DVD Utilities

Blaze Media Pro is an all-in-one audio/video converter (two-way among CD, MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, AVI, WMV, FLIC, etc.), and also an editor and recorder. In addition, it can burn audio, video (VCD/SVCD), and data CDs and DVDs. Other features include video capture, media management, audio merge, drag and drop support, MP3/WMA/OGG and proprietary WAV tag editing, CDDB support and more. Blaze Media Pro provides a compact, skinnable interface with integrated media player

CopyToDVDs is an easy-to-use CD and DVD burning software that supports data, audio and video burning. It comes with built-in support for popular audio formats, as well as ISO/Joliet/UDF and multi-session support. Additional features include Windows Explorer integration - just right-click on files or folder to burn them to DVD and batch/command line mode to automate burning operations.

ImTOO DVD Creator enables you to create DVD discs from your video files, that can be played on any home dvd player. The program automatically converts your video files to the proper format, creates the DVD structure along with an optional DVD menu and burns the DVD for you. You can choose from several menu templates and customize them to your preference. ImTOO DVD Creator supports all common video formats including AVI, MPEG, DivX, XviD, VOB, 3GP, MP4, DV, ASF, and WMV . The program can burn your movies to DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-5 or DVD-9, and also save them as .ISO image or DVD folder structure.

Wondershare PPT2DVD enables you to burn your PowerPoint presentations (.ppt) to DVD and view them on your television, complete with background image or music, narration record and selection menu. You can combine up to 8 PowerPoint files into on DVD, adjust the slide size, customize the DVD menu and more. The program offers integrated DVD burning and can also output the converted presentation as video file or DVD image file (to be used with other burning software).

AoA DVD Creator enablers you to create DVDs from most popular video file formats. The program automatically converts the video file to the proper DVD format and burns the DVD disk for you, all in a single process. All you have to do is add the files to be included (they will be merged to a continuous movie), select NTSC or PAL output and set a DVD label text. AoA DVD Creator supports AVI (DivX/XviD), WMV/ASF, MP4, 3GP, MPEG/MPG, DAT and MOV formats. The output can be burned directly to DVD or saved to your hard drive.

1Click DVD Copy allows you to make high quality backup copies of your personal DVD movies. It is easy to use, offers a simple interface and one-click operation. Just insert the DVD and click the Button to start the copy process. Once the copy process has finished, it will automatically burn it to DVD for you. 1Click DVD Copy supports dual layer DVDs and can compress the content, so that it fits on a regular DVD without having to split it. Easy-to-use and fast (about 15 minutes to create the copy)!

Easy DVD Rip enables you to copy and convert DVD-Video to VCD, SVCD, MPEG1/2/4, and AVI (DivX, XviD etc.) formats. You can choose to copy the main movie, individual chapters or the entire DVD including extras. The conversion engine features 4 different modes of conversion (Whole Title/Chapter, Chapter Splitting, Chapters Merging and Time Range), and it auto-detects all DVD parameters. Easy DVD Rip comes with a built-in burning engine, that can also split the output file to fit on a regular CD-R. The program cannot be used to copy commercial (copy protected) DVDs.

Easy DVD Shrink allows you to make backups of your personal DVD movies. You can backup directly to your hard drive as VOB file, or burn a physical backup copy of the DVD. It offers a compression engine that can automatically fit larger (up to 9.4GB) movies onto a standard 4.7GB/Single Layer or 8.5GB/Dual Layer DVD while preserving all content. Easy DVD Shrink only works with personal DVDs, or DVDs that are not copy protected (most commercial movies are protected and cannot be copied). The trial version can perform 3 complete DVD copies.

Easy DVD-Video Copy allows you to make duplicates of your favorite (non-copy protected) DVDs. You can choose between copy to hard drive or DVD, and also burn existing movie files to DVD. It can compress dual layer DVDs to fit onto a single 4.9 mb DVD, and preserves all existing DVD contents including original menus, trailers, previews, language tracks, subtitles, as well as full spectrum stereo, and 5.1 Surround with DTS or Dolby Digital. The trial version allows to copy up to 3 full DVDs.

Easy DVD Clone enables you to create copies of your personal DVD movies, and either save the copy to your hard drive, or burn a duplicate DVD. You can choose to copy the entire DVD content including all extra features (if any), or just the main movie. The program includes a compression engine that can shrink larger DVDs (up to 9.4 GBG) to fit on a regular, single layer DVD, or alternatively you can choose to split the content across two DVDs and maintain uncompressed quality. Easy DVD Clone does NOT clone copy-protected DVDs.

DVDPizza is an easy-to-use tool to make copies of your personal DVDs. You can either backup a DVD to your hard drive, or burn a physical copy of the disc. The program supports NTSC/PAL movies, D5/9 DVDs, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW and is compatible with any SCSI, IDE, USB DVD burner/recorder. DVDPizza does not work with copy-protected DVDs.

