To burn your movies on a DVD, you need a DVD burner, a blank DVD and a DVD authoring software such as Sonic MyDVD. The DVD authoring software usually comes free and pre-installed on your PC if you get one with a DVD burner.

You must first save your movies in Movie Maker before you burn them on DVDs. Choose the setting DV-AVI when you save your movies in Movie Maker so you have the highest quality movies for your DVD. Click here if you need a refresher on Saving your movie on your hard drive.

The video tutorials below use Sonic MyDVD as the DVD authoring software. Sonic MyDVD comes with your DVD burner. If your PC does not come with a DVD authoring software, visit www.Roxio for a free trial download.

Tutorial Part 1 of 2: Selecting movies to burn on the DVD:

Part 2 of 2: How to edit DVD Menu Styles:



NOTES
I used to share my movies primarily via a DVD. I would burn them on the DVD, print nice DVD covers and mail it to distant family and friends. Then I would call them up every day see if they got the DVD. If they didn’t drop everything to watch the DVD, I would be disappointed. The reality is, people are very busy and can’t find even a spare moment to plop on a couch to watch a movie.

Today, I share my movies on the web as I finish them. For example, our Thanksgiving dinner. When my extended family clicks on the link and watch the Thanksgiving video, the memory’s still fresh in their mind and they are still in that ‘mood’. The best part? I get feedback very quickly.

Once a year though, I would select some choice movies and burn them on a DVD to give to friends and families as a holiday ‘card’ or Highlights of the Year DVD for example.

The two leading companies of DVD authoring software for home use is http://www.Nero.com and http://www.Roxio.com. If your PC comes with a free Sonic MyDVD software, just use that. That’s what I used in the video tutorials. If not, you can download a free trial from the website.

Homework

1. Select 3 movies that you saved as an .AVI file.
2. Launch Sonic MyDVD (or your preferred DVD authoring software).
3. Save the DVD project. Organize your projects, have a folder system that you can stick with..
4. Add movies to the DVD menu.
5. Change the titles, button text and menu style to your satisfaction.
6. Preview your DVD.
7. Press the Burn button (make sure you have a blank DVD in the DVD burner).
8. Your PC should eject the finished DVD automatically. If not, press the eject button and test your new DVD on a DVD player.