Roxio Creator 2010 Digital Media Suite  (8/2009)

    by Douglas Dixon

Learning Center
Features and Enhancements
Roxio Creator Applications
Visual Tour - Interface and Functions
Roxio Video Capture USB

See previous: Roxio Easy Media Creator 10

A summary of the new Roxio Creator 2010 -- 
    Key new features and enhancements, plus a visual tour of the interface and applications.

Roxio Creator 2010 is Roxio’s flagship suite of digital media applications -- Roxio describes it as the top selling multimedia software suite, with over 350 million copies shipped worldwide (www.roxio.com). It's a deep collection, with some 15 major applications to handle data, video, music, and images, plus some 20 additional Assistants and Express tools for specific dedicated tasks.

        Creator 2010, Home tab

Use the main application to access the right tool for the job: Capture and import video, audio, and photos, from analog and digital devices, including HD camcorders. Edit and transfer directly to CD, DVD, and Blu-ray, or convert to other formats. Create projects and compilations. Then Enjoy and share your movies, music, and photo mixes on disc, on your TV, online on YouTube, and on portable devices like the iPod.

Recent versions of the Creator suite have added more sharing options, from converting to portable devices and uploading online, plus support for high-definition video, especially though AVCHD camcorders and Blu-ray Disc drives.

Creator 2010 continues the emphasis on  consumer-friendly design, with an approachable and friendly design, a main Home / launcher application for quick access to tasks and creation tools, plus an integrated Learning Center with video tutorials and how-to articles.

Key new features include a Learning Center with video and written tutorials, Web video capture and conversion, graphics acceleration for fast video encoding especially for HD video, Blu-ray playback and on-disc editing, and Windows 7 support.

This suite also deep roots. Roxio is the consumer brand of Sonic Solutions, which is a long-time leader in professional DVD authoring (and now Blu-ray), and is growing in digital media for home consumer electronics (www.sonic.com). The data copy and burn part of the suite goes back to Easy CD Creator for disk burning, which expanded to Easy Media Creator with DVD, and now is plain Creator. Sonic also added tools like MyDVD and BackOnTrack for backup. Plus the suite include digital media editing tools for music, photos, and movies, built around a core of rather comprehensive applications including VideoWave and PhotoSuite (originally from MGI).

Find related Sonic / Roxio articles in the Manifest Tech Blog

Learning Center

The new Learning Center is the bottom tab on the Creator 2010 screen. It includes a selection of  video tutorials that you can watch to see how specific tasks are performed (e.g., Burn data across multiple discs, Capture Internet audio, Restore old photos). (You may recogize the voice of Jan Ozer.) Many also have accompanying step-by-step PDF instructions that you also can print out and reference. The Tutorials are hosted online, with new material added regularly.

        Learning Center

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Features and Enhancements

    Key new features and enhancements in Roxio Creator 2010

Creator 2010 has a cleaner interface, with some tools like MyDVD and VideoWave re-designed to focus more on the most important features. The video and audio tools have added capture from streaming Internet audio and video, including automatically segmenting out individual songs and adding song ID data, with conversion to popular formats and devices. 

But the biggest focus of this release is on high-definition video and more efficient video processing. The Pro version (or separate plug-ins) support Blu-ray Disc playback and editing directly on BD-RE discs. And the AVCHD Archive feature trnasfers video from a HD camcorder to DVD or Blu-ray, for playback on Blu-ray players or the Sony PS3 in full HD quality.

Improvements for video processing including smart encoding to just re-compress portions of a project that have been modified, and acceleration on NVidia CUDA and ATI Stream graphics cards (Roxio reports 5X faster compression). You can preview the look of your selected video compression by runnin git on a short section of the clip so you can check the visual quality. There's also the helpful option to pause intensive video compression temporarily so you can use your machine for something else, or schedule it to run while you sleep.

New Features

Interface

• Windows 7 Support
• Roxio Burn Desktop Widget - Burn and copy discs directly on the desktop
• Learning Center - Step-by-step tutorial videos

Web Content

• Automatic Music Capture - Capture music from streaming internet radio,
      automatically add title, artist and album information, automatically add to Windows or iTunes library 
• Save and Convert Web Video - Play back on DVD, mobile phone, iPod

Video Encoding

• Smart Encoding - Speed up processing and preserve original video quality, including AVCHD
• Pause/Resume Video Conversion - Temporarily free up processor during long video conversion projects
• Scheduled Video Conversion - Postpone processing until PC is free
• Accelerated Video Conversion - NVidia CUDA and ATI Stream technology
• AVCHD Archive - Backup an entire camera of AVCHD video to disc
• HDV Plug & Burn - Burn directly to disc from HDV cameras
• “Same As Original” Video Profile - MyDVD and VideoWave, Output keeps source quality/profile. 
      Source kept intact if compatible with the target output disc format

