Buying Digidesign hardware that doesn't include software ?

I'm in the market for Pro Tools, finally have to do it just because of the compatibility w/ my label mates . I've seen some cheap digidesign interfaces out there that say "Pro Tools software not included" . If that's the deal and they've already registered their stuff in their name will I even be able to acquire the software for free or will digidesign make me pay (I've seen them selling their upgrades in Sweetwater for $250) ?

Disclaimer : I know I'm late on the PT band wagon , but I've been a DP user since it was just Performer .

W. Steele wrote:will I even be able to acquire the software for free or will digidesign make me pay (I've seen them selling their upgrades in Sweetwater for $250)?

Yep, it looks like you'll have to pay for the software unless you and the seller do a transfer of ownership through digidesign.

Sorry to hear you have to resort to PT, DP is a much superior DAW.

dabmeister wrote:

W. Steele wrote:will I even be able to acquire the software for free or will digidesign make me pay (I've seen them selling their upgrades in Sweetwater for $250)?

Yep, it looks like you'll have to pay for the software unless you and the seller do a transfer of ownership through digidesign.

If they do a transfer of ownership they would have to provide software or he would still have to buy it.
The transfer is supposed to include both the hardware and software.
The ownsership is actually tied to the hardware and this allows you to be able to;
Register the hardware to your name
Get any of the free updates (cs versions) related to your version supplied with the hardware by the seller
Get upgrades at the cheaper price which Digi doesn't offer all the time

Also the version of PT you saw for $250 is not for LE, the LE version is $149.
All versions they sell are full installations so even if you buy the hardware without the software you can still just get the software to go with it.

If you really want to be cheap you can look into mPowered and a cheap interface.