Windows Movie Maker will do it. It wasn't included in Win 7 and maybe not in Vista but you can download it from this page.

There are too many ways to do the job that you want for me to list but I'll give you a couple.
First, if you ever want to just 'convert' a file whether it is audio or video .. There is no better free software than: FORMAT FACTORY

Now if you want to convert 'and' burn a video at the same time with one of the best "free software tools" .. There is none better than: DVDFLICK

If you want one of the best "Paid For" convert and burn tools .. I'd go for: CONVERTXTODVD

If you need further help .. let us know. 8)

I forgot to say that Format Factory supports the iPod/iPhone/PSP/BlackBerry formats and will also burn dvd's.

Some will argue that IMGBURN is the best at doing darn near Everything but .. There is a heck of a learning curve to it.

It's free and if you want to have a look, here you go: IMGBURN

To everyone .. I hope I haven't overstayed my welcome!? LOL

Justme4now - thanks so much. Certainly didn't overstay your welcome. Everything you said was a useful addition. I can't handle the learning curve of some of these video software programs. I just spent over an hour trying to understand the avi2dvd instructions - and they are not written in a way a beginner can understand. (Interesting forum thread there - where folks were getting antagonistic about how few responses they got - and how unclear and overly techy the responses provided were.) So IMGburn is out. It was mentioned there as though it was as simple as clicking a button.

If format factory also supports ipod, that would be great. So I can learn one program - and later use it to get videos on my daughter's ipod touch.

Bob - I have XP - maybe I already have Windows Movie Maker? Is it easier than Format Factory, I wonder.

You guys saved me - it was making me crazy not getting past the first couple of steps with avi2dvd.

Thanks.
Lynn.

I meant to say I'm going to try the one that will also burn a DVD. Wish I had realized this was going to take so much time to do - I would have started the project sooner. I thought Flip software would just give me the option to burn to DVD.

Thanks again.
Lynn.

I don't think the xp version will burn a dvd but I don't have access to it so I can't try it.

Thank you and if you need any help with your project and don't want to tie up the board with long posts .. please don't hesitate to email me at justme4now1(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Just change the written words in the address to the correct format. (Spam discourager) 8)

I have used Windows Movie Maker on XP to make a slide show, but had to use Roxio to burn to DVD. MM does come on XP.

A quick note to say that DVDflick worked. I got the video's made - just in a nick of time (bc. I have a full day conference tomorrow). Now my daughter can bring her friend the videos (and scrapbook).

DVDflick was amazingly easy compared to other things I tried. Once on the program, I printed the 6 page guide - which explained most of what I needed to know.

Two things I had to figure out myself - and am posting here for others who may try this.

1 - on the Configure your Project tab, there are settings for video. If you want to change the resolution/file size (as I did to fit a 45 minute video on a standard dvd), you can adjust the bit rate).

2 - I would recommend on the burning settings (also under configure your project tab), choose to have it burn it to dvd, and verify, and eject. The first dvd I made I only selected burn it and verify. It burned it - ejected, reinserted and played it. But then the dvd tray was locked and couldn't be opened. This is somewhat frequent occurence with disc burning software - which wants to prevent you from accidentally opening the tray before it's done. The only way I could open the tray was to shut the computer, and hit the open disk tray button as it was rebooting. The next video I made, I selected eject when done - and it ejected it.

For a while I thought the tray was broken - and tried the usual methods to release - like the paper clip in the tiny hole near the tray. And going to my computer, d:, eject disk. Nothing worked bc. the software was preventing it. Once my disk was ejected - and the software closed, the open and close tray works fine with other programs.

Thanks so much. This was a great program. Just curious if convertxtodvd would get me additional features. I can see burning many dvd's for people (we seem to be the videographers of many social gatherings and I'd like to give dvd's to people who were part of the plans). DVDflick worked great - but I don't mind paying a little if it gets me more features. Any thoughts?

Thanks so much. You saved me.
Lynn.

Ya-a-a-Y!!

I am so happy for you!

Isn't it Great when something .. just Works!?

Again .. Congrats!!

JM

I just saw this post since I rarely come here any more but I have found the easiest software, bar none to convert to DVD or any other format is "Freemake." It will convert YouTube, AVI, or anything else and there is no learning curve. You simply drag the file to Freemake and hit the button you wish to convert to. I am absolutely amazed at how well it works and it is free.
http://www.freemake.com/