What is the best cd-burning software?

[Feels100]

Hi guys, I've just bought a cd-writer. But I have a difficulty of picking the right burning software. The bundle software from the writer is Nero, which a lot of ppl told me it's very good. But I was also told that Nero would embedded deeply into the OS and would slow down the computer. Is that true?

And what other burning software would you guys suggest? Is CloneCD better? or what about Alcohol120% or Easy CD creater?


p.s.: I would be using the cdwriter for both data backup and games backup.

Thx guys~!

[CDRecorder]

The "best" determines what you want to do with the drive. I personally prefer Nero, although I use many different programs.

I haven't heard of Nero slowing a system and becoming "embedded" in the OS, nor have I experienced it. In short, I think that's not true.

Nero offers a lot of control over the burning process. You can burn the disc in just about any way you want. This is why I prefer it. Its interface isn't too hard to use, but it's harder than some other programs. Fortunately, Nero Express (included with all recent versions of Nero; download the free update at http://www.nero.com if you don't have Nero Express) is very easy to use. Nero doesn't come with many other useful programs, though.

Easy CD Creator is very easy to use, but it doesn't allow as much control over the burning process. Version 5 (Platinum) came with some other programs which might be useful, I assume Version 6 does as well. Easy CD Creator doesn't allow overburning, as far as I know.

NTI CD Maker is probably slightly easier to use than Easy CD Creator, and it has slightly more options. I believe it allows overburning.

CloneCD is only for copying existing CDs as far as I know. I don't know much more about it than that.

I hope this helped!

Edit: What CD-RW drive did you get?

[jedimc]

I use Nero express (becuase it came with my burner) and it is very fast and easy to use.

[Action Jackson]

Nero
CloneCD
Alcohol 120%
DiscJuggler

I used to use Feurio! and Exact Audio Copy for music CD's, but Nero does a pretty good job.

[CowboySlim]

I use Nero for multisession burning of my photos after every D/L from my camera.

For music, I prefer to make compilation CD-As. I use MusicMatch Jukebox Plus to burn these out as it has a volume leveling or normalization function. I understand that Nero also has this capability, but I'm just used to the MMJB and its database methodology.

Slim

[pranav81]

I am listing the softwares as I think they should be,

1)Roxio Easy CD Creator-Very easy to use and lots of features in latest version.
2)Nero Burning ROM-Total control over your burns.
3)CloneCD-Perfect CD copying software.

See ya later,


::Pranav::

[Wedge Maniac]

I used Nero as well, but I also use burnatonce (it's free, btw).

The reason I dislike Easy CD Creator is because it takes up an unnecessarily large amount of disc space and I have no need for all the extra features that comes with it. Nero takes about half as much space as ECDC and burnatonce takes only about 4mb and betwen these two programs I can do all the burning that I need to do.

[Big_H]

Just to get this out of the way, I will never install Easy CD Creator on my computer again. It is the devil as far as I'm concerned. It was what came with my first RW drive, and I didn't like it (it made about two dozen coasters before I stopped using it) and someone recommended Nero, so I uninstalled it. Somewhere in the uninstal it messed up, and I was forced to reinstal windows. This all happened 3 or 4 years ago, so those are all the details I really remember. But I will never use it again. bla!


I use a combination of Nero and Alcohol 120%. So far I've found Alcohol the best for backing up copyrighted disks, and general burning of iso's / images. I use Nero for everything else.

As for Nero hogging resources... it depends on what you have for a system. When I had it on my 566 MHz w/ 384 mb pc133, it would lag the system like a mother. If I had Task Manager open, it would go up 1/4th the way when the program was just open. Then when I was burning I couldn't do anything... winamp would even studder. Now on my 1.7ghz I don't notice a thing.
From my experience, it will not slow down the computer unless it's running... there are no back ground programs that are always on.


Since you said you'd be doing data and game backup I'd recommend Alcohol, it's the best for getting around copy protections.

[jtan]

i like nero and cdrwin. but when i need to do special backup for protected games, i do clonecd or alcohol120%.

[dbeko]

And what other burning software would you guys suggest? Is CloneCD better? or what about Alcohol120% or Easy CD creater?

I don't mess with games so I can't speak to that software. However, I use Nero (not Express) and Burn@Once (which is freeware and works very well) myself. I usually use Burn@Once for audio and CUE/BIN files.

I use Nero if I want to burn MPGs straight (otherwise I first use VCDEasy to first create a CUE/BIN and then use Burn@Once to burn those.

I've used CDRWin before and I've also registered FireBurner as well.

[UALOneKPlus]

You'll probably find that Nero is the more popular burning software, and for good reason.

I dislike Roxio as well. I hear the latest Roxio version is faster than Nero, but I just like Nero's easy to use interface and reliability.

I'm not sure if the latest Roxio software support multiple burners, but Nero supports up to 2 burners simultaneously, and unlimited burners on a PC...

[bongoman]

I haven't used alcolol. Clone is great for copies. But I am having some problems with newest nero (10.35) on a brand new system. So I don't really know what the problem is.