Significant Announcement Regarding Silhouette's Legacy Products: Alteration in Upgrade Policy for Renewal Process
Upgrade Your Silhouette Studio Software for Enhanced Features and Support
Silhouette, a renowned name in the world of rotoscoping, paint, and VFX solutions, has announced some changes in their software upgrade policy. Here's what you need to know.
Starting from May 1st, 2022, legacy owners running Silhouette v7 who fail to upgrade their software licenses will have to purchase new licenses at full price or opt for subscription options. For those interested in upgrading their floating licenses, contact the Silhouette sales team.
If you're new to Silhouette or want to give it a try, you can download the software from their official website for a test drive. Upgrading to the current version of Silhouette entitles you to one year of free upgrades and support.
The Silhouette Studio software has seen significant evolution across its versions. For instance, Silhouette Studio v6 and v7 provided the core cutting and design features but lacked some advanced export options and import capabilities found in later versions.
Fast forward to Silhouette Studio v2020, released in November 2019, which introduced paint detail separation, magnetic freehand shapes, shape edge snapping, group and part tracking for the Planar Tracker, and support for OFX plugins such as Mocha Pro, Sapphire, Neat Video, and RE:Vision Effects products.
Silhouette Studio v2021, released in April 2021, offers a Silhouette plugin, lens correction, movie file format support, and advanced roto tools including brush reshape, collapse/distribute points, point groups, split shapes, roto review and approval, and weighted multi-frame.
It's important to note that Silhouette offers Beta versions of the software for testing new features, but these are unsupported and can be unstable; users can revert to release versions if needed.
In summary, here's a breakdown of the key features and upgrade notes for each version:
| Version | Key Feature Highlights | Upgrade Notes | |-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| | v6, v7 | Basic cutting and design tools | Supported as legacy versions | | v2020 | Gradient fills, etching support with new hardware tools | Intermediate feature set; compatible with new devices | | v2021 | Export (PDF, SVG, JPG), import (AI, CDR), Business Edition upgrades unlocked advanced workflow | Latest stable, feature-rich version; best for professional use | | Beta versions | Early access to new features, non-supported | Can downgrade to release version if issues |
Users can access or revert to legacy versions if needed for system compatibility, but it's recommended to maintain an updated single version of Silhouette Studio on your computer to prevent issues.
Node-locked licenses can be upgraded in the Boris FX Store. Silhouette v2020 or newer versions will qualify for upgrades after the upcoming Silhouette 2022 release.
Older versions of Silhouette (including v7) will be considered "end of life," but they will continue to function as usual if the hardware they are licensed to is operational and a qualified operating system is being used. Any manual transfers, replacements, or support inquiries for older versions will require a current upgrade and support contract.
The Boris FX Silhouette team continues to innovate and produce market-leading rotoscoping, paint, and VFX solutions with each release.
Technology advances are evident in the Silhouette Studio software, with each version introducing new features. For instance, upgrading to Silhouette Studio v2021 comes with advanced roto tools and new export and import capabilities.
To maintain compatibility with Silhouette's continuous technological advancements, it's recommended to upgrade software licenses or opt for subscription options to ensure ongoing support.
