Ulead DVD Workshop 2

DVD Workshop has a pleasantly simple interface and is easy to use, but it is by no means a lightweight program for casual users.

Support for Dolby Digital AC-3 soundtracks and anamorphic widescreen import/output are standard, along with several high-end features such as output to DVD-9 format (dual-layered) discs and DLT tape.

The program's real ace is its simplicity and emphasis on the more creative aspects of DVD production. It does a great job of taking fairly complex concepts and making them easy to understand.

You can import video clips into the library window and then drag and drop the ones required into the project itself. Menu screens, buttons and other interactive elements can be built from scratch or designed with the help of templates or a wizard.

It's entirely possible to put together a no-frills disc within minutes. That's not counting the time it takes to encode, multiplex and burn the actual project to disc, of course.

Capturing, chopping, splicing and editing video is not DVD Workshop's strong point, but it's possible to insert alternative audio tracks or subtitles. You would be better off using a dedicated capture/editing program first.

The most confounding thing about DVD Workshop is its price: too much to be an impulse purchase for home users, and yet its basic approach and simple way of working make it ideal for beginners.