Is it 'Standalone' if plugins need random re-authorization?

How is my MPC X "standalone" if the plug-in I purchased from inMusic requires random re-authorization?

It isn't. Don't use those plugins if you don't like the situation.

polysci wrote:How is my MPC X "standalone" if the plug-in I purchased from inMusic requires random re-authorization?

It doesn't require random re-authorization, Akai have confirmed that in standalone mode it's designed to remain activated until you choose to log out. Beyond that, they say there is a bug relating to timezones which is causing activation problems. but this is apparently a bug, not by design.

Regardless, I'm not sure how a regular activation requirement stops your MPC being standalone. Standalone means it doesn't have to be connected to a computer in order to work. Your MPC X has wifi, so any activation is done wirelessly, so the MPC remains 'standalone'.

Either way, plugins are optional, not a requirement. You can just skip the plugins if you personally feel they are stopping your MPC being standalone.

In that sense, an iPhone is standalone. Well if you turn off the networking.

I agree with the OP, not wanting authorization crap. My guitars and synths are standalone. SP-404 mk II is standalone. It is a very good thing, and I'm not touching any of this authorization shit.

If you bring your hardware to a gig, you better hope that venue has stable WiFi and is willing to share their password. Especially if you are an iPhone user and can't fall back on tethering. Or avoid using these plug-ins in your set.

polysci wrote:If you bring your hardware to a gig, you better hope that venue has stable WiFi and is willing to share their password. Especially if you are an iPhone user and can't fall back on tethering. Or avoid using these plug-ins in your set.

Again, Akai have confirmed that in standalone, if you are logged in and activated, then your plugins stay activated unless you choose to log out. We've had the discussion already at some length and Akai's head product manager responded that they have not designed standalone MPCs to do this.

My standalone MPCs have not asked for reactivation in the current firmware (2.12), it only happened to me in the initial firmware versions that introduced the activation system. So for me at least, it now seems that the issue is no longer an issue. If people continue to have problems, then it becomes an issue again, but we now know that it's (allegedly) not by design and that they are/were aware of the bugs that were present at launch.

The fact is, lots of things can go wrong with any equipment in a live set, doesn't mean you shouldn't use them in a live set. there's also plenty of other outstanding bugs in an MPC, random crashes, MIDI issues etc, it's not stopping people using them.

2.12, never logged-out, re-authorization required.

I agree that if I'm alone in this issue persisting, nothing will be done. Hence my post. Am I alone?

If this was supposed to be a bug report, them please write it up like one, because it just sounded more like a rant about the concept of a standalone device needing online activation.

If you are seeing this, please try to think of anything that could be relevant so the issue can be investigated. Have you changed time zones? Did you install any other plugins just beforehand? Added/changed peripherals (usb, disks etc)? Akai are insisting it's not supposed to do this, so there's clearly something triggering it on some set ups.

You should also report this directly to them so they can work with you to resolve.

I didn't realize this conversation was already had. Sometimes you use the wrong keyword searches, and in any event, a user is always motivated most by their current challenge, not the earlier version response to it. Nevertheless, I should have searched more thoroughly. I'm new here, and I thought discussion was accepted, not just bug reports - I really don't think my language is contentious. Of course, I appreciate that step-by-step analysis & troubleshooting is more beneficial to the community. This post was started with the assumption/understanding that the issue was in fact "by design", and you are the first one telling me it is not. Tech support did not share that conclusion with me. Yes, I have tried timezones, etc, but as I said, this subject was intended to elicit the community perspective on whether - assuming it was by-design - the device could still be defined "standalone" if it needed internet connectivity to function with current 1st party purchases. I think it's an interesting conversation. Akai did not promise lifetime firmware updates or anything else beyond the item I purchased in early-2018. I am hoping to be like those 2023 producers who are still able to use their MPC 2000 XL so many years later, and of course no one expects Akai to be developing upgrades for a vintage device. These paid plug-ins are certainly optional. And at some point I fully expect that the limited RAM, for example, will mean that a 2017 MPC is no longer even supported for the latest plug-in drop. I accept that. Firmware updates - you hope they stick with the legacy product as long as possible, if required. But again, I expect the MPC X will be locked-in a certain calendar year at some point, and I have no debate about my "rights" into perpetuity or delusions about that inevitable reality. Whether or not that's sensible business (re: a 2017 device becoming difficult to use 6 years later when purcha$ing upgrades/add-ons from that same company) or not is another conversation. I personally think making standalone plug-ins available exclusively over WiFi to be a business mistake as well, especially if there are known wireless issues. But if this is a bug, as you say, and not by-design, then I seemed to have brought the wrong discussion to the wrong forum, so I'll drop it and stick to bug reports going forward.

