DVD software for XP

[The Mantis]

I sometimes use a program called ProShow Gold which makes up AV presentations, and I usually export them as exe files. Today I need to export one as a DVD but AFAIK my DVD drive has no software.

About a year ago the CD drive died on my Dell and a mate at work installed a DVD drive and left it to me to get the software. The thing is, I never needed it as I do most of my work on a Mac.

So I've got the problem that ProShow is only offering me the option of writing a disk image and I need to know what to install, preferably free. I downloaded Nero lite and it was no use. I tried a demo of Nero 9 but it's twice failed to install, at the end of quite a long boring install. I'm not even sure if I was picking the right product, but I know Nero is used for burning disks in my camera club.

The second, much less important problem is, can I get a codec for playing DVDs using WMP or Real player, or do I just get something standalone like VLC?

I've been round in circles a bit downloading things that are no use without registering them and paying. I don't fancy paying a tenner just to play DVDs on my PC when my fancy widescreen Mac does it natively for free and has a nifty wee remote so I can sit back and play them. This is not a dig at Windows, my Dell was very good value for the money.

[Scotty]

Codec Pack - K-Lite Codec Pack: http://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm

or

MP codec pack: http://download.cnet.com/Media-Player-Code...4-10749065.html

Cant remember whats on my home PC other than the Roxio program that came with it (will check later) but IMGBurn seems to be a popular free burner: http://www.imgburn.com/

[The Mantis]

Thanks Scotty. The MP codec pack works so I can play DVDs.

Got imgburn but still no joy.

I had a rummage in the properties and the drive listed there is HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4481B which apparently is a CD/DVD ROM so I can't write anything to a DVD :D

Is this common? I mean read/write CD but only read DVD?

Edited April 7, 2010 by The Mantis

[Scotty]

That model is a "combo" drive ..... it will read CDs and DVDs and write to CDs but it will not write to DVD

suggestion - buy a cheap DVD writer and switch it out ... PCworld website shows quite a few in the ?20-?30 price range and some come with burning software.

This one looks like a good buy if you have SATA connections ... it comes with Nero Express, InCD, PowerDVD and Power Producer and is also a Lightscribe drive so can also burn professional looking titles onto the CD itself if you use a lightscribe disc.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lg-gh22ls30-...565715-pdt.html