Far from being just office workhorses, computers are also thought of as complete entertainment systems that you can use to chat with friends, play videogames or watch movies. Regarding this last option, there's a wide range of DVD players out there, but we'll focus our attention on one of them: Power DVD.

The program's installation process is very quick. It includes Google Toolbar as an add-on but you can decline its installation if you're not interested. Once launched, you gain access to its main interface which, to be honest, is not especially nice: a close-up of a girl wearing weird sunglasses is not the kind of thing you expect to see on the screen when opening a DVD player. It would look much better with some abstract design or just the program logo instead. Anyway, configuration settings allow you to customize this interface with skins but there are no skins included. At least you can change the color scheme by clicking on the display.

Power DVD is generally very easy to use. All the buttons on the player panel have tooltips to give you hints about their usage. Also, most of their functions can be performed with the mouse or the keyboard (using the hotkey displayed in the tooltip). When playing a movie in full screen mode, the panel hides automatically and shows only if you move the mouse. Still, you can access all the program's functions through a comprehensive context menu by right-clicking anywhere on the image.

As for the playing functions, the movie flows very smoothly even when you move the window around or play it in full screen mode. Sound can be configured in different ways, depending on your hardware means (from headphones to an 8-speaker surround system) in order to obtain the best possible sound quality. During our tests, we also found some interesting tools: one offers the possibility to change playing speed and therefore obtain slow or fast motion images; another one lets you take snapshots of your favourite scenes in the movie, according to the settings in Configuration – Player – Advanced - Snapshot; and finally a tool called "Say it again" with which you can repeat certain dialogues over and over again. This may be useful for foreign language students or movie fans who like to learn certain script lines by heart.

Power DVD is then a perfect solution for your all DVD playing needs. It may seem quite simple at first sight but after all, you don't need much more apart from "play" and "pause" to happily watch a movie on your PC. And in case you want to know more about the program and their developers, have a look at our interview with Dr. Jau Huang, Cyberlink's founder.

Download PowerDVD 8.0.1730 in Softonic

Since bursting onto the internet in 2000, BSPlayer has been downloaded over 60 million times according to its developers. The aim of the player is to "enable users to focus on watching the movie instead of dealing with poor computer capabilities or running around looking for a proper settings and codecs." For those that have had problems with mainstream media players on offer, BSPlayer may prove a useful alternative.

It supports all kinds of media including avi, mpeg, asf, wmv, mp3, etc but also specializes in DivX playback. Many users report that DivX files that wouldn’t work on other players, did in BS Player. One of the major drawbacks with many media players is resource hogging but BSPlayer consumes no more than many audio players and start-up is pleasantly fast. Because it does not use much of the processing power, its more suited to those users with slower machines that are not looking for too many fancy features.

BSPlayer also comes bundled with BSMediaLibrary which can manage all your multimedia content and enables you to create your own playlists. It also has a multitude of skins available for download, many designed by other devoted users.

The major drawback with BSPlayer is the concealed menu which appears and disappears when you wave the mouse over it. This becomes increasingly annoying if you are listening to something whilst using another application. However, loading subtitles is easy and dragging and dropping files into the screen to open files means you can avoid the annoying menu. You also have a small graphic equaliser and can load the player with other codecs that you might need.

Overall, definitely worth trying for anyone who has had problems with DivX files or are tired of bulky mainstream offerings.

Download BSPlayer Pro 2.28 build 964 in Softonic

VSO ConvertXtoDVD is an attractively designed and easy-to-use video burner that gives you the power to convert and burn a huge range of formats.

VSO ConvertXtoDVD can handle just about any format you throw at it including AVI, WMV, MKV, YouTube, OGM, MPEG and Quicktime. So instead of having to watch your downloaded films and videos on your PC, you can watch them in the comfort of your lounge on your DVD Player. VSO ConvertXtoDVD goes much further than just mere DVD creation though because it helps you create and author DVD menus.

It offers the possibility to add background video, image or audio and even have chapter and audio/subtitle menus. If you do want to add subtitles, it supports most of the major formats including SRT, .SUB/ID and .SSA and VSO CovertXtoDVD gives you control over color and font selection, and supports tags like italic, bold and the ability to toggle them on or off with DVD player remote control. The encoder makes a decent job of converting videos in terms of the output quality although it is slightly slow - estimate about 1 hour for conversion of a full movie.

A powerful and easy way to get your favourite movies and video clips onto DVD and give them an extra touch of class with a menu.

Download VSO ConvertXtoDVD 3.2.1.55 in Softonic

CyberLink DVD Suite includes ten basic tools designed to help you make the most out of your multimedia library. Tasks like burning music compilations onto CD and DVD, creating data backup copies, or designing photo slideshows to share with friends and family are just some of the tasks that you'll be able to carry out with CyberLink DVD Suite.

The suite includes an application launcher, known as PowerStarter. This launcher works as some kind of control panel from where you can easily access all the tools included in the suite. They're categorized in tabs according to the task or action you can do with them ("watch movie", "make an audio CD", "copy a data DVD") instead of displaying the actual tool's name. PowerStarter also includes a special Favorites tab where you can add shortcuts to your most frequently used actions.

This app launcher obviously makes things much easier for the average user, but power users may find it confusing, as they're probably used to choosing the application they want to open – not the task they want to do.

What does CyberLink DVD Suite include? As a starter, you'll find a powerful recording tool (Power2Go) with which you can burn audio and data CD and DVD, perfect to enjoy your favorite music anywhere and make backup copies.

Another outstanding app is PowerProducer, which lets you create VCD, SVCD and video and photo compilations. If you want to create a fully customized slideshow with soundtrack, transition effects and all the bells and whistles, then your best choice is Medi@Show. PowerDVD Copy and PowerBackup also deserve a mention, allowing you to copy non-protected DVD movies and create security copies of your sensitive data respectively.

CyberLink DVD Suite is undoubtedly a very complete package with high-quality tools, which is very suitable for the average user. I'm not that sure about more advanced users though: I'm convinced that the more you learn about how to use computers and software, the less you need to download a huge-sized suite with a dozen tools from which you'll probably only use three or four - especially in the case of CyberLink DVD Suite, where you can't choose which specific tools you want to install.

CyberLink DVD Suite is a fully featured multimedia suite with a very varied set of tools to burn discs, create backup copies, design slideshows and more.

Download CyberLink DVD Suite 6 Essential in Softonic

Video is becoming an increasingly important element in multimedia creations, which means you need powerful tools to work with it in proper conditions.

CyberLink PowerDirector is probably your best option when choosing a decent video application. This program lets you create stunning video composition featuring videoclips, images, transition effects, clipart, text layers and of course, a personalized background soundtrack.

As complicated as it seems, the truth is that CyberLink PowerDirector is really easy to use. The main working area follows the standard interface design in video editors, which include a media library window to browse your multimedia library, a timeline to drag and drop elements for your creation and a preview window to check how everything looks when put all together.

CyberLink PowerDirector features all the necessary tools for the whole creative process, from assisting you in with the very first step (capturing video from several different sources) to adding the final touches to your creation (a totally customizable DVD-style menu).

When you’re done, you can save your video as a streaming file, write it back to the videotape or even upload it to Youtube straight away. The program also allows you to record the video on a CD or DVD.

CyberLink PowerDirector is the perfect combination of powerful features with an appealing, easy-to-use interface that will please power users and beginners alike.

Download PowerDirector 7.0.1829 Ultra in Softonic

CyberLink DVD Suite includes ten basic tools designed to help you make the most out of your multimedia library. Tasks like burning music compilations onto CD and DVD, creating data backup copies, or designing photo slideshows to share with friends and family are just some of the tasks that you'll be able to carry out with CyberLink DVD Suite.

The suite includes an application launcher, known as PowerStarter. This launcher works as some kind of control panel from where you can easily access all the tools included in the suite. They're categorized in tabs according to the task or action you can do with them ("watch movie", "make an audio CD", "copy a data DVD") instead of displaying the actual tool's name. PowerStarter also includes a special Favorites tab where you can add shortcuts to your most frequently used actions.

This app launcher obviously makes things much easier for the average user, but power users may find it confusing, as they're probably used to choosing the application they want to open – not the task they want to do.

What does CyberLink DVD Suite include? As a starter, you'll find a powerful recording tool (Power2Go) with which you can burn audio and data CD and DVD, perfect to enjoy your favorite music anywhere and make backup copies.

Another outstanding app is PowerProducer, which lets you create VCD, SVCD and video and photo compilations. If you want to create a fully customized slideshow with soundtrack, transition effects and all the bells and whistles, then your best choice is Medi@Show. PowerDVD Copy and PowerBackup also deserve a mention, allowing you to copy non-protected DVD movies and create security copies of your sensitive data respectively. The Pro version of the suite also includes PowerDirector, a handy video editor to tweak, cut, crop, copy and paste your video files.

CyberLink DVD Suite is undoubtedly a very complete package with high-quality tools, which is very suitable for the average user. I'm not that sure about more advanced users though: I'm convinced that the more you learn about how to use computers and software, the less you need to download a huge-sized suite with a dozen tools from which you'll probably only use three or four - especially in the case of CyberLink DVD Suite, where you can't choose which specific tools you want to install.

CyberLink DVD Suite is a fully featured multimedia suite with a very varied set of tools to burn discs, create backup copies, design slideshows and more.

Download CyberLink DVD Suite 6 Pro in Softonic

If you're a sports fan, then you may well get a lot from CyberLink MagicSports, which facilitates simultaneous sports viewing as well as the editing of sports packages.

CyberLink MagicSports is designed to put you in the directors chair, giving you greater control over recorded TV sports programs by allowing you to create your own action replays of key moments. However, it only works with CyberLink PowerCinema 4 or Windows Media Center so if you're not streaming your sports events through either of these mediums, then it's not much use to you. It also won't work with any content that's protected by DRM.

In reality, CyberLink MagicSports is basically a Tivo player for your PC. You can store certain parts of games on your hard drive and create your own highlights with a simple editor. It features a virtual remote control to control your viewing. However, it's unclear how many sports fans would really want to edit together their own highlights package - most people just want to sit back with a cold beer and enjoy the game.

If you're a die-hard sports fan and want to relive a special sporting moment in the way of your choosing, then CyberLink MagicSports is a powerful all round package.

Download CyberLink MagicSports 4 in Softonic

With such an ever growing range of multimedia devices, no wonder format converters are becoming so popular these days!

Any Audio/Video Converter is one of those converters: a simple, easy-to-use application that support pretty much any format you can find nowadays and lets you convert both audio and video files in just a few steps.

The program works with a list where you add the files you want to convert, no matter what format they are. Then you configure the conversion options for each one of them separately and finally click on the "Convert" button to let the program do the rest. I think this method is quite handy and saves you loads of work and time; pity the trial version only accepts one file on this list!

Any Audio/Video Converter includes a built-in player in its interface, but it's only good to watch the video while it's being converted and not preview it before actually starting the process.

With Any Audio/Video Converter you can convert basically any audio and video file you can think of, in a quite easy process that involves very little effort.

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While the iPod is best know for being the music lovers best friend, it can also be a useful tool for movie buffs.

Xilisoft DVD to iPod Converter lets you extract DVD video and audio tracks of DVDs and convert them to audio and video formats compatible with the iPod Video (MPEG-4, MP3, AAC or M4A formats). Like most Xillisoft converters, it's very easy to follow and use with a good looking interface to boot. Conversions are fast but most impressive is the quality which is as good as any iPod converter you'll find. The conversion process is very simple - you can choose to either rip and convert a whole film or sections of a film. Apart from this, there are some customisation options too such as setting a file limit for your conversions, normalizing audio or the ability to compress files that have been extracted to fit your iPod - useful for if you've filled your hard drive with too many tunes. You can also customise the audio, subtitles and part of a DVD that you want to rip. If you've got an iPhone, the program has also now been updated to allow you to put films on your hard drive too.

Flexible, simple to convert and fast, Xilisoft DVD to iPod Converter has more than enough to fulfil your conversion needs.

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With multimedia portable devices growing in popularity and features, it's not surprising that DVD ripping tools like Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate have started to offer support for them so that you can take your favorite movies anywhere with you.

Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate is one of those applications: a full featured DVD ripper than can extract all data inside your DVD movies and convert it right away to another video format, including the most popular ones and – of course – video formats for mobile devices such as the iPod, the iPhone and the PSP.

Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate lets you choose the video size, image quality and audio quality, and also create and use different profiles according to the target format or device. Also, Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate lets you trim specific video fragments, edit video effects, adjust subtitles and even add a watermark so that you obtain fully customized DVD video and audio files.

Additionally, Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate can help you clip video segment, crop video size, edit video effects, adjust subtitle, and add video watermark, to get the customized DVD audio and video files.

In addition to ripping the whole DVD, you can also select specific chapters and convert only those. The whole process is done via drop-down menus and Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate is generally very easy to use.

With Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate you can rip the contents of your favorite DVD movies and convert them to different formats – including mobile video - in just a few easy steps.

Download Xilisoft DVD Ripper Ultimate 5.0.40.0729 in Softonic

With multimedia portable devices growing in popularity and features, it's not surprising that DVD ripping tools have started to offer support for them so that you can take your favorite movies anywhere with you.

Xilisoft DVD Ripper Platinum is one of those applications: a full featured DVD ripper than can extract all data inside your DVD movies and convert it right away to another video format, including the most popular ones and – of course – video formats for mobile devices such as the iPod, the iPhone and the PSP.

The program lets you choose the video size, image quality and audio quality, and also create and use different profiles according to the target format or device, though I must say the profile creation process is not very intuitive. In addition to ripping the whole DVD, you can also select specific chapters and convert only those. The whole process is done via drop-down menus and the program is generally very easy to use.

With Xilisoft DVD Ripper Platinum you can rip the contents of your favorite DVD movies and convert them to different formats – including mobile video - in just a few easy steps.

Download Xilisoft DVD Ripper Platinum 5.0.40.0729 in Softonic

If you have some AVI videos that you would like to watch on your TV as DVD movies, you need AVI DVD Burner.

With AVI DVD Burner you can convert any AVI files into DVD format in just a couple of steps. Simply locate the source AVI files, select the appropriate format to convert them to DVD (PAL or NTSC, depending on your DVD region) and let AVI DVD Burner take care of everything else.

There are two features in AVI DVD Burner that I specially liked: one is the support for subtitles, which can be embedded in the converted file straight away, and the other is the built-in recording tool with which you can burn your DVD right after converting the AVI file.

On the downside, I think AVI DVD Burner misses having a more complete settings menu, as well as the possibility to create and save customized conversion profiles.

AVI DVD Burner lets you easily convert AVI videos to DVD format and burn a DVD disc with the resulting files right on the spot.

Download AVI DVD Burner 2008 4.60 in Softonic

If you're looking for a complete tool to convert your favorite DVD movies to an iPod-friendly format, this is probably what you're looking for.

Xilisoft DVD to iPod Suite is a pack of two utilities, DVD to iPod Converter 5 and iPod Video Converter 3.The first one is a powerful DVD conversion tool that has been especially developed for iPods and iPhones. The program can work with video from DVD discs or IFO files on your hard drive, and convert them to the iPod video format (MP4) plus MP3 and AAC.

The second one, iPod Video Converter, supports a comprehensive array of video formats (AVI, MPEG, WMV, MOV DivX, 3GP and more) and can convert them all to MP4 as well.

All available formats all are categorized in several profiles to meet different requirements in size, audio quality, video quality and other settings. You can create your own customized profiles as well.

If there's one thing this program is missing, that's having some sort of common interface, a suite central launcher from which to access the two included apps.

With Xilisoft DVD to iPod Suite you can convert not only DVD movies, but also many other video formats to iPod and iPhone.

Download Xilisoft DVD to iPod Suite 5.0.35.0515 in Softonic

PSP owners will be glad to know there's a program with which they can handle all their video conversion needs.

This program is ImTOO PSP Video Converter, a video conversion tool that's been specifically designed to convert video files to PSP-friendly formats. Well, the truth is that the target format is only on (MP4), but you have several different profiles to choose from, depending on size, resolution, quality and other parameters. What's more, you can configure these parameters to your liking and thus create new, customized profiles. As for source formats, you can use pretty much any, including AVI, MPEG, DVD, VCD, Flash and a lot more.

ImTOO PSP Video Converter includes a preview window to have a look at the video before converting it, though I think it would be nicer if it resembled a real PSP. The program includes a built-in PSP video manager that lets you handle video content on your device in a more comfortable way.

With ImTOO PSP Video Converter you can easily convert videos to carry them around in your PSP.

Download ImTOO PSP Video Converter 3.1.53.0429b in Softonic

When you want to enjoy your favorite DVD and movies on different platforms (say your PC, your mobile phone or your portable gaming device) you need a powerful tool like ImTOO MP4 Converter.

This app converts video from DVD and other popular formats to MP4, the standard video format used by a wide range of devices such as iPod Touch, iPhone, PSP, Apple TV and others. Each device includes a few variables in size and resolution so that you can choose the one that best suits your gadget. They're all saved as presets but can be also easily customized.

ImTOO MP4 Converter is very easy to use. Simply drag and drop the video files you want to convert onto the program's interface, select the format and click on the "Encode" button. There's also a built-in video player for a quick video review, though it doesn't work that well. But this is truly a minor flaw in an excellent conversion tool such as ImTOO MP4 Converter.

If you need to convert your DVD movies or any other large-sized file to a portable device-compatible format, ImTOO MP4 Converter is what you're looking for.

Download ImTOO MP4 Converter 3.1.53 in Softonic

With DVD video recorders and video camera becoming increasingly popular, there's a growing demand for user friendly video editing software that can handle footage from a variety of sources. With MAGIX Movie Edit Pro you can import videos from DVDs that you have recorded directly with your DVD camcorder or TV recordings on your living room DVD recorder. This offers exciting new possibilities to create your own DVDs with your own menus and extras.

The program makes maximum use of your processor cutting and arranging DVD, MPEG, and even HDV recordings. Both the picture composition, and video compression ratios are calculated in the background whilst you get on with some seamless editing. Note however that you'll need a processor of at least 3 GHz or more to reap these benefits in HDV mode.

This program also makes soundtracks a priority with an integrated Soundtrack Maker that enables you to produce your own individual background music. You simply select a style, from classical to action and the music will intelligently follow the "tension curve" that you define. This is a massive bonus in that you don't have to search for suitable music to fit every mood represented in your film although that said, nothing can beat a human touch in that area.

This is an excellent video editor that can handle the demands of even HDV but in a way that makes it fairly simple for all.

Download MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 12 (US) in Softonic

The best-selling award winner transforms your photos into dynamic TV events – ready for the big screen and in wide-screen format! Ideal for beginners!

Using 1-click automations you can create slide-shows with cinematic effects, virtual camera movements and personalized background music. Experience your photos on TV, PC or the Internet on your very own Album website.

Top features include:

• Animated DVD menus from your own show motifs
• Flash-Video exporter
• Animated decorative elements
• Look good in every light
• Story Maker
• Audio- + Video Cleaning
• Automatic slide-shows
• Automatic background music

Download MAGIX Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6.0 in Softonic

CrystalPlayer is the most advanced video player for Windows 98, ME, 2000 & XP.

CrystalPlayer features original video kernel allowing high-quality playback from any kind of video source, e.g. video files (.AVI, .MPEG, etc.), from internet or network. It does not use built-in WindowsMedia environment, so there are no limitations, as with most other players. CrystalPlayer Professional offers uncomparable control to improve the quality of the videos you're watching. Check Video filters, Video Postprocessing, multisampling and supersampling features of Professional version.

Download Crystal Player Professional 1.98 in Softonic

VCDEasy allows you to play/watch your videos (from DV camcorder, DivX, DVD,...), your pictures (from digital camera, scanner,...) and your audio files (music, audio comments,...) directly on most of the home DVD players, without having to buy a DVD Writer and DVD discs. How? VCDEasy allows you to build VideoCDs (VCD/SVCD)!

A VCD is a CD (CD-R or CD-RW, so cheap) that can contain up to 80 minutes video, up to 1980 pictures, up to 6 hours of audio (CD sound quality), or a mix of them. On a VCD, it is also possible to have menus and chapters, similiar to DVDs. You can also have simple photo album/slide shows. The same way most of the home DVD player and computers can play Audio CDs, a VCD can be played on almost all standalone DVD players (only a few persons know that!) and of course on all computers with a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive with the help of a software player.

Download VCDEasy 3.1.0 in Softonic

The iPod Video Converter is a powerful iPod video conversion software which provides an easy and completed way to convert almost all popular video files to iPod video such as AVI to iPod, MPEG to iPod

No program supports so comprehensive video file formats including AVI, MPEG, WMV, MOV, RM, RMVB, DivX, ASF, VOB, 3GP, APE to iPod MP4 like Xilisoft iPod video converter by building in lots of codecs. The software not only supports convert iPod video, but also supports convert popular audio files including WAV, WMA, MP2, AC3, RA, OGG, CDA to iPod MP3, M4A, AAC.

All conversion processes are very fast and easy to handle.

Download Xilisoft iPod Video Converter 3.1.8.0.720 b in Softonic