Nero 8
Manufacturer: Nero Part number: 800186
- CNET Editor rating: Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 26 reviews
- More product information:
- Editors' take
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Nero 8 shows off a new interface for getting started that makes the many tools easier to find from the get-go. Some welcome new features include HD support, although this rich suite can still confuse.
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CNET editors' take
Nero 8 price range: $145.02
- Reviewed by: Elsa Wenzel
- Reviewed on: 09/28/2007
The bottom line: Nero 8 shows off a new interface for getting started that makes the many tools easier to find from the get-go. Some welcome new features include HD support, although this rich suite can still confuse.
In addition to the disc-ripping and -burning capabilities with which Nero first made its mark, the digital-media suite also offers a bevy of options for managing movies, music, and photos. Nero helps you create and edit videos and music files, share that content online, turn your PC into a media center, and back up and recover data in case of disaster. Nero 8 includes a revamped entry page in addition to new support for burning and creating HD and Blu-ray CDs and DVDs.
Nero 8 costs $79 to download, $99 for the box, and $49 to upgrade from Nero 7 Ultra Edition. In the past, Nero has not issued a new version of its software every year, unlike so many other brands. Instead, a new package would come onto the market every other year or so. Peppered between each release were significant updates that Nero's 50 million or so active users could download for free. Now, however, Nero will follow an annual version update schedule.
Setup
We had to let an early download of Nero 8 run all night long (the estimate early in the evening was 9 hours), which was maddening. From the disc, luckily, the 30-minute process on our Windows XP test bed was far less arduous. PhotoShow Express and SecurDisc Viewer took about another 10 minutes to install separately. But beware; Nero will install the Ask search toolbar in your Internet browser unless you step through the process slowly and decline, if it's not what you want.
You'll also have to clear or check lots of boxes to tell Nero whether you want its apps to open your photos, videos, and music files by default or not. You'll have to clear five check boxes to prevent Nero from adding that many desktop shortcuts to your computer.
Nero 8 requires a Windows 2000 SP4 or later, XP, or Vista computer with a DVD-ROM and a recommended 512MB of RAN for Vista, or 256MB for earlier versions of Windows. You should have 1.5GB of disk space free and another 9GB to squeeze in DVD files. If you want to record or author high-definition content or record TV shows, you'll need a system beefier than the basic requirements. HD DVD playback requires a plug-in from Nero's Web site, for instance.
Interface
Once everything is installed and you reboot, there will be no fewer than 16 items listed in the Nero 8 folder within Windows' Programs menu. This is a complicated package that can be confusing to navigate. The StartSmart screen is the best place to start. The ketchup-color interface of older versions of Nero is gone, replaced by more subtle bluish and gray tones with a list of topics that feels better organized than the sliding bar from Nero 7.
Options along the top now include Rip and Burn, Create and Edit, Home Entertainment and Back Up. The left-hand navigation lists Data Burning, Audio Burning, Audio Ripping, and Copy Disc functions. The organization is helpful, as each of these menu items takes you to collections of applications whose names you may not understand. RSS feeds near the bottom of the screen will show updates from Nero, but we wish it were easier to add our own feeds there, for instance, to display the latest videos shared through MyNero. Instead, you must visit the Options menu (under File) and add XML URLs. The flame icon in the lower-left corner connects to other Nero 8 applications.
Features
Nero 8's new features include converting DVD files for an iPod, PSP, or other mobile gadgets; playing AVCHD and Blu-ray video; and backing up files to CD, Blu-ray, and both regular and high-definition DVDs. SecurDisc lets you digitally sign and recover data, and it can make bootable Linux discs--no more DOS. There's also a free one-month trial of Nero Mobile. And you can import and share videos via YouTube, MySpace, and MyNero. Nero can convert files to MPEG-4 and other formats you prefer.
Once you dig a bit deeper, however, you can easily get lost within Nero's many applications. For instance, when we tried to toy with creating backups, Nero closed the StartSmart window and took us to the entirely different BackItUp interface. We had to close that window for StartSmart to pop up again. However, some users might like this approach because it keeps fewer windows open on your desktop.
A similar thing happened when we selected options from the Home Entertainment menu, which froze our PC. We had to use the Windows Task Manager to reach the otherwise self-explanatory setup interface of Nero Home. Our Windows Firewall kept blocking Nero Home, but didn't tell us so until we tried returning to the StartSmart view.
Behind StartSmart, the look, feel, and features of the various programs remains largely the same. Nero Vision 5 helps you make DVDs, CDs, and slide shows. You can add chapters and markers to high-definition videos. There's a decent photo editing application, too.
Nero Express steps you through making music or video discs, such as a Jukebox Audio CD packed with your choice of audio files that can be played back on discs supporting MP3, WMA, and AAC formats. You can burn a Super Video CD that converts your videos to formats that most SVCD and DVD players can read.
