Menu Creation:  

ShowBiz DVD’s menu creation method is a little different than most of the DVD Authoring applications we reviewed. Much like a video editor you drag and drop your media (video) files into a storyboard or timeline view and add audio, transitions and minor effects.

You can choose to have the software automatically chapter your video or you can chapter it yourself. However, we found the automatic chaptering feature really didn’t work, and we had to go into the Set Chapters tab and create our own chapters anyway.

ShowBiz DVD includes a selection of themed templates. You can also import your own backgrounds and save modified templates.

ShowBiz DVD only gives you moderate control over the layout of your menus and the way your thumbnails are displayed. If there is more than one chapter to your video than the software defaults your thumbnail as the next menu screen. You have to manually set your thumbnail as a picture in the Set Chapters tab.

Features:  

ShowBiz DVD includes a number of additional minor video editing features like adding text to your video, brightness and saturation control, scene transitions and even the ability to enhance volume.

Although ShowBiz DVD can capture video from your device it can’t import it directly from your camcorder or optical media. It has to rip your video to the hard drive then import from the hard drive. We really like the ability to capture from a VHS tape and TV tuner. You can also create a slideshow with music.

ShowBiz DVD also includes a built-in DVD burner, a playback feature to check your menus before you burn and a label maker.

Ease of Use:  

Although ShowBiz DVD isn’t constructed like most of the DVD Authoring programs we evaluated, but it is fairly intuitive. The tabs are listed in the same order you would typically construct a DVD menu; media, theme, customize and burn. However, we think the Set Chapters tab should be at the front of the tab list.

Quality of Copy:  

We authored a few of DVDs using ShowBiz DVD and our output results were inconsistent. One disc ShowBiz DVD cut out large portions of our video, but another disc worked just fine. The only similarity among all our copies is the DVD always defaulted to the menu when a scene was finished.

Ease of Installation/ Stability:  

Installing ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD is easy. We didn’t have any difficulties installing the software. However, like many of the DVD Authoring software in this we did have a few stability issues. ShowBiz DVD did crash on us at least once.

Help/Support:  

ShowBiz DVD includes a built-in user manual, an online tutorial and FAQ. They also offer email support for registered users. They do have telephone support at $10.00 per call. Free telephone support is available for installation problems, account inquiries, registration help and order inquiries.

ArcSoft also has user forums but not for their ShowBiz DVD program.

ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD isn’t an awful DVD Authoring program. With a little practice it will chapter and author you home movies into navigation based DVDs. Although ShowBiz DVD is easier to use than some other DVD Authoring software its inconsistent output has kept it from one of our top spots.

For a DVD Authoring application that is a little easier to use and always creates excellent DVDs see the #1 product, DVD MovieFactory.