Forced to Log in Every Couple Weeks; Constant Internet Access Required

Not planned
3

I'd like to know why SoundID requires me to log back in about once every two weeks. One log in after the initial installation to verify a license should be enough. It's absurd that software for calibrating audio would be programmed to need constant Internet access, which is why I have my firewall set to block it. As of right now, my ESET says there have been 739,504 connection attempts by Reference since it was installed. That's insane. Unless I'm downloading new profiles (which is also bizarre because they should just be part of the program), there's no reason for this software to need a connection. Even update releases can be checked through the website or by running the downloader program again. Why were these decisions made, and is there anything I can do to stop this from happening?

6 comments

Official comment
1

Hi,

Thanks for your post and comments, my apologies for missing this!

SoundID Reference does require an internet connection at all times, an offline mode is not available for it, this way we can verify the software license. With that said, it is possible to run SoundID Reference offline for up to 10 days, but after those days have passed, you would be required to sign-into your account and reactivate the license, for more details on that here: Can I use SoundID Reference offline?

If the connection is blocked in some way, then yes, we would not be able to verify the license and you might get logged out. I'm afraid offline mode is not currently planned for SoundID Reference, but we'll take your feedback into account. 

1

I am very relieved to find your question here Josh! I was logging in with a very similar query after considering an upgrade today. If I wanted to participate in a beta test or complete a survey of my own listening needs in order to give profitable metrics to a third party, I may consider doing so, but not without asking or seeing the benefit to my own worklow. On the other-hand, if I wanted to know about product updates and sales offers, there is email. So, to conclude with the question I sought to ask to Sonarworks - why do I have to login to SoundID? Can Sonarworks either remove the need or explicate the motive? It is difficult to be put in close company with a voyeur without knowing how to escape their company. Sincere question Sonarworks. PS. Let me know if this overcrowds your question Josh and will post elsewhere. All the best. 

2

Is anyone from Sonarworks gonna respond to this? SoundID logged me out while I was in the middle of working on some music, and because I didn't notice it, I spent a few hours screwing up the mixes of several songs. This needs to be fixed ASAP, and by "fixed", I don't mean make the program pop up so users are aware they've been logged out or something – I mean make it stop logging us out.

0

Question for Sonarworks: Would logging in once a week make it possible to use SoundID offline for a week at a time and also make it unnecessary to keep reactivating the license? (Does the mere act of logging in automatically cause the license to be verified?)  Thanks in advance for a response.

1

Thanks to all posters above. I'd like to add my vote for offline support. This is the only plugin of my many plugins that requires logging in to the internet, making it the single most annoying plugin I have, and next to useless since my pc is almost always offline on purpose - for reasons that are detailed in Josh's original post above. All of the other plugin manufacturers that I use manage to verify licenses offline - how about looking into how these guys are setting up their license verifications etc.?  

2

I agree. I’m working on a deadline and my internet service is down. It’s bad enough that I’m going to need to go somewhere to upload the mix. Now Sound ID reference is not working at all. This is a major problem for me. 

Please sign in to leave a comment.