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To burn discs with your PC, you need two things. The first is a CD burner, or (better) a DVD burner, or (better still) a Blu-Ray burner. The second is disc-burning software. For the first, you're probably limited by the burner you already own, and your burner's capabilities will determine what kinds of disc you can burn, how much and what kind of data they can hold, and how long it takes to burn them. But for the second requirement, the burning tool, you have a lot more choices, and a lot of them are free. Active Data Recovery's Active ISO Burner is a free disc-burning utility that is simple to use but offers more sophistication than some premium disc-burning packages. It supports a wide range of devices, including Blu-Ray drives, and three independent burning transport protocols (SPTI, ASPI, and SPTD). You can specify the number of copies to burn, burning mode, and even what happens when the job is done. Recent upgrades include an updated burning engine and Windows 8 compatibility.
Active ISO Burner's installer can also update your PC with any burning transport it lacks. With our permission, it installed the SPTD transport protocol on our system. With a dialog-style interface, drop-down menus, and basic but clear data display, Active ISO Burner is extremely easy to use. We browsed to an ISO image we'd saved in the Source field. There was no need to choose a Target: our DVD burner was the only device on the list. We left the default Mode selection, Track-At-Once, and the default Speed, Auto-Select, though each control offers more options. We could also specify the number of copies to burn, from 1 to 100. An Options button accesses a smaller dialog box with Transport & Cache options and other advanced settings. All that remains is a large Burn button, though you'll find a User's Guide in Active ISO Burner's Start Menu folder that explains how to burn discs.
Active ISO Burner made quick work of burning our ISO image, automatically determining the best speed for our drive. We like this simple tool with not-so-simple capabilities.
Publisher's Description
From Active Data Recovery Software:
Active@ ISO Burner 2.5 is a simple-to-use dialog-style software to burn CD/DVD/Blu-ray ISO images compatible with the ISO 9660 standard. Automated burning is also supported.
New Features:
Many more CD/DVD/BD devices supported, as well as fewer burning errors.
Three independent burning transports are supported (SPTI, ASPI, SPTD)
Works under User's account (via SPTI on Vista, and SPTD transports).
Extended device, media, and ISO file information is displayed.
Burning mode (TAO,SAO,DAO) and number of copies to burn can automatically be specified.
Full text log with actions performed, errors and progress information is displayed.
Configuration of after-burn actions supported: Verify, Eject, Shut Down PC.
Test Mode burning is supported.
The freeware application allows you to burn an ISO image files to CD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R, CD-RW, DVD-RW, DL DVD+RW, HD DVD, and Blu-ray Disc.
What's new in this version: Version 2.5:
- New: Updated burning engine;
- Fixed: Few cosmetic defects
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 286 votes
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Current version:
3.4 starsout of 24 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Malware and advertisements"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
None. Total crap.
Cons
Installs advertisements, modifies your browser, incredibly sketchy
Summary
Installs a bunch of browser modifying adware. God knows what else. Normally I'm very careful about clicking "do not install" extras, but it still persisted and had to reinstall Chrome just to get rid of all the crap. Updating my antivirus and doing a full system scan.
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"Didnt work on burning ISO"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
doesnt work
Cons
Used to burn Ubuntu 12.10 ISO which is 763 on blank DVD and just corrupted a perfect DVD. I used Power ISO before but didnt want to again because that has bloat ware on its install but the AVG Toolbar can be unchecked before final install. I didnt know why this software didnt work.... so I used Power ISO and it worked with flying colors.
Summary
Do yourself a favor and just ignore this software. There are plenty of other software suites out there like; Nero 12 Platinum, DAEMON Tools Pro and Power ISO. There are probably more or even better ones but that list is what I used so far with minimal complaint.
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"Excellent Product"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
- Easy to Install; and
- Easy to Use.Cons
None - Nil
Summary
This program is another tool in my consultant/developer toolkit.
I have used this program since the mid 2000s and it is very reliable.
I wish this program was available on MacOS X, as it is my must-have on Microsoft Windows.
I really like the ease of use. Open it, find the ISO, place a blank DVD in the drive, and go for it! -
"Do not download! Contains malware/adware"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
None. As soon as I realized that malware was being installed, I didn't even bother to use the download to see if it works
Cons
The installer install a bunch of junk for coupons and other useless stuff.
Summary
Do not install!
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"the best iso burner ever"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
real easy to use first class copys
Cons
none yet never will be
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"Haven't tried it yet"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
I haven't tried it yet.
Cons
I don't know yet.
Summary
I'll get around to it one of these days.
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"Easy to install - looks good but for me it didn't work"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
Everything was there and looked ready to go.
Cons
I just couldn't get it to WORK.
Summary
Sadly what looked like a great ISO Program, would not work
for me. So, I Uninstalled it and went with IMG BURNER -which
did work. It is also FREE.
Thank You -
"Supports Windows Servwer 2008 R2 X64 /Dell perfectly"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
Works as advertised on Windows Server 2008 R2 Std running on a Dell T620 with internal DVD Burners
Cons
None ywrong yet.
Summary
Support this app.
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"Worked first try; no malware noticed"
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
I think this is the first time an ISO burning program, "worked" for me. Although it "asked" to install a toolbar and such, I think I simply ignored that, and it turned out the program probably was already installed by then, WITHOUT the extras. I had been a little concerned about installing at all, having seen a few scathing , thumbs down review among the merely 15 total reviews showing up (because of a slightly newly numbered version having come out here?. Later now, I'm remembering that quite frequently, maybe every few weeks sometimes, some programs like this slightly change the program and its version number. That , then, makes only the (new) comments for that exact version, immediately show up as far as comments go. Therefore, the three or so very negative reviews I saw, were three of only fifteen I think. So, I figured, that was a quite high percentage of negative reviews. But with over two million downloads showing, I decided to go ahead with it, nonetheless.
Cons
It "did" ask (not that I ended up agreeing) to install a toolbar and a changed home page, and if I remember right, also to make ask.com the default search engine.
Summary
Later now, I'm remembering (and, "take note", newbies here) that very frequently, maybe every few weeks sometimes, some programs like this a little bit change the program and its version number. That , then, makes only the (new) comments for that exact version, immediately show up as far as comments go. Therefore, the three or so very negative reviews I saw, were three of only fifteen I think. So, I figured, that was a quite high percentage of negative reviews. But with over two million downloads showing, I decided to go ahead with it, nonetheless (even though,based on experience here, I'm not too sure that high download numbers, "always" means a program is safe, or good. Most of the time probably, yet with the occasional exception).
Anyway, for me this Active@ISO Burner, so far has been pleasing. Almost enough to make me wonder if ISO helping programs have become a lot better, or something.
Again, for me at least, that popup asking to install the toolbar and homepage, at least "seemed" just a bluff, because I believe I just ignored it, and it turned out, as said, that Active@ISO Burner was already installed. -
"It did what it said it would do."
Version: Active@ ISO Burner 2.5
Pros
It was easy to use.
Cons
None that I encountered.
