Just wanted to express my disappointment that mimoLive is going to be sold based on a subscription. That pretty much prices me out of being able to use it in the future. I’m excited about what you all are doing, and certainly appreciate the hard work it takes to make a product like this, but that price point is going to be far too high for me to be on board.
Sorry to hear that, the decision to switch to a subscription based model didn’t come easy to us. I sincerely hope to be able to help you understand why we had to make that move.
BoinxTV 1.0 was released back in 2009, development started in 2007 and every update we shipped since then was free. For six years. In these six years we overhauled the user interface again and again, rewrote the entire rendering engine, added numerous new layers and much more under the hood that would often have justified a new paid, major release.
As excited as we were with every release over these years one realization is apparent: Excitement doesn’t pay the bills. We want to be around way down the road to create and ship great software that you like as much as we do. We also want to get the latest and greatest stuff out to you, our customers, as soon as it is ready and not when the next major release is due.
If you have used BoinxTV before and maybe have purchased it in 2009 for the full price, you paid less than $7 per month for it. You will probably understand that this isn’t a rate at which we can sustain development for it.
To make sure we’ll bring you great new features for your subscription based mimoLive, we staffed up our engineering team with Beni, Douglas and Thomas our new audio, video and OS X/iOS wizards.
The former $499 price point of BoinxTV would be in the same ball park we had to charge today, but we never could and want to stick with one version for six years again. So selling you a full license for mimoLive every three years would cost you more than the current 3-year subscription for the private license. And as mentioned before, this brings a major issue: We would have to hold back new features for major versions, since new features sell new versions.
In essence, with a subscription based model, you will get mimoLive for the same price as if we were going by individual purchases but you get new functionality and constant improvements the second they are ready. For us it means we have a guaranteed revenue stream and know we can actually pay the people that work hard to bring you excellent software.
I understand the move to the subscription model, as a lot of software companies are jumping on that bandwagon. However, I like many others, am disappointed in the change.
After paying for a year’s subscription, the software should continue to work at its current release. If the user desires an update and the new features, they would need to reactivate their subscription. Is this how it works now or does the software stop functioning at the end of a subscription? If it is the latter, I have no doubt that BoinxTV/Mimolive is no longer competitive and I have no choice but to switch to Wirecast.
@popwebz We are sorry to hear that you feel this way. mimoLive will only work with an active subscription, just like any other subscription based application.
I too am switching over to Wirecast so that I may purchase the $1000 piece of software and own it outright. The subscription model would be great if it was like popwebz mentioned, I believe as he does that it should still work after the subscription ends. Some people like to buy cars instead of leasing them forever. I wish you all good luck as you do make great products but the switch to subscription based pricing is not for me. I’m out. Can’t wait to show everyone how awesome Wirecast will be and I will surly be promoting that in every live feed I do. You guys are missing the boat.
I just can’t help it. Here we go:
Sometimes I wonder if people are just not aware of the complexity involved in the development of an application such as mimoLive or, in case there is such awareness, if they truly believe that the business model of every software house should rely on selling apps for $0.99 at the App Store.
3 years of mimoLive Personal/Education for $399 means you’ll be spending about $11 a month. Even if you use it commercially and don’t get a discounted rate (by the way, the folks at Boinx have been VERY generous to everyone who participated in mimoLive’s beta program), that would still be less than $40 a month. IMHO, if you use it commercially and can’t afford $40/month for such a key element of your live production setup, then you are better off looking for open source solutions or maybe Camtwist Studio.
By the way, if you buy a car, you don’t expect the car company to send mechanics to your home and keep improving it for no charge as you continue to happily drive it around.
The sum of these points reinforce my belief that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way many people look at software these days.
Anyway, it is just so evident that not only there’s tremendous value in this application, but also there’s plenty of commitment with all of us die-hard BoinxTV veterans. I’m definitely sticking with mimoLive regardless of the licensing model.
All the best,
Gustavo
Gustavo: thank you for the kind words. Best, Oliver.
I’m very pleased with the subscription model. I have had both BoinxTV and MimoLive 1.0, which I bought. Since I like to use the newest version of software: Subscription lovers the initial investment, and I will get updates as long as I need the software, or the provider lives. To have a provider with a solid economy that can do great development is great and a future proof choice for me.
@bjoebirk Thank you for the kind words! We will work hard to meet your expectations!
I am not disappointed in the subscription model. You guys have a great product and deserve to be paid for it
I agree that upgrades should carry a fee. However, if I purchase a product in 2011 and I do NOT want to upgrade to the latest version, then why am I still forced to pay a fee. Microsoft doesn’t do this…Adobe doesn’t do this. Choice and cost effectiveness has made me a MIMO/Boinx fan. I only use the software 4 times a year (most of the time I just enjoy tinkering and writing). Would really appreciate the opportunity to decide for myself. Thanks in advance guys.
Microsoft and Adobe don’t force you to upgrade, but both have switched to subscription based models for many products and Adobe is completely subscription based. You don’t have to update your Photoshop, but to keep using the old version on an old OS, for example, you have to keep paying the subscription. Adobe’s got a cute way of offering their subscriptions - they contract you by the year and then charge you monthly. It feels like less of a sting on the monthly hit vs paying all at once, but it’s still pricey if you don’t plan to update the apps.
That being said, I know this is an old thread, but I’m shocked to see people so happy to walk away from this amazing product. Wirecast is cool too, but Mimolive is better suited to the types of work I do. The 3 year home/education license for people at the start of a video blogging hobby = insanely cheap per month.
I hope if you go to another platform you love it as much as Mimolive (and BoinxTV before that). Personally, if you are just jumping ship because of these low costs and the licensing model, it says something about your “business” – since these are incredibly low costs for any moderately successful business (and even less for even a truly “middle” income person for the home version).