5 comments about MyDVD 9 Studio.

1. I can't provide a thorough review of this product, because the first feature I tried to use didn't work. I have little patience for defective software these days, so after my first couple of attempts I gave up trying to use this product. I purchased the product so that I could edit video on a Windows 2000 workstation with Service Pack 4. This configuration is allegedly supported. The first thing I tried to do was import a home video from a DVD. A capability allegedly provided by this product. Unfortunately, the application entitled Roxio Media Importer doesn't see the DVD drives on my computer. interVideo WinDVD Creator had no problem importing from the DVD nor did the software that came with my video camera. I tried to find out if Roxio's technical support could help, but the support section of their website doesn't seem to think this product exists. The support section of their website includes an interesting feature called Ask RoxAnn. RoxAnn doesn't know about this product either and also thinks that your browser doesn't support session cookies. So she can't help. She does tell you how to configure your browser to support cookies, but unfortunately I was already using the recommended settings so at that point I decided there was nothing left to do except let other consumers know about my experience. Your results might be different.



2. I bought a Canon DC40 digital camcorder. The software can't capture the video, a pop up message shows that I need to buy MyDVD 9. So I bought one. It is not working at all in my computer. I contacted Roxio support on their website, the Live Chat doesn't work, I could only open a ticket, leave a message. It takes 24 hours or longer to get the response. But I tried two solutions, they are not working. I opened the third ticket but didn't get any response in 10 days. I decided to return back to Amazon.



3. I used to happily use MYDVD versions 5 and 6 but recently I purchased version 9. It is a huge disappointment. The interface is completely non-intuitive, and it no longer uses standard Windows file open menus and list boxes. It is extremely slow and full of bugs. Worse, the MBA financial engineers at Roxio have removed features so that they can charge extra for them. After five hours of frustration I removed MYDVD 9 from my system. Technical support was non existent. This is the worst software I can remember using in more than 20 years.



4. This software is practically unusable because it is so slow, even on a 2.8 Ghz machine. I mean selecting an object and dragging it is a slow-motion process. Beyond that, they include only three menu backgrounds and charge you for more. The program is filled with bugs. Note that this is in no way related to Sonic MyDVD. The Roxio company apparently bought the name "MyDVD" and used it on this junkware. Oh, it is HUGE. It installs over 6 other programs that you didn't even know you were buying. Save your money and time, DON'T BUY THIS PRODUCT!



5. I had MyDVD 5.5 that came with my Dell and decided to upgrade to MyDVD 9 when I got my new Flip camcorder. I wanted to take the Flip camcorder files (AVI, video: 3ivx MPEG-4 5.0.1, audio: MS ADPCM) and burn them to a DVD. The files seemed to work in MyDVD 5.5 but 5.5 was very slow and didn't have much in the way of menu templates, etc. Clicking the upgrade button on 5.5 took me to the website for 9. MyDVD 9's website seemed to promise a lot more features for a small fee to upgrade. I looked at the website for Easy Media Creator 10 too but was unsure if MyDVD was part of the that package.
   
   So, I got MyDVD 9. After the install, I could no longer view the Flip video files using MyDVD 9. I downloaded gspot which confirmed I had the right codecs installed and I was able to view the files in the default Windows viewer and WinAMP. With MyDVD I always got the (/) icon and was never able to select it. I had some Motion JPEG videos with WAV audio in an AVI container that I was able to make a DVD with but it was slower than slow. Even slower than 5.5. Making DVDs was supposed to be fun and this I hated.
   
   After some searching on the Roxio forums I discovered: 1) There's a MyDVD 10 and it's part of Easy Media Creator 10 and 2) Other folks could not read MPEG-4 video in MyDVD 9 but could in Easy Media Creator 10. Upgrading to EMC-10 instead confirmed all this. I just received my refund for MyDVD 9. For me, the MyDVD as part of Easy Media Creator 10 worked when MyDVD 9 did not. The MyDVD in EMC-10 is also blazing fast in comparison and so far so good I've had success producing two DVDs.
   
   Skip this and get Easy Media Creator 10 instead. Exercise the 30-day refund policy if needed.
   
   Customer support for getting my refund was very good. Use the click-to-chat feature on the Roxio website (every web store should have one). I didn't have much luck with email though I think it was their on-line store support I was emailing which is outsourced to Digital River. There also seems to be a lot of good information in the Roxio forums. If you can't find it in the documentation someone on the forums might know. Though, after you read the forums, you might not want EMC-10 either. It works great for me though!

1 comments about Adobe Illustrator 10.0 Upgrade.

1. Back in the day, this grafx biz we're in used to be easier. You knew your target medium (paper or film), artwork could be massaged, and--dammit-deadlines were reasonable. Now you better be able to rebuild and repurpose overnight! At last Adobe has brought to Illustrator some of the things the Macromedia people have been jeering at the lack of for so long. Key functionality like being able to reslice around that new layout, combine and modify vector and raster grafx, CSS, FLASH format support(!!!!)...on and on.

