ByteScout Watermarking
 Reviewed October, 2008

WHAT'S IT DO?

Bytescout Watermarking protects images with a text or image watermark label. It provides wizard-based images, built-in set of ready-to-use watermark types with text and logo images support, integration with Windows Explorer, live preview, and preservation of original image file format or conversion to another format.


DOES IT DO WHAT IT PROMISES?

Reviewer 1: Yes, absolutely. The program allows easily watermarking of photos in a wide variety of ways including but not limited to text, annotation, logo, time stamp as well as with any number of formatting options all using a very simple step-by-step wizard and predetermined templates.

Reviewer 2: Yes. Watermarking Pro provides an easy-to-use way to add a watermark to a digital image. It works on a number of different file formats, including animated gif files, and it can apply the watermark either individually or to multiple files at once.

Reviewer 3: Yes. This is a program dedicated to the single purpose of watermarking digital photographs, and it does it well.

Reviewer 4: Yes. The Bytescout development team have identified a specific niche in the photo-manipulation business, and developed a specialized program to imprint one’s photo with Watermarks. Some other photo-editing software programs can also do this; however, as they are generally used for many purposes, their watermarking features and options will be relatively standard. With this particular function as its only purpose, Bytescout has put out a product that is both rich in options and easy to use, giving results within minutes of downloading and installing the program.


WAS IT EASY TO INSTALL?

Reviewer 1: Yes. It is a surprisingly small 1.42MB download that installed quickly, smoothly, and effortlessly using a standard-type installation wizard, integrating itself seamlessly into the right click menu, and all while taking barely 1.5MB of space on my hard drive. Set up is remarkably easy, taking less than 30 seconds to be up and running. The program also uninstalls easily and cleanly, leaving no junk files remaining and no empty keys in the Windows Registry placed there by the program itself. This is the mark of a program with well-written installation/uninstaller code.

Reviewer 2: Yes. In the months that I tested Watermarking Pro, I installed the program twice. Both installations were simple and straightforward. The program does require Microsoft's .NET Framework 2.0 to be installed. Since I already had it installed on my computer, this was not an issue for me. The EULA (End User License Agreement) stipulates that the software may be used on only one computer, but it also says that the program may be installed as well on a portable computer for individual use. During installation, the user is given the option of having a desktop icon, a Quick Launch icon, and/or right-click integration with Windows Explorer. I like the fact that I'm asked whether I want these icons, and I also appreciate the convenience provided by integration with Windows Explorer.

Reviewer 3: Installation was fast and easy. The license agreement seemed straightforward and allows installation on one desktop and one portable computer.

Reviewer 4: Yes, the 1.3 Mb file downloaded almost instantly on a high-speed cable connection. Installation and registration were also easy, with control of file location, shortcuts and all other options entirely in the hands of the user. During the installation, a short "readme" file appears which describes the program, has some suggestions for a Quick Start, gives a few technical details and provides a contact link for the user. It will run on MS Windows 2000/XP/Vista, but note that.NET Framework 2.00 must be installed.


GOOD POINTS?

Reviewer 1: This is not only a program that is elegant by its simplicity but one that works perfectly—doing exactly what it says it will do: places watermarks on one’s digital images and nothing more This is not Adobe Photoshop. It will not edit or manipulate images, nor will it require spending hours reading some 400- page manual to only begin to understand how to use it. Again, it simply allows adding watermarks to digital images using text or logos or using a set of predefined “rubber stamp” such as DO NOT COPY or PROTECTED, and to do so perfectly in literally three clicks of the mouse (or, four clicks to include opening the program). Simply click on the shortcut icon to open the very intuitive and easily understood program window; select an image (or images to apply the same watermark to a group of pictures); select the watermark and customize as desired as to position, size, font, transparency; select the output format (JPEG, TIF, PNG, BMP, GIF); then click on the Start button, to finish. The program used few noticeable resources; left a tiny foot print on my computer, worked with no glitches of any kind, is very fast, and did all of this each time over a two-month period of watermarking approximately 760 digital images. Support is available through an email ticket procedure and is free for the first 12 months as are all upgrades for the same period (after 12 months there is a liberal 30% discount to renew). There is no turnaround time listed for support requests but my “test” question was answered within 24 hours. There is a small FAQ section, a free newsletter, and a set of remarkably good tutorials available online at the Web site. The EULA (End User License Agreement) is standard with the typical user limitations. It is supported by Windows 2000, XP, and VISTA. At the current sale price of $18.95 for the regular edition or $38.95 for the PRO edition (which includes support for animated GIF images, the ability to convert file formats, and offers a few more watermark options), this is a program that in either edition I highly recommend.

Reviewer 2: One of Watermarking Pro's strengths is its flexibility. I found I could add a watermark virtually anywhere on the graphic, I could choose the watermark's wording, color, text size, and degree of transparency, and I could have the watermark run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. With the Pro version, I was also able to add any or all of the EXIF information most digital cameras make available (not just date and time but also camera model, exposure, ISO speed, and a lot more). The Pro version also makes it possible to add watermarks to animated gif files.

