I got the public beta notification for PluginUpdate last night just as I was going to bed, so I thought I would try it out first thing this morning. I downloaded and installed it without any problems. Note they have tried to make the password you need to use as secure as possible by requiring you need at least one of each character type, lower case letter, upper case letter, number & symbol.
Once installed you get a verification notification via email, and when confirmed you are good to go. There are still a few corners to smooth of like Progress bars whilst scanning and confirmation when Preferences settings have been saved but they are on the case. You can get it just to scan the folders that you have plug-ins in, so I disabled the scan in my VST and AU plug-in folders, nice touch.
I was amazed at the number of updates I need. After my scan I first thought it hadn’t read all my plug-ins and I was looking at the plug-in list rather actually what I was looking at, which was the list of plug-ins that need updating! It also showed me I had two copies of iZotope’s Nectar, that I had missed when checking for duplications in my DPM and AAX plug-in folders.
The next part of the process is to double click on a plug-in in the Update list and PluginUpdate“to look for updates on the web” as they say in the “How To instructions and this is my biggest disappointment. it takes you browser to the plug-in manufacturer’s home page. I was hoping it would take me to the download page at worst and the individual products download page at best. Currently I still need to hunt for the latest installer of that plug-in.
That said, as a public beta, it is a very smooth and simple app to use, Windows users you will get your public beta version very soon so sit tight.
Thanks to the guys to PluginUpdate for stepping up to the plate and developing this tool. Lets all help them make it even better. Watch the video review from Russ here
Update
on 2013-02-01 08:10 by Mike Thornton
I must admit I was wondering what the busines model for this app would be and reading on their site I have found the answer….
With the launch of the PluginUpdate Store later this year, PluginUpdate will offer an incredibly simple one-stop plugin shopping experience, with single-sign-on, software based integrated license and update management.
If they can get all the plug-in vendors to work with them this will be a really neat ‘one stop’ shop.
Update
on 2013-02-01 08:38 by Pro Tools Expert
Mike and I were looking at this independently, you can see my review above. However we seem to concur on all points.
- Don’t ask me to create such a complex password that I never use elsewhere and I will never remember, not even the CIA could crack it! Let me use whatever I like and then it’s my problem if it’s rubbish. Anyway it’s an App for checking my plug-ins are up to date not the link to the missile codes.
- Please make sure the links go to the right download page not just the vendor site.
Software developers note, there are 3 things to a great App; user experience, user experience, user experience.
That said, I’m thrilled they have done it and look forward to the final version.