WARNING: This program Hijacks the Internet Explorer home page.

This code (plus another 161 Kilobytes of registry settings) is added to your registry on first launch of the program (unless you have some program that blocks the hijacking attempt):

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Start Page"="http://www.dvdcopyrip.com"

It's not done by the GiveAwayOfTheDay wrapper program.

#11 Keymaster: You're either clueless about the subject, or intentionally trying to mislead the visitor if this forum.

I would really like to use software like this. are there any free alternatives?
My system is a HP Pavillion 320GB laptop with 8GB RAM and Windows 7. Firstly the application had a really quirky installation and I cannot get the software to run, I keep getting a screen freeze every time I start it, forcing me to power off and force a shutdown. Is this application compatible with Windows 7?

Uninstalled sadly

Extra Video Compose seems to work OK, though it does have 6 video-related files headed for Windows System32 folder [SysWOW64 in 64 bit Windows], that might be causing some folks grief... it isn't that these files are bad, but 2 could already be installed elsewhere, probably as newer versions, & the other 4? -- whenever you add registered components for working with video, there's a chance that they'll take over for something else you've already got installed & cause compatibility problems. That's not to say Video Compose will work with every kind & type of video file, so mileage will vary depending on what type of video you're working with as well as installed codecs & DS (Direct Show) components you've already added.

The app is skinned in a sort of Xmas gift theme -- if it bothers you rename, move, or delete the skin file [Christmas_2006.skf]. What Extra Video Compose does is add transition FX where at the start & where 2 clips join. It doesn't do so-called smart rendering, meaning that everything is re-compressed [re-encoded], & you have very few options over how the result is encoded.

The main way I could see Extra Video Compose being used somewhat efficiently is together with the free Virtual Dub linear video editor [virtualdub.org]... In V/Dub you can cut video on any frame, & easily join video clips, but there are no transition FX -- to edit out commercials for example you save individual clips [like the start of the programming up to the 1st commercial], close the file, import these trimmed clips back into V/Dub in order, then copy them all to a new, single file. It wouldn't be hard to instead split each clip into *short* video files just before & after a commercial, plus a 3rd clip for the bulk of the between commercial video. Join those before/after clips with a transition FX in Extra Video Compose, & use the results in V/Dub in place of the separate before/after clips, stringing everything together into a new file. It might sound like a bit of work, but there's no way to add transitions in V/Dub otherwise, & the only free Windows alternative AFAIK is learning & using the free editor, Wax.

This is something built into most video editors -- in fact they focus a lot of advertising on the included transition FX -- but truth be told for pro or pro-sumer work these transition FX are hardly used at all, & most often limited to simple fades when they are used. [The average US video, TV program, or film is edited (cut/joined) about every 10-20 seconds, so these FX would be far too distracting if/when they were even possible] Extra Video Compose strikes me as a 1st effort getting the code for transition FX working, & hopefully it'll be incorporated in a more comprehensive app in the future -- one with more format support, the ability to better control encoding, & the ability to use more than 2 clips at a time... Since everything is apparently (re)encoded, joining 2 clips, then joining the results with a 3rd clip & so on is just too damaging to the original quality of your video. That said, it does bring something new to the table that can be used in tandem with apps like Virtual Dub.

#1,7,8, the Hijacking of the windows is not the actual program its the wrapper that GOTD uses this has been discussed here
http://blog.giveawayoftheday.com/false-positives-and-our-wrapper/

Now to the program its self can not get it to work on Windows 7 but does run on my vista. The program does run, but as stated it looks like it was just thrown together at the last min. Could make it to where you can change the skin, but all in all it works.

Installed & activated on XP Pro ok, had some trouble on Vista Ultimate & 7 Ultimate, & recieved installation & program errors on 98SE. AnVir stopped it from changing my homepage. GUI needs some serious help. Program has lots of flaws. Not worth $20. I'll stick with Windows Movie Maker. Thanks.....

I'm sorry but the developers should be ashamed at themselves for adding a homepage hijack as part of the installer.

Just be like every other legitimate developer that wants exposure for their products on GOTD and ask permission first!

NOTES:
1. WARNING: Immediately after start of installation, anti-virus software (G-Data Internet Security 2010) blocked this software from attempting to hijack the Internet Explorer homepage. However, installation process quickly recovered from the block and successfully installed the software without further incident.

2. Scantily clad female Christmas character may be offensive to some.

3. Same character replicates as part of the file-save method when the "start merge" button is selected (makes the overall process a bit crowded and confusing).

4. After initial save of new output file in preparation of a "merge" the program seems to lock-up when actually the files are indeed being converted. A status-bar or percentage indicator of sorts would greatly help reduce the uncertainty of what the program is actually doing at this point.

5. Attempted several (3) tests - each time program arbitrarily shut itself down or simply froze near completion of the task.

6. Stability issues: Any drag-and-drop movement of "converted" files caused Windows Explorer to fail and reboot itself on 3 separate occasions. However, all indication of instability ceased and Windows Explorer resumed normal operation once EVC was closed.

7. Extra Video Compose added an Extra ico in addition to the one I actually requested be placed on the desktop. This icon is a sales tool directing users to Extra's software offerings.

Conclusion: Instability issues caused by the program and/or its converted files concerned me enough to un-install. Additionally, hold little confidence in a program which takes liberties such as this (home page hijack and extra desktop icon). Thanks . . . I appreciate the opportunity to test the program.

Update!!! I thought it wasn't doing anything... It was busy filling up my hard disk1 2 files of about 15 megs have become over 4 Gigs of something! Don't know what cause it wont play.
Nasty!!!

Confusing activation to say the least! YES, you have to enter the serial number yourself despite it claiming activation beforehand.
Ghastly Merry Christmas window theme that I hope wont last forever!
First impression was that it "Doesn't do much" but it is very small afterall. So, does it work? Tried with a couple of .wmv clips taken from my webcam. It is very slow on a P3 machine, as expected, and the progress bar is annoyingly situated over the preview panel. It got to around 95% (guessing because it's just a coloured bar) and stuck! No way to know if it is still alive or not - windows' task manager says it's running. 15 minutes later, still nothing - cpu and memory usage normal, task manager still saying running. End task! Now since this comes from 2006 (look at the christmas item in the install folder!) it should have worked on my p3 XP box!
Now, I'm disappointed it didn't work but realise I'm not missing much.

As with previous products from Extra Software, this won't run on my computer. Maybe a video card problem. Get part of a startup screen and then nothing more. Have no problem with any other company's products so I'm at a loss as to why "Extra" products all fail.

i am sorry but windows movie maker is way better than this

Weird looking GUI, but cool application, thanks.

Doesn't work - every attempt ends in "Save Fail"

BEWARE, installation hijacks IE and re-sets homepage without warning :-(=(
Diabolical GUI ; comes up with "Merry Christmas" gal and trim.! How to get rid of this???

The usual minimise/close buttons are "obscure" snowflakes..!
Not very promising :(