Notification from Silhouette: Revision in Legacy Renewal Upgrade Policy
Upgrading Silhouette Studio: What You Need to Know
In the world of visual effects and rotoscoping, Silhouette Studio is a popular choice for many professionals. As the software continues to evolve, it's essential to understand the implications of upgrading to the latest versions.
Silhouette Studio's Latest Offerings
The most recent release, Silhouette v2021, came out in April 2021, introducing a Silhouette plugin, lens correction, movie file format support, advanced roto tools like brush reshape, collapse/distribute points, point groups, split shapes, roto review and approval, and weighted multi-frame. Previous updates, such as v2020 and v7, have also brought exciting features like sequence editing, enhanced planar tracker, magnetic reshape, high-resolution paint optimization, and support for OFX plugins.
Upgrade Policies
As of May 1, 2022, Silhouette upgrade pricing will apply only to the last two major release versions. This means that users of Silhouette v7 and older versions will need to consider their options carefully. The Boris FX Silhouette team encourages running only one version at a time to avoid issues.
Legacy Versions and Support
Silhouette v7 and older versions will be considered "end of life," but they will continue to function as usual provided the associated hardware and qualified operating system are operational. However, any manual transfers, replacements, or support inquiries for Silhouette v7 and older versions will require a current upgrade and support contract.
Upgrading Options
Upgrading from an older version such as v7 typically requires purchasing or downloading the latest Silhouette Studio version from Silhouette America’s official site. Beta versions exist for new features testing, but they are not officially supported and can be downgraded back to stable releases if needed.
Operating System Compatibility
For operating system compatibility, Silhouette recommends upgrading the OS if older software versions (such as v7) do not support the current OS, since legacy versions may only support older systems.
Customer Support
Customer support is available through Silhouette America, but it generally focuses on current versions and may have limited support for significantly older versions like v7.
Future Considerations
The upcoming Silhouette 2022 release will not qualify for upgrades for versions older than Silhouette v2020. This means that users of Silhouette v7 and older versions will need to consider their options carefully.
In summary, users of Silhouette v7 after May 2022 should consider upgrading to newer Silhouette Studio versions to benefit from updates and ongoing support, as official support and silent upgrade options for old versions like v7 are not emphasized or provided. Running beta versions is an option for testing but not recommended for production use.
For more information on floating license upgrade options or to download Silhouette for a test drive, visit the Boris FX Store. Contact sales for further assistance. The Boris FX Silhouette team consistently innovates and produces market-leading rotoscoping, paint, and VFX solutions with each release.
1. Technology advancements in Silhouette Studio are evident with the introduction of new features such as Silhouette plugins, lens correction, and advanced roto tools in Silhouette v2021.2. To stay updated with the latest technology in the visual effects and rotoscoping industry, users of Silhouette Studio may consider upgrading to newer versions such as Silhouette v2021 or later, especially after May 2022, to benefit from continuous updates and ongoing support.
