Cheap or free Windows 64 bit DVD conversion app?

[digitaldd]

Anyone have a recommendation for a Windows 64 bit DVD creation app that handles multi-core CPUs and you can just give it MPG/MP4/AVI video files and have it go to town and create the DVD for you? I gave my uncle an old PC of mine with Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit on it (its a dual core Intel rig with 4gb RAM and a 250 gb drive with ATI Radeon HD video I went with 64 bit Home Premium because I had extra licenses not in use), he's 75 and on a fixed income, leeching free internet off his landlord with their permission so I don't want anything that costs to much, free is preferred. What I've found so far the free version of Nero burns discs, I already had Infrarecorder installed to do that. The few free apps I've found let you create discs but they add their own banner ad(s) on the disc.

Why does my uncle need this? he discovered a few good sources of old public domain TV/Movies (publicdomainflicks.com & archive.org's movie section if anyone is interested) and would prefer watching them on a 32inch TV screen vs. a 17inch LCD monitor one.

Lets see I couldn't install any of the old 64 bit compatible Nero versions I have, Nero 11 is $60, Convert X to DVD is $50, Video DVD maker is $30 (but isn't compatible with Vista/Win7, they have a free version that starts each DVD off with an ad for their products), Movie DVD Maker Free (works well but inserts ads on the DVD, full version is $35).

I already mentioned that the free version of Nero just burns discs (very cool of them to give that away though) which Infrarecorder does well enough.

Any other ideas? Hopefully it will help someone else out in the future.

[DarkTower87]

Freemake video converter maybe? I use it a lot but not sure about the dvd thing...

[SlaveOnDope]

AVS and some arrgg!

[earl]

Have you tried the built-in Windows DVD maker?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...dows-DVD-Maker

You also may want to check out Ashampoo Burning Studio free edition.

http://www.ashampoo.com/en/usd/pde/0...udio-6/Details

[Urbanfox]

Originally Posted by digitaldd

Convert X to DVD is $50

It's not cheap, but it's such an EASY all in one program.

One you choose from a few settings (which you can do for him to set it up), all he has to do is 1) chose the video(s) and 2) press convert. It will even burn automatically to the DVD in his drive, I mean it cannot be simpler.

My ONLY grip in my experience with it is that it doesn't seem to use 100% of the CPU (even with "four cores" selected it only seems to use 50% of active cores (i3 & i5 SB systems), BUT it's still a fantastic program, especially for someone older.

[travy25]

I use convertx as well. Great program.

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by travy25

I use convertx as well. Great program.

10char, chose this for my own father after i got tired of burning him dvds...make sure its gets installed for NTSC and not PAL. long funny story short = my father made at least half a dozen coasters before I realized what he did

[digitaldd]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't aware Convert X didn't fully utilize a multi-core CPU, that's why I didn't even mention the built-in Windows DVD Maker. Well that plus it has fubared the aspect ratio of some videos when making DVDs for me. My uncle tried it though and so far its 1 for 2 at making a good disc.

The Ashampoo free version seems to be a 32 bit app which runs under 64 bit Windows, we may have to try that or Cheetah DVD which someone recommend to me on a another forum.

[jbmcmillan]

Originally Posted by Urbanfox

It's not cheap, but it's such an EASY all in one program.

One you choose from a few settings (which you can do for him to set it up), all he has to do is 1) chose the video(s) and 2) press convert. It will even burn automatically to the DVD in his drive, I mean it cannot be simpler.

My ONLY grip in my experience with it is that it doesn't seem to use 100% of the CPU (even with "four cores" selected it only seems to use 50% of active cores (i3 & i5 SB systems), BUT it's still a fantastic program, especially for someone older.

Yeah but when I had my dual core it would use almost 100 % but couldn't do anything else.Now it uses between 50-70% across the cores but I can do other things and not slow it down significantly.

[Urbanfox]

Originally Posted by jbmcmillan

Yeah but when I had my dual core it would use almost 100 % but couldn't do anything else.Now it uses between 50-70% across the cores but I can do other things and not slow it down significantly.

Yeah, but at the same time I think we would all like that control on whether it's a time sensitive task and we don't want to wait, or whether to adjust core usage so we can surf the internet etc.

[jbmcmillan]

I haven't had to many time sensitive conversions when it only takes 15 mins tops.Unless it is a .mkv high quality and then it takes a little longer.I know what you mean though I just don't think it affects the average user to a great degree.

[SpAzErMaN]

Nero recode & nero vision (not sure if those are in the free ones you mentioned) does just that. Just drop the file, select no menu, boom.

[kaser123]

Originally Posted by travy25

I use convertx as well. Great program.

+1 for ConvertXtoDVD. It is one of the best dvd burning program on the market.

[kwiksilver]

handbrake?

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by kwiksilver

handbrake?

Handbrake is great program But wont create DVDs for you, It only outputs to mp4/m4a/mkv.

[kwiksilver]

Originally Posted by Scooter

Handbrake is great program But wont create DVDs for you, It only outputs to mp4/m4a/mkv.

I misread the post - thought he wanted to go from DVD to avi/mkv etc

Hadn't had my coffee yet that morning.

[digitaldd]

FWIW, my uncle is using AVi2DVD, no its not multi-threaded nor 64 bit but it is easy enough for him to get a good disc every time with just a few clicks and with the dual core CPU he can do other stuff while the system is encoding.