Exsys Reviews

I didn't have difficulty installing the thing, though the cd-rom didn't autoload correctly (but instead went to a submenu for installing other programs like Acrobat and Internet Explorer). Still, installation for anyone with some computer savvy is a breeze. The manual is very abbreviated, so those who are novices may have difficulty if they need to troubleshoot.

Update:

I removed the remainder of my original review. I still think that this machine produces so-so quality scans, but it is better than I originally thought. The scans, even at the highest dpi, are snowy/grainy looking. My previous scanner produced different (but also flawed) images at the same resolution. Where my other scanner (an Acer) produced scans with a coarse texture (larger dots/scan lines were visible), the Visioneer reduces this "noise" to a finer level. What initially seemed like inferior scans to me are simply different. I suppose that one would need to buy a high priced/high quality machine (and have the requisite computing power for it to run) to get truly photo-quality scans. This scanner is okay for casual work, just like an inexpensive digital camera is okay for candid shots of friends and family.

This scanner was a wonderful surprise in a market swimming with inferior machines that leave you with ugly scans and a lot of headaches.

I use this to take close-up photos of jewelry for eBay auctions, so the photos need to be clear and the color true or people will bite your head off :o). I will admit that the reason I went for this one was because of the price (and the fact that it wasn't made by HP). I was spending double on Hewlitt Packard scanners and, one year later on the nose everytime, each one of them broke. Their customer service was as lousy as their products.

You do need to be just a little scanner savvy in the beginning to get the configurations right for whatever you're scanning, but once you get the hang of it your images come out beautiful (the color is brilliant). I have Millenium, and had no problem setting everything up.

I have a 5900 model and do not think its the hardware but like the other person was saying . its the software ,I had an e-machine was running windows 98 it worked fine .After I bought my Dell with windows xp I could not upload comic books to Yahoo .Scans were to large kb's Had to set at lowest setting .I think its the same for the 8700 scanner olso . I tried to set compadibilty for 98 but it would not load links and crashed .

Do not bother with this program the same program different name.I would highly suggest this if you do not have Acid Music 3.0.One of the most stable music programs around.Alot better then any Magix program I have used. The publishing to the net is unbeatable and a great file rendering program too boot.

It's great software at a great price. I bought the program so I could rip and burn CD's but soon found that using the ACid program (2 software apps come in the box- Acid and Siren...I think these are the Sonic Foundry engines)I could also add a soundtrack to my home movies. The box also came with audio clips that I used to sequence a Blues song and that was fun too.

Creating music has never been easier. The interface is very clean and easy to follow. This is a great product if you want to make music. The editing tools are great. This program even comes with some cool loops to get one started. Check this product out!

Screenblast Movie Studio does a good job capturing video from my DV camcorder and creating MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 files for either VCD or DVD production. The program almost never crashes (as opposed to Pinnacle 8 which almost always crashes), so it scores perfect on my scorecard for stability.

It is not true that DVD authoring is integrated. Sony provides a separate program MyDVD for that purpose. It is a buggy program, and crashes when it tries to import MPEG-2 files. I am still shopping around for alternative. By the way, the Sonic website (for MyDVD) will allow me to input information describing all my problems, but then give me a server error when I hit 'submit', so according to them I have reported zero problems and the software works perfectly.

If you buy Movie Studio, be prepared to dish out extra money for a DVD authoring program. If you only want to do VCD with MPEG-1, then maybe MyDVD will work for you.

I've used Adobe Premiere in the past, excellent but too expensive, I tried Ulead what a horrible experience, pinnacle reviews said crash after crash. Based on the reputation of Video Vegas I gave this product a try and it is really excellent.

