Easy CD Creator (ECD) 6 is a complete CD-R and DVD recorder that allows you to create audio CDs, video CDs (VCD and SVCD format) and data and movie DVDs.

Users familiar with earlier versions of ECD will find all of their favourite tools are still available, albeit with a slick new interface and project selector. The disc copier allows you to make copies of both non copy-protected CDs and non-commercial DVDs. Audiocentral includes an updated audio file management and burning centre that supports ripping to MP3 and Ogg. Photosuite has been enhanced and Creator classic still allows you to make data CDs and DVDs using the familiar drag and drop interface. New to version 6 is the DVD builder which allows you to capture video from either an analog video source (using an appropriate MPEG capture card) or DV source, then trim and arrange the video prior to burning onto DVD or video CD.

As the name suggests, ECD is very easy to use. Creating a DVD movie is as simple as recording the movie from the video source onto your hard disk, splitting the movie into segments, building a menu to access each segment and burning the completed movie to DVD. If you are making a DVD from an old VHS analog tape, you can use the in-built "de-noiser" to remove some of the grain and noise from the movie, although there is little control over what the "de-noiser" does and you cannot preview the effect until after you have burnt the DVD.

There is some control over menus, but this too is limited to selecting a theme from one of the 20 present menu themes. You can customise the font and build sub-menus (for example to access certain scenes) but the emphasis is on ease of use rather than comprehensive DVD authoring.

If you're looking for a value for money package that is easy to use and provides a full suite of tools, then ECD is great provided you don't require the full flexibility of a dedicated DVD authoring package.