Search /
Docfinder:
Advanced search  |  Help  |  Site map
RESEARCH CENTERS
SITE RESOURCES
Click for Layer 8! No, really, click NOW!
Networking for Small Business
TODAY'S NEWS
Four reasons to buy (and one reason to avoid) the Droid
Cisco MARS shuts out new third-party security devices
Verizon Droid buzz muted in Boston
Week in Google news: Google Dashboard, Droid fever, focus on e-commerce
Cloud computing, virtualization proponents getting antsy
Data center start-up offers energy saving software
Vendors scrambling to fix bug in Net's security
Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging Gartner's Magic Quadrant
Boston Celtics clamp down on spam
Cloud computing inevitable? Not so fast, educator says
Blue Coat slashes staff, buys S7 services company
Apple seeks new sheriff to lock up iPhones
Google releases new search engine for e-commerce sites
Rackspace apologizes for cloud outage, prepares to issue service credits
Cool Yule Tools
 

Instant DVD+DV

More info

Instant DVD+DV

ADS Technology

Price: $152.95
Rating: 4
Ease of use: Power users only

Review:
This is a device that lets you convert your home movies into DVD movies. By connecting the device to a video source (either a VCR or camcorder) and then connecting to a computer, you can begin the video capture process into your computer.

Basically, this is an external device that acts as the decoder, so you don't have to install a video capture card onto your PC. The device also compresses the video before it goes onto your PC, saving time in the transfer process.

The device was pretty easy to set up, just connect the supplied A/V cables from your video source into the back of the Instant DVD device, then connect to a PC (we connected via USB 2.0) and install the software.

In fact, there's about four different software applications to install, which took longer than the hardware setup. After the software is installed, you can capture content from your video source, edit it, create your DVD titles and chapters (if you want), and then burn to a disc (make sure you have a separate DVD burner). You can also do more fancy editing if you want.

The actual capture time takes as long as your video content is -- so if you have a two-hour home movie that you're converting, be prepared for two hours just to capture the content. Then you get to edit the video, and then the burning process can take a looooooong time. When you're finished, if you're lucky, you should have a DVD ready to go.

Nothing against this product (the hardware part was very cool and easy to set up), but if I had a whole stack of home movies on videotape, I'd just leave them there. The software and movie editing process is too complex and takes more time than I want.

Reviewed by Keith Shaw


NWFusion offers more than 40 FREE technology-specific email newsletters in key network technology areas such as NSM, VPNs, Convergence, Security and more.
Click here to sign up!
New Event - WANs: Optimizing Your Network Now.
Hear from the experts about the innovations that are already starting to shake up the WAN world. Free Network World Technology Tour and Expo in Dallas, San Francisco, Washington DC, and New York.
Attend FREE
Your FREE Network World subscription will also include breaking news and information on wireless, storage, infrastructure, carriers and SPs, enterprise applications, videoconferencing, plus product reviews, technology insiders, management surveys and technology updates - GET IT NOW.
* HOME    * RESEARCH CENTERS     * NEWS     * EVENTS

Contact us | Terms of Service/Privacy | How to Advertise
Reprints and links | Partnerships | Subscribe to NW
About Network World, Inc.

Copyright, 1994-2006 Network World, Inc. All rights reserved.