Editor’s Note: This product has been removed from viewing as part of this site because it is no longer available. You can still read our original review below, but TopTenREVIEWS is no longer updating this product’s information.
DVD Blaster advertises that users can burn "just about any disc format in the world" using their software, from conventional audio CDs to high-definition Blu-ray discs (BD). Thus, the application is essentially an all-in-one tool that incidentally offers Blu-ray to DVD conversion as well. But while versatile with multiple disc format support, that's about all the software offers; it lacks the aesthetics, usability and technical support most of the other ranked Blu-ray to DVD converter software boast.
For the most part, DVD Blaster offers basic disc burning sans typical customization capabilities. While you can extract images and audios from your disc source and label the final output file, there are zero options to crop the video frame, trim and merge sections of a disc, or change fundamental video effects such as brightness and contrast.
However, we were surprised to find the application had built-in disc decryption and supported automatic updates. Furthermore, the software has a built-in burning engine that is compatible with all disc formats and it supports common Windows configurations including Windows 2000, 7, Vista and XP. We find it interesting that such low-cost and stripped-down Blu-ray to DVD converter software offers such powerful functionalities but not extra customizable features.
Whether we converted the entire BD or extracted images, the quality of the converted video was above average though easily second-rate to our top-ranked products. Although relatively minimal, we definitely noticed some quality loss in both the audio and picture. However, the sound and picture were perfectly synched in each of our test runs.
While the software remains mediocre in terms of features and output quality, it really fails to impress with its virtually non-existent technical support. In fact, the manufacturer website is one of the worst we reviewed and we were perplexed to discover there are no FAQs, tutorials or user tips – nothing that could be of assistance after installation of the software (or prior to, for that matter). In addition, there is simply a generic, lightweight online form that can be used to contact the manufacturer directly (most competitors at least offer a direct email address).
Additionally, the software loses high marks with its unimpressive interface (what the application refers to as its Power GUI – or graphical user interface). With a range of options to select media and burning function (e.g. burn audio, burn video, etc.), the layout of the interface just looks jumbled. While it doesn't necessarily hinder usability, some beginner (and perhaps intermediate) users are likely to find it cluttered and overwhelming at first.
There's no question DVD Blaster can offer satisfactory Blu-ray to DVD conversion in addition to ripping multiple other disc formats (similar to the Blu-ray ripper applications included in our side-by-side comparisons). However, we would have liked to see a cleaner interface and far more features than the software currently offers; both additions would significantly enhance overall usability. To find more functional and versatile Blu-ray to DVD converter software, check out our entire lineup of top-rated applications, including Leawo Blu-Ray Ripper and DVDFab Blu-ray Copy.
