Customer Reviews

Roxio Creator 2010 Pro [OLD VERSION]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(40)

 

 

I have been a Roxio user and fan for many years -- and until now, their products have been great, but I have never seen such poor quality and had such a bad experience with a PC software product. After over a dozen hours of effort, this product will not install on Vista, no matter what (and I am a technical person with a degree in Computer Science & years of software experience). Phone support is $1.89 a minute, minimum 15 minutes... and the online support experience is horrendous, prompting me to write this review.

Save your patience, wits, and money and look elsewhere.

I have used Roxio software for CD/DVD burning since version 4. It was and is good burning software. Up until version 9 or so, it was fairly useful. Even when Roxio started going overboard and adding everything but the kitchen sink, it was possible to choose which components you wanted installed. With the last three versions, that is no longer the case. You either accept the installation of everything, or nothing at all. I will never use the majority of the Roxio Creator components. In fact, I want to use other, more powerful stand-alone applications for photo editing, video capture and editing, etc. Some of the Roxio tools I do not want to use cause conflicts with the tools I do want to use, yet, there is *no way* to uninstall these components I will never use. I contacted Roxio support and their response was "sorry, you accepted the license agreement (which forced you to install *everything*) and we will not help you uninstall portions of the suite, because it will break it and it won't work." I tried to get help on the Roxio forums. The administrator told me to uninstall the entire suite, use something else, and don't let the door hit me in the @#^ on the way out.

I am now using the digital media suite from Roxio's major competitor. Guess what? Even though it also contains a ton of tools I do not want to use, they actually let me, the end user, decide which tools I want to install and use rather than forcing the installation of the entire bloatware suite as Roxio does. Roxio wants to make the choices for me because they know best. I am now a very satisfied user of another product that lets me make my own choices and Roxio has lost me (and anyone else I can influence) as a customer forever.

If you like having bloatware shoved down your throat, you'll love Roxio Creator. The interface is pretty and the integration between components if fairly good; however, if you want to be treated as an adult capable of deciding which software you wish to use and how, keep looking. Roxio does not want you as a customer.

I ordered this program directly from Roxio on 9/4 and installed it on my computer. I could not get the program to open. I contacted Roxio support and they told me to reinstall the program. After many email to Roxio support and uninstalling and reinstalling the program 4 times I get a email from Roxio that they are going to refund my money. I feel that there are problems with the program that need to be fixed. I have a new HP computer with vista 64 and 4 of ram and 320 on my HD. I had the same problem with Creator 2009 and was told that if I updated to Creator Pro 2010 that this would solve the problem. I had Creator 2009 installed on my old computer using vista 32 and it worked fine so I feel that it is a problem with vista 64. I am truly disappointed as I am downloading all of my old video tapes to DVD's and have used Roxio for a number of years, but no more.

I've owned previous products by Roxio and I was satisfied with them. Some people are lucky and they can install and run this product without problems, I am not one of them.

Creator Pro 2010 installed without issue. After the install, I converted some MP3 files (previously ripped from a CD in another program) to m4b files. This process was a little slow, but the product delivered as promised. It opened Itunes and and I could see my audio book was there.

My problems started when I wanted to rip the same CD in Creator Pro. After inserting my CD, my system slowed down to a crawl and locked up. I managed to closed Creator Pro (by ending the task in task manager) and opened my favorite ripper (EZ-CDDA extractor). It ripped the CD, but the speed was unbearable (0.05 x). I then tried WMP and had the same result. I did not have this problem before I installed Creator Pro. I downloaded Roxio's update in hope that it would fix the problem - it did not. I un-installed Creator Pro, loaded the CD again (in EZ-CDDA for self assurance) and the CD ripped at 12x speed. Things were back to normal.

I decided that I would not invest any more time in this product. I'll just say that I threw away some hard earned money.

Sorry about the formatting, Amazon is removing all my spaces when I publish even though it looks fine in the editor.

Computer Specs:
Intel Core2 Duo @ 1.86 GHz
2 GB RAM
256 MB Video
32 bit
Windows Vista

My test:
Added 2 videos.
Added image stabilization to one
3D transition between them.
Rendered the project.
AVCHD in and MPG2 out (both in full HD, 1920*1440, Dolby 5.1 if available)
Video length 4 minutes and 20 seconds.


Overall Review:
***** Corel Video Studio Pro X3
***** Cyberlink PowerDirector 8
*** Sony Vegas Movie Studio Pro Plus 9
**1/2 Adobe Premiere Elements 8
** Magix Edit Pro 15
* Roxio Creator 2010
* Pinnacle Studio Ultimate 14

Package Options:
My reviews are against the top versions of each product line. You will find that most of the differences between the top versions and the base are Blu-ray export options, and some add some extra sound options. See for yourself the option that suits you at the manufacturer's website in their respective product comparison guides.

