Customer Reviews

Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150 Video Capture Device and Movie Maker (210100325)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(23)

 

 

You will most likely see nothing but bad reviews for this product, no matter what forums you read.

Dazzle is out of business and so Pinnacle bought it all up. Product support is no longer offered to previous owners who purchased when Dazzle was still around, and the technical support website has broken links everywhere and provides no meaningful information. Pinnacle will not support you via the phone or email for old versions of this product.

The product will not function with any video capture program other than the bundled Dazzle MovieStar 5 software. Even with the software update (which is very difficult to find now), the program frequently crashes during rendering or editing of the movie.

If you are able to capture MPG vid from this device, it usually can only be read again by the MovieStar software, and sometimes Windows Media player. Attempting to load these MPG files into other software such as Movie Maker, or Virtual Dub usually crashes the program.

From a physical perspective, the device footprint is small, and attractive (black and silver which we all like for computer things), and you have analog and svid inputs. It plugs into your computer via USB. Do not attempt to use USB 1.0, or you will get little to no performance or quality. You must use USB 2.0 to get any type of product.

Burning to a VCD is choppy and messy, and the program (though advertised this way) can not write to real media with any consistency.

I have seen very few positive reviews about this product on numerous forums, and regret purchasing it myself. Unfortunately, I can not return it to the store. Most purchasers recommend that this product be recalled due to the quality issues, however, since the company no longer exists, that is unlikely.

Choose a different product that will allow more flexibility. Unfortunately, in the world of video capture, cheaper is not better.

After just a little while the program started malfunctioning. The website support information was useless and I could not find a telephone support number anywhere. I am returning this tomorrow and I will never buy anything from Pinnacle again. BEWARE.

This product has caused no end of problems. The software installed easy enough, but the initial resolution it sets up with is very low, which you may not realize. The MovieStar editor is incredibly limited and prone to locking up on XP. I had troubles importing some MP3's and getting them to work. Thankfully you can import mpg's into another editor and work with them there.

Getting the finished product to render is not a simple task. It requires about 3 steps. I was also unable to render anything into RealMedia or WMV as advertised. In order to get it in WMV I had to import the MPG file into Windows Movie Maker (XP only) and render it from there.

If you just want to capture video to your computer this does an adequate job. If you want to work with he video I suggest a separate editor such as Ulead's Visual Studio or Sony's Movie Studio both at about $100. I only kept it because there is nothing else out there that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. It got 2 stars because it can actually capture.

This is a great hardware device, the problem is the software. My package did not come with a serial number on the install disk, I had to call Pinnacle to get a number I was on hold for over an hour before I actually talked to a human, by the way it is not a toll free number so you can add that cost the price of the unit another 6 bucks for the phone call and a bunch of aggravation, if you use a cordless phone make sure it is fully charged before calling support that would really stink if you lost them after waiting for an hour.
Every thing is tied to the software number that they didn't include with the product, then you have to fax your receipt to Pinnacle to get them to send you a serial number for the software , which by the way they did not respond to that is why I called. you think they would let you get the drivers on line but no you need that code number for the software. it was misleading as to how to install.
after spending hours trying every possible way you could read the serial number off the dazzle 150 unit and trying to enter it , I gave up and called Pinnacle.
while on hold they tell you to go to there web site to get the answers , but don't bother if you don't have the code number they don't even want to know you.

I found there software to be confusing and difficult to use, I have an older Dazzle Unit DC80 and the software package that came with that was much better unfortunately it will not work with the DVC-150.

I had an over all bad experience with this product, I was ready to take it back , I would recommend that if you purchase this product and have the same problem it would be easier and cheaper to get a key number from a crack site.

By the way if you have trouble after 90 days Pinnicle charges 15 bucks a call for support . I hope more manufactures start to make this sort of product , because the DCV-150 is just not worth the problems.

PS> When I get my phone bill I intend on requesting reimbursement from Pinnacle for that phone call since it was their mess up not enclosing the serial number to begin with.