   You may not have the [money] for this upgrade right now. If in that case, pull Mama out of the home for a month or two, and use the money to buy this upgrade, especially if you do a lot of multiformat work. Now that this functionality is available in Illustrator, you have virtually full round trip between your Mmedia and Adobe packages. Not everything works the way you'd intuitively guess, and some web things are still easier in Fireworks, but the longer you forgo this, the more those baggy-pants youngsters are going to be eating your clients's lunch, or--more likely-- eating lunch with your clients.

No comments about Sibelius Compass.

2 comments about Ethno Instrument.

1. Ethno is fantastic. For the price, you're getting an ungodly amount of beautiful sounding instruments and loops from around the globe as well as about 100 synthesizer sounds. There are also vocal phrases and a convolution-based reverb that sounds gorgeous. My favorite feature, however, is the ability to load up 64 instruments and activate/deactivate them on the fly using an assigned key on your keyboard. Since some of these instruments have multiple playing techniques, it comes in really handy.



2. This plug-in rocks, in several ways. The samples are generally tremendous (I haven't even been through the entire library yet, so I haven't heard them all), great attention to making very musical, usable samples, with lots of subtle variations.
   But the best feature is the looping, particularly for the percussion - lots of variants on groove and feel, and with the auto-sync feature, they will auto start and lock to your project's tempo. I tend to plug in 16 variations, get them all sync'd, then mute and un-mute as needed.
   I only gave 4 out of 5 stars because I was a bit disappointed that the samples are 44K-16bit instead of 48k-24bit. (Would gladly pay for an upgrade if they render these at 24bit.)

5 comments about Illustrator 9.0 Upgrade.

1. This has truly amazing options and capabilities. It does much more than competing products.



2. I have always wished that I could draw and create visual art. Somewhere along the way, I gave up. Then I found Illustrator. I avoided it for such a long time, thinking that one needed a strong artistic background to make anything "nice." However, the power and beauty of this program is the way it lets a regular guy like me create amazingly professional looking pieces. I am still no DaVince, but with Illustrator (and it's pixel based sibling, Photoshop), I can impress my family, friends, and employer!



3. For starters this new version takes about twice as long to load up when you open the program. When I'm working with this 9.0 version I keep getting the hour glass every time while working with some tools. It's always processing stuff. I NEVER encoutered this with 8.0 version. After a while it gets really annoying. I purchased this newer version because Adobe finally figured out how to support transparency in Illustrator. I have still yet to get it to work. Even my neighbor (who runs a graphics company) can't figure out how to make this Windows transparency thing work. I think the Mac versions are much more of a breeze though. Anyway long story short I continue to just use my 8.0 Illustrator while using PhotoShop for transparency stuff. 9.0 is a waste of money!



4. I am a professional web designer and was originally enthusiastic about this upgrade--hoping that it will finally stand up to the competition--but have been disappointed with it ever since I installed it.

   Yes, Illustrator remains reliable and precise, and well integrated with Photoshop and even Flash. However, the transparency features remain way behind the competition; the pen tool is antiquated; font preview, HTML export and multi page support are non-existent, and the package is the clumsiest on the market.

   If you are on a Mac and working mostly for print, Illustrator is a reasonable choice. If you do web design on the Mac, the Freehand Flash studio is a far better deal, however. If you are on a PC doing web design, nothing will beat Xara, a program that does more than Fireworks and Illustrator put together for a third of Illustrator's price. And if you do print work on the PC, Corel Draw is a more powerful choice than Illustrator and just as recognized by print shops.




5. I have used a version of Illustrator since the first one in 1988. Every subsequent version just keeps getting better. I love the new transparency effects and the interconnectivity with web graphics. The primary engine for Illustrator is now based on PDF but I really wish it was more stable. I sometimes get the annoying and certainly cryptic "PDF is having trouble saving the file". The workaround for that is to save as an older version but I am looking forward to 10.0.

No comments about 360 Xtreme Soundtraxx - eJay.

1 comments about Cannon Photography Workshop Gold Edition (Jewel Case).

1. Photography Workshop has taught me things I thought I knew but wasn't sure about. It is a great tool for taking professional photos or candid shots, it teaches you about lighting and sun and shades, the colors are great and the see and learn is wonderful. I couldn't ask for a better product for my photos.

No comments about Creative Clips & Fonts for Special Occasions.

5 comments about M-Audio Pro Tools M-Powered 7.3 M-Audio Compatible World-Class Production Software.

1. I've been working with pro tools LE version for about six months now. M-powered is damn near the exact same except with m-powered you can use a more affordable audio interface rather than being stuck with having to by a $400 M-Box. The program is great and easy to use. Definatly the best music production software available today. Only problem is it's limitations. 1) You are limited to only using 32 audio tracks (32 mono or 16 stereo). The only way around this is to drop the $450 on there Music Production Toolkit. This expands the tracks levels to 48 mono or stereo. 2) Plugins are DAMN expensive! The program doesn't come with a ton of Instruments or effects, definatly lacking. And no ordinary VST will work, pro tools uses RTAS plugins. You can find some free ones but the majority are sold through digidesign and cost WAY too much. But honestly, i still chose pro tools over acid or cubebase or logic.



2. First, let me say that this review is not about the recording quality of the product, it is about the product and everything surrounding it from compatibility with various hardware to technical support.
   
