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The ability to store huge amounts of data onto a disk is one of the biggest advantages of owning a CD-Writer. With the wider distribution of DVD writers, even more data can be stored as well as complete movies. This was something unheard of on home systems just a scant few years ago. The only setback to any of these technologies is finding the right software to perform the functions needed. Considering the many drives on the market, as well as the numerous formats available, CD and DVD recording applications have to be flexible, configurable and relatively easy to use. Believe it or not, easy CD burning was not always that simple.
For Windows XP users burning CD’s is a matter of just dragging and dropping files. The only problem with the Roxio engine incorporated into the XP operating system is configurability. If all you need to do is burn a few files to disc, this feature could be all you ever need. However, if your needs are greater than simple burning, say making duplicates of CD’s, burning music, creating a boot disk, making your own CD video file or more complex tasks, then the need for more configurable software is mandatory.
Record Now Max, Roxio Easy CD and DVD Creator, which recently released version 6, and Nero Burning Rom are considered by the cognoscenti as the serious applications for serious burning. Of these titles, Nero Burning Rom, a nice play on Nero burning Rome, has been considered among many the premier application for CD burning as well as DVD authoring.
The issue of purchasing burning software depends on several factors. The first being the burner you own, be it CD or DVD, and if you are satisfied with the programs purchased with your particular drive. In the case of new computers and burners, there is usually bundled software as part of the package. Frequently this software happens to be “lite” versions of full featured applications. What this means is that you have the basic functions of burning software, but little else. If you wished to do more than burn a few files to disc, these applications can more or less accomplish the basics, but usually no more than that.
For Windows XP users Microsoft has included built in CD burning directly into the operating system. Based on Roxio’s engine, the enclosed software works well, but does not offer features beyond dragging and dropping. If your burning needs are basic, this may be more than sufficient.
If you wish to create DVD movies, music CD’s that you can play on your stereo and backup of your hard drive, as well as support for various music file formats, you will need something more robust than a slimmed down version of a full bells and whistles application. Again, the built in burning software in XP is excellent, but it is not as full featured as Nero Burning Rom.
Until this release, users complained that Nero, although well made, was not the easiest burning application in the world to use. Tech savvy users no doubt had little if any trouble adjusting the many options Nero offered. But for those not that well versed in the intricate details of burning, it seemed to be a bit much. Apparently this criticism did not sit well with Nero. Now they seem to be making a concerted effort to make their software more accessible to the general public.
My main grievance with Nero was that it did not have the most orderly interface in the world to maneuver around over or through. There was never any question in my mind that the software was well made, but finding your files and dragging them to the right location often meant adjusting the windows, which filled up rather quickly serving to obscuring some of the basic functions. While this is not a serious flaw, it is an annoying one. Unfortunately, the interface of Nero has not changed all that much over time, but they have offered a front end that simplifies the burning process.
Nero Express turns the creation of a CD into a step by step process. Removing a great deal of the customization, the interface is clean, smooth and makes available a great deal of information that most people burning CDs may want to see. For power users that want the customization that Nero is known for, those details are still present. Just click on the appropriate link and the Nero of old is still here, though a bit cleaner than I recall from my past experiences with the application.
With the trend in software towards including little extras, Nero 5.5 includes some new additions to the burning software. The independent software additions include: Nero Vision, something of a basics video editing program, Nero Media Player, something of a player similar in some respects to Winamp, Nero Wave Editor, a sound editing application and Nero Cover Designer, a CD and DVD cover creation program, round out the auxiliary applications packaged with Nero.
The extras are nice touches, but aside from that I do not think they will erase the need for dedicated applications devoted to these functions. While the media player is nice, it has a long way to go to even start to come close to Music Match Jukebox, or the new and much improved Windows Media Player 9. With those two applications, the need for a toned down application like Nero Media player may not be that great.
The same can be said for both Nero Wave Editor and Nero Cover Designer. Those that want the kind of detail and configurability that applications like Cool Edit Pro 2 or Sound Forge 6 offer will probably not bother with this added application. As for CD cover creation, the enclosed software actually seems practical. But if you really want to create customized covers, you are far better served by applications like PhotoImpact, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 11, or Microsoft Publisher. The chances are very good that if cover creation for your CDs and DVDs is important, you will have graphics applications available that can do the job and do it well.
I am not faulting Nero for the inclusion of these applications. The user does have the option of installing them or not. I just wonder if they are really worth having. Nonetheless, it is a nice gesture on the part of Nero and they do not do any harm.
One of the great strengths of Nero is that this is one of the few applications that seems to co-exist well with other burning titles on one system. I do not recommend having multiple burning software on one system, however Nero does co-exist well with Windows XP’s burning engine. It does remain to be seen if it can work well with Roxio’s full featured application. Nero does advise users not to do so. It is not the best idea to have more than one serious burning application on one system due to conflicts.
One issue that Nero addresses before you purchase the product is that it lists the CD and DVD drives it supports. Listed in plain view on the Web site, you can see if your drive is supported. The list is long and the chances are very good that your particular burner can work well with Nero. For many the issue of capability is a serious one and it takes some of the guesswork out of picking the right software.
While titles come and go, Nero has a track record for creating solid well crafted software. Where some titles have a reputation for actually wreaking havoc on entire systems, Nero has historically been a stable application. My only real beef with Nero is the enclosed manual. It could be a bit more detailed. Although it comes in many languages, the enclosed documentation is rather slim. Considering all of the customization and control that Nero offers, it would have been nice to see detailed documentation. This is particularly true for newbies wanting to do more than just the basics. For those needing more customization, detail and the like, Nero Burning Rom maybe all you need. With the release of the new Roxio Easy CD Creator 6, it remains to be seen if Nero can make inroads into the terrain currently occupied by this well known application. One thing certain at this point is that Nero 5.5 is a well constructed application that is sure not to disappoint power users.
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