MGI SoftDVD MAX Preview MGI Software's SoftDVD MAX is a software DVD player for your PC that offers simulated Dolby 5.1 surround sound through a pair of standard headphones. With many software DVD playback solutions available, MGI is aiming for improved sound for the headphone user. One reason software DVD decoders are popular is price. A good hardware DVD decoder can cost more than twice as much as a software decoder.
Installation is another issue.
A hardware-based decoder requires opening a computer's case and locating a free PCI slot. You can throw in all the CPU cycles and software you want, but DVDs look their best when using a hardware decoder. SoftDVD MAX's image quality was decent and comparable to other software decoders we've seen. When viewing a movie in SoftDVD MAX's full-screen mode, we found it difficult to return to a windowed view. Our SumiCam page tells all.