DVD Slim Free is a free software for Windows to create covers for a variety of different box formats. The software supports standard and mini DVD covers, VHS and Blu-Ray covers as well as a variety of other cover formats.

The program uses a somewhat atypical layout. You begin to design your cover by selecting one of the available cover types from the pulldown menu in the main application interface.

You can then use the cover search to find a specific cover on the Internet, or create a custom cover with the help of the program. Supported are images that can be loaded on to a blank cover and text that can be added to the title on front and the title edge.

Strangely enough there does not seem to be an option to add text to both the DVD front and back.

The format of the font can be customized in the settings. This includes the font type, size, color and other formatting options.

The only additional options available to the user are to change the cover format margins and total width and height in the program options, and the print command to send the newly created DVD cover to the printer.

Windows users can download DVD Slim from the developer website. The DVD covers creator is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the Windows operating system.

ZC DVD Creator Platinum can turn video files into DVDs in three steps. It begins with the selection of the video files from the local hard drive. The program will show them in a preview and notify the user about the remaining free space on the DVD.

A design template for the DVD can then be selected and customized in step 2 of the process. Several backgrounds and frames are available in the program.

The tv system (NTSC or PAL), aspect ratio, DVD label and destination (hard drive or DVD recorder) can be selected in the third and final step. The DVD creator will then convert the video files into DVD format.

ZC DVD Creator Platinum is currently offered as a free full version at the German Winload website. It has to be noted that an earlier version of the software is offered as a free version, not the latest version. This does not reduce the quality of the free version in any way though. This version is multi-lingual.

All that it takes to get a registration code for the DVD creation software is to sign up for the newsletter at the Winload website. Here is a quick walkthrough for non-German speaking readers:

1. Open the Winload website in your web browser.
2. Locate the E-Mail form at the top and enter an email address

3. Check that email address and click on the verification link

4. The page that opens contains the download link and registration code for the full version of ZC DVD Creator Platinum

Feature list:

• Video source support AVI, DIVX, XVID, RM, RMVB, MPEG, MPG, VCD, SVCD, WMV, ASF, ASX, SWF, MOV/DAT, FLV(Flash Video), 3GP( 3gpp, 3gp, 3gp2), MP4(mp4, mpeg4), Nullsoft Video(NSV),AVS, Decrypted DVD File(VOB), MKV, DV video, mts, m2ts, formats.
• Video trimming and split cut edit-able.
• Video file playback preview.
• Any video scene image specifiable to be DVD Menu thumbnail image.
• Themed menu templates and customize your own Hollywood-style DVD menus.
• DVD Menu Background Music specifiable as your will.
• DVD Menu Background image specifiable as your will.
• DVD Menu item short description editable.
• Create and burn DVD-5 DVD movie and DVD-9 DVD movie.
• World-class video encoder guarantees that you will always get the best picture quality DVD movie within one hour.
• Automatically select Nero burning engine if you installed full copy Nero later 7.2.0.0
• Support NTSC and PAL TV system.
• Support widescreen (16:9) and standard TV (4:3).
• Advanced dolby digital audio,give your movie theater quality sound.
• Automatically match a broad range of DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW burners.
• Burn DVD-Video compliant Disc that playable on any car or home DVD player.

ZC DVD Creator Platinum is an easy to use program. It makes the DVD creation process an uncomplicated experience even for users who are not that tech savvy. The developer website contains additional information about the program.