RecordNow MAX
Powerful Burning Software Made Easy!
Unlock the power of your CD/DVD recorder
with RecordNow Max. The New Industry Standard and the recording
software choice of HP and IBM! RecordNow MAX is packed full of features to
give you the perfect Audio, CD, DVD, Video, Data and MP3 recording
solutions. It's now faster and easier than ever!
Review
By Erik Holsinger
(05/31/02)
Adding a CD-ROM burner to your system can make your life a lot more fun if
you have the right software. We suggest RecordNow Max 4.0, a CD-recording
software package. Sure to please beginners and experienced users alike,
this powerful program can burn everything from data discs to VideoCDs
(VCDs). If you have a DVD recorder attached to your system, you can even
use RecordNow Max 4.0 to create archive copies of your favorite DVDs.
While we found RecordNow's documentation and online support weak, the
program's easy-to-use interface and flawless performance made it a joy to
work with. If you burn CDs or DVDs on a PC, you should use this app.
Interface for every
occasion
One of the first things you'll notice after installation is that RecordNow
Max 4.0 provides separate interfaces for casual and power users. On
start-up, you see the RecordNow Max Wizard interface, which guides you
quickly through basic CD-R-burning tasks. Using the RecordNow Max Wizard,
you can copy discs or make music and data discs, such as a disc full of
MP3s, with just a few clicks. However, if you close this window, the
underlying interface comes to the front, offering access to much more
powerful tools. For example, using the advanced Warp Drive feature, you
can set up multiple CD-recording tasks with up to 64 CD-R drives,
effectively turning RecordNow Max into a low-cost CD duplication system.
Format extravaganza
When it comes to CD formats, RecordNow Max 4.0 can record just about
anything. It burns CD copies, data and bootable CDs, discs from a live
audio source, VideoCDs, and even--with a DVD burner--DVDs. However, while
RecordNow Max 4.0 can record DVDs, it is not a DVD-authoring program.
You'll still need a separate application, such as Pinnacle Express DV, to
create and format your video files for playback on DVD players.
Sound delivery
We especially like RecordNow's ability to adjust sound resolution. This
app lets you rip MP3 files at bit rates of up to 320Kbps, for pristine MP3
recordings, or set the resolution lower for recording longer-duration
audio. We easily burned an MP3 disc and played it without a hitch in
everything from computers to car stereos. In addition, RecordNow Max's DJ
Burn tool lets you record sound sources directly through your PC's sound
card. It's no studio recording, but DJ Burn could be a fun way to capture
a family sing-along on the spur of the moment.
Mixed support
We found RecordNow Max long on features, but its documentation and online
help could use some work. The 28-page manual provides some help with basic
functions but lacks detail on the more complex functions, such as setting
up multiple CD-R recorders to work in tandem. Stomp's Web site doesn't
offer much more information, either, just a basic FAQ page and a list of
supported drives, which hasn't been updated in nearly six months. Given
the power of the program, we're disappointed that RecordNow Max doesn't
come with better documentation. Still, Stomp gives you 30 days of
unlimited free, but not toll-free, telephone support, Monday through
Friday. Otherwise you can e-mail RecordNow Max tech support and get an
answer back within two business days.
It burns
Despite somewhat weak documentation, RecordNow Max remains one of the most
impressive CD-R-burning software packages available for the PC. The
RecordNow Max Wizard interface and advanced features make RecordNow Max a
great tool for both beginners and advanced users.
