There’s no shortage of software for burning and authoring media to optical disc, and with some pretty impressive entries from Roxio and Nero among others, Nova Development’s Media Now suite will need something a bit special to compete.

Rather than running head-on at the big boys with a comprehensive array of powerful integrated applications, Media Now targets the entry-level market by offering a set of more basic tools at a lower price.

The CD & DVD Burning Suite doesn’t offer anything particularly dramatic, but it does have a few nice touches. It’s a collection of playback, burning, ripping and basic authoring tools for those who want straightforward control over media creation.

PowerDVD 6 Express plays back discs and media files on your PC, while Cyberlink Power2Go handles burning and ripping with a straightforward drag-and-drop interface similar in operation to Nero Express. You can also create video and photo DVDs, VCDs and SVCDs with Powerproducer, which includes basic authoring tools for creating custom menus.

Cyberlink Photonow enables you to edit and enhance photos and Mediashow will help you build a slideshow with transitions, audio and text, although those managing larger collections may be frustrated by the lack of information detailing the nature of the effects.

A couple of extras give the collection a bit more appeal, such as the ability to copy and burn Blu-ray and HD-DVD data discs, as long as you have compatible burners. You’ll also find an Express mode ­ a simple tree of icons that sits on your desktop offering instant burning of data, music or video files. These extras, along with the low price tag, make for a solid collection ­ provided you’re not put off by the fairly limited control.