SmartSDR+ Feature Licensing

Trucker · October 29

Whenever you finally see a feature or features, that you want and are willing to pay for, you can subscribe and get the new feature or features, plus everything that has been released to that point. And, you will be able to get any additional new features, that may be released for one year from the date of purchase. If you decide to not subscribe again at the end of the year you paid for, everything will continue to work. And if at a later date something new comes along that you really want, you can subscribe again.

James

WD5GWY

Russ Ravella · October 29

Hi Ted,

In your scenario you keep the features you bought which includes everything new they produced before (while you weren't updating) and you don't lose them even if you don't sign up again after 1 year. You own everything you have at the purchase point forever. It amounts to a perpetual license with all the features at that point. And also includes those that are released for another year after that. It's not a subscription in the sense that you have to keep paying $199/yr to keep using the product.

Personally, I can not imagine why Flex would choose to call this a "subscription" since it doesn't involve the most unpopular aspect of most subscriptions - that you must continue to pay to use the product. They literally invoked all of this confusion and bad feeling by using that word - unnecessarily. Very strange.

I tried to describe this in a post on Oct 5 above, several posts back in this thread. If you want, please read that. I wrote it after talking to Eric (Flex Software VP) initially on another topic so I think it's correct (but don't hold Eric to that of course; my words).

Bottom line, you're just buying a perpetual license for whatever is in place at the time you pony up the $200. You only do that if what you're getting is worth $200 to you. If you do, you also get whatever Flex comes out with for a year after that at no additional cost. You never lose what you had at the end of that year. And bug fixes are always free to everyone forever whether they ever pay $200 or not. All of this unhappiness is really the result of Flex deciding to use the word "Subscription" in their description. It's like they didn't realize people HATE subscriptions ??

GL Russ KR6W

VE7ATJ_Don · October 29

Hi Ted… to your first question… as I understand it, if you take a pass for the next 5 years, then decide you want to 'opt in' to a new release due to the features included, then you only pay $199 and you get a) all the new features included in the release, plus the features released in the last 5 years. PLUS, b) you get a full year of upgrades. Once you purchase a release (and its year of upgrades), you get to keep all that funcationality — it will never expire.

If, after a year, another new release comes out, take a look at the functionality provided. If you want it, then you'll need to pay another $199, but if it doesn't interest you, give a pass like before. You will not lose any of the functionality already installed on the radio.

I'm not sure that a 'perpetual license' option was suggested at any point.

Mike-VA3MW · October 29

Thanks for all the input.

For the first 30 days after we release it, we will have the 1 year feature license on sale for $50 off. This is for SmartSDR+ or SmartSDR Early Access (you only need one of them).

Ted S · October 29

Mike, Don, Trucker, Russ,

Thanks for explaining that if you subscribe for a year, you retain all the features perpetually, I saw that in the original announcement after reading it carefully. From a business perspective it seems to create an incentive to hold off for a few years until a bunch of new features accumulate, at least for those who are not incented enough to always have the latest and greatest.

As a 6400 user looking at the 8400, knowing that I only get new features for a year, I feel incented to wait for a while until and see what comes out before I make the purchase. Two years of updates on a new purchase would go a long way to ease my "range anxiety". I am also very tempted to upgrade to a used 6600 rather than jump on the 8400, there just isn't enough new capability available yet on the 8000 to get me to make the jump.

Lastly, I will note that I use a tube amp (Drake L4B), when running on the low voltage position (1750 Plate V) with the Flex at 600W and on the low voltage setting, the 3rd and 5th order products are down 40+ dB. Not much benefit for APD in that scenario. The Flex exciter is amazingly clean for a 14VDC PA.

Ted, WR4T

Trucker · October 30

I think this will help a lot of people feel better.

https://youtu.be/9KiKGjABNQ0

John G3WGV · October 30

Good find James, thanks. More than ever I think that calling it a subscription conjures up entirely the wrong image and is largely responsible for the angst we see here and elsewhere. What is being proposed is not a subscription in the sense that, say, a subscription to Office 365 is. It is a feature or version upgrade package.

After hearing Hayley's presentation I am inclined to go for the early access pack.

Dan Trainor · October 30

You will notice, Flex is avoiding using the "subscription" word. They call it "feature licensing model" now. It is good that they listen to feedback. Now, if they would only change the licensing policy such that if you have 2 or more Flex Radios, you don't have to pay so much. Otherwise, I will start selling off my Flex Radios.

Mike-VA3MW · October 30

If you own two or more Flex Radios, now is the perfect time to upgrade to SmartSDR+ or SmartSDR+ Early Access. For a limited time—through the end of November—each license is $50 off per radio.

This special pricing was specifically created to help multi-radio owners take advantage of a reduced feature license cost, making it more affordable to get the latest SmartSDR features across all your radios.

Don’t wait—after November, this offer ends, and the standard pricing will return.

g4ivv · October 30

Hello Mike,

Just updated to 4.0.1 basic and very pleased to see SDC Contest is back and working nicely! Thank you and the Flex engineers for all the hard work to get this fixed.

I have a quick question re. SmartSDR+ vs Early Access, every new feature I have clicked on so far has a pop-up saying "Subscribe to SmartSDR+ Early Access to use this feature". Are there any features in SmartSDR+ (not early access) that are available now?

Edited to say: I found the info I had missed in the release notes, the following features are enabled immediately for SmartSDR+:

Relative Noise Floor Scaling
Enhanced Signal Clarity (ESC)

Thanks,
Jonathan G4IVV

Trucker · October 30

How is the noise reduction using just the basic version? The original noise reduction is supposed to have been reworked to improve it. I am curious if there is a noticeable improvement.