I've used it so far to create 2 online projects for work documenting team meetings and posting the video online. It's easy to work with different pieces of the timeline and then output them in an appropriate format like Windows Media 9.
Excellent integration with external codecs - quicktime, wmv, mpeg1 and 2, and real video. The only drawbacks I've found so far are no control over the output only fixed templates. For example if you wanted to fine tune the audio bit rate, SB will not let you do that. Oh well I guess it is an entry level package. Secondly, the outputted MPEG is a little bit halo prone. It's supposed to be main concept encoder, but since you are not allowed to tune it at all, there's no way to fix it.

Lastly the NTSC mpeg2 video it creates is actually non-compliant for DVD production, since it only supports mpeg audio. In the US you really should output either PCM or AC3 Stereo. Neither of those are an option. I've filed a bug against Sony, but they have not responded. If sony would allow a little more control over the output I would definitely give this package 5 stars.

First the pros: excellent stability, very easy to use capture, good editing capability, easy to generate output.
Cons: lack of control over output.

Screenblast is so intuitive, I was able to create a DVD without even having to read the instructions. And the DVD looks great!

I have spent a small fortune on software and hardware trying to get my digital home movies on to DVD. I have tried Ulead, Pinnicle, Microsoft movie maker, and even Adobe Premiere. It was all clunky and full of bugs! I also bought a TDK indiCapture that is suposed to import video directly into the computer in the MPEG-2 format. Unfortunatally the software that comes with indicapture, ArcSoft ShowBiz ver 1, crashed the computer every single time I used it. You can upgrade to version 2, but it costs about 30 dollars more. What a rip off.

Others have complaned about the lack of pre-set menus and that the DVD authoring is not integrated. Well, for 89 dollars this is what you get. Entry level DVD production software. If you want the professional options, prepare to spend 500 dollars or more!

Easy Media Creator 7 offers an easy to learn and understand interface that enables you to quickly use any of the applications that make up this integrated software suite. My daughter just graduated from high school and this weekend I created a video comprised of digital photos and video clips, select music, transitions, titles, etc. all blended together of all the events this past month leading up to graduation. I am so proud of my daughter but also have great pride and sense of accomplishment in what I just did by creating a great looking video that I burned to DVD.

Roxio provides many materials to help you find all the answers, such as how-to video tutorials, and PDF user guides. The Roxio web site knowledgebase also helps you find answers to any questions, and if you still need help, I found their tech support email responses were quick, only taking 1-2 days to get answers.

I recommend this product for people at all levels.

Tightly integrated product where all components look and operate similarly with seamless interaction, not like some suites of products that are really a bunch of independent applications "bundled" in one package. Well thought out design and interface makes it easy to use. The "Home Page" offers various ways to use the product:
-- Task List: Music, Data, Photo, Video, DVD
-- Components (Applications): Disc Copier, Creator Classic, PhotoSuite, DVD Builder, VideoWave, Drag-to-Disc, Napster
-- Core Tools: Media Manager, Capture, StoryBoard, Label Creator, Sound Editor, Help Center & Tutorials, Extras and Utilities
-- Recent Projects: shows thumbnails and lists your recent projects

It allows you to launch components and complete additional tasks simultaneously, such as create and print a disc label for your audio CD while the CD is being burned to disc.

The process of creating and editing projects works smoothly and the final project results are very satisfying. I recommend this product to all.

Creator 7 has so many great features and capabilities that I suggest you do as I did and read the many pro reviews that thoroughly put the program through its paces. For me, my favorite and most frequently used component is storyboard, which enabled me to combine digital photos, video clips, and songs into a slideshow. It has creative features that include the ability to add transitions, titles, and a narration track. Then using the DVDbuilder component, I can create VCDs or DVDs to master my slideshow creation to disc. Overall, this is a great product for anyone dabbling or serious about working with digital media.

Definately the best 5 inch scope within this price range.I,even being the mechanically "handicapped" person that I am,found it very easy to put together and align.Orion's website also have reasonably priced attatchments,lenses etc.,and a great getting setup guide for beginners like me.You know exactly which accessories to get for your scope because the are very accuratly described.I can't wait to get into astrophotography and I assure you that even my next telescope will be an Orion!!!!!