Popcorn 3

Update saves DVD and video conversion software

With Popcorn 3 (for the Mac), users can transfer their videos to DVDs and such popular portable devices as the iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, BlackBerry—even the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It also provides TiVoToGo support so you can transfer TV shows and movies from TiVo DVR to your Mac and then to a portable device for on-the-go viewing.

At first, we had some difficulties with Popcorn 3: multiple crashes; not being able to preview DVD video before extracting; poor video compression; and even some synchronization issues. Fortunately, the free 3.02 update was released, which cleared up all those problems. (Unfortunately, it means that Roxio shipped the product before it was ready!)

Popcorn version 3.02 performed very well, however, and we were able to do our conversions with ease. On a 2.66-GHz Dual-Core Mac Pro, conversions averaged about 2x faster than real-time: For example, extracting a 10-minute video clip from a wedding DVD disc and converting it to a 720×480 video file (H.264 video codec with AAC audio) took just under 5 minutes.

Features that I liked were: the new batch conversion; being able to preview before beginning a conversion; and the Leopard support and multiple bug fixes that came with version 3.02. But perhaps Popcorn 3 should have been a free upgrade to version 2 users who have had to struggle with a less-than-ideal application?—Rod Harlan

PRICE: $49.99
FROM: Roxio
WEB: www.roxio.com
RATING: 4

LAYERS VERDICT
HOT Batch conversion
NOT Released too early; for Mac only