Roxio Toast 17
Keeping an eye on all things optical
$99.99 ($149.99 Pro) From Corel Corporation, roxio.com Needs OS X 10.10 or later
Burning optical discs may seem out of vogue today, but physical media remains very much alive, if less relevant than it was when Apple yanked internal SuperDrives from its Mac lineup six years ago. That hasn’t stopped Roxio from catering to the needs of shiny disc lovers with annual upgrades to the venerable Toast software.
Yes, Toast 17 can still author and burn CDs and DVDs (as well as Blu–rays, with the $149.99 Pro edition), functionality which hasn’t changed much over the years. Aside from the darker interface introduced last year and a new internet–based installer, the core Toast Titanium is largely the same, with one major exception: It has now doubled up to become a 64-bit application.
That may not seem important today, but when macOS abandons support for 32-bit apps next year, optical media fans will be forced to upgrade. The good news is, this under–the–hood tinkering results in worthwhile improvements right now — Toast 17 feels faster in every way, finally resolving a persistent lag we’ve experienced for years when switching to the Video tab from Data, Audio, Copy, or Convert modes.
Sadly, Toast 17 is still not a proper successor to the late DVD Studio Pro in terms of professional authoring, although the bundled MyDVD (now boasting a refreshed interface) allows users to at least add custom chapter stops and menus to projects. As has been the case for a while, Toast includes a few loosely connected apps, one of which gets an upgrade here.
First introduced with Toast 16, MultiCam Capture makes it possible to create quick tutorials or training videos using FaceTime cameras, Mac displays, and supported audio/ video hardware. The app now includes editing and titling capabilities for up to two streams, with advanced features like multitrack picture–in–picture and four streams reserved for the Pro edition. The biggest limitation is that you can’t record multiple sources at once and then assemble a finished video, but if you’re looking to edit live on the fly or add extra content after the fact, the standard rendition of Toast 17 is more than capable.
the bottom line. Sparse on new features that dazzle, but Toast 17 is well worth it for the 64-bit support alone.