Every now and then, I like to introduce readers to some of the better independent software publishers. It’s one of the few industries where the small fry can still compete with the big fish. It can be a struggle, and innovation is the best bet for longevity.

This week’s spotlight publisher, VSO Software, hails all the way from Toulouse, France. The company makes some of the best CD- and DVD-burning software on the market, designed to meet the demands of experts without sacrificing ease of use. That can be quite a task, but VSO pulls it off with all its products.

The application that brought VSO to my attention is ConvertXtoDVD, software that can convert and burn video files to DVD. The product features a long list of support video formats, including AVI, AVS, ASF, RAW MPEG, MPEG4, VOB, WMV, DV, RM, MOV and more.

There are certainly other products on the market that do the same thing as ConvertXtoDVD, with more bells and whistles but considerably more peripheral baggage. This application cuts to the chase without fanfare, and it outperforms similar software with twice the price.

For newcomers to digital video, ConvertXtoDVD simplifies one of the more confusing aspects of your new hobby: how to gather and burn multiple video files to DVD. Now you can transfer video from your camera to the computer hard drive, then turn around a menu-driven DVD, playable on any computer or set-top device, in less than an hour.

Beyond the outstanding quality of its video conversions, ConvertXtoDVD distinguishes itself with its long list of options and features. Unlike with similar products, you can create a single DVD using multiple video stored as different file types. No need to convert them all to a single format: This one handles them all.

Other great features include the ability to merge and compress up to four hours of video material on a standard or dual-layer DVD. Video output can be NTSC or PAL, along with a variety of supported audio formats: AC3, DTS, PCM, OGG, MP3 and more. The program can even handle subtitle files, with color and font selection. The program supports standard and widescreen aspect ratios.

The program can automatically create chapter bookmarks in your raw video, for easier navigation, set at a user-defined length. A preview mode gives you visual confirmation that the program is actually processing your video. The program contains its own proprietary conversion utilities and burn engine that’s fast and supports all DVD formats.

Although the program comes preset for optimal results, with minimal prompts for user input, there are plenty of advanced controls for those who want more control of speed versus quality. The program also can be set to convert and create the final DVD compatible video files but not actually burn it to disc.

VSO Software can be found on the Web at www.vso-software.fr. Although ConvertXtoDVD is technically a free program, the VSO logo watermark appears on every frame until registered for $39.99. The program is optimized for Windows 2000, XP and Vista.

While you’re there, check out VSO’s complete line of award-winning CD- and DVD-burning software. BlindWrite is CD and DVD cloning software written specifically for games; CopyToDVD, all-purpose backup software; PhotoDVD, for creating multimedia DVD slideshows; DVD Movie Backup, for archiving your investment; and Audio DVD Creation, for making menu-driven music DVDs.

Keep looking around the VSO site and you’ll run across an excellent free utility called VSO Image Resizer. This handy tool integrates into Windows, allowing you to resize one or more image files with an easy right-click of your mouse.

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