 "Nero Multimedia Suite 10")
The developers of Nero Burning ROM, a popular disc burning application are out with the latest version of Multimedia Suite which offers a bunch of new and improved features. Nero Multimedia Suite 10 primarily comprises three components which can also be purchased individually—Nero Burning ROM, Nero Vision Xtra and Nero BackItUp & Burn. So in addition to the disc burning application you get a program for editing and authoring media fi les and a backup utility. Plus you get Nero Multimedia Tools which includes a host of tools for audio editing and designing disc labels and covers.
The applications in the suite have a similar user interface as those in the previous version, but they have a fresh look and feel. For example, Nero StartSmart has a similar layout but it looks visually appealing. Here, you can choose to burn a data disc, audio CD, rip an audio CD or a copy a disc. Plus there are functions organized across four categories in a tabbed interface—Music, Video-Photo, Data and Tools. Functions such as ‘Mix music and digitize LPs and tapes’ and ‘Create video and photo slide show’ with a brief explanation are very convenient for those who aren’t well-versed with the functions of the applications within the suite. Choosing a function will automatically launch the appropriate application. Let’s take a look at the various components of the suite.
NERO BURNING ROM: This disc burning application supports burning CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray disc. In addition to this you can also create and burn disc images. A new feature added here is Nero DiscSpan which allows spanning a compilation of a huge amount of data across multiple discs—a very useful feature for backing up data.
NERO VISION XTRA: This component comprises two applications—Nero Vision and Nero MediaHub which is a new feature. Nero Vision is an advanced video editing and authoring tool with support for adding effects, text and transitions to videos and creating video/scene selection menus. You can create videos from photos and PowerPoint slide shows even import videos from capture devices and camcorders. Video codec, bit rate, aspect ratio and quality settings can be configured.
Nero MediaHub is somewhat like Windows Media Player. It has a library for organizing music, photos and videos on your PCs. On specifying the location on your hard drive that contains media files, the software automatically organizes them depending on the file type. You can create and manage playlists and run slideshows as well. Double-clicking photos displays them along with tools for red eye removal, cropping and basic enhancements. You can add a vignette, sepia tone or a frame at a click of a button. Sliders for brightness, straightening, color temperature and saturation are also present.
NERO BACKITUP& BURN: This one’s a backup and data recovery utility that protects your data from corruption, viruses and accidental deletion. Data can be backed up to optical media, external storage devices, FTP, memory cards and online storage. The software is very versatile with options for selective, scheduled and incremental backup as well as data synchronization.
NERO MULTIMEDIA TOOLS: The Nero program group under ‘Start menu | Program’ lists 13 applications. Apart from the ones mentioned above, the rest are the Multimedia Tools. These include Nero DiscCopy Gadget, WaveEditor, SoundTrax, CoverDesigner and Recode. The most interesting tools here are Nero SoundTrax and Recode. SoundTrax is meant for digitizing music from LPs and cassette tapes and mix audio tracks. Recode is an application for importing, recompressing and burning DVD videos to optical media. You can choose to remove unwanted scenes, audio tracks and subtitles while retaining the menu navigation page to gain additional storage space which can be used to add other data such as documents, photos, music, and so on.
The component that you’ll probably use the most is Nero Burning ROM which includes Nero Express with a simpler user interface and Nero CoverDesigner. The full suite is ideal for multimedia enthusiasts who need tools for editing audio and video fi les, organizing and playing media files and backing up data. A good thing is that you have the option to purchase individual components if you don’t need certain components.
The applications in the suite aren’t just basic tools but are quite extensive. So mastering each tool would take a while. The suite includes detailed help files for all the applications which will be of immense use to new users.
System Requirements
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7; RAM: 1 GB; Disk space: 1.4 GB.
Price: Rs 3,700 (approximately)
If you are looking for advice on buying any kind gadget, Anand is your man. The specs of the latest gadgets are at the tip of his tongue and he will tell you exactly what's worth your money. When not reviewing products, you will find him disgusting people with his weird food fantasies, enough for people to consider skipping lunch and dinner. And if you don't find him on his desk, be sure you will find him on the streets outside, clicking away on some camera or other. Every cat, dog and even the street hawkers, now have a portfolio thanks to him. The weekends are dedicated to the pampering of his beloved Royal Enfield(s).