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INFORMATION
NTI CD and DVD Maker
(NewTech Infosystems, Inc.) have released their new CD & DVD-Maker™
7 Titanium Suite which includes nine programs (CD & DVD-Maker
Platinum™, Home Video-Maker™, Backup NOW!®, DVD Playback software, DVD
Fit™, FileCD™, Jewelcase Maker™, Wave Editor™ and Music Cafe™). NTI has
been around since 1993 and continues to offer a variety of powerful
CD/DVD recording, authoring and backup applications. The new suite of
products simplify video capture, editing, still picture compilation and
burning of CD and DVD media. Tools for backing up files as well as backing up unprotected discs are provided. Full support for dual layer DVD burners
is also included. The main user interface provides access to all of the
applications from a single screen. By simply moving the cursor over the
area of interest, several options available to the user will be
displayed. The categories are Audio, Data, Video, Photo, Backup or Copy.
This could very well be one of the best deals available for multimedia
users.
The CD & DVD-Maker™ 7 Titanium
Suite software comes on a single CD and automatically launches the main
install menu when inserted into a computer. We first installed the
software on our Sony VAIO Laptop (PCV-K23) to check out some of the
features. The installation menu
allows users to install CD & DVD-Maker™ 7, Home Video-Maker and
NTI's DVD Playback software separately. Since our laptop lacked a DVD burner, we also tested the software on our Sony Vaio (PCV-RZ22G) desktop machine, which gave us more resources. In both cases, the installation was simple and went without a hitch. The software comes on a single install CD. Each of the three items listed in
the install menu must be installed separately or they will not be
enabled in the main menu. The package also includes a QuickStart Guide
that briefly explains how to use each of the various applications
included with this suite of programs.
The Audio programs are used to create WAV, MP3 or WMA music CDs.
The MP3 application has a capacity indicator at the lower area of the
window that lets the user know how much space is used on the disc as it
fills up with files. This helps the user know the exact space required
when making a CD. Users can also record Live Audio directly to disc. CD
Extra discs can be created using the simple interface. An NTI Wave
Editor and Audio Player are included in the package.
The Data programs provide users with
the ability to create CD or DVD data discs. This is particularly useful
for backing up large amounts of important data onto disc. We liked the
ability to store large amounts of data onto DVD (4.7 GB on single layer
and 8.5 GB on dual layer discs). Mixed Mode CDs can also be created in
this area. When using the Mixed Mode CD format, the first session can
contain up to 98 audio tracks and second session contains the data
track. These discs offer excellent compatibility with both audio-only
players as well as CDROM drives in computers.
The Video programs are used to
create Video CDs and Super VCDs. NTI's Cinematic Video offers users a
simple way to spice up video by having the software create transitions
and effects on the original content. HomeVideo-Maker is a powerful
application designed to capture, edit and create video discs with
support for menus and sub menus. The best part about this program is NTI
makes it easy to preview the disc to see how the menu system will work
before burning the disc. The HomeVideo-Maker software has some excellent
features that are quite intuitive. Also included is the DVD Fit
application, which is designed to automatically compress video to fit on
a single DVD in cases where the source files are much larger than the
target disc capacity. NTI also threw in their DVD player.
The Photo programs include Photo
Disc, Slideshow VCD, Slideshow SVCD, and Cinematic Slideshow™. Photo
Discs simply include a series of JPEG files and are compatible with
newer DVD players and all computers with CDROM drives. The VCD and SVCD
Slideshow programs are designed to create video from a series of still
images. Background audio can also be added to the video for a custom
presentation. The Cinematic Slideshow allows user to takes a series of
photos and create a wonderful presentation. Once the disc is burned, the
user can select the JewelCase Maker application for either standard (12
cm) discs or Mini (8 cm) discs.
The Backup programs includes Files
& Folders and Disc Image. Selecting launches NTI's Backup NOW! 4
application, a comprehensive backup/restore program that allows users to
easily select files for archiving. The software automatically spans the
data to multiple discs if required. The program can compare archived
files to identify differences and can even backup and restore to a
remote server.
The Copy program is capable of
duplicating CD or DVD (non-copy protected) media to or from a disc or
image. This is a great utility for making multiple copies of a disc. We
used it to duplicate the kids DVD videos for family.
Performance
We sampled most of the programs
included with the CD & DVD-Maker™ 7 Titanium Suite (there are many)
including the backup tools for CD and DVD. Much of our focus was on the
HomeVideo-Maker application that allows users to quickly create a DVD
complete with menus. The quick preview capability was excellent and
saves users time when making their own custom movies. We connected our
JVC MiniDV camcorder to our PC
using a IEEE-1394 cable and the software immediately recognized the
device. Transferring our home video to the hard drive for editing was a
breeze and the HomeVideo-Maker software worked well. We were able to
quickly create a DVD of our favorite moments.
Another great set of applications is
the Slideshow VCD and Slideshow SVCD that allows users to take a series
of still pictures and create an impressive video presentation with
background music targeting VCD or SVCD. The playing time for each still
picture is user adjustable. The Cinematic Slideshow is a great way to
spice up what would normally be a simple series of slides with music.
The software automatically creates movement through the still pictures,
which produces an interesting cinematic effect.
The DVD and CD
backup application was also very useful and easy to use. We took some
of our custom home videos of the kids and were able to quickly make
duplicates for the family. Making CD copies of our VCD and SVCD Slideshows was just as easy.
Conclusion
The CD & DVD-Maker™ 7 Titanium
Suite offers a powerful set of tools for both CD and DVD media. Users
can quickly capture and edit video, create music discs, listen to MP3s,
watch videos, backup data and
much more all with this one product. The user interface is simple and
the product achieves great results based on what we have tested. What is
most amazing is that the complete software package is available for
under $80. We've seen far less capable products cost considerably more
than the CD & DVD-Maker™ 7 Titanium Suite. The comprehensive set of
programs included with this product is a steal given its price.
1 comments:
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