Initial take plus some questions on Cakewalk's new Command Center

First off, I think its a great idea. A bit like having steam for audio applications.
 
I'll just go straight to a bullet list to make it short...
 
++ Great Potential
++ Downloader appears robust - works on my 3G with poor line quality where browsers fail to finish downloading anything.
++ Nice UI design
++ Allows downloading and installation of just the parts you want (very helpful on poor or metered internet connections)
++ Presumably can fix a corrupted installation without blanket downloading everything?
o+ could be made to work as a support tool also. (telemetry)
oo it doesn't recognize or allow me to enter the serial for the better (than the included) version of Melodyne I have.
oo Sonar help and tutorials are all lumped into a 1GB download. Can't look at anything without doing the entire thing.
o- I don't see any of the video tutorials we're getting with the membership?

o- only shows the list of 'what's new' videos while its installing something? How about having that option at all times?
o- it seems to re-scan my entire system after every little component I install. And that's slooow on a very fast machine...
-- it doesn't recognize any tutorial videos I purchased from Cakewalk.
-- it doesn't recognize that I own ZT3A+ 2 and wants to install only version 1. That's annoying and failing its purpose.
-- it doesn't offer to install my ZT3A patch packs
-- Music Creator 6 Touch, which I just purchased for my daughter is also not available in the Command Center.
 
 
 
There are potential drawbacks, like possibly unhinging the doctrine of first sale (like Steam does), depending on Cakewalk's legal implementation, which I didn't check. With Cakewalk, its not actually an issue for me personally, as it would be with games or some software that ends up not really working for me. Still, principles should matter.
 
Also, kudos to Cakewalk customer service for managing to add a truck load of my old cakewalk software to my account. I never asked about that nor provided any info, they just found and linked it all together on their own  :)  Well, my ~1989 Cakewalk 1.0 isn't there, but I never expected as much old stuff to show as it does now!  If I ever stumble over an old Cakewalk 1.0 backup, I probably won't know how to use it anymore...
 
 
Is there still a way to have a disc mailed to locations where multi Gigabyte downloads are prohibitively expensive?

n13L5
 
-- it doesn't recognize that I own ZT3A+ 2 and wants to install only version 1. That's annoying and failing its purpose.

I too have Z3TA+2, and think it would be nice if the installer would recognize this and not install the older version.
But then again...the CC "Connected Products" only recognizes the stuff from Platinum release forward, and Z3TA+2 is listed in the "Other Products" section, and has to be installed separately using our serial and activation #s.
 
I suppose it doesn't hurt to have both installed...I've never had a problem with it.
 
Edited to add:
 
If a person is upgrading from X3, you already have all of the "Platinum Instrument Collection" and can choose not to install those if you just install one section at a time.
 

I think I read somewhere that people were saying that it's better to install everything thru the CC so that everything will be up to date.  But yeah, hopefully in a later release of CC it will recognize the stuff we already have.
 
I don't know of any updates to the instruments...but there might be.  I just haven't heard of any.

Go to cakewalk's official youtube channel. I just counted 15 getting started videos for the "New sonar". If you are not sure which one, they were all uploaded 1 week ago.

Just noticed another issue:
 
After installing I went to start Sonar Platinum from the Launcher, which brought a popup saying "Sonar is running in Demo mode" with a "click here" area (presumably to deal with the issue)
 
I click there, and it pops up
http://www.cakewalk.com/E...h=/Activate-Membership

Page Not Found

It looks like the page you were looking for no longer exists, we couldn't find it or you are just extremely lost. That's OK it happens to us all the time. Here are some popular destinations to help you along your travels."
 
 
I had the erroneous idea that being logged into both the website and the Command Center would automagically take care of activation.
 
Beyond that, I can't find any menu choice in Sonar to stick my serial number...

n13L5
I prefer local videos I can repeat without using up additional bandwidth

then use a video downloader and save them locally :-)

could it be that command center is uninstalling things not covered by a current membership?
maybe there could be some extra confirmation dialog before cc does its thing/makes changes?

aidanodr
I installed all of Platinum, the extras, Addictive Drums, Melodyne manually. I did this by downloading the install files from my cakewalk account online. I wanted to do this because I install my audio apps in their own folder - not in program files. The Command Center seems to default installs to Program Files folder.

can it not be changed by using an advanced install option?

Interestingly I notice in command center after my manual installs the only item with a green light icon is Platinum itself. All other items have a red light icon and still offer install option over on right under Trial Product ... even though I have the full version item installed.
 
I suppose command center is not picking up installs if done manually? Though it does pick up Platinum itself as being installed.

i think it might be useful to understand what cc is checking (registry key? online account? windows installed programs list?) in order to decide what you have, or don't have, installed... maybe this first release/version is only looking for the latest cakewalk software, and in future will also be aware of older/other stuff... /2c

I've wondered about the logistics of this myself, meaning Sonar CC recognizing that the user owns Z3TA+ II. I've always seen the upgrade from Classic a bit dubious anyway, it just complicates things. I'm of the opinion that Z3TA+ II should be standard inclusion in Sonar, and thus none of these problems would exist.

Am I missing something or do you have to install EACH piece one by one? Is there no way to select xxx and then walk away?  I'm sitting here clicking and install, clicking and install, etc.
 
I DO like the ability to pick an choose, but seems like it could be a little more automated.

aidanodr
TBH - I still prefer to login to my Cakewalk account, download the software I want, have the install programs on my USB drive If I ever need them again. 
 
In this case I didnt bother with Dimension or Rapture.
 

Same here except I downloaded all from my account and installed Palt from the CC. I also like to have the uninstalled apps local.

So, its 9 months later (I was traveling) and I found a command center update upon return!
 
Time to wake up this thread  ;-)  I have a hard time seeing what was updated and I couldn't find one of those nice descriptions they have for every cool thing they add to Sonar itself.
 
I did notice one positive:  If you installed just individual components, it previously became impossible to install "the rest" in one shot, you'd have to now go through every single thing manually.  That seems to have been fixed.
 
I mean Command Center is not horrible, but its a far cry from what I'd label "command center". I'd demote it to "downloader" or "updater" ...downdater?
 
The key item of cool would be the ability to bring back FX plugins and instruments from former Sonar incarnations you own.
 
 

cityrat
Am I missing something or do you have to install EACH piece one by one? Is there no way to select xxx and then walk away?  I'm sitting here clicking and install, clicking and install, etc.
 
I DO like the ability to pick an choose, but seems like it could be a little more automated.

Some good old check boxes would do wonders and be more clear than the glowing color blotches used...!
There's' always that point where artsy design starts to impede function...

I have an open problem, CWBRN-41028, that I opened on 11/19 for a problem with the CCC.  I had an error with Sonar and had to reinstall it.  The CCC would not let me reinstall the current version (Jamaica Plain) that I had installed.  I install an older version, which allowed Sonar Platinum to work, but the CCC was still showing the Jamaica Plain version as installed and wouldn't let me upgrade to the current (Jamaica Plain) version.   Through frustration, I uninstalled the CCC and reinstalled but the uninstall did not delete registry entries so I was back to the same condition. Finally, after uninstalling with Revo Uninstaller Pro, which also allows deleting registry entries, I was able to reinstall CCC.  But I then had to reinstall everything to make the CCC "happy".   I found out later I could have downloaded the latest version direct from Cakewalk downloads and bypass the CCC, but the whole purpose with the CCC is to have one download point.
 
FWIW, the CCC problem opened on 11/19 has never been responded to.

Command Center keeps closing for me in windows 10 when i try to download anything.