Blu-ray Disc

• Play Blu-ray Discs - (requires Blu-ray Playback Plug-In).
• BD-RE Blu-ray Editing on Disc - (requires High-Def/BD plugin)

Applications

• LightCrafts Lightzone - Apply professional lighting effects to photos (Pro)

Enhancements

• Creator Home - New interface, and personalizes most used tasks
• High Definition Menus - Standard and high-def DVD menu styles
• Video Compilation - Share on DVDs or portable devices. UI, multi-trim, pause/resume
• MyDVD - Motion menu template preview, simplified UI

Pro Applications

Light Crafts LightZone - Pro-quality light and color balance effects

• Non-destructive editing, RAW, JPEG, TIFF and PNG formats
• Change exposure without changing color and vice versa
• Zone Mapping - Alter exposure, contrast, other visual aspects based on Zone System
• Relight - Adjust parts of photo as if lighting was different when it was shot
      Reduces large scale contrast while increasing local contrast

Bias SoundSoap - Professional-quality noise reduction

• Remove unwanted hiss, room noise, rumble, electrical hum, other background noise 
• Works with audio and video digital media files
• Easy and intuitive, adjust two knobs

SmartSound Sonicfire Pro - Soundtrack creation

• Professional quality music creation designed for videographers
• Match mood and length of production, with custom control

Roxio Disaster Recovery - Hard drive backup and recovery

• Back up entire hard drive, including Windows OS, easily restore
• From Roxio BackOnTrack suite

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Roxio Creator Applications

• Roxio Creator 2010 - Main interface, select media (Data,Video, Audio, Photo) and task (Import, Edit, Create, Enjoy)
• BackOnTrack Home - Scheduled Backup selected files: location, date, type, Restore
• CinePlayer - DVD / VCD playback, plus HD Blu-ray / AVCHD
• Creator Classic - Archive to CD, DVD, multiple discs
• Label Creator - Design with styles, graphics
• Media Manager - Organize and view media files, with smart views & albums
• Music Disc Creator -  Import, clean/edit, add info, export / burn music compilations
• MyDVD -  Create disc projects - DVD / [S]VCD, plus HD Blu-ray / AVCHD
• Photo Show Express - Create shows with up to 400 photos, share online
• PhotoSuite - Repair, enhance, share digital photos
• Roxio Burn Options - Enable drag and drop burn for specific discs
• Sound Editor - Record, apply effects, enhance, convert audio
• Video Copy & Convert - Copy entire DVD, or create compilation to files, disc, portable devices
• VideoWave - Create video productions with video, photos, music
• Roxio Venue - Rent and buy movies: Find and download; Burn Qflix DVDs, Print labels, Mobileburn options

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Visual Tour -- Interface and Features

    A visual tour of Roxio Easy Media Creator 2010 interface elements and associated features

The full Creator 2010 suite includes some 15 major applications to handle data, video, music, and images, plus some 20 additional Assistants and Express tools for specific dedicated tasks.

These are listed below, grouped by tabs in the Creator application (which correspond to media types):

• Home - Frequent tasks
• Data / Copy - Burn, Copy data discs (CD, DVD, Blu-ray), disc images; Backup; Labels
• Video / Movies - Import, Edit, Transfer to portable devices, Create DVD (VCD, DVD, BD, AVCHD), Play
• Music / Audio - Rip CDs, Digitize LPs and Tapes, Convert, Edit, Burn Audio CDs and compilations
• Photo - Edit & Enhance, Create Slideshows and PhotoShows, Share on DVD and online
• Learning Center - How-to video clips and PDFs (see Learning Center above)

Creator / Home Tab

The Roxio Creator 2010 provides a launching point for accessing the capabilities of the suite. It provides tabs down the left side to select the media type you want to work with (Data,Video, Audio, Photo), and then lists the tasks to perform on that media, grouped by category (Import, Edit, Create, Enjoy). Some tasks like Copy Disc are built in; otherwise, the control panel will launch the appropriate application or Assistant / Express tool to perform the selected task. The list of tasks is also organized under the File menu. 

You also can launch the major applications individually from the Start menu (see Roxio Creator Applications above).

        Creator: Music / Audio Tab

• Built in: Burn Data Disc, Burn Disc Image, Copy Disc, Burn Audio CDs
• Apps: Create DVDs, Easy Video - Advanced, Copy and Convert Video

Additional disc tools also are listed under Tools menu.

Help is available for each tool in Windows Help format, and through Roxio Online Support.

Data / Copy Tab - and Backup

Burn data files to CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs. Copy data, audio, photo or video discs. Copy an entire 9 GB DVD movie onto a standard 4.7 GB DVD, create custom DVD compilations, convert video files for playback on portable devices.

