Taking movies stored in .avi format is a major problem faced by many people today. From amateur movie directors, to the father who just want to put his daughter’s recital onto a DVD to share, there are many reasons to perform this function, but there is only one way to do. Using a piece of conversion software is the one and only way to go as far as movie conversion goes.

There are many different programs out there to do the job. Many work fine, but you need to choose the one that works for you. While one program will seem intuitive and very easy to use to you, your friend might not think so, and prefer another program over it. The best way to find the best .avi to DVD conversion program for you is to try a bunch. Most of these programs offer trials or evaluation versions for you to test the product out.

As there are many programs, and many people prefer different things when it comes to programs like these, here are just a few suggestions of solid software that do their job(s) well. These is VSO ConvertXtoDVD, Xilisoft AVI to DVD Converter, Adobe Premier, Magix Movie Edit Pro, Nero Studio, Pinnacle Studio, and Roxio Easy Media Creator. Again, this list isn’t near all of the programs available to aid you in converting your .avi movies into DVDs, but they are the ones that have been generally accepted as solid programs to use in this situation. You should definitely be sure to try the program before you buy for a couple of reasons, actually. One, you might not like the program. Two, it may not work for you for whatever reason, such as not having a good enough graphics card, or something else. Some of these programs cost over $100, that’s a big investment in a computer program, and one you’re likely not wanting to waste, so again, to yourself a favor and try it out first, because you can’t get a refund for it.

One things you should realize about trial or evaluation versions, though is that they might be what is called “cripple ware”, which is where the company providing the trial hampers the features of the program so much in the evaluation version that the program is basically unusable or doesn’t fully work. Some don’t convert the whole movie, yet some do, but only work for a certain number of times, or for a certain period of time. You should be aware of the limitations imposed on the trial version before testing it so you don’t get the wrong impression of the program.

When you are using the trial version check to make sure it has every single feature you want, or at least most of them, and then look at what else it has, just in case you might need to use a format other than .avi with it. Make sure you don’t spend too much if you aren’t sure you’ll be using the program a lot. Some people are really into it, but maybe you’ll use it two or three times a year.

For some closing thoughts, remember to not let yourself get ripped off. Make sure the program works for you and on your computer well, and does everything you’ll need it to. Get the best program you can afford, that does what you need, and you’ll be set.