Snappy Does Not Make Me Happy
Written: Jan 30 '01 (Updated Dec 26 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: good quality pictures from external video source
Cons: additional hardware needed to complete installation, Adobe Software version listed was not included
The Bottom Line: The unit itself is worth it, but buy the cheaper version and the Photodeluxe Software separately.
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| AliventiAsylum's Full Review: Play Snappy Video Snapshot |
I confess, I'm a General Hospital junkie. What does that have to do with this? It's what led me to purchase a Snappy.
In my egroups, a few of the other listers have these little devices that they use primarily to create pictures or screen caps from the television. The quality of the pictures looked good from what I'd seen, and I figured I could use it off of my video camera and get decent pictures as well as .avi files.
I went to outpost.com - it's my usual site for ordering various computer products. There were two versions: one with the regular software for $129.95 and one with Adobe Photodeluxe for $149.95. I had been thinking about ordering Adobe anyway, so I opted for the more expensive version.
When it arrived at the house, on the outside of the box it said it contained Adobe Photodeluxe 4.0. Great! I unpacked the unit and began to read the installation instructions.
That's when the problems began.
The Snappy works off of a dedicated parallel port, which means you have 4 options of how to configure your system:
1) You'll need to have any printers and/or scanners on your system connected through a serial port
2) You'll need to disconnect the printer and/or scanner every time you want to use the Snappy.
3) You'll need to purchase a "switch box", although a lot of laser printers don't like this and if you have the printer and scanner connected in tandem, they might not work off of a switch box.
4) You'll have to purchase and install another parallel port for the computer.
Just to get started, I disconnected the printer, but I intended to go with option #4.
While I found the instructions for plugging in the hardware to be more entertaining than your average hardware installation guide, it didn't really explain how to install it. A novice would not be helped at all by these instructions. It tells you to connect the Snappy to the parallel port, but there are two video connections on the side, one called Video In and the other Video thru. No explanation is given for the difference between these outlets. There are also no instructions for where to plug it in on your devices. I knew enough to put it in the Video Out jack on the back of my Cable Box, VCR or DVD Player.
The wire they give you to connect between the video source and the Snappy isn't that long, so I had to make a trip to Radio Shack before I used it to get a longer video cable to hook up to my TV & VCR. If I want to get a sound connection as well, you again have to hook up cables and the ones they include aren't that long.
The Snappy software installed easy and works easy. There is a preview pane where you can view exactly what is being displayed on your source. I clicked Snap and took my first picture.
There is a place to change the resolution, but on my trial run I left it on the default setting. I was impressed. From a video source, the picture was not at all muddy or had any lines through it. I was impressed. I tried it a few more times, always with a great result. The program loads easily and is easy to operate with a basic menu that allows you to create & edit movies, slide shows & pictures.
So now I wanted to have fun with Adobe Photodeluxe. The CD's are in a folded case. The outside of the case says: Adobe Photodeluxe 4.0 I pull out the disc - Adobe Photodeluxe 3.0! What's this? I flip through all of the literature that was included and I found a coupon for a free upgrade to 4.0, but it expired in June 2000. On the box it says that it includes version 4.0 and the CD indicates it should be version 4.0, but that's not what they send you.
I tried to reach customer service, but their phone only rings and rings. I have emailed them, but have so far received no response. Outpost.com's answer was to send it back for a refund, but that's not what I wanted. I wanted the 4.0 software.
So while I am happy with the pictures and the quality, I am not happy about getting a misrepresented product.
© 2001 Patti Aliventi
Recommended:
Yes
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AliventiAsylum
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Member: Patti Aliventi
Location: Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire
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