Features Removed in VX8 Ultimate?

[tanguero]

I'm curious to know what features have been removed in vX8 (compared to vX7).

In another thread, RobertOZ says that "For me, removal of SmartSound is a big disappointment, as I have an extensive music library, now means that if I want to use SmartSound, I will have to edit with Sonicfire Pro, then import into VSX8," and "Not sure I like the new VSL with us now being required to pay for tutorials."

So that list seems to include at least:

1. Removal of SmartSound
2. Tutorials are no longer free (I'm actually not sure which tutorials these refer to ... just repeating from the above email)

But, regarding (1), I see that they now have "ScoreFitter" which seems to be similar--anyone knows anything about that and how the two compare?

Are there other feature removals?

[Ken Berry]

Burning Blu-Ray discs is no longer automatically included in either Pro or Ultimate versions. You have to pay extra to get it, though that's only a very few extra dollars. However, I simply don't understand the basis of Corel's decision to do this when it has been an integral part of VS for several versions now. OK, not everyone burns Blu-Ray discs, or even have a Blu-Ray burner. But for those of us who do, it is a needless aggravation to have now to buy it. I am also sure that the extra money generated from this decision will far from compensate for consumer annoyance at what appears to be a very penny-pinching gesture by Corel.

[snowstorm]

I am a user of VS X6 Ultimate and 90% of my projects are Blu Ray;I have been burning BluRay for many years now.
I was to upgrade to VS X8 Ultimate but now with no Blu Ray ;why should I be paying for that I never did;I will look seriously for another software.....

snowstorm

[snowstorm]

I decided to verify the cost of upgrading to VS X8 Ultimate.
I applied a coupon =10corelsave-The upgrade itself is now $53.99 instead of $59.99 and the BluRay plug in is now $7.19 instead of $7.99

for a saving of $6.80
I still find ridiculous that such a basic feature be a plug in .....that you have to pay for.....

snowstorm

[tanguero]

The BD authoring plugin is a lousy 4 MB file. Not that price should necessarily be a function of installation package size, but yes, it is ridiculous to charge 10% more for 0.1% additional functionality (that was there in an older version on top of it).

And they can't even get the implementation details right--the purchase package only delivers you the 32-bit version of the plugin, not the 64-bit version. And the license key is not provided. Have a message in to support -- I'm sure they'll come up with the missing license key, but is it possible that the 64-bit version has NO BD authoring plugin even available? But it does come across as rather amateurish if they can't even deliver purchased software properly.

[Ken Berry]

Sorry but I have X8 64 bit, and there is only one BD authoring module which works in both 32 and 64 bit. I didn't get any licence key/serial number either for it, but it installed perfectly as it was...

[tanguero]

Ah OK, sounds like more a case of confusing/misleading "welcome" email than a real problem, then?

[skier-hughes]

Isn't the cost the licence fee Corel have to pay?

[Ken Berry]

It may very well be, though I am not sure to whom Corel would be paying such a fee. But my point in any case would be that in the past, that fee has been subsumed in the price Corel asked for the total package. This time round they appear to be being greedy by subtracting a previous feature, and charging extra for it over and above the price they are asking for X8 as a package.

[TonyP]

The cost is a license fee that Corel does have to pay for each and every product that ships with it enabled. That includes the ones that are sitting on store shelves that have not been bought. So, to save money, if you want it, you have to pay for it. I don't know if they did a study on how many VS users burn bluray, but I guess they figure why pay for the ones that don't.
Bluray Royalty Rates.

[TonyP]

I'm curious to know what features have been removed in vX8 (compared to vX7).

In another thread, RobertOZ says that "For me, removal of SmartSound is a big disappointment, as I have an extensive music library, now means that if I want to use SmartSound, I will have to edit with Sonicfire Pro, then import into VSX8,"

That does have me reconsidering upgrading. If they at least offered Smartsound as a plugin, I would go for it.

and "Not sure I like the new VSL with us now being required to pay for tutorials."

I am sure there will be independent videos as there has always been. What they are offering with X8 is 45 days free access to a website with tutorials and other assets you might be interested in. After that, you would have to subscribe to the website.

But, regarding (1), I see that they now have "ScoreFitter" which seems to be similar--anyone knows anything about that and how the two compare?

Are there other feature removals?

Scorefitter is similar to Smartsound and works basically the same way. When Corel bought Pinnacle, Scorefitter was being used already in Pinnacle Studio. The benefit to Corel is they don't have to pay Smartsound for their plugin any more. The downside is all those VS users that have a SS library and do use it.

Now, if you don't use these features, then it doesn't matter if they are not there or changed. You have to make that decision. If what they are offering is what you want. Smartsound is vital to me. I can burn a bluray with other products. And tutorials will always be produced by lots of people on youtube.

[asik1]

I never used or liked SmartSound only because it default it's installation to the C: drive and it can't be changed.
I don't like to have basic data files on C when they could be any where else.

[Ken Berry]

Without at all wanting to engage in the same tit for tat that characterises another recent thread here, thanks asik, but not all of us are so hung up on keeping our C:\ drive so clean. I do that on a couple of tiny tablet or smartphone drives. But I much more appreciate SmartSound that I don't really care where it goes. Moreover, it is only SonicFire Pro which takes up space, and that does NOT have to go on the C:\ drive. Just the data files associated with the discs. And I never download the discs either -- though they work just fine if left in the disc drive...

[TonyP]

You can also store all your SS music on another drive if you like. All you have to do is once you open SS, click on Smartsound Quicktracks and then select the folder tab. You can now have the "default" location on another drive.
But like Ken, I have enough space on my c: drive. I can understand people with SSD's might be tight on storage, but the option is there for putting all your music on another driver.

[pepegota]

As for Blu-Ray, I use tsmuxeR and Imgburn after rendering to my desired format. So, BD inclusion is not manditory for me. If I want menus, I use TEMGEnc Authoring Works to that end.