[Slithy]

I am trying to make a decision on whether or not to purchase this product.

My intended use is as follows:
* I have an HTPC that I use to record standard definition TV shows in MPEG 2 using GB-PVR
* I want to archive multiple episodes of selected shows to a DVD in DivX format.
* I want to have an interactive opening menu (just like a standard DVD)
* I should be able to add my choice of backgrounds, pictures, clips to the menu
* Playback the created DVD on any of my computers (I have 3) using the DivX or other compatible player

The Roxio product site notes this capability, but refers to it as an HD feature. Does it work for non-HD video files?

Just to start on a bad note, I would have to say that the Roxio Product pages are the probably the least useful and informative that I have encountered in my search for a solution. Rather poor media based marketing performance for a company that markets multimedia software. It tended to support my generally poor opinion of Sonic/Roxio Products based on an embedded version on one of my computers (a Dell 3000). I un-installed it along with the other crippled/useless apps embedded by Dell.

This version (9) seemed to hold some promise to be better, and possibly meet my need.

My System
HTPC-Main (Server): Athlon64 3500+ | Biostar TForce4 Ultra MB | 2Gig Corsair Twinx2048 3200 | eVGA geForce7600GS 256 | Theater550 Pro(ATI) Tuner | Samsung Spinpoint SATA 250Gb | Kingwin ABT520 PS |Thermaltake Tenor Case || Windows XP Pro SP2 | GB-PVR 98.08

This post has been edited by Slithy: 24 October 2006 - 07:16 PM

[ggrussell]

I have no idea how 'interactive' teh menus are, but Disc Copier's 'video compilation' mode does support the DivX 6 creation with menus. I don' t have a DVD player that supports the format although I could problably test one out on the computer. It just has 'DivX'. It doesn't say HD DivX. There are two WMV HD choices though.

Unfortunately, this mode does NOT allow you to change the background, etc. There are only 14 predesigned 'templates'. Personally, I haven't seen many apps that will do what you want when creating a DivX disc.

This post has been edited by ggrussell: 24 October 2006 - 08:00 PM

[Slithy]

ggrussell, on Oct 24 2006, 07:55 PM, said:

I have no idea how 'interactive' teh menus are, but Disc Copier's 'video compilation' mode does support the DivX 6 creation with menus. I don' t have a DVD player that supports the format although I could problably test one out on the computer. It just has 'DivX'. It doesn't say HD DivX. There are two WMV HD choices though.

Unfortunately, this mode does NOT allow you to change the background, etc. There are only 14 predesigned 'templates'. Personally, I haven't seen many apps that will do what you want when creating a DivX disc.

Thanks for the response. You are right about lack of the apps to do what I want. I had great difficulty even stumbling across this potential capability of Media Creator 9 (does not say much for Roxio Marketing)

I think this is the future for recorded video. Being able to playback a DivX authored DVD from only DivX supported players is not a serious limitation. I Have three TV's all connected to computers (the secondary PC's are resurrected old ones with nVidia5200 Cards). I have several installed ways to do streaming and each PC has a DVD Drive. I have a DivX or compatible Player installed on each. My standalone DVD player is connected to one TV and seldom used.

Regards

This post has been edited by Slithy: 24 October 2006 - 08:45 PM

[ggrussell]

With MPEG 4 and Blueray/HD DVD on the way, I seriously doubt DivX will be anything more than a niche market. There are a few DVD players with DivX capability on the market. DivX is great compression technology. They just couldn't sell it to the industry.