Why is UAD-2 “unbridgeable”? (No, seriously)

Discussion in 'Software' started by Hoppe, Jan 10, 2019.

  1. Hoppe

    Hoppe Kapellmeister

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    I can only think of these reasons why, in order of probability:

    • They do not release something half-cracked (most people don't have UA cards so it would be useless for them);
    • They just don't bother, because it would take too much time and effort, although I think they could crack it if they really wanted (and I mean really wanted);
    • They do not posses the skill for it, or at least not yet;
    • They are being paid (I myself really doubt this one).
     
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  2. metaller

    metaller Audiosexual

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    I don't know about how UAD plugins work, but if the computation is done on PCIe architecture, it cannot be run on Intel architecture!
    In this case, the software which is written for PCIe card is much different than normal CPUs because the APIs and utilities they use like memory control can be much different than what is available for normal CPUs.

    There is only one possibility if their software is very high level and abstracted and it is written using common APIs which works on both architectures.

    Writing a bridge is like writing the whole software again, which I presume that teams won't waste their time for developing this for no money and recognition.
     
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  3. Hoppe

    Hoppe Kapellmeister

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    You're right, without the source code it's indeed impossible to transpose a piece of software from one architecture to another, but… there are emulators.

    I can't think of much examples right now, but I managed to come up with 2:
    • DOSBox
    • PCSX2
    Of couse, these are completely different things and realms, we're not talking games and ROMs here, we're talking modern software.

    But still, it is possible to bridge software from one architecture to another, it just takes a lot of time and effort.

    What differs UAD-2 plug-ins (not the architecture) from a PS2 game? Apart from the technological gap in between the years.

    If someone, (very) theoretically speaking, could be able to build an emulator of a UA PCIe card, wouldn't it be able to run UAD-2 plug-ins?
     
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  4. tidus1990

    tidus1990 Producer

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    If you have enough money to buy a UAD card, or interface you should have enough money to buy the plugins. That is probably why they dont even bother to crack them. You try to talk about the technology, yet it doesnt seem like you have any type of knowledge about cracking etc. How do you actually expect to understand someone that decides to answer your questions. Also like one of the members mentioned, no one serious is going to talk about any crack stuff in the open, there are devs and what not already eyeing this site. So again you're wasting your time. Ive seen another thread from you were you were trying to ask if this site had a discord, when a member mentioned they had a production discord you straight up ignored it and hinted that you were looking for a discord where exclusive releases were shared. Honestly man you claim to not be interested in plugins and that you have everything you need, yet all you do is make threads asking for more stuff.
     
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  5. 11Fletcher

    11Fletcher Platinum Record

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    Best Answer
    What my father teach me when he was working as a cryptobreaker in the army was that every man made code can be broke, it's just a matter of time and effort (and so kind of money). For the UAD thing, it's surely possible, but team probably think it doesn't worth their time and effort, and choose to focus on other plugin/software.
    Cracking the UAD licences for UAD gear owner should be "easily" doable for them for that's to much energy for not enough people (the one who own a UAD card got money and probably don't want to risk to lose their licences by getting caught and the one like me who have a card but not money for all the plug they want... well, we're not that many). For emulating the DSP part and make it available for everyone, that's something that can be done of course, but it's already lot of time to find how to crack the licences part, programming an entire envirenement to emulate a card is an all kind of skill to have, and with that kind of skill it's surely worth more to put the effort into building new stuff (like software/plugin/hardware).

    So I don't have the skill to answer the question on how, but it's always possible, just doesn't worth the effort to make it happen (and maybe the team, as good as they are, doesn't have all the necessary skills to do it). But I still hope that secretly there is some kind of genius who work on it in his mother basement, and it will come out someday (at least for the poor UAD user like me who can affort only one plugin a year during black friday sales)
     
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  6. Hoppe

    Hoppe Kapellmeister

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    Thank you for your insight!

    I was thinking somewhat similar to that. Program an emulator of the PCIe cards and then crack the plug-ins natively. I can't think of a way to make this easier, I think this would be the only way

    But yes, if someone has the skills to that, they'll probably using their skills in something more productive and owning their own money.
     
  7. tooloud

    tooloud Guest

    You have the unmitigated gall to tell me I don't belong here? I've been a member for 9 years. You know nothing of my contributions here. I am here to help people. I offer advice and guidance. I have 40 years experience as a working composer and engineer. What have you done to help anybody? Your interests are purely selfish. You want something for nothing. Earn some money and buy the plugins you so desperately desire. That's what I did.
    Oh, and if the negative ratings upset you....get used to it. You're a lazy leech.
    What next? I don't own a UA Apollo....does anyone know how I can get one for free?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2019
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  8. beatletown

    beatletown Guest

    Why would it be your main concern if you are A- not interested in their plugins B you arent interested in making music and C you have zero engineering skills?
    You are way out of your league. You dont even know what UAD is and how it works. You talk nonsense, you write statements full of air, you say nothing basically.
     
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  9. tnc

    tnc Producer

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    The standard package of plugins for the older UAD-1 was cracked back in the days, internal release by a famous group :)
    I could run them on my old UAD-1 card but not on my UAD-2.
    Anyways.. I still do own UAD-2 PCIe cards now but I have sold all licenses (still being able to use th eplugins, ie open old projects). UAD plugins are OK but not worth the extremely high prices. There are better or equal good plugins in the native realm.

    Some UAD plugins are not even good compared to what is out there now.
     
  10. dkny

    dkny Platinum Record

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    There was one "crack" of a V.x back in the day, but it worked because there was a bug in the protection of one particular release of the UAD plugins, and the K exploited that. That version was removed by UA and was never downloadable again, but if you had stuck to that old release, and whatever OS it supported, and never bought or upgraded any plugins, you might still be able to use it.

