iDVD DVD Authoring Software Review

by David Gordon
Published on Dec 10, 2002 12:00 AM



With the introduction of the Apple Super drive (a variant of the Pioneer av003 DVD burner) to it’s line of home computers, Apple has, once again revolutionized the home personal computer industry. Complementary to the iMovie software, which slightly precedes the introduction of the Super drive, iDVD is Apple's free, or bundled, software bringing DVD authoring capabilities to the masses.

iDVD, in concept, is really an extension of software allowing for CD burning, such as “Toast”; except for it is geared specifically for the rapidly emerging, higher capacity DVD storage medium. This software essentially provides a mechanism of getting your data, or digital video footage stored, or burned, onto DVD. If it were only for video footage, it would be better packaged as a feature of the digital video editing software (iMovie), however, since many, if not most, will be burning to DVD for data storage, it does not make sense to tie this software so closely to the video editing software exclusively. What results is the separate, dual-purpose software called iDVD.

How Good is iDVD?
Like much of Apples’ first party software, iDVD is brilliant in its’ simplicity of design, ease of use, and rock solid reliability. Also like other Apple software, some of the very high level features that would be found on more expensive software, is missing. On balance, however, iDVD does its’ job with aplomb, and should satisfy the needs of at least 95 percent of its’ intended market (more if you eliminate the professional level users) without leaving them wanting more.

What Does It Do?
iDVD, while simple and elegant in design and execution, can perform a variety of functions pertaining to the process of burning data to DVD. It facilitates the burning process flawlessly. You can index the material easily, and add graphic and/or video design elements to the menus, submenus, and index tags with ease. iDVD does all of these things so well, it is almost as if the process is completely automated. Like iMovie, the software guides you through each step in the event that the interface is not intuitive enough (it invariably is, however).