   I am sure that M-Powered Pro Tools is a very good product from the rave reviews I see on the Internet - it would HAVE to be considering the number of hoops you have to jump through to get started using it.
   
   I got the M-Audio Axiom 49 Keyboard and M-Powered 7.1 for Windows back in February from Amazon and I STILL cannot get it to work.
   
   The first problem was getting the M-Audio Axiom 49 to work. It is a USB MIDI device. After several failed attempts to get it to work on my laptop (reinstalling drivers etc.) I finally got it to work on my wife's laptop and my brand new Dell XPS Dual-core smokin system.
   
   Then, being used to installing recording software, I did what the typical Windows user does - popped in the CD for M-Powered and ran setup, then tried to run M-Powered. It failed with some obscure message about "no iLock license" or some such garbage. After searching the Internet, I found out that I needed a special USB piece of hardware that basically provides DRM (Digital Right Management) for DigiDesign software. I dug into the box that M-Powered came in and found the device, plugged it in and tried again. One step closer.
   
   I still could not start M-Powered because it required me to go to some web site to register the iLock so that it could be enabled. So I did.
   
   Once the iLock seemed to be set up properly, I tried to start M-Powered again. It failed with some obscure message about not finding a "Compatible" M-Powered device. After hours of scouring the Internet, I found that I ALSO needed to install some device drivers found on the CD and that I should have READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. Well, the instructions are in PDF format and are pretty hefty - I hate reading tons of instructions to get a product working.
   
   An example of some of the things in their instructions is "create a hardware profile in Windows", "Format an Audio Disk", "disable one of your CPU's in the BIOS" - WTF?
   
   Supposedly, you only need to do those things when you need to fine tune your installation or troubleshoot problems. Still, it is a lot to digest just to get a Windows product running. Just pop in the CD and guide me through the install, please.
   
   The error message still remained. After installing patches, re-installing drivers, and failing to find an answer on the Internet, I shot an email to Digidesign. A few days later (they have no support on the weekend, and I'm not a registered user yet because you have to have running version of the software to register it, or so I thought) they responded back with "M-Powered does not support the Axiom 49 keyboard, your DEALER should have explained that to you."
   
   My DEALER? My dealer is Amazon, a member of the 21st century Internet community of businesses. Axiom 49 belongs to Digidesign, HOW can it NOT support its OWN products.
   
   OK, so I put it down for a while because it was consuming too much of my time. This May, I finally decided which ADDITIONAL piece of Digidesign hardware I would buy that WAS compatable with M-Powered. I chose the Firewire 410 and went out and bought it from a Brick-and-mortar DEALER.
   
   Having learned my lesson about M-Audio installations, I read the instructions and was able to get the 410 installed. Guess what? M-Powered finally ran!
   
   Now that M-Powered was running, I registered it immediately so that I could get my month of free tech support. Ha. The free month of tech support only applies to the date of purchase, and I was already a few months past due! I did get an email for Digidesign telling me that I was entitled to a free upgrade to M-Powered 7.3. Thanks, I'll take that.
   
   While my new upgrade was downloading, I tried to test out my M-Powered 7.1. It would not make a sound. Back to documentation. I walked through the basics, was able to get my MIDI keyboard to interact, but still, NO SOUND. I tweaked settings, installed drivers, installed XPand (a virtual instrument plug-in), searched the Internet.
   
   I installed the upgrade. NO SOUND.
   
   I tweaked settings, re-installed drivers, installed demo session (a pre-defined "recording" that is supposed to demonstrate the product), searched the Internet. NO SOUND.
   
   I'm waiting for technical support to contact me, after the weekend.
   
   I'm not a newbie or an amatuer. I've worked with recording software since the introduction of MIDI. Worked with computers for over 20 years.
   
   I want to make my Digidesign products work because I believe they are going to be more professional than any of the tools on the market. However, buyer beware, Digidesign will lock you in with their proprietariness and their massive array of confusing product offerings. You will not want to throw away your investment in hardware, software, and time from these guys.
   
   I just hope it is worth it.



3. ...Or a hustle- your choice. I read reviews on some tech sites that praised this product, so while I was buying a new laptop I also decided to switch DAWs. I have the compatible hardware, but the program is still a pain to use. Not intuitive, and not at all more impressive than Sonar or Cubase. Additionally, it only uses RTAS plug-ins, and while Synthogy Irovy says it installed the RTAS plug-in, M-Powered can't find it. Being that is the plug-in I use for everything, it kinda makes M-Powered useless for anything but recording guitar and voice.
   
   If you use a lot of MIDI like I do, avoid this.



4. There's a reason this guys won a Grammy and an Oscar for their software. If you're new to this kind of programs or you havent received training in the use of it, you should prolly buy Sonar or Cubase. Or buy the 101 book+dvd.



5. I have worked on ProTools HD for 6 years at a studio. I needed something at home that was small yet flexible. So, I bought ProTools M-Powered with a M-Audio Firewire 410. It is small yet still really flexible. There is a little latency with my setup, I think it is more computer related, but if you know what you are doing it is not a problem.

No comments about Instant Play Electric Guitar.