James

WD5GWY

Erik Carling EI4KF · October 30

In my environment NR is working well. It is about the same as in V3 which also worked well.

NB in 4.0.1 does not work at all. In V3 I could adjust it according to the band and conditions. It was never perfect but did help albeit with some fiddling.

With the low band season starting soon, I may downgrade to V3 to preserve receiver performance.

stevenab · October 30

I need some clarifying. I downloaded smart SDR 4.01. , I also purchased the subscription. New features show locked, I assume, in 30 days they will be unlocked? Now, what happens at a release that I can down before end of 12 months but the 30 days is after my subscription date? Just asking for a friend, ME!

KD0RC · October 31

Hi Steven, yes, they should unlock in 30 days after the Early Access folks get their shot at them. Not sure I understand the second question…

KD4UNX · October 31

New Flex owner here. I see people talking about $5000 radios, and I'm glad y'all can afford them. I was finally able to buy a used 6400 for $1400, and it took a lot to get WAF for even that.

I'm a Mac user, so all this talk about SmartSDR for Windows makes me wonder how this will affect me. Is the subscription being discussed here a sub for the radio firmware or is it for the Windows software? Will I be able to install the 4.x radio firmware on my radio? I understand that we have to wait to see how Marcus handles the subscription part of this. If he goes to a subscription model, I'm not sure what I'll do: I don't use any software that requires a subscription, and don't intend on starting today.

Also, while it does not and will not affect me (I have only 1 Flex radio, and will always ever have only 1) … as others have said, I would encourage Flex to reconsider the per-radio subscription here: It penalizes people who love the product and buy more than one.

Edited to add: Like Mark above (WS7M), I have the Flex because it is network-accessible. My Flex is in a closet, and the microphone isn't even connected to it. I never use it from the front panel, and only use it via Marcus's iOS and macOS apps.

KD0RC · October 31

The Windows SmartSDR software is free to load and use.

V4.0.1 Basic is free to load and use. It will work on any Flex 6000, 8000 or Aurora series radio.

V4.01+ is $150 until the end of November, then it goes up to $199. It is licensed per radio. This is a subscription only in the literal sense of the word. It is really a feature purchase with a 1 year grace period for new features. Once you purchase the feature, it stays with the radio forever. If you just want the base features, you don't have to buy the plus version.

Geoff AB6BT · October 31

Isn't V4.01+ $50? Early adopters is $150?

KD0RC · October 31

Hi Geoff, V4.01+ is $50 off, so $149 until the end of November. Early Access is also $50 off right now, so it is $249.

Geoff AB6BT · October 31

Hi Len…You ae correct. It must be a combination of dreaming and not enough coffee…

Arnold Goldman · October 31

do i have to buy a license for BOTH my PC and 8600M?? I understand i will have to buy a separate license for my older 6600M so it is TWO TOTAL ??

Geoff AB6BT · October 31

Just the radios need a license. It is the same as it was previously.

George Moranian · November 1

Looked around for an answer to this question but didn’t find it anywhere.

If I purchase the SmartSDR+ subscription at $199 then a day, week, month+ later I decide I want to go to SmartSDR Early Access, do I need to pay the full $299 or only $100 IE get credit for $199 I already paid.

George N1NAZ

stevenab · November 1

The real George, what happens if you upgrade 6 months later. Does it end with the original 1 year? I think the upgrade is the $100.

Andreas Duessler · November 21

Dear Flex-Team,

I have had many Flex-Radios so far - the final is still working here, it's a 6500 with all options. Many years you told the people that pre-distortion is coming....coming....coming! Well, it looks like you did it! Congratulations! But the bad in here - all people out there need a new radio - a 8xxx series or the expensive Aurora, correct?
At the same time you are launching an expensive subscription model - where people need to pay on a yearly basis for new features. Disappointing and no good way for HamRadio at all!

Anyway, new radios may also cost additional money - and new features is what most of us want.
But now please tell me: Why should I again trust in FlexRadio in getting anything new which has a value for me after I was waiting for pre-distortion years long? Finally not available in my existing technology!
Think about the many who own more than one expensive 6700!

Just btw, I do have pre-distortion since many years - this is nothing special. I have the ANAN-10, the ANAN-7000 (with Thetis) and even my Icom 7610 is doing this job!

Now back to the S/W subscription: Please release a clear road map with details what's planned in the upcoming 2 years. I may think it over and may trust in you again and pay the fee......who knows.

But as of now I just hear about some fancy noise reduction - is that all for 200,- USD/year? Certainly not.

I tell you what I decided to do: I will not buy any new FlexRadio as of now - and will not sign-up for the subscription model as long as I do not see clear benefits for me. If there aren't any I leave my radio on F/W 4 as it is.....just basic.
One final comment on the Aurora: Great idea, but why only 500W? I have a license for 1.500W and I am using most of my time never less. All bands - 1.500W - always. So what is the benefit of having a 500W (-4,8dB) radio on my desk? I do have several 200W radios which are always just driving one of my big amps ..... output of all of them is always just 5W. No heat, no noise in the shack.

May be one day you come out with a full desktop 1.500W radio which should be not a big deal (technology-wise). This is no rocket science - just 2 LDMOS do the job .....

Up to now I will save my money - sad to say. For remote operations I still feel my Flex 6500 is the best radio on the planet. I would probably invest further - just please bring what many people are looking for and asking for.

73,

Andy,

9A5EAT - W6EAT

SmartSDR+ Feature Licensing

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