Product Reviews

Ahead has released another update to Nero 6, its suite of disc-burning applications. The main improvement is to Recode, its DVD copying tool, but there are other changes too.

Double-layer (DVD+R DL) discs are now supported throughout the suite. The implications of this are fairly straightforward in the central Nero Burning ROM application, but this new format comes into its own when working with DVD video discs, allowing you to import video files in excess of the usual 4.38GB capacity

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into the DVD authoring tool NeroVision Express. Sadly, though, there's no option to specify the layer break point. DVD players pause for around a second when switching layers, so discs are (ideally) authored in a way that makes this pause unnoticeable, with the break point at a natural pause in the video.

Recode 2 is now faster than ever - and over twice the speed of InterVideo DVDCopy 2 Platinum (reviewed last month) at transcoding from double- to single-layer discs. It can copy just the main movie from a DVD, but support for double-layer media renders such space-saving techniques largely redundant unless you want to combine content from various DVDs on to a single disc. As usual, CSS-protected discs can't be copied, but Recode will work with disc images that have been decrypted and ripped to disk with other software.

Nero 6 was already our favourite disc-burning suite, with extras such as backup and virtual CD drive programs, exceptional ease of use and value. This second free update (existing users can download from www.nero.com) reinforces its value.