Nero BackItUp enables you to copy and create recovery discs, schedule periodic data backups, and so on.
Service and support
Nero 8 includes a detailed digital manual that connects to online help, to which we weren't fully able to connect. A decent QuickStart printed guide is included with a boxed copy of the software.
User reviews
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good but not great
by jahpeople on October 7, 2007
Pros: streamlined interface, idiot proof, hi def support
Cons: streamlined interface, hi def support
Summary: nero 8 definitely has taken strides to make it THE app for all of your burning needs, but it still has a ways to go before it truly replaces your ...
Summary: nero 8 definitely has taken strides to make it THE app for all of your burning needs, but it still has a ways to go before it truly replaces your various collections of other programs.
the things i like about nero 8 are mostly cosmetic, that seems to be the biggest change of all. the new interface is very appealing, but selecting any burning/storage/vide-photo editing options navigates you away from nero start smart, making an incorrect menu selection a hassle as you have to back track or simply close and restart the app until you find the one you were looking for. that said, nero still performs basic backup jobs with ease, although when using start smart you may find yourself hunting around for more detailed status information, since all that is provided is progress.
the new stuff: hi def support, nero mobile, and all the other "add-ons". firstly, these add-ons don't come with nero 8 ultra, contrary to the websites information. nor do they come cheaply, at about 25 bones a pop you could well spend over 200 dollars to get the fully decked out nero suite. i was excited to get my hands on the HD add-on since i've been looking for a program to replace the latest cyberlink offering. cyberlink fails to play HDDVD discs with web-enable content through an xbox 360 add on drive. now i'm not sure if this has to do with the hardware i'm using, but since the box is MS you would expect it to work, or is simply a software failure. whatever the case i can't watch disc 6 of heroes on my high end pc, that blows. how did nero do? well astonishingly worse actually. according to nero my device isn't AACS compatible, or at the very least has some problem with the AACS system. in other words nero won't even play an HDDVD disc when using the 360 drive, 25 dollars well spent. since blue ray drives are still a ways out from being reasonably priced i'm stuck with a piece of useless software and 25 fewer greenbacks.
nero home works well enough, as configuring it to begin indexing libraries at startup is very simple. this praise is only relative because home still doesn't play well with the 360. the box recoginsises the "nero" pc, and you can even view video files in any format, as opposed to .wmv and .mp4 files. the problem starts with streaming and encoding. i'm running a q6600 quad core at stock speeds, and never see any of my cores near 40% while streaming, yet home crashes again and again. i was able to view about 16 seconds of an .avi file on my box, a first for me let me assure you, but nero quickly froze on me, and required a manual system reboot to straighten itself out.
overall nero 8 works well for basic tasks, but if you're looking to do hd dvd playback or back up hddvds you will be disappointed. the same goes for streaming non windows formatted videos to an xbox 360, while there are clunkier solutions out there that address this deficiency it would've been nice to see nero pull this off in a what is a really nice package. the pay to play add-on system is a disappointment to say the least, and the only add on you may want (the hd package) doesn't play well with others, at least in the hddvd camp. while it's still very early in nero 8's lifespan i can only wonder at the lack of promised functionality in nero 8. if you already have nero 7, and can manage to get it working on a vista system, stick with that, you're not missing out on anything special here. at least not yet, nero is well known for being a prolific updater of software, but they have a long hard road ahead of them there.7 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Too involved for basic use.
by username:alreadyinuse on October 30, 2007
Pros: Very detailed.
Cons: Not for average users.
Summary: Needs to be simpler and more descriptive. If you are developing a software for consumers, make it for all consumers. Obviously developed without the average consumer in mind.If you ...
Summary: Needs to be simpler and more descriptive. If you are developing a software for consumers, make it for all consumers. Obviously developed without the average consumer in mind.If you include advanced features, provide simpler interface options for those of us who are not software developers.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent for AVCHD video
by tcrosley on October 4, 2007
Pros: Excellent quality AVCHD video even with still photos, very versatile
Cons: The video editor is a bit clunky, but the results are great
Summary: I purchased Pinnacle Studio 11.1 Ultimate to edit AVCHD video from my Panasonic HD camcorder. Then I found I couldn't edit video & send it back to the ...
Summary: I purchased Pinnacle Studio 11.1 Ultimate to edit AVCHD video from my Panasonic HD camcorder. Then I found I couldn't edit video & send it back to the camcorder to view - only create a DVD for a blu-ray player (which I don't have). Also PS11 made still photos in a video look blurry, even after lowering the resolution to 1920x1080 or less as they suggested.
