Test machine:

For this review we will be using computers with the following configurations:

Hardware #1:

Motherboard: Hewlett Packard 3085
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Memory: 1280 MB MDT512M PC333 CL2
Video: ATI Radeon XPress 200M
Sound: Conexant AMC Audio
Hard disks: Seagate Momentus 100GB ST9100822A
Optical Drive: TSST CD/DVD-RW TS-L532R

Hardware #2: 

Motherboard: ASRock K7S8X
Processor: AMD Athlon XP 2200+
Memory: 512 MB DDR 400; Infineon
Video: Gainward GeForce 440MX; 128mb RAM
Sound: RealTek AC97 Integrated Digital Audio
Hard disks: Samsung SV0802N 80GB; Western Digital WD 30 00JB 300GB and 30GB Seagate ST 330621A (USB 2.0)
Optical Drives: Lite-On SHM-165P6S; NEC 3540A; BTC 1108 IM

Hardware #3:

Motherboard: ASUS P5W DH Deluxe WI-FI/AP
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 Conroe 2.13GHz @3.40 GHz
Memory: 2GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2-800 PC2-6400
Video: ATI RADEON X850XT Platinum Edition
Sound: Realtek ALC882 High Definition (onboard)
Hard disks: 160GB Seagate SATA-II, 300GB Seagate SATA-II, 300GB Maxtor SATA.
Optical Drive: Panasonic SW-5582 Blu-ray drive

System set-up #1:

System set-up #2:

System set-up #3:

For the Blu-ray support we will use Panasonic SW-5582 Blu-ray burner with firmware BXD2.

System requirements:

Operating System

• Windows XP, 2000, ME, 98SE (Windows XP and 2000 recommended)

Screen Resolution

• 800 x 600 pixels

Memory

• 128 MB SDRAM (256 MB DDR RAM recommended)

CPU

• VCD production: Intel Pentium II 450
• DVD production: Intel Pentium III 800 MHz, or AMD Athlon 700 MHz
  (Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz, AMD Athlon 2100+ or above recommended)

Hard Drive Disc Space

• 1 GB for making VCDs
• 5-10 GB for making DVDs
• 15 GB for making HD DVDs
• 25-30 GB for making BDs

Software Installation:

Once the download was finished the installation process was started quickly by double-clicking the setup file. The installation itself was straightforward and completed with out any problems. After entering the CD Key the following applications where installed.

• Power2Go
• Power2Go Express
• System Diagnostics

Program Run Through

Once installed, Power2Go 5.5 offers us two main ways to burn our data to disc. The first and in this review not further explained is the so called “Power2Go – Express mode”.

The program can be found on the left of our desktop and it should enable us to create a data, music or video disc as well as copy a disc in only two steps. Here is not more to do than to add the content to the appropriate icon via drag and drop.

Once added we only need to start the burning process by clicking onto the record button in the icon. In case we want to do a further modification of our content, we only need to double click on the icon itself and an additional window will open.

Above we see the window for the modification of a video disc.

Alternatively, this program offers us possibility to do some very basic settings which are accessible by right-clicking the icons. These are:

• Add/Remove content
• Burn now
• Erase disc
• Clear all
• Burner selection
• Help

Some more general settings are available via the Power2Go Express icon in the system tray

Of course we can also change the style of the icons and they can be placed on the desktop where we like.

But now let’s have a look how the more powerful Power2Go mode looks like.

The first screen when we come around when the program is opened, the so called “Select a Burning task” window.

As you can see above, the window is very simple structured and gives a very good overview of all the possible tasks the software is capable of. The program gives us also a short explanation of what the selected task is able to do.

After clicking onto the OK button, the regular Power2Go window opens.

Once more we find a very easy to understand and simple structured window with some menu buttons on the top.

Now let’s continue with testing the burning capabilities of the software….

Introduction

Data Disc