In regard to the previous comment that the installation appears similar to Daemon Tools - that's because it is the same people responsible.

For a free burner application (with the best online "guides" I have seen for burner software - how to do everything step by step - usually with pictures etc) I can never go past ImgBurn.

http://www.imgburn.com/

BTW. Imgburn was written by the same developer who wrote DVD decryptor

BuBBy  –  14 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+87)

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check out to "EULA": "The SOFTWARE PRODUCT will try to validate the license from time to time (active Internet connection is required during validation). After several unsuccessful attempts to validate the license, the software may be found to be not properly licensed; the SOFTWARE PRODUCT functionality may be affected."

I don't like it! validating once should do it.
I'm blocking internet access for all the software from GOTD after first activation.

Tom  –  14 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+55)

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For a moment there I was tempted to simply write: "Astroburn Pro burns discs, *But I Digress*". ;-) Maybe I was expecting too much, but I was underwhelmed... I didn't see anything that Astroburn Pro does better than the competition, & using it made me do extra work -- the on-line only help files don't tell you everything you need to know, settings are in unusual places, & labels could be better, so I spent too much time just trying to figure things out, & never saw anything that made me feel the time spent was worth it.


My problems started when I accidentally tore off the "Info Panel" -- being able to rearrange &/or "tear off" panels is neat, but spending time figuring out how to put them back isn't [other apps I've used always had something in the menu to put things back]. You set the disc burning speed in the "Disc Info" pop-up window -- Normally you'd set this in the Burn dialogs, & being labeled "Info", it's not clear that the write speed ISN'T what your drive &/or blank disc is capable of, but where you set the burning speed. To name or title your disc you right click "New" next to the drive icon -- other burning apps I've used also have a separate dialog. Under "Options" [part of the Info Panel] there's a drop-down box for "File System" -- you're left assuming [or hoping] Astroburn Pro chose the right one, for example the right UDF version for your video DVD or BD [Blu Ray]. I never did see anything about Buffer Underrun Protection, determining &/or setting max burn speed, or making a bootable disc. I think most if not all of those issues could be avoided with a good help file or manual, &/or by using more descriptive labels &/or tool-tips.

I didn't have any problems installing or running Astroburn Pro in XP Pro SP3 32, & the only process I noticed it using even slightly out of the ordinary was MSVCP80.dll, a Microsoft C++ runtime that had previously been installed to a folder in Windows \ WinSxS. The same file is installed to the program's folder. Could reported problems be caused by Astroburn Pro using an older version of this file that the user had already, instead of the newer version in the program folder?... I don't know.

Astroburn Pro itself isn't bloated or intrusive like many burning apps, taking up ~11MB in 47 files, 1 folder -- besides shortcuts 2 folders are added under Docs & Settings [under All Users \ Application Data & [UserName] \ Application Data. Of the recorded 262 registry entries added, 7 are for uninstall, & the rest are in the HKCU & HKLM \Software\DiskSoftware keys. [I mentioned other burning apps being intrusive -- Roxio Creator 2010 added 88,614 entries to the registry!!!] During install the GOTD version of Astroburn Pro has the key or serial number already filled in, & phones home to automatically activate using a "System ID"... I don't know if like other software that tracks your system ID, changing hardware [e.g. adding/replacing a component like a hard drive] breaks activation/registration, but it might be something to keep in mind.

Alternatives...
Out of the apps I use & the several I've tried, the free [& portable] ImgBurn is the most technically sophisticated, & the only app I [& many others] trust to burn dual layer video DVDs. It also handles BD well, but it's not the most user friendly burning program out there. For general burning I like Nero 9 Essentials 2 [version 9 of Nero but the 2nd, more complete version of Essentials] -- OEM discs/licenses are often on sale for $2 - $10. IMHO the full versions of Nero are far too bloated, but then I think the Nero 9 Essentials are a bit bloated & only use it in win7 -- I use version 6 in XP. Nero Essentials is super quick & easy to use, with all the functions you need for basic CDs & DVDs. And I have/use the full Roxio Suite, normally just for some of the more difficult tasks like making a bootable SP3 install disc for XP Pro. [Online coupons are easy to find, so when it's on sale & you use the MIR it can be worth it] OTOH at least 1/2 of the bundled Roxio apps range poor to bad, it can be harder to use, & the way you have to use their Copy app to burn a DVD folder strikes me as lame. I'd love to simplify my life & just use one burning app, but unfortunately today's GOTD leaves me still looking.

