Nero 10 multimedia reviews

Nero BackItUp is a great back up program so you can make sure all of your stuff is protected. It takes a bit to figure it out, but the manuals explain everything for you.

The program allows you to backup or restore files with just a single click. Nero Vision Xtra is your center for creating movies or even capturing video right to your hard drive. The actual movie creation program is rather complex and not exactly something for the beginner, there is tons of things you can do when creating a movie.

One of the things you could do with this is to rip a movie from a DVD and only rip the movie without the previews etc. Under the hood, though, you'll find some timely improvements. Automatic disc-spanning is now built in, so you're spared having to divide files manually if you tip over the disc size limit.

This shell filesystem can also password-protect your burn and limit the number of permitted reads. This is an umbrella name for multiple applications that cross over with each other, but which certainly aren't integrated. It's not very pretty, but it's stripped down and intuitive. Perhaps most useful is the option to burn or archive any video, audio or image file in its library, although sadly it won't load the various Nero editing packages, or the Recode app.

This is a bizarre oversight. The Nero Vision Xtra editing software, especially the movie element, is impressive — a midpoint between Windows' built-in tools and more costly third-party apps. If you need a more advanced video editor, you'll be pleased with this one. The transition effects and filters are on the '80s side, but the multi-tracking and picture-inpicture tools give it more substance than similar free software. The photo-editing tool is robust too, but you'd be better off with Google's Picasa.

Sound editor AudioTrax is rivalled by the open-source Audacity, but it comes into its own in surround sound — you can mix multiple tracks to create 5. DiscCopy Gadget allows you to easily copy discs from your non bit Windows desktop.

WaveEditor is for editing music files, and SoundTrax will let you finally dust off that vast music collection from days gone by, to digitize the music from your old vinyl records and cassette tapes. Recode converts and compresses DVD video files, and Toolkit contains utilities to help improve performance. What more could possibly be included in the Platinum HD version?

The Suite is already capable of editing HD and authoring Blu-ray discs with high quality animated menus. Well, to begin with, it comes with 5GB of free Nero Online Backup storage for one full year broadband internet access required.

This simplifies the creation of picture-in-picture effects with predefined templates. Select the appropriate format options and the editor opens. Here you may select from 50 templates and 30 backgrounds to quickly create perfectly timed, animated, picture-in-picture effects. Also included for your editing pleasure: 25 extra high quality Movie Themes and 25 additional Menu Templates.

Check the specs, though, to make sure your system has everything it needs to fully experience the heightened picture and sound quality. Finally, the Suite now has the ability to transfer your photos, videos and music files between mobile devices. Nero Inc. Brand Blvd. Nero took a great suite of programs and made it even better.