Another impressive strength is Watermarking Pro's ease of use. For one thing, the program offers right-click integration with Windows Explorer: right-clicking on a file name and selecting ""Add watermarking using Bytescout Watermarking" will open the selected graphic in Watermarking Pro. Also, the program's  interface is clean and straightforward. I added a graphic, clicked Next, and was presented with a split screen. On the left, I could choose from 17 different templates for how the watermark would look (e.g., text fits page, text fits page diagonally, stamp fits page vertical, and logo with text). On the right side of the screen, I could provide the watermark's wording, the font type and size, the color, the location, and the degree of transparency (from 0 [solid color] to 100% [invisible]). A Preview button allowed me to see the effect of any or all choices I made before I proceeded to add the watermark. While I usually added watermarks one at a time, Watermarking Pro makes it very easy to deal with multiple files at once. In fact, I found that if I wanted the watermark to include information about the day and date on which a photo was shot, I could process multiple photos taken on different days and each would show the correct date. And while the interface is sufficiently simple that even a novice can use it at once, Bytescout provides a number of well-illustrated "how-to" files on its Web site.

Reviewer 3: Bytescout Watermarking will place a highly customizable watermark on digital photos of file types: .JPG, .TIFF, .GIF, .BMP, and .PNG. It can also translate files from one format to another and can work with animated GIF’s. I liked the process by which the watermark was created. I was given a series of wizard screens where I chose the file or folder to be changed. There are a wide variety of choices for the text and/or image to be watermarked, the translucency and font, the output folder, the location, style, and direction of the watermark, and a host of other details. I could generate a preview of the changes and could go back in the process to modify the things I did not like before I committed it to processing..This is a program that is intuitively and clearly laid out so that a new user can operate it and achieve useable results without having to read a manual. It is refreshing to see a link on the Wizard pages for users to submit suggestions to the publisher/programmer.

Reviewer 4: At first, the idea of watermarking photos or images struck me as a somewhat esoteric activity. I expected that it might be pretty technical and even somewhat difficult. I need not have worried. Bytescout Watermarking turns out be very well-designed, and produces excellent results easily and quickly. Be default, the images that are being marked are copies, so that if mistakes are made the originals are preserved. Results can be previewed before processing and saving to the folder of one’s choice.

A good range of different options is provided for placement of the watermark, its size, its formatting (as in a word processor), its transparency and even its color. Special symbols can be inserted, such as ©, ™, ® from within a drop-down menu without searching for the ASCII codes to be able to produce them. Images can be processed individually or in batches. For those who have technical needs, you can even stamp your image with its Exif information.

After selection of the photos, the main "editing" page shows all the possible placement options with a graphic to illustrate the eventual appearance of the modified image. On the right side the text can be entered or selected from a series of choices and then previewed. These include "macros" such as a selection of different formats of the current date and/or time, the Exif information, or file information such as the filename, the directory, path, size, etc.

Fifteen tutorials provide help on the main page of the Bytescout Web site. These provide step-by-step instructions and are very well-illustrated and clearly annotated. There is even a tutorial on how to watermark photos using the built-in Windows Paint program.. A trial version of the program will add a red label to any photos processed and the full version will remove this reminder.

There is probably little need for support, as the program is easy to use, and there is a wealth of information on the Web site. Even though I had not registered myself as a user, I could still use the Web site to submit a ticket. I had ample space to describe my problem in detail, and add several files to illustrate my question. An automatic email response was sent to me almost immediately, including the ticket number as well as a full copy of my question. There is also an email address on the site as an alternate way to reach the support staff. I received a very courteous and helpful response within hours of sending in my question, and this was on a weekend. In fact, the answer was much more complete than the response I had actually expected, and they even asked my opinion on a possible improvement to the program. This indicates that the Bytescout people are not only very responsive to requests, but that they are also actively developing the program and trying to improve it. The fact that the purchase price includes updates for a year from the time that it is purchased gives me the sense that the investment I make in Bytescout Watermarking is well-placed.


WEAK POINTS?

Reviewer 1: I found no weaknesses in this program. If there were one thing I would like to see added it would be to have the option to overwrite the original pictures that have been watermarked rather than the need to delete those images separately unless it is desired to retain both watermarked and non-watermarked versions. Having such an option would allow the user to choose which to keep and which to overwrite. I would also encourage the developer to include an estimated turnaround time for handling support requests, and expand the FAQ for this product; however, considering the stability and ease of use of this program, these are not as critical as they might be in other software programs.

Reviewer 2: Although Watermarking Pro is easy to use, it would nonetheless benefit from having more extensive Help information available. For example, I tried to get the program to work with transparent .gif files, but the program apparently does not work well with such files. It would have been useful to know that from the start. And while the Web site does provide a number of useful "how-to" files, the program's user interface makes no mention of these resources. The interface also offers no information about updates. Even when I went to the Web site, I had to poke around before I found that a new version (1.40) had been released a month earlier.

