I'm in the process of making a DVD with an older Windows program called Video Explosion. It's good for XP. I succeeded in making one in 2005. Now I'm trying again. So my inexperience level is quite high.

When I rendered the film (actually mostly stills with some short .mov files) I set it for NTSC TV standard and created an mpg file which IMO should have burned a good DVD. For some reason, I twice got an error messages concerning the disk(s)--yes, they're writable. So I figured it was something the burner program wasn't reading. So I re-rendered in PAL to try to avoid the problem. I soon realized my mistake, since that is a European standard. I rendered again in NTSC, first overwiting the mpg file, then later deleting it and recreating it. I did it several times but the burner program said it was still PAL and I couldn't get it to recognize the NTSC.

Naturally, it got worse from there. I decided that the MyDVD program for the burner needed to be cleanly reinstalled. Now, since none of the serial numbers on the jewel box or the carton will work, I can't do it (yeah, I'm calling the tech support people when they open, but I'm not hopeful.

So, being resourceful, if not too smart, I decided to load the burner software that came with the burner (also now 3 years old) -- something called Nero Express. But when I tried to load the .mpg file to be burned, it said it couldn't because I didn't have the proper plug-in, which they tell me they will sell for $25. The manual says that the program uses .mpg's to burn the DVD.

If burner software requires an .mpg file to make a DVD, why won't it recognize the .mpg file that I have? Is there something special about the type of .mpg file that I made with the other program?

Plus, this is getting a bit desperate now, since I have a public showing coming up next week (it's a travelogue).

Any ideas?