ok. Here is my horror story. It's the worst software I have ever tried.
Here are the problems:
1. When I first tried to copy a DVD (a TV program recorded from a standalone DVD recorder), it asked me to activate the product. It wouldn't activate. After several calls and reinstalls (took a long time to do and eventually it's not the cause), the tech support got me a new long series of numbers and I was finally able to activate.
2. Now the fun begins when I tried to edit some recorded TV programs.
First, when I tried Video Compilation (from Roxio Copier) and tried to add a movie from a DVD disc. The movie refused to show up at the lower left pane (I know it's added because the size is shown correctly). Now, if I add another movie from my hard drive and delete it, then, the movie would how up. Or, if I copy everything to a hard drive first and add it then everything will show up on the first try. So, okay, at least there is a work around.
Now, when I tried to "burn" the movie to a disc image, then it will always give me the error "Unspecified Error[0x80004005]".

I took screen shots of each steps and uploaded to the ticket I created. But, Roxio just closed the ticket with the same message: update this, update that, etc. I already went through this crap several times. They told me that I could request a refund since it's not working. So, I did (sent email to refunds@sonic.com). Of course, there is no response. Their customer support is second to none-existent. I was on hold for a few hours (ok, maybe, I am exaggarating, but for at least one hour) today and the tech support just read through the same thing. I told him that I already tried all the steps and didn't work. He didn't seem to know what to do and I mentioned the request of a refund. He suggested that I send a request again and closed the ticket promptly with the normal "update this, update that..." crap.

Although I could use Video wave to do the video editing and burning, I found it too slow in video wave. I just trimmed the beginning of a 1hr46min movie (recorded TV program) and tried to create a new production. After more than 1hour, it's only 20% done. So, I cancelled it.

The worst thing is that the support guys are not doing their job. The only thing they know is "update this, update that..." w/o looking at the problem. I spent so much time to go through each step and created the screen shots. But, I bet they never looked at them. Otherwise, they wouldn't have said what they had said. It seems to me that they don't quite care about the issues. I bet they never asked a developer about it. To me, this should be a easy problem to look at. Being a software developer myself, I tempted to fix it by myself (only if they would provide the source code, of course).

Anyway, anyone out there who is considering purchasing EMC 9, think again.

Not everyone is feels as you do. Many of us who help answer questions here obviously have it working. Yes, some of us have problems from time to time and we usually get our questions answered here. Sorry it doesn't work well for you.


I have to ask if this was a commercial DVD because EMC will not work with any copyrighted material.
As far your other problems, you don't list any computer info nor do you ask for help so I reckon this is just a feel good session. I hope things work out for you.

Well, if someone out there could solve my issues, I would really appreciate it.
I have al
My computer is a Dell P4 3Ghz (I forgot if it's a dual core or hyperthreaded).
It has 1G ram, 160G Hard drive space (still plenty left). With a Radeon X300 series video card (128MB memory).
It is runing window XP Media Center edition.
The DVD (as I mentioned ealier) was one I created from a standalone DVD recorder (by Lite-On, I bought it from Office Depot on Black Friday). It was a recorded TV program. There is no copy righted stuff in it for sure and I was able to make a copy of the DVD using the Roxio Copier (where Video Compilation resides).

Have you updated Directx9 and the drivers for your video card (from the ATI site)?

I have a LiteOn LVW-5004 recorder and don't have any problems importing and editing the files. However, editing MPEG is indeed sloooooow. You can speed things up a little by using the new feature in Videowave for removing commercials.

The secret to 'smart render' is to use a bitrate higher than 3Mbps. Videowave/MyDVD doesn't support lower bitrates.

"I have to ask if this was a commercial DVD because EMC will not work with any copyrighted material."


That's a good question Paul. My guess is that somewhere in the OP's operation to do what he wants, the program will not accept the proceedure. This seems to be a common plight with some of the users. They assume that EMC will do most anything, including copyrighted material. And if that's not the case, I still believe that somewhere in the proceedure being used, there is a step or something that is not being done correctly.



Frank...

Yes. A few times already as directed by Roxio's tech support. I also sent my output of dxDiag to them that shows the dates of the directX9 and video card update. But they still ask me to do the same thing (I bet they never checked out the output file). In any case here is the information from dxdiag:
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c(4.09.0000.0904)
Video card version: 6.14.0010.6666, date 2/2/07 12:03:43




Video wave was able to import the files from the DVD. However, it was too slow and made it useless for simple tasks (I am not trying to produce a movie). As I mentioned in the original post, when I tried it on the same DVD movie I had been talking about. It took more than hour to finish 20% of the rendering, so I gave up. That's why I preferred to use Video Compilation (start Roxio Copier and there is a tab called Video Compilation). But, somehow, the same Roxio Copier was able to make a copy of the DVD through the "CD & DVD Copy" tab, but would not burn if I do it through "Video Compilation" tab. I used to use a program called nanocomos that came with my video card to edit mpeg files, and it was very fast. It had limited functionaliy, that is, it can't edit from video files.




Well, my steps are simple:
1. Insert a blank DVD+RW into my Lite-On Standalone DVD recorder. Set the timer to record a TV program.
2. Took the DVD+RW to my computer, launch Roxio Copier.
Now the interesting part:
1) If I use the "CD & DVD Copy", then, everything is fine. I was able to make a copy of the DVD. I was able to write it as a disc image. Everything is fine.
2) If I use the "Video Compilation", then, nothing works:
a). When I click on "Add Movie" and select the "movie" on the DVD. Nothing would show up at the lower left pane. But, the burn button is ungrayed and the size of the movie is shown correctly. I can't do anything from here.
. When I click on "Add Movie" and select another "movie" (any video file or mpeg file) from my hard drive. It would be added. The interesting part is when I select the newly added movie and delete it, then, the original movie (from the DVD) will show up. And I "can" edit it.
c). When I try to burn it, then it always fails.
So, basically, the same DVD movie can be copied to DVD or file using "CD & DVD copier", but not using "Video Compilation").

The recording "standards" used by DVD Recorders are anything but "standard"… If I make a VR disc in my Sony Recorder, my Sony Player is unable to play the disc!

Since you are using DVD+RW you should be able to use the disc without finalizing it in the Recorder. (I don't believe VR is a valid format for 'plus' media)

However you are probably going to have to use Media Import to create a valid clip for use in Roxio.

If the recorded program was copy protected, some are, it will not be usable but you should receive a message to that effect.

Thanks for the reply. But, media is not an issue because I made a copy of the DVD into a DVD-R (using Disc Copier). The same problem existed for the DVD-R disc. This is not copy righted, otherwise, it would not have allowed me to make a copy of the disc from a DVD+RW to a DVD-R (using Roxio Disc Copier).