I found the Web site a little confusing. I clicked on a link entitled "Support for animated GIF images and multipage TIFF images" (with the words "animated GIF" in bold). But when I clicked on the link, it did not lead to a discussion of using Watermarking Pro with animated gif files, but rather to instructions for "How to add "COPY" stamp to 1-bit TIFF image." Moreover, the first screenshot on that page did not work. Finally, I found a link leading to information about animated gifs. It was helpful, but I could not get my copy of Watermarking Pro to work with animated gifs. I then filed a tech support ticket which was promptly answered. At ByteScout's request, I sent them first a screenshot of my program interface (which showed clearly that I was using Watermarking Pro 1.30) and then copies of two animated gif files that I had tried unsuccessfully to watermark. Four days later, when I still hadn't heard back from them again, I uninstalled the program and downloaded and installed a new copy. This copy turned out to be version 1.40, and it worked fine with animated gif files.

I then returned to the Web site and found, under News, an announcement about version 1.40 that said "support for animated GIFS and multipage TIF images is introduced." If in fact the version I first had, 1.30, did not work with animated gif files, tech support should have advised me of this when they learned I was using version 1.30. Of course, it's also possible that support for animated gifs was introduced earlier than version 1.40, since their "how-to" file for animated gifs uses version 1.31. This is another aspect of the Web site that confused me.

I would have liked to be able to rearrange the 17 templates so that the ones I most likely use are at the top, rather than having to scroll most of the way down each time.

Reviewer 3: The file formats which can be processed and saved are limited to the standard ones mentioned above. I personally do much of my work with raw files and Bytescout Watermarking cannot work with this format.

Despite its intuitive nature, this program would benefit from both a formal manual and a help function which is linked to the features on every page of the wizard. There are tutorials online at their ByteScout's Web site, but this information should be more closely linked with the program.

Reviewer 4: The upgrade process needs to be improved. Many programs now have an automatic check for upgrades, or else there is a menu choice to "Check for updates." Neither of these options is available in this program. The developers may have chosen not to include this function in order to keep the program as simple as possible; however, as I have not used the normal default location for this program on my computer, I had to redirect the installer to the correct folder, and reenter my name and serial number. I usually expect that the installer should be able to find where I have placed the program ask me if I wish to install it there. It should also remember my registration information and not require me to search other folders or programs on the drive to find where I have stored it.


OTHER COMMENTS?

Reviewer 1: Bytescout, a Canadian company in Vancouver, BC since 2003, is also the developer of another application, Movie Extractor, which received highly favorable reviews from NNT (April 2008). If these reviews are any indication, it would seem that this is a developer whose programs can be trusted. I would also mention that Bytescout offers a very liberal 50% academic discount on all of its products—a practice that as an academic I find commendable.

Reviewer 2: When I agreed to review Watermarking Pro, I wasn't sure how much use I would have for the program, since I normally have no need to protect images on the Web and I don't sell items through eBay. Now, having used the program, I can see that while it would be very useful for people who do have these needs, it may also be very useful for me. I routinely put up family photographs on my Web site. For each photo, I write a caption, and lining up the captions with the photos can at times be a bit tricky. With Watermarking Pro, I can easily write a caption, place it at the top or bottom of the photo, and not have to worry about caption placements in HTML.

Reviewer 3: I found it interesting that the watermarking that appears in the image does not appear in the thumbnail of the image displayed in Windows Explorer.

I would like to see a feature added to allow you to saving of watermarking settings for a given function and reusing them in the future. For example, if one frequently watermarks EBay auction photographs, it would be useful to be able to do it the same way each time without recreating the details of the watermark through the wizard.

It would also be nice to be able to reduce photos to a specific pixel width or height rather than just a percentage of the original, or to have the image size previewed when choosing the reduction percentage.

Reviewer 4: The developers have identified a specific need and Bytescout Watermarking provides the tools to fill that niche market. Although at first glance, it may not seem to be all that widespread a need, I found an increasing number of situations where I could profitably use the features of this program. The Bytescout team has kept their focus on how they are trying to help us and have not allowed the program to spread into other types of photo manipulation. This is a well-designed program, with extensive help and excellent support. At first, I thought that the price might be a bit high. But I am finding that I am using the program more frequently, and am very pleased with the response when I asked for help from the Bytescout support people. I therefore have no hesitation in recommending it.


WILL YOU CONTINUE USING IT?

Reviewer 1: Yes. I need to distribute a lot of images from my personal collection as a part of my teaching and this program allows me to do so easily and quickly to protect my digital images from being copied inappropriately.

Reviewer 2: Yes.

Reviewer 3: Yes. This is a very useful and useable program in its present form. It has the potential to become even better with minor enhancements.

Reviewer 4: Yes. It has been added to my set of essential photo-editing programs.

Bytescout comments: We will try to implement all suggestions mentioned. We are working under new version with picture resize functionality, better output files control and minor interface tweaks to make the watermarking process more faster and easier. We will also check problems on the web-site and in the documentation mentioned. Thanks to all reviewers for a deep review!

OPERATING SYSTEMS USED IN THIS REVIEW
Windows XP Pro, XP Media Center

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