For disc burning and archiving, you can use the built-in Copy and Burn tools for discs and disc image files (virtual discs, stored as files on hard disk). Use the new Roxio Burn widget to drag and drop files for burning or copying on your desktop. Roll out Creator Classic for more control of archiving files to CD and DVD, and BackOnTrack for scheduled backups of selected files. Then use Label Creator to design disc labels, as well as inserts and sleeves.

        Copy Disc (built-in)

Create - Burn discs (CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc) or disc image files; Create disc labels

• Burn Data Disc (built-in) - Create and burn data CD, DVD, BD,
• Burn Disc Image (built-in) - Create and burn disc image
• Burn Data Disc - Advanced (Creator Classic) - Archive to CD, DVD, multiple discs
• Create Labels (Express Labeler) - Make disc labels, inserts, sleeves, case covers
• Create Labels - Advanced (Label Creator) - Design with styles, graphics

Copy - Copy discs (CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc) or disc image files

• Copy Disc (built-in) - Duplicate non copy-protected discs
• Copy Disc to Image (built-in) - Duplicate non copy-protected disc to disc image
• Copy and Convert Video (Video Copy and Convert) - Copy entire DVD, or create compilation to files, disc, portable devices

Backup - Backup and restore files

• Backup and Restore (BackOnTrack Home) - Scheduled Backup selected files: location, date, type

Tools Menu

Additional disc tools are listed under Tools menu

• Eject / Close Drive Tray (built-in) - For specific drive
• Get Disc Information (built-in) - For drive and inserted disc
• Erase Disc (built-in) - Quick or Full erase
• Finalize Disc (built-in) - Finish disc when done writing, DVD+/-R
• Load Disc Image (Disc Image Loader) - Install disc image file as virtual / emulated drive
• Configure Roxio Burn Desktop App (Options) - Enable for specific drives
• Catalog Your Discs (built-in) - Disc Gallery: Index contents of discs: files, folders, audio 

Video / Movies Tab - and DVD

Edit movies and burn DVDs. Capture, burn and share video, including from HD camcorders. Save web video for offline playback on DVD, mobile phones or portable players and the iPod.

Creator 2010 centralizes the handling of multiple digital media types (audio, images, video) with common applications: Media Import to import and record videos and photos, and Media Manager to organize and view media files. Then use the media-specific tools to edit, enhance, convert, and share media files .

Use VideoWave for extensive video editing, or use CineMagic to automatically generate a polished movie from video clips and photos. For more focused tasks, use Video Copy & Convert to copy entire DVDs, or to create video compilations to files, disc, and portable devices. 

Use MyDVD to author projects to disc, for DVD and [S]VCD, plus high-def Blu-ray and AVCHD. Then run CinePlayer to play back matrial in all these formats.

Creator 2010 also includes Roxio Venue to buy or rent movies from the Roxio online service. You also can burn Qflix copy-protected DVDs, and transfer to mobile devices.

        VideoWave

Import - Capture video and archive from camcorders

• Capture Video (Media Import) - Common media capture / import: Record and copy images, audio, video, DVD titles
• Plug and Burn (Plug and Burn) - Capture from DV tape direct to DVD disc
• Archive AVCHD Video (AVCHD Archive) - Capture from AVCHD camcorder (folder) to DVD

Edit and Transfer - Edit and convert video

• Edit Video - Automatically (CineMagic Assistant) - Make auto movie from video clips and photos
• Edit Video - Advanced (VideoWave) - Create video productions with video, photos, music
• Drag and Drop Convert (SyncIt!) - Convert video, photos, music formats, transfer to portable device
• Copy & Convert Video (Video Copy & Convert) - Copy entire DVD, or create compilation to files, disc, portable devices

Create - DVDs and Labels

• Create DVDs (MyDVD) -  Create disc projects - DVD / [S]VCD, plus HD Blu-ray / AVCHD
• Create Labels (Express Labeler) - Make disc labels, inserts, sleeves, case covers
• Create Labels - Advanced (Label Creator) - Design with styles, graphics

Enjoy - Manage and Play Videos

• Play Movies (CinePlayer) - DVD / VCD playback, plus HD Blu-ray / AVCHD
• Browse and Manage Media (Media Manager) - Organize and view media files, with smart views & albums
• Buy or Rent Movies (Roxio Venue) - Find, download, and watch videos; Burn Qflix DVDs, Print labels, Mobile
• Share Video (Share Video) - Upload to YouTube

Music / Audio Tab

Rip tunes from CDs, digitize and clean up LPs and tapes, and record Internet radio or any other music playing on your PC. Create personalized mixes and compilations for any occasion.

