DVD slideshow vs CD with images

This week I shot 2 dance recitals for a local company and the owner/instructor asked me to make a CD with images on it for her, she would pay of course. Then some of the parents heard and wanted one too, great for me, cuz I also did the individual shots in their costumes a few weeks earlier and they all loved them, asked me to do next years shoot, however the instructor already booked next years photog. Anyway,I thought, sure I can do that (the CD). But I wanted to make a great impression with the images. I was thinking of doing a DVD slideshow, and here in lies the problem;
Where or what program to use? I am lost in the variety and apherent complexity of some of the programs out there that have been reveiwed. I also am running Vista also, so finding something that is compatable with that.

I am down to 12 days to produce, burn and get to the customers this product. At this point would I just be better off making the CD, and if so, at what pixel size? There are close to 300 images for each recital, so at what size will the images need to be to fit them all on one CD.

I am so overwhelmed right now. I am really just a mom with an expensive camara, but I must be doing something right if the parents are wanting me back. But because of just being a mom , I wasnt expecting business to be this good, or this busy. I have already done 3 weddings, the company's individuals, the 2 recitals, and have 2 more weddings and a 50th Class Reunion, all b4 the end of the year. It may not sound like much, but its more than I was expecting. Plus I work a 40 hour a week day job (photography also, but in a stationary studio). Sorry its so wordy, but i just needed to vent so someone who would understand.

Brenda

I'm 'light years' from a Pro... but recently I took a whole slew of JPGs... and a few AVI's, of a couple of Old Gals' Birthdays. My wife and I set-up, created, and wrote a DVD 'slide-show'... complete with 'background music', just using the SONIC 'My DVD Plus' CD/DVD writing software that came on this H/P Pavilion Computer. The DVD was such a success [family quality] that we made a few, for other family members. Maybe your solution will be as easy to find and use I hope so...

If you are going to do more than 1 or 2 of these. Buy and download ProShow Gold. Many of us use this program due to its ease and flexability.

You can put a show together and burn a DVD in an hour or so, right from the beginning.

No need to resize photos or any of that PP stuff, other than clean up of your shots. You can create a show that will run on any PC or do both CD and DVD.