Customer Reviews:
 Don't go there June 30, 2004
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
My laptop came pre-installed with Instant DVD/CD but my experience is the same as many of your other correspondents; I have yet to burn a DVD successfully - it appears to go all the way then either slows to a trickle, never quite completing the burning operation, or simply crashes. Their web-site is no help, I've installed the most up-to-date patches but there's no improvement and apparently no help. I think I will go back to Nero if I can actually remove this successfully from my PC!
How does Pinnacle stay in business? February 11, 2004
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This review is for Pinnacle Instant CD/DVD version 7.06. There is a newer version on the market, so I was able to pick this up cheap, thinking that I was getting a bargain. Guess again. I was hoping that I'd be able to edit video files that I'd ripped from DVD after changing them from VOB to mpeg. No luck. Whenever I try to import video it crashes. Haven't tried other formats yet. Maybe I'll have better luck with avi or mpg, but I'm not holding my breath. In addition, the interface on the video editing software is idiotically simple, yet simultaneously unintuitive, so you get the worst of both worlds.
Patches? The Pinnacle website was no help, having only three links in the support section for version 7x. All of the links were dead, but it didn't matter anyhow because none of them appeared to be related to my problem. Haven't contacted support yet.
Oh, and good luck getting this thing off your machine if you don't want it. Not only does it not come with an uninstall, but it stashes files all over the place, and it screwed up my other burning software so that it wouldn't work! If you install this, make sure you use a program that keeps track of the changes made so that you can completely uninstall it (I think there's something in Norton utilities that does the job). In addition to the craptacular editing program, Instant CD/DVD comes with several other programs, none of which interested me. I have tried the disc burning program--I had no choice since Instant CD/DVD screwed up my Nero files--and it worked the first few times, but it soon started crashing, too. I figure it crashed about 20% of the time. I've also tried Instant Copy, which is included in the Instant CD/DVD suite, as a stand alone program and found it remarkably underwhelming. It takes for-e-ver, even on a P4 machine. I much prefer DVD Shrink, which is free and decrypts discs, unlike Instant Copy.
After spending hours fooling around with Instant CD/DVD I realized that it's much more than just bad software. It's a material refutation of the dogma of free-market efficiency. If Pinnacle is still in business, then clearly, clearly, markets don't work in the manner that economists like to imagine.
The most satisfying thing about this software is the feeling you get when you throw it in the trash.
Not worth - even for free December 2, 2003
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This software is a prime example of what a bad written software can be! After I installed the software, I did not find any good way of trimming away some of the excess fat in order to make a good quality backup (i.e. lack of program options). Fortunately, I found some public domain software - "InstantCopySettings" to help with this. The software takes way too long even on a P4 machine to transcode a DVD. The real icing on the cake is that after it automatically adjusted to fit on a 4.7GB DVD+RW, it complained about not being able to write to the disk. Since it creates the content in its proprietary format, I couldn't even use Nero to burn it to the DVD. DVD Shrink Beta 5 did a great job of converting including writing to the same DVD+RW disk - i.e. the disk was not faulty. I also tried to make a DVD using still images. Couldn't figure out how to make this work. Saving the worst for last - this software also installs "Instant Drive". This interfered with DVD Shrink making it hang. I cannot even uninstall the "Instant Drive" completely (amateur programmers!). I did get the software for free after rebates - but it is collecting dust now! I would recommend staying away from it.
 Faster now with the Instant CD/DVD 7.06 patch July 5, 2003
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I have been using this program for about 2 months now. My main use for it is backing up dual layer (DL) 8.5 GB DVDs onto a single 4.3GB recordable DVD. Instant CD/DVD use to take 8 hours to do this on my nicely equiped PC. With the latest 7.06 patch, released in May '03, it now takes about 3 hours. That's pretty good.There is free software available on the internet that will resize DL DVDs too, but I am very impressed with the final DVD quality when using Instant CD/DVD. (I have not tried the free stuff) Three things worth noting:
- Instant CD/DVD does not decrypt any copyrighted DVDs, which makes it useless as a backup tool by itself.
- There is free DVD decrypter software that will copy your DVDs to a HD and remove the protection to allow a backup.
- I have read that this is illegal to do in the US. A step backwards because fair use laws would allow backup copies of VHS tapes. What gives? This software is a suite. I have not fully explored the other features. I have created a DVD from the included Expression authoring software. It worked well, but I am still a novice. I am satisfied with my purchase, and believe it is well worth the money. My Computer: Windows XP Pro, AMD Athlon 2200+, HP DVD300i DVD+R, and 120GB HD.
Home Theater: Progessive scan DVD player, 52" progressive scan RP-TV, Dolby Digital audio system, and surround sound speakers.
Copying DVD's - Don't waste your money! July 2, 2003
I have used several Pinnacle products in the past and when Instant CD/DVD came out I bought the package right away. Having already had a few DVD's ruined with scratches, I thought I would back them up. What a mistake as it turns out Instant CD/DVD will not copy any copy protected movies, and practically all are protected. Buy DVD X Copy or try some of the free programs. Don't waste your money if you are buying to just copy DVD's. If for other reasons, go ahead, as the package has some nice features.
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