Notification: Revised Silhouette Legacy Renewal Terms and Conditions
In a recent update, Silhouette America has announced changes to their upgrade policy for older versions of their popular software, specifically for Silhouette v6 and older. Here's a breakdown of the key points to help you navigate the changes.
As of March 31, 2021, with the release of Silhouette 2021 (v9), software updates will primarily focus on bug fixes and improvements for current versions. There is no explicit mention of upgrade paths for versions as old as v6 or before. This suggests that users of older versions may need to purchase a new license or upgrade through official channels rather than having a free upgrade path to Silhouette 2021 (v9) offered after its release date.
For those running legacy versions that are not supported on newer OS environments, Silhouette encourages upgrading their operating systems. However, there is no mention of free or discounted upgrades for very old versions like v6. The current policy suggests running the latest supported version for best compatibility.
Beta versions are offered for testing new features but are not stable and are not supported for rollback purposes other than uninstalling and reinstalling an official release version.
Silhouette v6 and older versions will be considered "end of life," but the license will continue to function as usual as long as the hardware to which it is licensed is operational and the user is running a qualified operating system. However, any manual transfers, replacements, or support inquiries for Silhouette v6 and older versions will require a current upgrade and support contract.
On a positive note, Silhouette v2020 (Nov 2019) includes several new features such as Paint > Detail Separation, Magnetic Freehand shapes, shape edge-snapping, and a Group and Part Tracking feature for the Planar Tracker. Additionally, the Mocha tracking option is now included at no additional charge in Silhouette v2020.
Silhouette v2020 also supports OFX plugins such as Mocha Pro, Sapphire, Neat Video, and RE:Vision Effects products. Node-locked licenses can be upgraded in the Boris FX Store, and for floating license upgrade options, users are advised to contact Boris FX Sales.
Upgrading to Silhouette v2020 entitles you to 1 year of free upgrades and support.
In conclusion, while there is no direct official policy publicly confirming any free upgrades from v6 or earlier to v9, it is advisable for users of older versions to check directly with Silhouette America support or their upgrade FAQ. Legacy owners running Silhouette v6 and older versions who do not upgrade their software licenses by March 31 can purchase new licenses at full price or choose affordably-priced subscription options. The Boris FX Silhouette team continues to innovate and produce market-leading rotoscoping, paint, and VFX solutions with each release.
Users of older versions like Silhouette v6 may need to purchase a new license or upgrade through official channels, as there is no evident free upgrade path to Silhouette 2021 (v9) after its release date. The latest supported version, Silhouette v2020, includes several new features, and upgrading to it entitles you to 1 year of free upgrades and support.