Windows 7:
All seemed to work for me in windows 7, 64 bit with 4 GB RAM. I didn't do any tests with it b/c I wanted to use an older machine that would come closer to representing the average computer. This includes Roxio 2009, but not 2010 for reasons stated below.

Final Opinion:
If you want something super easy to use, then I would go with Cyberlink PowerDirector 8. If you want something with a bit more power that you can grow into, I would go with Corel Video Studio Pro X3. Sony Vegas Movie Studio Pro plus 9 may very well be good, but I see no reason to purchase it with the power of the Corel package.
If you are a masochist, go with Adobe, Magix, Roxio, or Pinnacle.


DETAILS:
Adobe Premiere Elements 8
65 min render time
Pros:
You can search effects
Layout was good but not great
Interface was pretty straightforward
Cons:
Virtually locked my system
Slow and temporarily froze frequently
Output menu was cumbersome


Corel Video Studio Pro X3
19 min render time
Pros:
Great Output menu
Very fast
Easy to use user interface
Proxy editing*
Autofit for timeline
Cons:
No search function for effects

Cyberlink PowerDirector 8
30 min render time
Pros:
Output menu was nice
Very nice and easy to use layout
Cons:
No Blu-ray output


Magix Edit Pro 15
41 min Render time
Pros:
Simple
Cons:
Poor user interface
Oversimplified (Too simple I think for most people)
Very Cumbersome to use and add effects
Output options were confusing and cumbersome
Extremely limited options for PC output (which is what many will be doing)
A couple of lock ups


Pinnacle Studio Ultimate 14
Pros:
Nice little finished project to see what can be done
Nice interface for editing
Cons:
ONLY SOFTWARE that I was not able to import a video
Locked up my system many times and left errant process running at 80% CPU
Took 50 seconds just to load the import video TAB
When I selected videos to import and hit start import, absolutely nothing happened
Tried one of their movies and went to help to find stabilization and it crashed on me b/c I didn't have enough memory
No Blu-ray output
Cons on install on windows 7 computer:
Failure on export of file on all formats
I actually tried Pinnacle about 10 years ago and had absolutely nothing but problems. Spent many days downloading patches just to get it to work. Then, like a moron, I did an entire project and when I went to burn it, the burn failed every time. I see a decade later, I still can't export a file.


Roxio Creator 2010
Pros:
-----
Cons:
They don't allow a trial download. I contacted them asking them if I could download a trial and even noted that I was a current customer. I personally like the 2009 Roxio. It was a nice "all-purpose" program. They told me that I had to buy it. I was offered a money back guarantee, but to do so, I had to send in a letter of destruction. This is way too much effort on my end to see if your software works for me.
I find it ridiculous in this day and age that you can't have a trial version of something, especially when EVERY ONE of your competitors does. In addition, this is how they were treating an existing customer!
You throw in all the compatibility issues that can occur in software in general and video software in particular, and that leaves me to think they have nothing to hide.
As icing on the cake, the following sentence was in their reply.
"Creator 2010 does support AVCHD software and hasn't been know to have any issues thus far!"
I replied to them about this OUTRIGHT LIE! First, you can read the compatibility issues on Amazon. Second, as a person that writes programs, there is no such thing as bug free software, especially video editing software.


Sony Vegas Movie Studio Pro Plus 9
14 minute render time (NO ANTI-SHAKE IN RENDER, see below)
Pros:
Computer stayed pretty responsive during render
Savable packages of effects
How to guide is nice
Cons:
Couldn't search effects
Very, very cumbersome to use
Couldn't find stabilization
The render time approximation stayed at around 1 minute or 2 left the entire time
Here is my issue with Sony Vegas. I have compared its features with many of the other programs and they are all very similar. Now, when compared with Corel Video Studio Pro X3 and Cyberlink PowerDirector, they are virtually identical. I personally think Sony leaves their software cumbersome so that it "looks/seems" more powerful.
I was definitely most disappointed in this product because it was the one that I was looking the most forward to using. When I say that it is cumbersome to use, it doesn't mean that it can't be used. Let me give an example. I am a programmer, and in something like excel, I like the ability to write my own code to create functions and tools that it doesn't offer or to tweak ones that it does. HOWEVER, when I want to enter numbers in boxes, I just want to enter numbers in boxes. I don't want to click in a box, go to a menu or right click, select some gadget and then enter a number. It is ok for complicated things to be complicated, but simple things should not only be simple, but also INTUITIVE.
The main thing that I saw that you could do in Sony Vegas that you couldn't do in the others is change your transitions (both audio and video) ramp as far as how quickly they come in and go out. I am not talking about changing the time, but how your out video accelerates out and how you in video accelerates in during that time. It is a cool feature, but something that 99% of people will only not use, but won't care about either.
Another thing, the image stabilizer should be easy to do, and it may be. However, I did a search in help for stabilize, stabilizer, sta, shake, anti, etc. and could not find out how to do this very simple thing. This worries me greatly that if this isn't readily available in the help docs, then much of the other stuff probably isn't either.


