Popcorn 3: Are They Joking?

[MassWineGuy]

I tried to burn a blank DVD disk yesterday the same way I had always done so with Popcorn 2, but I could not get it to work. I kept getting a message saying how my video files took up too much space and could I delete some. This never happens with the previous version, which compresses everything quite well.

 

Was Roxio playing a joke on us with the new version? It is totally confusing to use, does not work well and has a really lousy, non-intuitive usr interface. I, for one, am taking advantage of the 30-day refund option.

[tsantee]

I tried to burn a blank DVD disk yesterday the same way I had always done so with Popcorn 2, but I could not get it to work. I kept getting a message saying how my video files took up too much space and could I delete some. This never happens with the previous version, which compresses everything quite well.

 

Was Roxio playing a joke on us with the new version? It is totally confusing to use, does not work well and has a really lousy, non-intuitive usr interface. I, for one, am taking advantage of the 30-day refund option.

Fine by me if you choose the refund. But what setting were you using, what source was the video and what were you trying to create? Since it is something you were able to do with Popcorn 2 and you mention compression I'm guessing you were trying to create a single-layer DVD from a dual-layer-sized VIDEO_TS folder. In that case the format to choose is "VIDEO_TS folders" under the DVD section. At this point everything should proceed identically to Popcorn 2 including the ability to select what content to include by clicking the Options button.

 

Yes, the interface is more confusing than Popcorn 2 and there now is a Media Browser to learn as well. That is mostly because Popcorn 3 now can author video DVDs from multiple video sources whereas Popcorn 2 can only make a video DVD from an existing video DVD or VIDEO_TS folder.

[freshburn]

What format are you using in Popcorn 3?

[sunwolf]

Fine by me if you choose the refund. But what setting were you using, what source was the video and what were you trying to create? Since it is something you were able to do with Popcorn 2 and you mention compression I'm guessing you were trying to create a single-layer DVD from a dual-layer-sized VIDEO_TS folder. In that case the format to choose is "VIDEO_TS folders" under the DVD section. At this point everything should proceed identically to Popcorn 2 including the ability to select what content to include by clicking the Options button.

 

Yes, the interface is more confusing than Popcorn 2 and there now is a Media Browser to learn as well. That is mostly because Popcorn 3 now can author video DVDs from multiple video sources whereas Popcorn 2 can only make a video DVD from an existing video DVD or VIDEO_TS folder.

 

I have the exact same problem. Yes, I'm using "VIDEO_TS folders". Yes, it's a commercial DL DVD I'm trying to backup to save the original from "the kids" etc. It has 5 hours of programming on it. Popcorn 3 says 67% reduction but when I say burn it chokes with that video too big message. Popcorn 2 has **never** done that.

[tsantee]

I have the exact same problem. Yes, I'm using "VIDEO_TS folders". Yes, it's a commercial DL DVD I'm trying to backup to save the original from "the kids" etc. It has 5 hours of programming on it. Popcorn 3 says 67% reduction but when I say burn it chokes with that video too big message. Popcorn 2 has **never** done that.

Are you saying you are able to fit that DL content to a single-layer disc using Popcorn 2? There is a limit to how much Popcorn can compress videos to fit. The problem is that the audio track cannot be compressed. When there is a lot of content the audio can take up so much space that not enough room is available for video. This typically is a problem with uncompressed PCM audio although that doesn't apply in your case. But fitting 5 hours of video to a single-layer disc may be more than Popcorn can do. Unless, of course, you've done just that with Popcorn 2 in which case the versions have different limits.

[MassWineGuy]

I strongly suggest that Roxio revise Popcorn 3 to make the user interface much simpler and straightforward. Was there any user experience research conducted on the new version?

 

There is also another delight in version 3. When you start processing a new DVD burn, the timing counter goes UP for the first five minutes or so. I thought they'd licked this annoying issue in version 2, but here it is again.

 

Popcorn 2 does all I need and should have served as a paradigm for future revisions.

[gaper1]

I strongly suggest that Roxio revise Popcorn 3 to make the user interface much simpler and straightforward. Was there any user experience research conducted on the new version?

 

The new interface is like changes made in Toast 8 and personally I don't think it's that much different. Also, if I remember right, a lot of users actually like the new interfaces in Toast 8 when it was first released.

[PittsJay]

I'm having this exact same problem, and frankly not understanding what the issue is. It doesn't say that my audio is uncompressed PCM, it says it's Dolby Digital 5.1. The original DVD had under 8 GB of data, and I'm trying to compress it to a 4.7 GB single layer.

 

 

Anyone have any suggestions? I may be needing to take advantage of the refund here...

[AngelArs]

The original DVD had under 8 GB of data, and I'm trying to compress it to a 4.7 GB single layer.

Isn't that what the 'Fit to DVD' feature is for?

[Nye_Coffey]

I am having the same proble as the other people here except I quite like the new interface.

 

Some VIDEO_TS folders will not compress onto a single layer DVD in Popcorn 3 using "fit to DVD" despite the fact that the same VIDEO_TS folders will burn perfectly using Popcorn 2.

 

I have been battling the Web Ticket 'support' staff for a month with no resolution - they even gave me instructions for a Vista machine once despite being told several times that I was on a Mac.

 

At one point they asked me to remove all versions of Popcorn from my computer and only install Popcorn 3 back on - for those who were thinking of trying this don't bother.

 

I took this a step further and formatted a spare machine then intalled the operating system to 10.4.10 with all apple software updates and installed Popcorn 3 as the only non operating system piece of software on the machine - It still wont burn some VIDEO_TS folders.

 

To say I have had a negative experience with Roxio support would be a massive understatement.

[gaper1]

how was the Video_TS folder created?

[Nye_Coffey]

how was the Video_TS folder created?

 

Mac the Ripper 3