Downloadableshop.com

Actually putting a competent slide show together is quite easy, almost intuitive, it was when I came to burn it that the trouble began. Here is the edited story. I finished my masterpiece and was eager to burn it to DVD. Go to “Produce Slideshow”, then “Burn” and up pops a window “Enter Activation Key” Eh?? What activation key?, Never had one so click on “Obtain online”. A web page opens, “log in or register” Having already registered I log in, go to “Get Activation Key” (via several intermediate steps), another web page opens – “Please log in or register” !!!! I went round in circles for sometime before giving up and contacting support. Support said -”To obtain your activation key log into your user account and ….” Bang head on nearest brick wall, to cut this story short I eventually got an activation key. End of story then? Oh no, not by a long chalk, that performance was just a slight taster of what was to come. A few weeks later we upgraded to Windows 7 from XP (very quick and trouble free in itself – see our review). It was a clean install so had to reload the programs, no problems until we came to Magix Photo story. Popped in the disc and – nothing, drive light came on but the disc wasn’t read, no whirring sounds, nothing. We knew the drive was OK ‘cos we’d just been using it but checked again anyway. Couldn’t imagine the disc was faulty as it had been stored carefully and used just the once. Get on to support (what follows is edited only slightly, the gist is absolutely true!)

Us: Just upgraded from XP to Windows 7 but your Photostory disc isn’t being read

Support: It wasn’t designed for Windows 7 but should work in Vista compatible mode

Us: This won’t work because the disc isn’t being read by Windows 7, can we get from you a free upgrade to a Windows 7 version?

Support: No we don’t do free upgrades, you must do as we suggested at first and run setup in Vista compatability mode.

Us: We cannot run setup in ANY mode, we’ve told you twice now that the disc is not being read, Windows 7 doesn’t think there is a disc in the drive

Support: How do you expect to run setup if you haven’t got a disc in the drive.

I think the men in the white coats are coming to take us away soon ………….
Rating: 2 / 5

Having just bought this software I find there is an udated version available, but I don’t know what the improvements are. I’ve created some excellent slideshows since purchase and in my opinion the quality is excellent when played back on a TV through a DVD player.

If I have one criticism it would the user manual which you have to download from the Documentation file within the progamme. To burn a newly created slideshow is straight forward but the manual doesn’t cover all the options you are confronted with if you want to edit then burn an already burned slideshow. I found a lot of trial and error was needed before I got a usable edited slideshow, and I still find the process of burning an edited slideshow confusing. Magix email help is very good though and they answer queries quickly.

All in all it is a good piece of software if you want to create slideshows that people will want to watch.
Rating: 4 / 5