver is installed on the PC - best add it to your image, install routine, or whatever you use to install drivers.

This does mean pupils can use the software at home - they can borrow a dongle from the school to take home and use. If you have the logistics / organisation to carry it off (i.e. someone needs to keep track of what dongles are where) this might be useful.

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David Hicks

[flyinghaggis]

This does mean pupils can use the software at home - they can borrow a dongle from the school to take home and use. If you have the logistics / organisation to carry it off (i.e. someone needs to keep track of what dongles are where) this might be useful.

Theoretically they could but I suspect there'll be a clause in the legal T&C's whereby they're not allowed to install the software since they dont actually have a licence for it on their home PC. Maybe if you were to loan them a school laptop with Cubase installed this might be an option though.

[dhicks]

I suspect there'll be a clause in the legal T&C's whereby they're not allowed to install the software since they dont actually have a licence for it on their home PC

I thought the whole point was that the license was on the USB dongle? This would seem to be worth a check - I can't get hold of Steinburg support as I'm not the registered user, the music teacher is, and she's on holiday, can someone email them and ask? Sibelious are pretty understanding - they were willing to let their license server work over a VPN to pupils and staff when I asked, no reason Steinburg can't be sensible too. There does seem to be provision made for transfering your license if you want to sell Cubase second-hand, too (like there used to be with Flash back when it was a Macromedia product).

--
David Hicks

[googlemad]

Even if we have 'systems' in place round our place the dongles WILL go missing so internal mounting it is! I did wonder why they had sent multiple boxed copies of the software actually, considering everything these days is digital.

Would have been nice to have a network based utility like 3DS Max as another poster said, oh well!

[Cache]

We just drilled a small hole on one of the blanking plates at the back and fed a USB extension cable through and that worked quite well for the dongle.

[john]

We just drilled a small hole on one of the blanking plates at the back and fed a USB extension cable through and that worked quite well for the dongle.

Thats basically what has been done with ours, a USB cable fed into the chasis from the rear via a small holes in the case, and it works no-dongles missing since I started

[Sylv3r]

We have Cubase Essentials currently installed and have Cubase 5 to go on now.

Does anybody know if theres a preferred way to deactivate / uninstall the existing software before we install Cubase - i'd then like in the future to install Essentials on other PC's across the school.

Thanks

[Cache]

The licence is all held on the dongle and the dongles can be swapped between machines and the software runs ok providing the right licence is held on the dongle (as discovered when we had a faulty one and tested by swapping several over) so you should be fine just uninstalling the software and keeping the dongles labeled up so you know which licence is on which without faffing with the elicencer software to see whats on it.

[Arthur]

The stupid dongle is the main reason our school doesn't use Cubase any more. I really wish Steinberg would ditch these because they are more hassle than they are worth.

Luckily I don't have to deal with this issue because we now have a site license for Logic Studio.