No problem with discussions around here, plenty of that, and some. I was pointing out that the your premise of your post (that standalone MPCs require regular re-authorisation) has been confirmed by Akai to be a bug, not a feature. And yes, we have had a big debate about all issues around authorisations. For example:

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=214838
viewtopic.php?t=215673&p=1862287

It's a big deal with lots of ramifications, so it's very worthy of discussions. But as owner of this site I also have some responsibility to stop incorrect information getting spread, hence why I pointed out that standalone MPCs are not supposed to be randomly re-checking auths, as confirmed here by Akai:

viewtopic.php?p=1862315#p1862315

I personally think making standalone plug-ins available exclusively over WiFi to be a business mistake as well, especially if there are known wireless issues

There will always be reports of someone having a problem with wireless, most of the time this is a local network issue, I'm not aware of any widespread issues with wireless connectivity. USB-Ethernet adapters work well as an alternative.

If you are referring to the general concept of requiring 'internet' to activate plugins, then yes, there have been plenty of reported issues with Akai's activation or login server sometimes not responding, I've experienced this myself, although not with the most recent 2.12 and I've activated a few plugins with this firmware.

MPC-Tutor wrote:
Again, Akai have confirmed that in standalone, if you are logged in and activated, then your plugins stay activated unless you choose to log out. We've had the discussion already at some length and Akai's head product manager responded that they have not designed standalone MPCs to do this.

Here's the fun part: what they designed their machines to do and what their machines actually do are sometimes two completely different things. My machine "forgets" activation when I have wi-fi turned off and gives me a prompt to reactivate anywhere between a few days and a month afterward. I then have to sign in and go through the process again. This has happened close to twenty times since November of 2022 and almost cost me a high profile show had there not been wi-fi across the street from the venue.

polysci wrote:2.12, never logged-out, re-authorization required.

Exactly the issue I've been having for the better part of a year. Other people have mentioned the same thing happening to them.

Nutrisse wrote:[
Here's the fun part: what they designed their machines to do and what their machines actually do are sometimes two completely different things. My machine "forgets" activation when I have wi-fi turned off and gives me a prompt to reactivate anywhere between a few days and a month afterward. I then have to sign in and go through the process again. This has happened close to twenty times since November of 2022 and almost cost me a high profile show had there not been wi-fi across the street from the venue.

has it happened to you with the latest firmware, 2.12 (i.e. within the last 2-3 weeks)?

MPC-Tutor wrote:

Nutrisse wrote:[
Here's the fun part: what they designed their machines to do and what their machines actually do are sometimes two completely different things. My machine "forgets" activation when I have wi-fi turned off and gives me a prompt to reactivate anywhere between a few days and a month afterward. I then have to sign in and go through the process again. This has happened close to twenty times since November of 2022 and almost cost me a high profile show had there not been wi-fi across the street from the venue.

has it happened to you with the latest firmware, 2.12 (i.e. within the last 2-3 weeks)?

Yes, I'm on 2.12 and it happened last week. I'm now on 2.12.1, but I *highly* doubt it's fixed. I'm still seeing reported bugs from three years ago.