With over 18 new and updated applications in one powerful package, Nero 7 Premium is probably the only software you need for managing your multiple media files and optical drives. Most of the bundled applications can be bettered by individual programs (excluding the CD/DVD recording tools), but Nero 7 Premium is the best product of its type - especially for more advanced users who want top-notch CD and DVD creation options. This latest version also includes photo- and video-editing tools lacking in Nero 6, so you can now make the jump from Roxio's Creator 7.

Pros: All-in-one solution for audio, data, photo, video and TV
Cons: Overwhelming interface; basic image and video-editing tools


Nero 7 is the latest version of Nero's excellent all-in-one integrated digital media and home entertainment software solution. Building on its successors, Nero 7 delivers no less than 18 applications in one suite (full installation requires a whopping 1.3GB hard disk drive space), including the addition of Nero Home, a new Windows Media Center-like multimedia management system that provides you with quick and easy access to digital media files on your hard disk drive using a remote control (not supplied).

Nero 7 sports a number of enhancements and interface redesigns. For instance, you now have the option of a customised installation, meaning you can decide to install or not to install each application courtesy of Windows Installer Technology. Nero Home also integrates TV time-shifting, DVD playback, music playback and video playback, and has a simplified interface and a TV wizard to walk you through setup. And a new optimised media database provides quick access to your library of media files from any Nero application and Windows Explorer.

The enhanced BackItUp 2 utility lets you run scheduled full or incremental backups, backup files directly from Windows Explorer, backup upon log-in or without logging in, create shadow copies, backup to disc images and perform an FTP backup. You can backup your entire system spanning several CDs/DVDs, schedule an automatic backup with Job Scheduler, drag and drop the files you want to save, or password protect your data. BackItUp 2 isn't really suitable for networked business use, but it's a very welcome addition for home users.

Nero Burning ROM 7 and Nero Express 7 have also been redesigned, are easier to use and are quicker. The improved project launcher now has a new user interface that can access all 18 applications, and has been enhanced to guide you through simple or advanced digital media projects. For instance, you now have the ability to view, edit and improve your digital photos. In addition to that, you can turn your photos and videos into slideshows, add transitions and music, burn them to DVD, and then give them to friends and family to watch on their regular DVD players.

Video/DVD editing and authoring tools with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD support are present, so you can store up to 50GB on a single disc, and Nero 7 offers playback software for all DVD formats and MPEG-4. It also enables you to recode non-copy protected movies (DVD-9 to DVD-5) to a CDR/RW, DVD+/-R or a single DVD+R DL disc in DVD-Video format (DVD-9 to DVD-9). In addition, a standard drag-and-drop packet writing application that supports BD-RE/R (Blu-Ray) is included along with full 5.1 capturing, editing, mixing, recording and menu creation options (as well as DVD+VR and DVD-VR advanced recording abilities).

New features and applications now support 5.1 and 7.1 audio recording, editing and mixing, along with 32-bit audio and the ability to mix and edit for the production of audio CDs and CD compilations. Audio enthusiasts can now incorporate beats, sound sequences and melodies into audio projects, with surround sound mixing. Nero SoundTrax and Nero WaveEditor let you digitise LPs or cassettes and make changes to an audio file, such as adding effects like Chorus, Delay, Doppler, and Flanger. In fact, Nero Wave Editor has everything an average user can ask from an audio editor.

Getting to grips with Nero 7 Premium doesn't take too long, and its interface is relatively intuitive. However, the sheer number of programs make it initially confusing. Similar to its predecessors, the software combines a suite of applications into a 'single' interface. From the home page, or Nero StartSmart, you can select the desired category of operation you want (such a make a data CD or create a slideshow) and the software then launches the relevant utility, much like Roxio's Creator 7 (£49.99 ex. VAT).

The product's main interface promises to make it easier to access the programs features and frequently-used tasks, but we found the non-resizable window a little frustrating, especially as you have to scroll through multiple menus to find all of the program's features. Nero 7 Premium throws everything it's got at you from the outset, which may be intimidating for the uninitiated.

Thankfully, the inclusion of categories and their respective tools helps you to start off in the right direction. Once you've become more familiar with the software you can bypass the interface altogether and open the main applications directly from the Windows' Program menu. You can also customise the menu with different colour schemes. [9]

BIOS, Oct 18, 05 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Utilities