This product turns poor quality and service into an art form. Buggy and difficult to install software, which after hours of work by expert techs renders only poor quality video. The only thing worse than the quality of the product is the quality of the service.

If this is the future of the industry, be afraid. . . be very afraid.

Doug

This has got to be the worst product on the market. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy anything from Pinnacle or Dazzle--all you will get is dazzling crap. The review shows one-star; actually, it's a minus five-star product. The best way to enjoy this product is slamming it against a brick wall, and video taping it for posterity.

1) The product didn't come with a manuel--you have to figure it out.
2) On-line support, was non-responsive.
3) Telephone support, was useless, one free call and they blamed the problem on my new computer.
4) The web site didn't want to except the key-code that came with the package.
5) Takes hours for rendering, more hours for burning, then in the final stage says burning complete--there was nothing on the DVD.
6) The software Pinnacle Studio 9, froze often.
7) Pinnacle Studio Plus could not even open.
8) Most programs options were minimal, if you wanted anything more you had to go on-line, log-in, then was directed to the purchasing of a bundle package for an insane cost.
9) Pinnacle sent me a customer fill-out form via e-mail on my thoughts of they're product. I told them all the problems, I gave them a chance to redeem themselves--even asked them to please respond. They never did--they were just out glory hunting for "ninnys" who thought they had a great product.
10) Pinnacle played me for a fool, they have my cash and I have trash.

These are ten reasons to seriously consider if you plan to even spend a penny on Pinnacle or Dazzle crap! You have an honest and informed report--choose wisely.

Anyone saying they love this product, or it's working great for them, must be working for or with Pinnacle or Dazzle.

The DVC150 is completely useless if you are working in a Windows XP format. The hardware will "Malfunction" and be "Unrecognized" my Windows.

Save you time and money. Buy ANYTHING but this piece of junk.

This thing is as bad as the other reviews you've read, and in my case *worse*. I can't even get the USB driver for the device to install on any of my systems. Both installers I've tried just lock up as the installer initializes.

I'm taking it back and getting a refund. I recommend you don't even try this thing. The wallet you save may be your own.

These original products should be recalled by the FTC. The only way Pinnacle can salvage this brand name is to completely change the name and fix the problems created by the original Dazzle Products which is apparantly bankrupt, according to Pinnacle Customer service. Pinnacle does not offer any help whatsoever to the countless previous versions of this system, other than the outdated original Dazzle online help pages. To clear up what can confuse many potential buyers out there, I offer the following. There are various versions of this DVC 150 that were manufactured by DAZZLE floating around out there that are new in box. These originals were all riddled with problems and bugs. These should have ALL been recalled. But since Pinnacle purchased the technology and rights to certain Dazzle systems, they also have acquired what could be perceived as a customer service nightmare. Pinnacle is offering a NEW Dazzle DVC 150 that may or may not be better than the originals. My DVC 150 was purchased only 2 weeks ago at one of the big office supply superstores at full-price, based on information on the Pinnacle Systems website. It turned out to be one of the old ones. I'm stuck with it. The warranty card is worthless, and the store won't take it back because it is open (duuuh). Although it DOES create very high quality DVD's from the "Capture Mode", the MovieStar 5 element that is supposed to provide editing capabilities results is a finished DVD that will need to be thrown away. (Specifically, the Rendering mode is worthless.) I believe, since Pinnacle Systems now owns the "Dazzle Brand", they need to make good on all the worthless "New in Box" software/hardware (made by Dazzle) STILL BEING offered for sale as Current in retail shops, stores, and online superstores...

Oh, boy - this thing is such a dud. I got it installed, managed to copy one piece of video (after several software crashes and restarts), only to discover that it had screwed up my Real Player and Windows Media Player, so now all my other video files wouldn't play! No solution on their site, didn't have the patience to deal with calling tech support, so I did a system restore, packed it back up in the box and it's going right back. What a waste of time and money! It's not even heavy enough to use as a doorstop.