I did have performance issues with Nero 8 that were solved by flashing my BIOS & latest video driver's. I was able to take video from the camera, add stills & a sound track, and export it directly back to my camera, or save on the HDD or send to DVD (regular DVD or HD on DVD media). The quality is EXCELLENT!! The stills in the video are very sharp - as good as any display I've seen on my LCD HD panel.
The editor in Nero 8 (Vision 5) is clunky to use compared to PS11. There's no way to animate stills (pan/zoom,etc), you need to split an audio track to lower the volume in a section, it's cumbersome to preview your files, it doesn't mark the files to have already added to the track - things like that. However, you can put together a nice HD video and the quality is GREAT.
I haven't even touched the other modules in Nero 8 - the video editor alone is well worth the price.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Read the Fine Print or lose your money!
by rwp728 on August 7, 2008
Pros: CD Burner and labeler seem to work
Cons: Not compatible with my capture device
Summary: I tried and purchased Nero 8 to transfer video tapes to DVDs. After a Nero update the transfers had no sound, and the sound control on Nero Video was grayed ...
Summary: I tried and purchased Nero 8 to transfer video tapes to DVDs. After a Nero update the transfers had no sound, and the sound control on Nero Video was grayed out. After several email exchanges, Nero finally revealed that not all sound capture devices are compatible, but would still not refund my money. They said I should have looked up the list of compatible devices before buying. Not a way to keep customers, or get new ones! Windows Media Encoder works with my device, so I use that now.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not Easy To Dowload and/or Install
by Beerwhiz on July 23, 2008
Pros: None that I've really found as yet...
Cons: Difficult to download and install
Summary: The Nero 6 worked without any problems that I can recall. However, the upgrade to Nero 8 has so far been only failure after failure. It took over a week ...
Summary: The Nero 6 worked without any problems that I can recall. However, the upgrade to Nero 8 has so far been only failure after failure. It took over a week just to get a download from the site and now I am getting error message after error message. Daily email to the site and company are only "Form Emails" and so far none of the suggestions have solved the problem(s) of installing the upgrade.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not as good as Nero 7 Ultra Edition.
by VikkMathis on April 23, 2008
Pros: Still able to burn Video and Files on CD/DVD disk!
Cons: Sometime program doesn't even open!
Summary: If I had to rate Nero 8 Ultra Edition and compare it to Nero 7 then I'll have to say Nero 7 was way better. The Nero 8 version ...
Summary: If I had to rate Nero 8 Ultra Edition and compare it to Nero 7 then I'll have to say Nero 7 was way better. The Nero 8 version takes forever to open on my computer and I always find myself shutting down the computer, restarting it, and then trying again. It's just a pain in the neck. I really should have just stuck with version 7 and left it at that. You can bet I won't be getting Nero 9 if they come out with one!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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okay but Nero 7 is better
by ornery on February 10, 2008
Pros: better than Roxio
Cons: slow installation process, non-intuitive
Summary: I was using Nero version 7 which I liked although some functions were a bit "awkward". So, I decided to switch to Roxio Easy Media Creator 10. Big mistake. (see ...
Summary: I was using Nero version 7 which I liked although some functions were a bit "awkward". So, I decided to switch to Roxio Easy Media Creator 10. Big mistake. (see my review). Failing with Roxio, I purchased Nero 8. Disappointed.
Nero 8 is simply Nero 7 with a redesigned interface. The new interface may have greater appeal to some but using it deprives the user of some options in CD/DVD creation. To access those options you need to bypass the flashy interface and load Burning ROM.
Even though I purchased the boxed version and registered registered Nero 8 it continued to call my installation a "Trial" and encouraged me to "Upgrade". This may have been because I didn't install the entire package. Whatever! For that and other reasons relating to preference, I reverted to Nero 7. (still better than Roxio)1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Beware HD DVD Support
by caskater4 on October 29, 2007
Pros: Feature-rich burning solution
Cons: Only partial HD DVD support
Summary: I've been a long time user of Nero since version 3. The software has always been great. It's been powerful, feature-rich and has never caused problems with Windows ...
Summary: I've been a long time user of Nero since version 3. The software has always been great. It's been powerful, feature-rich and has never caused problems with Windows like competing products have. I was excited to upgrade to Nero 8 Ultimate with the much advertised HD DVD support and I even pre-ordered a copy. I was greatly disappointed, however, to find that the HD DVD support was simply lacking. The reality of Nero 8 Ultimate Edition is... HD DVD playback is not supported out of the box. If you would like to watch HD DVD movies you have to pony up an additional $20 for a plug-in. If you are one of the lucky few who have Blu-Ray movies however theres no additional charge for playback or burning.
