What’s Cool: If you’ve ever shopped for the perfect pre-service countdown, you may have had a difficult time finding exactly what you’re looking for. Many are high energy (bordering on spastic) because they were created with youth groups in mind. Other countdowns may feel too somber for use before an upbeat service on a Sunday morning. Luckily, your options just grew exponentially.
.jpg)
The Countdown Maker is a remarkably easy tool to use but still provides the user with a lot of flexibility and options for customization. Users can set the length of their countdown (up to 60 minutes), set their background (choose a solid color or upload an image or video), and then export the finished product as an H.264 QuickTime movie. It’s helpful that the software allows the user to choose any font installed on the user’s computer for the timer, as well as manipulate the timer’s size, spacing, and position on the screen. The software also boasts full alpha support (for those who know what the heck that is), so users can import their countdowns into video editing software such as Final Cut Pro.
What’s Not: The software uses a lot of Apple technology and is therefore a Mac-only resource. For the time being, Windows users have to use a product such as Nevan Hooker’s Countdown Creator—a solid product, but not quite as robust as The Countdown Maker. Also, $50 feels like a steep price point for software that only serves one purpose. That’s not to say The Countdown Maker is missing a lot of features, but $50 is a lot to pay for the ability to create custom countdowns. On the other hand, pre-made countdowns typically sell for $10 to $12 each on church media sites, so The Countdown Maker’s value is in the eye of the beholder.
The Bottom Line: For those currently using a lot of countdowns to kickoff events or worship services (or for those who want to start), The Countdown Maker will be the easiest part of your pre-show preparation.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)
Official Site: www.trimonix.com