The central audio tool in the Creator suite is Sound Editor, to record audio, apply effects, enhance, and convert formats. But the suite's real focus is working with music to capture audio and create music discs, with a variety of Assistant tools for recording and converting, plus  Music Disc Creator to import tracks, clean and edit, add song information, and then export or burn music compilations.

        LP and Tape Assistant

Import - Rip CDs, Record LPs and Tapes, Capture from Sound Card

• Rip (built-in) - Extract music tracks from audio CD
• Rip - Advanced (Multiple Audio CD Importer) - Rip audio CDs from multiple drives, transfer to portable devices
• Digitize LPs and Tapes (LP and Tape Assistant) - Convert LPs and tapes to digital - Record, Identify & Enhance, Output
• Capture Audio from Sound Card (Easy Audio Capture) - Streaming audio or from sound card, extract songs, transfer to iTunes

Edit and Transfer - Batch Convert, Edit Audio, Create Audiobooks

• Batch Convert and Transfer (Audio Converter) - Convert formats, rename based on tags, transfer to portable devices
• Edit Song Information (Audio Tag Editor) - Update audio tags, manually, or online music database
• Edit Audio (Sound Editor) - Record, apply effects, enhance, convert audio
• Create Audiobooks (Audiobook Creator) - Convert CDs and files to MP3s or iTunes, chapters as tracks

Create - Copy and Burn Music CDs, Create Labels

• Burn Audio CDs (built-in) - Create playable audio CDs
• Burn MP3 CDs (built-in) - Create CDs with MP3 music 
• Copy Disc (built-in) - Duplicate non copy-protected discs\
• Create Labels (Express Labeler) - Make disc labels, inserts, sleeves, case covers
• Create Labels - Advanced (Label Creator) - Design with styles, graphics
• Create Music Disc Projects ( Music Disc Creator) -  Import, clean/edit, add info, export / burn music compilations
• Create DVD Music Discs (DVD Music Assistant) - Music on DVD Video, with menus and track lists, 25 hrs/1 layer
• Create Labels (Express Labeler) - Make disc labels, inserts, sleeves, case covers
• Create Labels - Advanced (Label Creator) - Design with styles, graphics

Enjoy - Browse and Mange Media

• Browse and Manage Media (Media Manager) - Organize and view media files, with smart views & albums

Photo Tab

The core photo application in Creator 2010 is Photo Suite to repair, enhance, and share digital photos.  And there are a variety of Assistant tools to enhance photos (including in batches), create slideshows and other collections, and upload online with PhotoShow. 

        PhotoSuite

Import - Import photos

• Import Photos (Media Import) - Common media capture / import: Record and copy images, audio, video, DVD titles

Edit - Edit and Enhance Photos

• Edit Photos (PhotoSuite) - Repair, enhance, share digital photos
• Enhance Multiple Photos (Photo Enhancement Assistant) -  Edit batch of photos: resize, rotate, adjust, effects, convert

Create - Create Photo Shows

• Create Slideshows (Slideshow Assistant) - Create photo slide show with audio and transitions, send to VideoWave or MyDVD
• Create PhotoShows (Photo Show Express) - Create shows with up to 400 photos, share online
• Create Panoramas  (Panorama Assistant) - Combine multiple overlapping photos
• Create Projects (Photo Projects Assistant) - Create personalized calendars, greeting cards, and more
• Create Labels (Express Labeler) - Make disc labels, inserts, sleeves, case covers
• Create Labels - Advanced (Label Creator) - Design with styles, graphics

Enjoy - Print and Share Photos

• Print (Print Assistant) - Arrange photos on pages to print
• Email (Photo Email Assistant) - Email individual photos or slideshows
• Browse and Manage Media (Media Manager) - Organize and view media files, with smart views & albums

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Roxio Video Capture USB

And to help convert your older tapes and other media, the Roxio Video Capture USB is a separate hardware device that is designed to work with Creator 2010 to capture older analog material and convert into digital formats.

Hook up the video and audio from your external source (VHS player, LP turntable, and audio cassette player).

Creator 2010 then can capture your material, convert into digital files of for portable players, and even separate out individual song tracks and look up title, artist and genre information.

• Preserve your VHS, Hi8, and V8 movies and home videos, transfer to DVD
• Transfer LPs audio tapes to CDs or portable players, automatically add song information
• Capture video from most analog camcorders, VCRs, even DVD players
• Capture video at full resolution, DVD-quality (720x480)
• Automatic NTSC/PAL detection
• Video inputs: Composite video (RCA), S-Video (mini-DIN)
• Audio inputs: Stereo audio (RCA x2)
• $49.99 (Roxio Creator 2010 is required, and separate)
• www.roxio.com/enu/products/creator/device

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