|
|
HyCD Play&Record |
 |
|
|
 |
||
 |
||
|
|
|
|
Eliminating the complex and often troublesome task of ripping and burning MP3s to and from CDs, HyCD has released some new software that makes the process as easy as copy and paste. This new breed of software merges the ripping, encoding and burning functionality found in all-in-one players directly with the Windows OS. In our tests, the program performed great. The integration of the software with the OS took some getting used to, but once we did, it was wonderful. HyCD has developed its software in a fashion that simply copying and pasting MP3s from folders to the CD-R drive "automagically" converts them to Redbook audio and burns them to the CD. As far as converting MP3s to audio, this is one of the most solid solutions we have found. While earlier versions had some kinks, HyCD was quick to respond to our questions and gave excellent technical support. We found a minor bug with the MP3 burning process where "mono" MP3s would be burned incorrectly. They provided us a solution within 24 hours and fixed the bug in the final version of Play&Record...talk about good service! This product is facile and newbie-friendly. For anyone used to full-on applications, it may take a couple of burns before all the features of Play&Record become evident. One of the biggest gripes we had with earlier versions was the lack of a centralized "control panel" for any settings the user would want (burn speed, CDDB support, etc.). We must have a psychic connection with HyCD because this is exactly the kind of feature they implemented in 3.0. Just check the Preferences menu. Company Hype: |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
|
||
|
HyCD Play&Record deserves a serious look by anyone with a CD-R drive. It's a suite of apps used to copy and record CDs, rip CD tracks, and encode and decode MP3 files using the built-in Fraunhofer MP3 engine. You'll also find tools for audio resampling, applying special effects (including pop removal), ID3 tagging, watermarking, and playing CD tracks and .wav and .mp3 files. For many of its functions, HyCD Play&Record makes use of its own Copy and Paste commands in Explorer right-click menus. This can be hard to get used to at first, but after a while it should seem natural. Also, the windows of a couple of the modules seemed a bit too small, especially on a 1024x768 desktop. This demo version gives you 10 days of unlimited MP3 encoding and CD recording. After the evaluation period, the developer welcomes you to continue using the CD ripping and MP3 player functions indefinitely. Reviewed on Jan 20 2000 |
|||
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
|
HyCD Play&Record is the complete digital audio package for getting the most out compact discs, MP3 and WAVE files. It offers full CD Ripping, MP3 encoding and decoding, file sampling and much more. You can enter artist and track information with an ID3 tag editor, and compile an unlimited number of WinAmp-Compatible playlists. This download also includes a multi-functional audio player for enjoying your favorite music. The program's best feature is its "Copy&Paste" method for extracting tracks, programs and other files from CD-ROM discs. Accessible from Explorer's right-click menu, you can copy a song and convert it to MP3 in two easy steps. You may even use drag and drop from within Windows. HyCD Play&Record includes the Xing engine to deliver probably the fastest MP3 encoding on the market. Given that you have the proper hardware, HyCD Play&Record can be utilized to enhance and preserve songs from LP records and cassettes. The FX component removes scratch and popping sounds, and features a selection of 25 cool audio effects. This download also comes with a sampler for preparing your MP3 files for dubbing to recordable CDs. This software suite is relatively user-friendly, but includes a dummy-proof help documentation. This shareware version is fully functional, but limits some features after the trial period has expired. HyCD Play&Record receives five smileys. |
|||