InterVideo WinDVD 7 Gold

The latest version of one of the best-known DVD playback programs, WinDVD 7 Gold comes with several new features although the main point of the program - playing DVDs - remains roughly the same.

Most DVD readers or writers also come with software to play DVD films. This means that, for WinDVD, it is the side features that make it a worthwhile product. In WinDVD 7 these amount to support for new formats including 3GPP and AAC, as well as sound standards such as Dolby DTS.

There are also new ways to control all the features, through the easy-to-use video and audio 'centres'. Playback and sound quality was very good.

However, it is fair to say that true 'cinephiles' will be watching their DVDs on standalone players rather than on the computer; although WinDVD looks and sounds very good, picture quality is not up to standalone-player standard.

That said, for anyone without DVD playback software or who wants the best PC DVD experience, WinDVD 7 Gold is an excellent place to start.