FeyWriter

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on March 05, 2013

When we first saw the name FeyWriter, it conjured up a creative-writing app, but in fact it's a pretty nice little freeware optical disc burning utility from FeyTools. FeyWriter can burn data, audio, and video discs, read and copy discs, and write disc images. It supports rewriteable and multisession discs, on-the-fly recording, and dual-layer discs. FeyWriter requires Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 or better. The latest release of FeyWriter supports Windows 8.

FeyWriter's simple, colorful Welcome Screen has six buttons: Data Disc, Audio Disc, Video Disc, Write Image, Coy Disc, and Read Disc, plus a toolbar with icons for Burn, Write, Copy, Erase, Format, and other commands. Other icons let us view and edit our DVD-RW drive's properties, and FeyWriter's detailed, tabbed Configuration sheet, too. We could enable FeyWriter's shell extension and also associate it with FeyWriter Project files as well as several disc and raw image file extensions. The menu bar adds several features to the toolbar's lineup, such as an Import Sessions option, and it includes a good Help file with a Quick Start guide that explains each of FeyWriter's features. Clicking any of the six main tools opened an Explorer View interface specific for each tool, with simpler dialogs for Copy, Read, and other commands. Our only issue wasn't with the program's layout so much as it was with force of habit. You must click the Welcome Screen icon (or File menu entry) to return to the program's start page. Instead of returning us to the Welcome Screen when we closed out of one of the burner tools, FeyWriter closed.

We started by creating a New Project in FeyWriter, though you can also return to existing projects, when you have some. The Explorer-style layout gives a lot of flexibility and control over files in a project. The Disk Layout section's progress bar is marked in megabytes to make it easy to squeeze in the maximum amount of data without going over (we hate when that happens!). Burning speed depends on your system, but we have no complaints about FeyWriter's performance, or its finished products. It's certainly worth a spin.

Publisher's Description

From FeyTools:

FeyWriter is multi-purpose recording software capable of high-quality CD and DVD burning features. It can be used by any type of users and offers a very enjoyable experience while saving your data. Whether you want to burn music, movies, games, and documents this lite app is easy to master owing to a very user-friendly interface that guides you through all the tasks the program can perform. FeyWriter supports drag and drop features for dual-layer DVD and also disc images. Apart from that, it supports rewritable discs and also copies on the fly recording.