*A note on proxy editing.
Proxy editing is basically you working on a very low def version of your file, but when it comes time to actually render your output, the original file is used. Some view this as a crutch because they say you should be able to optimize the software to work with the high def video. My opinion is that if I can work faster, then I will work faster. Who cares what my resolution is while I am editing. If you have the fastest software out there for HD, and you can do your edits in very low def and it is even faster still, then why would you not want that?

I jumped into this version without a lot of expectation. I had mixed feelings after using the earlier version for a couple of years, Roxio Creator 9, and often found it disappointing and unstable. But, I have to say the Roxio Creator 2010 PRO is awesome! This is an excellent upgrade from version 9 and blows the easy-editing world wide open to anyone with even the most basic skills. And, for those of us with advanced skills and editing needs, this software is still complete enough to deliver outstanding results on most professional editing projects. Far more bells & whistles included in this software than I anticipated, giving me plenty of options in every level of use. From standard tasks like CD burning to basic video editing to complex multi-chapter DVD editing & authoring, this version of Roxio makes it simple, fast, and extremely easy to get from point A to point B without a lot of nonsense and geek-speak like you find in SONY Vegas and several other editing software suites. Professional or amateur, you'll love it and find it to be your "go to" editing suite when you're in a hurry and need something done without a lot of fuss. I get tired of editing/authoring software makers that think they have to pack your computer with bazillions of options in order to justify their higher prices, knowing full well that 99.9% of the users will NEVER need most of that junk. Why should you pay for the Library of Congress when all you need is the Reader's Digest? Trust me - - editing is my business and I've spent a fortune on ALL the various editing software over the years, from the bargain-basement crap at $39 to the top-shelf software that goes for over $2,500. But, this one - - Roxio Creator PRO 2010 - - is absolutely the best you'll find on the market at a far lower price. I'm hooked. This is MAJOR BANG for MINOR BUCKS!

I have a computer with windows 7 a hard drive with 500GB & 4GB DDR3 with a 2.8 dual core II processor. This program is slow and it has serious problems just creating a DVD Menu that works. I have literally spent hour loading and re-loading as directed by ROXIO support(that's a joke), what support they have you loading and re-loading till you finally say its just not worth and buy another software. Take my advice or not, but if you don't you'll be sorry!

I purchased this software and tried to install it on 2 different computers less than ayear old running Vista Home Premium. Neither installation worked. and the program would never launch correctly. Roxio support is poor, they never responded to my questions and their site support/forums are worthless except to show that there are many others experiencing similar problems. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling, doing all the updates and "clean install" they suggest in their faq's, no success. I'm thankful I bought this at Costco because I got a refund. I hope it didn't mess up my system too badly because I suspect it left debris on my computer even after I removed it.

I am running Windows 7-64, and after over 1 hour to load Creator Pro 2010 and then finding the program simply did not do what I wanted I came to find out that it cannot be uninstalled from Windows 7-64. This problem apparently is known by Roxio but they fail to mention it before you install the program. Only way to get it off your PC is to manually edit the registry. Manually editing the registry is extremely time consuming and not to be done without backing up the registry. All told I have over 7 hours tied up installing and uninstalling Roxio Creator Pro 2010, because this company's product was not written for Windows 7.....even though the box says it is.

I have used Roxio products for years and loved Creator 2009. I am SO UPSET over Creator 2010. It WILL NOT install on VISTA, unlike 2009 (go figure). Customer support by phone is nonexistent unless you want to pay an unseemly high dollar amount per minute. Your only choices are to use Live Chat: where the tech on the other end usually becomes sarcastic and impatient with you; Email: where they send you pat answers that are usually directions telling you to update all of your windows products and do not answer your questions; or to spend hours searching their online knowledge base/answer forums that are run by other customers but are difficult to really find anything in. I spent over 18 hours searching them looking for answers and got nowhere. This has now become a worthless product! Buy Cyberlink Media. At least you can try it before you buy it to make sure it works as needed.