DVDIdle helps you to extend the lifetime of your DVD drive. By using Smart Read-ahead Cache, it saves DVD titles to a local hard drive cache and allows your DVD drive to run cooler and quiet while providing smooth (macrovision-free) DVD playback. In addition, DVDIdle includes several extra features that enable you to change the video mode for TV output, skip FBI warnings and more. DVDIdle works in conjunction with your DVD player software.

AV Burning Studio combines tools to burn Audio CDs, Data CD/DVDs, Video DVDs and (S)VCDs. The audio CDs can be burned as standard AudioCD that plays on any CD player, or as MP3 or WMA CD/DVD that can be played on your PC and any stereo system that supports the formats. In addition, you can also create ISO files or burn discs from existing ISO/BIN/CUE files. The program offers an easy-to-use interface that simply lets you select the burning task, and add the files to be burned. It supports Dual Layer DVDs as well as Burnproof technology and can erase your CD-RW and DVD-RW media. Note: To create video DVD or (S)VCDs, you need to have properly converted media files and DVD folder structure.

Ulead DVD PictureShow lets you organize photos into slideshows that can be burned onto CD or DVD discs and shown on your computer or TV set. Create discs in NTSC or PAL television formats that are compatible with DVD players worldwide. The discs you burn can be played on most DVD players so they are a great way to share photos with family and friends. DVD PictureShow accepts image files in a wide range of formats. You also don`t need to worry about the size of your photos since they are automatically resized to the correct size for slideshows. Additional features include Anti-flicker filter, BURN-Proof technology, drag-and-drop photo inserting, ready-to-use menu templates and more. No other software needed to burn CDs or DVDs.

DVD Labeler is a tool to generate DVD labels and inserts that contain chapter images, extracted from the actual DVD content. The program works as and integrated DVD scanning and image-capturing utility, that captures snapshots for each chapter of a DVD and then lets you create different DVD label types that display the chapter images. It s like a thumbnail gallery, printed directly on the label. The program is intended for personal home video collections that have been transferred to DVD, since home movies usually contain numerous scenes of various events, which means you`d have to watch the entire movie to locate your favorite scenes. DVD Labeler is based on a good idea, but unfortunately the software is poorly documented and lacks support for common print templates. You can also save the label as JPG, but image resolution is poor is of limited use.

DVD X Player is a region-free/code-free software DVD player that can play all region DVDs on all DVD drives even if you have changed the region code multiple times. In addition, it includes a Macrovision-free feature which enabales you view DVDs through your TV-out device without obstruction or distortion. You can also enable Operation-free mode and skip pre-movie messages and announcements. In addition DVD X offers all the features of a quality software DVD player, as well as support for Dolby Digital 5.1(AC-3), Dolby Surround, multi-channel decoding, Digital Theater System (DTS), Dolby AC-3 through S/PDIF, DVD-Video, VCD/SVCD and other media formats. Other features include a bookmark manager, scene capture, parental control settings, full resolution video playback at 720x480, wide screen and more. (Editor`s note: Due to lack of access to non-region 1 DVDs, we did not yet test the region-free features)

Audio DVD Creator allows you to create Audio DVDs, that can be played on any DVD player. Using the DVD format allows you to burn thousands of MP3 files on a single DVD, or combine several (5-6) CD albums into a single DVD disc. The program converts your files to DVD-Video compliant format, so to your DVD player, it looks like a movie and is played as such. There is a default background image that will be displayed throughout the playback, and you can replace it with your own. Audio DVD Creator lets you choose the audio format from high quality (up to 6 hours PCM 48kHz/16bits) or high quantity (up to 45 hours AC3 192kbps). Additional features include integrated burning, CD ripping, PAL and NTSC support.

Ulead DVD Workshop is powerful, yet flexible DVD authoring software made for creative video professionals and enthusiasts. It allows to capture and encode any video to high quality MPEG, create playlists and add multiple subtitle and audio tracks, complete with Dolby AC-3 audio. You can create professional-looking DVD navigation menus using preset templates, or build your own with an extensive set of design tools. Link videos to objects with drag-and-drop ease or make your DVDs stand out from the crowd by creating impressive motion backgrounds. Ulead DVD Workshop allows you to preview your work with full playback simulation before burning. The result is a high-quality DVD, VCD or SVCD title that can be burned using your DVD or CD burner. In addition, you can preview menus, archive data files on the disc and output to DLT or DVD-9 with MacroVision or CSS encryption.

Honestech Burn DVD lets you produce and burn DVDs, VCDs or SVCDs from various media formats, including MPEG, AVI, DV-AVI, WMV and ASF files. You can mix the input formats, and the program will convert all of them to the specified output format. It includes a menu authoring tool to create DVD or VCD menus from several included templates. The program is easy to use, a simple 3 step interface lets you select the files, design the menu and then burn the production it to CD or DVD. Additional features include export to UDF and support for XVCD/XSVCD. Honestech Burn DVD combines DVD and VCD/SVCD into a single package and the automatic format conversion eliminates the need for Codec worries, however it does not offer features like editing or transitional effects.