The reason Nero works so poorly now is because they try to cram too much crap into a single program. So instead of looking for one big fat program as replacement software, look instead to lean dedicated tools:
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Notes:
* "Already authored" means the DVD-Video authoring was done in another program, and the VIDEO_TS folder set, or the ISO discs image, simply needs to be burned to a blank disc. The program listed here does not author video.
* Sometimes VSO has special sales or coupons. I've seen it sell for as little as $35. That's a bargain, see what the software does -- makes life easier by converting video easily, having very high MainConcept-like quality, and accepting manu input formats. It's worth it, as none of the free tools are this good.
* "Shrinking" DVDs is often referred to (technically) as the process of transcoding DVD9- to DVD5-sized DVD-Video. It makes a dual-layer retail/commercial DVD or otherwise fit onto a standard 4.38GB ("4.7GB") blank disc. This can be useful for fair-use backup, and included several interesting options (Reauthoring, for example), and even has uses outside of "backup".
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If there's anything I've overlooked, let me know.
Update: Still current as of
October 2013.