    In reality, UA's system has always been designed well, plus it has the benefit of hardware support - so there are hardware serial numbers and checking that goes on inside the UAD hardware. Add to that that the DSP code does not run on the computer, it runs inside the hardware too, meaning that it will always require the hardware to work (ie, there's no chance of k'ing the plugs to run on the computer and not require the cards), means that likely any K that let's people with UAD hardware run unlicensed plugins (which is the most likely possibility), probably can't do it by software alone (ie, there would likely have to be hardware mods, which is a world of extra difficulty to extract the code from the hardware, reverse it, then modify the hardware to get past the various checks). Software only solutions would likely be around trying to trick or extend demo time, but as it's such a small target vector, likely UA have worked pretty hard to strengthen that as well.

    So... it's unlikely. Yes, the plugins are nice, but they are (increasingly) resource intensive on fairly weak DSP chips, and when once upon a time there weren't that many good native alternatives, there are these days, so it's not like people are hugely missing out. Most of the hardware emulated by those plugins are available natively elsewhere, and many of them are plenty good enough. So much so I rarely bother to plugin in my UAD hardware these days. Especially to access the new, "more accurate" versions of plugins I already bought, I have to buy them again.

    It's a nice dream, and would be cool if it happened, but UA are *very* invested in making sure it doesn't happen...

    As for the non-crypto people saying simplistic things like "all codes can be broken", you just don't really understand the technologies going on when this kind of thing is done right. The investment of effort and expertise vastly outweighs the returns. Let's say you work for five years defeating this amazing scheme, in order to release it to the world for free... you could have just got a low-paid job for that time, *bought* all the plugins, and enjoyed the music you made, and still be better off.

    UA's tools are nice. But people just want them because they don't have them, not because they are necessary, imo...
     
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  11. Bump

    Bump Kapellmeister

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    it's pretty obvious you don't know a thing about DSP....so would you go to an astrophysics forum and ask about string theory when you haven't even completed Math II?

    No, because it's fucking stupid. Walk before you run....start from GO....then ask questions.
     
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  12. Talmi

    Talmi Audiosexual

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    It's mostly a music forum though. Even regarding cracking the advantage of AS isn't so much the kind of topic you've been doing, more a place where people who aren't familiar with the use of warez can come and get a few tips and how to without making the crowd go mad like in the other music forums you talk about, where everyone demonies the use of cracked softs (hypocrites !).
    It's also a great place if you have issues with your soundcard in regard to your os or drivers or whatever, your os that doesn't perform well, etc. We have very competent people for that part too (watching you @SineWave you rock !).
    But most topics are classic audio professional/newbie talks with people who don't take themselves too seriously no matter their achievements.
    You can get incredibly good tips, or just the basic, no one will judge or rarely. It's pretty unique this way.

    The kind of talks you're having (technical details of that protection scheme and what not) were more a thing a few years back, that brought a lot of good stuffs, lead to some achievements in that area but it's mostly in the past, the people who were into that kind of stuffs are mostly gone. It doesn't mean you can't have them, I'm just saying it's not really the main purpose of this forum.

    And @tooloud is very helpfull and nice. You seem nice too, I'm sure you can get along.
     
  13. Hooman.Leys

    Hooman.Leys Platinum Record

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    I wanna say that: anything is possible except IMPOSSIBLE!
    I mean that just impossible is impossible, if it's possible to be possible so that's not impossible anymore!
    But honestly i don't know if it's possible or impossible :sad:
     
  14. Rudy Manterie

    Rudy Manterie Platinum Record

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    I can imagine them releasing older plugins native in a notsofaraway time.
     
  15. tooloud

    tooloud Guest

    I want to know why UVI Falcon hasn't been cracked? No, seriously. I'm not interested in it personally, I just want to know why somebody else hasn't done it? Theoretically speaking of course.
     
  16. Alex Philipp

    Alex Philipp Platinum Record

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    It already cracked, but kept DND, also all PA plugs, dont think one plugin of company has different protection than other. But we should be happy to use what we have been presented.:yes:
     
  17. TinTin

    TinTin Platinum Record

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    simple proof it , i´m pretty sure you dont know .

    an advice also as example , buy Falcon and reverse it or just learn about reversing than you will see that many different ilok protection exist . same on PA .
     
  18. tooloud

    tooloud Guest

    I am not at all happy with what I am presented. I want everything.....no, I demand that I have access to AA, UAD2, everything Slate including Raven and that modelling microphone thing and anything that involves iLok and I want it now and I want it free. No more excuses. You lazy bunch of hackers, crackers and cheezy poof snackers.... get off your fat butts and give me more of..... EVERYTHING!!!! And no premium hosts either. I want fast downloads for free. And while I'm here, I'm sick of paying for internet. I want that for free too. My electricity bill and my rent is too high and I'm sick of having to pay for food as well. Fix this problem now!
     
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  19. Blue

    Blue Audiosexual

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    This kind of thread only damages the reputation of Audiosex around the world.You're great ! Thank you man.

    Like someone said it's yet useless because you don't know anythinng in coding or hacking,so if someone could answer you wouldn't understand anything.

    Buy this stuff if you dream about that and shut up please.No more thread like that.

    Audiosex exists for talking about music,not talking about how hacking works.I think you don't understand that,like many people asking every 2 days "I can't install Omnisphere R2R"(,please help me I'm stupid!!!)
     
  20. Blue

    Blue Audiosexual

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    Next week we'll see a new thread on AS, " Why Cubase is not cracked anymore,is this any technical reason ? "
     
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