Creating Video DVDs with Windows DVD Maker (part 1)

1. Getting Started with Windows DVD Maker

You can start and use Windows DVD Maker in several ways. When you are working with Windows Live Photo Gallery , you can select the initial pictures and videos you want to work with and then click Burn→Video DVD to open Windows DVD Maker with these items selected. Otherwise, you can start Windows DVD Maker by clicking Start→All Programs→Windows DVD Maker.

As Table 1 shows, Windows DVD Maker works with a wide variety of image, sound, and video formats. This list is different from the formats supported by Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Media Maker. The most notable changes are that Windows DVD Maker supports GIF images but does not support the AIFF or AU sound format. Also of note is that Windows DVD Maker supports the Microsoft Digital Video Recorder format, allowing you to create video DVDs with recorded TV.

When working with digital pictures, digital videos, and sounds, it is also important to note that Windows DVD Maker works with files that are already in the proper formats, and doesn’t include features for converting formats. Additionally, all the files you want to use must be on your computer’s disk drive, on a data disc you’ve inserted into your CD/DVD drive, or on a device with removable storage connected to your computer. Although Windows DVD Maker can read music and other sound files from a data disc, it doesn’t include features for ripping raw CD audio files from audio discs.

When you start working with Windows DVD Maker, you may notice that the program works more like an extended wizard than a standalone program, and that’s because it’s designed to help you through the steps involved in video production. The first time you start Windows DVD Maker, you’ll see the page shown in Figure 1. This page introduces Windows DVD Maker. If you clear the checkbox before you click “Choose Photos and Videos” to continue, you won’t see this page again unless you are using a new user account.

Windows DVD Maker has two main pages. The first page you see in Windows DVD Maker is the “Add pictures and video to the DVD” page shown in Figure 2. You’ll use this page to add items, set the play order, and configure the DVD burning and playback options.

When you click Next, you’ll see the “Ready to burn disc” page, which is shown in Figure 3. On this page, you can customize the DVD menu style and text, as well as set up your picture slideshow and add an audio soundtrack. You can also preview and burn your video from this page.

Using the options provided on these two pages, you create video DVDs by following a series of prescribed steps. The basic steps are as follows: