Software Review of:
CD Maker 2000
Professional Edition 

Minimum program requirements for this program are reported as follows. It works under the Windows 95, 98, NT (3.5 or higher), 2000 or ME operating system with a 100% IBM compatible PC system, running a 100 MHZ processor and 16 MB of RAM. The program uses 20 MB of hard drive space and the software program must support the CD-Recorder drive that does the CD writing. Their web page provides lists of drives supported by NTI CD Maker 2000 Professional Edition. 

Installation of this program was both simple and straightforward. After installation completes, an icon is placed on the desktop and running the program is easy with a click on the desktop. When the program opens, other icons that represent the task you want to complete appear. The opening screen displays nine options. Using this program is relatively easy. The design of the menu when you open the program is familiar and is based on a GUI (Graphical User Interface). Most CD burning tasks have been reduced to a Step 1 and then Step 2 process. After these steps, you take your finished product out of your recorder. It really is that simple with this program. 

There are eight different CD mastering or “burning” choices and one option allows you to explore a CD “session”. Session exploration permits you to compare or “read” a CD to tell if it has data, video, music and so forth, or to ascertain what type of media is present or whether it is blank and available for writing. I went through several of the “coasters” I had made with version 3.0 and discovered to my surprise that they were actually blank and ready to be written on. By itself, this feature has saved me a considerable amount of money by preventing me from wasting perfectly good CD-R media. 

You can make a CD Copy, Data CD, or an Audio CD, from a variety of audio file types including MP3, WAV or CD-DA tracks. The Audio CD program is robust enough and smart enough to encode CD-DA or WAV tracks into MP3 files and/or decode MP3 files to WAV or CD-DA tracks. Many computer users enjoy taking CD’s that they own and making their own CD from their favorite music tracks. If you are like me, there are certain artists whose music you especially enjoy, then you can take choice songs from your CD’s and combine them into a CD that you can play in your CD player, on your computer or even in your car. Conversely, if you want to convert your music files into MP3’s to play on your MP3 player, you can do that. Recording Live Audio to a CD is a special strength of this program that may not exist in other software programs. While I am not sure of the capabilities of other CD mastering programs, I do think that being able to record any sound from the line-in or microphone connector on your sound card and then burn it, in real-time, to a CD is awesome. The flexibility seems endless with this feature. You could literally burn a CD with voice, live music or input from multiple sources. Best of all, it is simple to do, just hit “record” when you want to start recording and “stop” when you are finished. 

Additional features include File CD, which is a utility for drag and drop packet writing. You just drag your files from Windows Explorer to the File CD window and they are written to the CD-R or CD-RW “on-the-fly.” CD Copy allows you to quickly and easily make an exact duplicate of a CD. Choose to write a copy of the CD to your hard drive first, which is the safer but slower method, or copy directly from the CD, which is faster but more prone to errors. Take my advice and write to the hard drive first, if at all possible. The Jewel Case Maker software is also thrown in with the CD Maker 2000 Professional Edition. It lets you make your own CD labels as well as, front, back or inside inserts for your CD. 

Video CD’s (VCD’s) can be compiled from MPEG video clips and must be written in one writing session. AVI files can be converted to MPEG files and recorded with this software. You will need a separate encoding software program to convert your AVI files to MPEG prior to making your VCD. Working from a Video CD “layout” platform, permits you to add, edit, rearrange, preview and/or delete your video files prior to writing them on the CD. As is true with most CD recorders, it is wise to test-write or validate your layout to minimize errors. This saves money in the long run but takes a little more time.

This software program possesses great strength and is moderately priced. First, it is potent and versatile, providing the inexperienced user or the expert with an array of options and alternatives in how they choose to record CD’s. Second, there are significant varieties of CD recording methods available in this program. Third, but perhaps most importantly, the user interface is uncomplicated and the help section is easy to understand. I would recommend this product to others, whatever their level of expertise. 

NTI CD Maker 2000 Professional Edition is available online for purchase, from New Tech Infosystems Inc., located at 1395 Warner Ave., Tustin, CA. They may be contacted by telephone at (714) 259-9700 and their customer support toll-free number is 1-800-210-5517 in the United States. The software is downloadable from the Internet or may be ordered in full-boxed versions. Retail stores also carry this product, but none of our local computer retail stores carried it, as of this writing. The cost for the boxed version, ordered on line from the web site is $69.99 plus shipping and handling, for a first-time buyer or $39.99 plus shipping and handling, if you upgrade from a previous version of NTI CD Maker. Downloading the software from their web site is less expensive. It is $49.99 for the first-time buyer and $29.99 if you upgrade. They offer an excellent guarantee,

It is a no-risk guarantee, such that, if you are unsatisfied, you have 30 days to get your money back.