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Written by Don Lee
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Monday, 22 May 2006 |
 Roxio Popcorn 2 is designed to provide Mac users with a one-stop
solution to backup your DVDs, create custom videos and to help you
convert and transfer your video to portable devices such as the Sony
PlayStation Portable, Apple iPod, DivX handheld devices and mobile phones.
Popcorn 2 can do a lot of things so let’s take a look at its main features. For DVDs, you can make backup copies of your unprotected DVDs. Be aware that Popcorn 2 does not make copies of protected DVDs though. Some of the supported video sources include a DVD disc, disc image file, or VIDEO_TS folder but it can also accept video files as well such as QuickTime, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, DivX and VOB.
Now you can choose to convert video for your Video iPod, Sony PSP, 3GP Phone, DivX Player, MPEG-4 Player and a H.264 Player. Once you have selected your video source, output device, video quality and output destination, you are now ready to export. Just press the big red button in the lower right hand of the application window to begin the process. The program has default settings in place so you really don’t have to do much other than inputting your files and telling what you want it exported as.
For my test, I selected a video file from my hard drive. After the selection, you will then see the file appear in the content area. Then select the Player tab at the top of the application window and click on the type of device (located at the lower right of the window) you want to output your video for. I chose my Sony PSP and Popcorn 2 not only converted the file to the proper format but it also created the THM information file that the PSP needs to read the video file. It exported the file directly to my PSP. Once the process was complete, I went into my PSP’s video section and there was my transferred file with its preview image and all.
The video quality setting is set to Standard by default. Now you can choose to customize the output settings but you really should familiarize yourself with those settings first before you attempt to use them. Improper selections for customizing can cause corrupted files to be exported.
Now I was very happy with the Standard settings as the quality appeared fine under all formats. To those with the itch to tweak, Roxio provides a good numbers of exporting options for all devices though. Some of the general customizing features include image size, frame rates and audio quality but there are other options available that is tailored toward each individual device’s standards.
The DVD compressing feature is very cool because you can take that oversized DVD content and fit it onto a single layer 4.7 gigabyte DVD. You can choose the compress the entire DVD or you can choose which elements from the DVD you want. This is referred to as the Director’s Cut on the packaging. To make sure that you’re only grabbing the files that you want, Popcorn 2 provides a preview button where the program will launch its own built-in DVD player so you can watch the selected video to make sure it’s the one you really want. All of the video files found on the DVD are checked off as default. Just uncheck the ones you don’t want. Thankfully, Popcorn 2 can compress multiple files at one time so you don’t have to sit there waiting to work on one file at a time. Once you have selected the DVD files that you want, press the big red button on the lower right and it will begin the extraction process. Luckily, the program does not take up your entire system so you can continue to work while the extraction is going on. Once the extraction is done, you will be prompted for a blank disc to burn your content.
Input formats:
• DVD disc, disc image file, or VIDEO_TS folder
• All QuickTime video formats, MPEG1, MPEG2,
MPEG4, AVI, DivX, VOB
Output formats:
• DVD disc or disc image file
• MPEG4, H.264 or DivX files
DVD formats:
• Single and multiple movies and extras
• Multi-channel Dolby Digital audio
• Multi-language audio
• NTSC and PAL video
• 16:9 widescreen and 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratios
I found Roxio Popcorn 2 to be a very good compression and conversion software that can handle the most popular video formats as well as unprotected DVDs. The default settings work very well for those who just want to get the job done. Roxio didn’t forget about you customizing video fans either. There are a number of customizable features for each exporting format.
The only issue I would I wish the program would allow for renaming video files from within the content area. Although for the suggested retail price of $49.99, Roxio’s Popcorn 2 is a good value for those looking for a one-stop solution to their video compression and conversions needs. Whether you are looking for a simple interface or those who want a little more control of the exporting process, Popcorn 2 offers options to satisfy both users. Roxio Popcorn 2 earns a 4 out of 5 star recommendation. You can pick up Roxio Popcorn 2 for the Macintosh or visit the product’s website at http://www.roxio.com.
System Requirements
• Macintosh computer with Intel or PowerPC processor (G4 or faster)
Popcorn 2 is a native universal application for Intel and PowerPC
• Mac OS X v10.4 or later (Mac OS 10.4.4 and higher recommended)
• QuickTime 7 or later
• iTunes 6 or later
• Up to 15 GB of temporary hard disk space may be need during usage
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