Ease of Use:  

CD & DVD PictureShow is extremely easy to use, allowing for quick mastery of the software. The program is broken up into three sections: Organize, Theme and Burn. In the Organize section, there are tools to help you gather and edit the pictures you want to use in the slideshow, the Theme section is where you add sound, video and transitions, and also where you test your show, and the Burn section is where you copy your slideshow to a disc — each section is very simple and easy to understand.

Design Features:  

CD & DVD PictureShow offers a basic feature set ranging from photo effects to customized touches, giving your slideshows the personality and level of professionalism you want.

Importing your photos into this program is a snap, and with a built-in photo editor, you can immediately make needed modifications (i.e. adding text, picture rotation, light and color adjustment and so on) prior to placing them into your slideshow. There is also a drag-and-drop feature that makes picture placement a real breeze.

This software offers a large number of transitions and zoom effects, giving your slideshow more life and overall texture. There are also 15 sample pictures and eight sample songs that come with the program, giving you more options and temporary placeholders to use while putting your slideshow together.

For better customization, CD & DVD PictureShow also comes with several pre-designed textures for background as well as themed templates, like a sandy beach that appears at the bottom of every picture, for added fun and flair. This program, however, does not offer hotkeys, nor does it allow you to create auto-run CDs or offer the option of recording your own voice for use within the slideshow.

Input/Output:  

CD & DVD PictureShow can access most photo files stored on your computer. Unfortunately, pictures cannot be imported directly from scanners, digital cameras or other devices, requiring additional reformatting and uploading.

CD & DVD PictureShow provides for CD and DVD publication. Unlike other programs however, it cannot publish directly to iPod and other personal devices.

Slideshow Quality:  

The finished product of CD & DVD PictureShow is impressive. The picture quality of its slideshows is crystal-clear and the sound is exceptional. Also, this product offers audio sync, a handy feature that gives you the ability to import a song and synchronize it to your slideshow—timing the show to automatically start and finish with the song. However, it's missing two key elements that should be standards nowadays. You can't publish in widescreen format or in high definition.

Help/Support:  

Don't count on much support for this product. Corel is phasing it out. We couldn't find any documentation online for it. It does come with a basic user manual built into the program.

CD & DVD PictureShow by Corel is a decent program but it's at the end of its life-cycle. For other design features and input/output options, check out our number one rated product Magix Xtreme Photostory on CD & DVD Deluxe.