mike  –  14 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+53)

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Hello everyone

No problems with installation on Win XP Pro - SP3
Astroburn Pro Version 2.0.1.0089 (last version)
Simply to use and multi-language support


Features:
- Burn CD, DVD, Blu-ray media
- Burn multisession discs
- Burn image files
- Burn custom files
- Verify burning process
- Select burning speed
- Compose audio projects (MP3, WAV, WMA, APE, FLAC formats are supported) using an additional feature: listen before start burning
- Burn audio disc in DAO mode: CD text and custom tracks pauses are supported
- Quick discs erasing
- Full discs erasing
- Make *.mdx, *.mds, *.iso disc image files. Create *.ape audio images from Audio CDs
- Build and save *.mdx, *.mds, *.iso images
- Master bootable discs or images
- Import data from image files
- Master and save your own data projects
- Select a file system for your disc: ISO9660, ISO9660+Joilet, UDF, Audio CD
- Make disc copies with "on the fly" option (several devices support)
- View device and media information
- Customize layout of your program
- Console burning application: AstroburnCmd.exe
- Select language for program interface



Registration / Activation program is done by sending data from your PC
Menu "Help/License...": Serial Number, Installation Name (Computer Name and O.S.) and System ID


Alternative free is "InfraRecorder"

TD  –  14 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+48)

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#18: "... I thought I could put an avi and make it into a dvd. ... dvd player does not recognize it."

The short answer is 1) figure out what kind of video you have now [avi is just a container & you need to know what's inside]. 2) search for your DVD player or read the docs that came with it to find out what it will play [many DVD players also play DivX/Xvid]. 3) search for software &/or methods to make what you have now work in your player, either as DivX/Xvid (IF it plays those), or as a DVD. At that point you should be able to use Astroburn Pro to burn the DivX/Xvid or DVD files you created to a blank disc.

* * *

#43: "I have some questions:
1. What does this prog do that NERO cannot?..."

Depends on your version of Nero &/or add-ons you've bought... you might not be able to burn BD [Blu Ray] for example.

"2. Will this prog enable my DVD burner to burn blue ray movies or I still require a BluRay burner?"

Yes & No :-) Blu Ray is a *format*, & it's also a type of disc. Blu Ray discs themselves are expensive & require an expensive drive to read, & a more expensive drive to write. Blu Ray as a format works just fine on DVDs, which you can burn in the DVD writer you have now. You can fit up to 2 hours of HD video on a single sided DVD [longer on a dual layer disc] that should work in your Blu Ray player. [Note: while Blu Ray on DVD is official spec, not every Blu Ray player will play them -- most will, but check before making any big investments. You'll also need a software Blu Ray player if you want to watch Blu Ray format video on your PC/laptop.] Look for BD5 &/or BD9 at videohelp.com.

* * *

#50: "Nero is the most bloated piece of ..er…rubbish in the cd/dvd burning world. And I BOUGHT Nero 8."

When it comes to burning discs, it's an imperfect world... Nero & Roxio are bloated as they've grown to include everything but the kitchen sink [in a very crowded market that's how they've chosen to compete], and they do work well for burning. I think it's worth noting that Nero's Essential versions do leave much of that bloat behind. Then again, what you & I call bloat, is what many users want -- both Roxio & Nero have been around a long time now, which they wouldn't be without lots of happy customers.

* * *

#54: "Does this program enable you to make backup copies of DVD movies – I have small kids who always seem to scratch or get food smudged on the DVD."

Most DVDs have DRM -- Every burning app I've ever seen will copy them otherwise. Search on apps like AnyDVD & DVDFab to deal with that. Using DVDShrink can also help in your situation, Tom, by letting you just back up the movie -- assuming the kids don't care about all the extras, leaving those go can mean using a much cheaper single sided DVD blank. [if you let them use the *good* player, I'd really watch out for them using discs with food on them -- the drive mechanism is the cheapest, most prone to fail part of the player, & the lens mechanism can get dirty or gummed up easily]

mike  –  14 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+41)

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