The next statement sounds wrong but Cyberlink claim to be able to give you better than original quality to both video and audio.
While almost all features will work on Windows 7 upwards you do need Windows 10 for Ultra Blu-ray playback and 4GB RAM other features are stated to work in 2GB RAM. Other new features are HDR10 and TrueTheatre. When you first open PowerDVD 17 you are met with a screen giving you a choice of PC or TV mode. Luckily I had a version of CyberLink software that could play them and now they support Ultra HD Blu-ray. I once was sent a top of the range notebook to review that had a Blu-ray drive but no software capable of playing these enhanced DVD’s. I installed from the optical media supplied and it took 8 minutes and used 560MB of hard disc space on a Windows 10 system, this was somewhat larger at 770MB on Windows 7.īlu-ray is something that has fallen out – now back in again – from various packages as the licence for it is expensive. There are three different versions Standard, Pro and Ultra, I was sent the latter which contains a bonus offering of PhotoDirector 8 DeLuxe.įor those into Virtual Reality this version has support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, there is also far more support for those who use 360 degree video playback.
Plus, now that it’s available for Mac, there are many more potential users for whom it’s well worth considering.They modestly call themselves the ‘World’s Number One Movie and Media Player’ and certainly their ability to get media from wherever makes this likely. But, PowerDirector is one of the best mid-level editing applications available, well suited to small or medium businesses, or home filmmaking enthusiasts. Nor does it have the depth of the more high-end editing suites, with its color grading options particularly limited. It’s not the cheapest software – Filmora, Premiere Elements, and Pinnacle Studio are all slightly more affordable. 365 also includes access to a large library of stock video, audio, and stills. The advanced tools, such as using motion tracking and blending modes with masks, are restricted to PowerDirector Ultimate, which costs $139.99, and PowerDirector 365, a subscription plan which costs $69.99/year. PowerDirector Ultra costs $99.99 and includes most editing features. A trial version, PowerDirector Essentials, is free, though only includes basic features. This only improves with every update, and PowerDirector 19 has some useful new tools, such as mask designing and hold keyframes. Its attractive and efficient interface makes it easy to start editing, and once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll find it has an incredibly wide array of features. PowerDirector is an incredibly versatile application. It’s still not perfect, but the added refinement enables you to match clips more precisely than the automation alone can.Īnimated sketches can draw attention to part of an image (Image credit: CyberLink) CyberLink PowerDirector 19: Should I buy it? As well as for overall change, there are sliders for hue, saturation, and brightness.
Thankfully, the latest update now includes manual adjustment options.
However, in particular skin tones, color match can struggle with making all elements consistent. This is a quick way of correcting your color, for example if you’ve shot the same scene with two cameras, and need them to look the same. You select two clips, and the application automatically adjusts the second to give it the same look as the first.
One useful color tool, which has been improved in PowerDirector 19, is color match.
However, it would be nice to have a full set of color wheels, as some competitors such as Lightworks and Pinnacle Studio include.
To efficiently grade your clips, there’s a color adjustment tool with a number of sliders – hue, saturation, brightness, and so on.
It’s easy to switch between keyframe types (Image credit: CyberLink ) CyberLink PowerDirector 19: Color tools