The second major bump to their support is lack of 3xDVD functionality. 3xDVD is a feature that allows you to use existing DVD media (i.e. DVD-R) to make HD DVD compatible discs. This feature is required of all HD DVD products according to the HD DVD specification. After questioning Nero about these problems they have stated they do not support 3xDVD capability and have re-stated that playback requires their plug-in.
So be very careful when you buy Nero. They may advertise complete HD DVD support but all you really get is the ability to burn on HD DVD-R media and nothing else.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Okay, but still lacks graphics card support
by dastrock on October 18, 2007
Pros: Plenty of great uses
Cons: Won't support so many graphics and TV cards
Summary: Briefly, Nero 8 is like Nero 7 and Nero 6 before it in that it won't support many ATI cards. I currently use an ATI X1950 Pro card along ...
Summary: Briefly, Nero 8 is like Nero 7 and Nero 6 before it in that it won't support many ATI cards. I currently use an ATI X1950 Pro card along with an ATI TV Wonder 650 card. Nero Express and Nero Home (entertainment center) still does not recognize these cards. If you go to the Nero sight and check the list of compatible cards, you will find support for ATI cards sadly lacking.
Other than the lack of ATI support, the program seems really nice like all the previous versions. I don't burn HD DVDs yet, so have no opinion on that.
Roxio Media Creator 9 does support my ATI cards. Pinnacle 11 SOMETIMES (?) supports the TV capture. Nero does not support the TV capture at all.
I still recommend Nero for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is the Nero burning engine is great and universally usable with many DVD ripping programs.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great for burning, not great to use
by webmaven1 on October 18, 2008
Pros: Start Menu: The SmartStart Menu is the easiest feature. Great for standard
definition DVD burning.Cons: You'll be staring at the "easiest" feature of Nero 8 Ultra quite often because of the program's tendency to be sluggish (and non-responsive).
Summary: I have used several features (for example, DVD burning, creating slide shows, editing photos) of this product for months. (I'm satisfied with the quality of my completed projects, but ...
Summary: I have used several features (for example, DVD burning, creating slide shows, editing photos) of this product for months. (I'm satisfied with the quality of my completed projects, but I am still overwhelmed by all of the "quirks" of the software.)
Therefore, my overall comments merely confirm, for the most part, what reviewers have already stated. First, the program takes too much time to load. Second, there are frequent crashes. Third, be prepared to go through a great deal of trial and error when working on projects. (Even after months of use!)
Fourth, one month after you begin to use the product, you will find out that you must go through the ordeal of a "third party registration." (Believe me, I'm not talking about just punching in the product code while you're on the product's website.) Suddenly, the package (although legally purchased) will not work fully unless you go online to complete a rather complicated process of registration.
So after my complaining, do I think that this the program is worth it (cost? time?)? Well, I really can't say. I must confess that sometimes I think that the software is still on my computer because (1) I don't want to bother to buy/ install/ and learn how to use (just barely) a similar product; and (2) I'm afraid to discover what might happen to my computer if I were to "uninstall" Nero 8 Ultra.
As other reviewers have indicated: The program is just too loaded with features to be user-friendly. (To avoid possible problems with shutting down your computer, make sure that you "disable" the Nero Scout feature a.s.a.p.)
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nero
- Part number: 800186
- Description: Nero 8 Ultra Edition, the world's best-selling multimedia suite, brings the digital world to your PC. Now it's easy to organize and manage all your multimedia files, as well as create and edit new digital content. Nero's sleek design and user-friendly tools make completing projects fun and enjoyable.
General
- Category Utilities
- Subcategory Utilities - desktop backup / compression / archiving,
Utilities - encoders / format converters,
Utilities - CD / DVD recording - Version 8
- License pricing Standard
Software
- License Type Complete package
- License Qty 1 user
- License Pricing Standard
- Platform Windows
- Min Supported Color Depth 16-bit (64K colors)
- Distribution Media DVD-ROM ( Mini-box )
- Package Type Retail
System Requirements
- OS Required Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition,
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate,
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition,
Microsoft Windows Vista Business,
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic,
Microsoft Windows XP SP1,
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1,
Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit versions) - Software Requirements Internet Explorer 6.0 or later,
DirectX 9.0c - Min Processor Type 1 GHz,
1 GHz,
1 GHz,
1 GHz,
1 GHz,
1 GHz,
1 GHz,
1 GHz,
1 GHz - Peripheral / Interface Devices DVD-R,
DVD-RW,
16 bit sound card,
DVD-ROM,
SVGA monitor,
Internet connection,
32 MB video memory,
CD-R,
CD-RW,
HD-DVD - System Requirements Details Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit versions) - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows Vista Business - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 SP1 - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB,
Microsoft Windows XP SP1 - Pentium III - RAM 512 MB - HD 1.5 GB
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Nero products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Nero
- Address:
330 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203-2335 - Fax: 818-956-2335
