Entered CNET Catalog: 01/21/2004
SKU: 0756405014288
Manufacturer: Ulead Systems Inc.
Manufacturer description
Ulead DVD MovieFactory 3 is the simple and fun way to make great DVD movies. Transform video from camcorder, VHS tape or TV into polished CDs or DVDs with one click. Built-in video and slideshow editing features and fully customizable motion menus make it simple to create premium quality DVD movies.Product summary
The good: Now burns music and data discs in addition to DVDs; simplified, more intuitive interface; can import video from set-top DVD recorders.
The bad: Some basic controls are confusing; limited editing capabilities.
The bottom line: Ulead's MovieFactory 3.0 Disc Creator joins the ranks of solid, multipurpose disc-burning programs, but Nero 6.0 remains our Editors' Choice.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 01/27/2004
Ulead's first two releases of its DVD-authoring software were called simply DVD MovieFactory. Version 3.0 is now called DVD MovieFactory Disc Creator, and the program offers some new abilities to justify its longer name. The application can now create data and music discs in addition to video DVDs, and Ulead has beefed up the program's video tools, making it useful for a wider range of tasks. The interface is intuitive and easy to use, particularly well suited to beginners and those who want an uncomplicated way to burn a variety of discs. While Nero 6.0 Ultra is still the best tool in this category, MovieFactory's new broader capabilities packaged in the same simple interface make it a solid choice in its own right, especially for burning newbies.
Installing MovieFactory 3.0 couldn't be simpler. Just insert the disc and follow the onscreen prompts. You can select a custom installation--some might not want the included DVD player--but most people will be happy with the standard install. The program supports Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, and XP, but not the Mac platform.
Ulead has made some great improvements to MovieFactory's interface since the release of version 2.0. While it's still a bit on the bland side, the main screen does a much better job of presenting the entirety of the program's capabilities. From this screen, you can choose to make a video, slide-show, music, or data disc and select Direct-to-Disc recording (to burn directly from a camera without editing). You can also edit or erase a rewritable disc, copy a disc, launch the label maker, or call up the DVD player from here.
MovieFactory's start screen presents all of your options in a clear and colorful format.
Ulead has added some impressive new tricks to MovieFactory's repertoire. For one, version 3.0 can now import video from set-top DVD recorders (using the DVD-VR format), which lets you import your favorite TV shows to your computer and edit out the commercials before you archive them. MovieFactory can now also edit directly on rewritable discs, so you can add video to a DVD you've already created and alter the menu, all without wasting a second disc. This feature worked flawlessly in our tests.
MovieFactory's interface lets you easily add new videos to your project--whether a new disc or a finished DVD.
Creating video, slide-show, and music discs was a similarly fuss-free process in our tests, although MovieFactory's dull gray interface won't win any beauty contests. Still, we like that when you create a video disc, MovieFactory offers to burn DVD player software onto the disc so that you needn't worry about people having the correct program to view your efforts. We're also pleased that the program now lets you add video to menus, backgrounds, and buttons. One quibble: We wish that the button that launches disc-burning were labeled Burn instead of Output.
MovieFactory comes with a self-contained DVD player that you can include on the video discs you create.
MovieFactory offers a few limited editing controls, but we can't recommend them--simple tasks, such as adding a transition or even trimming a scene, are unnecessarily cumbersome. Even finding a particular frame is tricky because, as in version 2.0, the video lags a few seconds behind the jog bar. Users looking for a more full bodied video editor should check out Pinnacle's Studio 8.0.
Ulead offers solid tech support, but you have to do some digging on the site to find it. Ulead's FAQs, forums, and tech support e-mail can be accessed from the DVD MovieFactory product page; just click the tech support link in the lower right corner. Phone support, a toll call, operates from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday. Ulead guarantees MovieFactory with a 90-day limited warranty.User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5out of 5 user reviews
Very Frustrating!
Pros: Don't know, doesn't work
Cons: Doesn't work
When I try to open an mpeg-2 on hard drive to edit it, I get an error message with bizarre characters and a string of numbers. When I try to add the file to edit it, the program hangs indefinitely making it unusable. When I tried to capture the video again through MF 3 (what a waste of time, since I already had the video on hard drive), the program froze before half an hour was up.
What is the point if I can't use this?
I was going to try Pinnacle 9, but reviewers pointed out it is very buggy, too. I may try TMPGEnc DVD Author, which many experienced at editing and authoring seem to use and like.
out of 5 user reviews
the best video capture sottware
Pros: easy to use,fast to burn
Cons: none so far
out of 5 user reviews
MPEG-2 encoding is horrible
Pros: Nice video editor, easy to use. It also comes with a number of very nice DVD menu templates
Cons: The DVD I created is the most horrible thing I have seen
I have to admit that editing the video was a blast. It was especially helpful in creating the menus. it comes with a nice selection of templates.
HOWEVER, the DVD I burned is awful. I played the disc on my progressive scan dvd player connected to an HDTV monitor. The picture was horrible. The picture is pixelated. Motion, even not so fast ones, had trails. The whole picture had lines across the screen.
I would not recommend it to anyone.
out of 5 user reviews
Very Complete Product
Pros: It burns my photo album CDs just the way I want them. Direct Burn is a nice feature when I want my videos on a disc fast.
Cons: preferences menu is located at the bottom of the various programs in the suite
out of 5 user reviews
It works..sometimes
Pros: Easy to use menus
Cons: Very unstable and unpredictible operation. DVD burning may stop at anytime, leaving you with a running time of 20 minutes of video, when you needed 60 minutes.
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