WinX DVD Author

DVD authoring has evolved from being a job for professionals to a task approachable by the average user and it turns out it can be a pleasant, hassle-free activity, too, with software such as WinX DVD Author at hand. The application allows you to personalize your home videos with menus, chapters and then burn them to a DVD disc.

WinX DVD Author was for a long time a shareware product, but since version 5.9, it became a free of cost application, which makes it all the more appealing and worthy of a try. The software is more like a suite that includes a DVD authoring utility, a VOB converter, a VOB to DVD compiler and a DVD disc burner. All of these are accessible from the main window of the software, where they are listed neatly, allowing you to launch them individually.

Obviously, the most attractive of its features is the one that allows you to author your videos with DVD menus and chapters and it comes in the form of a three-step wizard. In the first step, you need to add the video files that you wish to include in the project, while the second step consists of creating the actual DVD menu. The background can be chosen from the six available templates or it can be an image of your own choice. The menu can consist of text and video items, which can be moved freely on the DVD background. To top it off, you can also add audio files to create a unique atmosphere when you watch the final product.

The chapters can be added only at timed intervals and they are limited to two for each of the videos. The burning process occurs in the third and last step, where you can choose the burning speed, the output format and the encoder engine.

The Video to VOB converter will allow you to encode various formats to VOB format and it does not include any type of editing or personalization, while the VOB to DVD compiler is very much similar to the DVD authoring utility, discussed above. The DVD Disc Burner does exactly what it name states, it allows you to add a DVD folder or a bunch of VOB files to be burned on a blank DVD.

WinX DVD Author was designed for home users who want to make the most of their memories by creating a personalized DVD. It also includes a converter and burner, which can only add up to its value.