bit-tech Shopping: Sonic Solutions Easy Media Creator 10 Deluxe Suite

• Audio Editing/Capture
• CD/DVD Recording
• Loop/Sound Library
• Video Editing/Capture
• Visual Effects

• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows XP

Rating: 10

Time with product: 3 Months

Strengths: The media suite is for nearly all media. Includes video, photos, music, device converting, internet posting

Weaknesses: Very big program

Summary: I had no trouble on the installation end. Video -- if you get the converter you're going to use it. Converts tapes to digital by connecting the tape player to the computer. You can choose the format but you can also converter it later with the including tools. It converts to mobile devices. There are two video programs which are very different. They do basic editing but Cinemagic works on the chapter system. IT cuts video into chapters and you manipulate the chapters. VideoWave uses a timline style. This has more options but also takes more time to get the hang of. The photo and music programs are practical and use familiar protocals.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Deluxe puts emphasis on video 'cause it has a converter but its great for photos, disk making, conversion to devices too

Weaknesses: Uses 1 GB hard space so old pcs won't due. That's not much though for newer pcs.

Summary: installation...no problems but took time to install all the components. The program kept going by itself with almost no promptsrunning... started right after installation was completed. I checked that major programs were working and they did with no other updates necessary.analysis...lots of options for doing the same tasks. 2 video programs, one more basic than the other and different learning curves. Photo editing works much like most other programs so I didn't have to relearn anything. Device conversion consisted of plugging the device to the pc and choosing the media files. The program did the conversion quickly.All in all good coverage of digital media tasks.

Rating: 2

Time with product: 3 Days

Strengths: Lots of features, multiple options for a given task.Good user interface. Includes Dazzle video capture devices

Weaknesses: Installation is a nightmare, may cause your computer to die. Never could get all features working, many self-terminate. Slow, slow, slow when it did work

Summary: My first attempt at installing this caused my computer (well maintained/updated, lots of memory, clean startup, few extra processes, etc.) to immediately die. All it would do is try to boot up and then just keep restarting. Turns out this software can mess up the "NTLDR" on some computers. A known problem, they have a CD-length update file (version 10.0.1) that's supposed to fix it (I'll never know, it wouldn't install either). I spent a whole day getting my computer running again (not an easy task, definitely not for amateurs) and went through several uninstalls, clean reinstalls, etc., both based on what's on Roxio's support site and after talking to their support staff (USELESS!!!). Bottom line, go elsewhere. There are plenty of options that won't run the risk of wrecking your computer like this software and which are just as useful even if they don't have as many features. I've used Roxio, Nero, Pinnacle and others both OEM, retail and "free" (came with DVD drive) versions. NEVER had this much trouble. I'm going to stick with the Sony software for now and hope that someday I can use this. Luckily, I'll have only paid $29 if the rebates come in but the time lost and stress of having my computer go south are worth much, much more.