PowerDirector is a video-editing package aimed at home users. Previous versions have lagged behind Adobe Premiere Elements and others for features. CyberLink aims to remedy this with an injection of power in version 7.
The redesigned interface looks more sophisticated than previous versions, with a resizable preview window. The number of video tracks has risen from two to seven, and effects can be applied to any track rather than just the bottom layer. Effects benefit from keyframe control, allowing for slowly changing settings throughout the duration of a clip. The effects library remains biased towards tacky special effects such as snowflakes and kaleidoscopes rather than subtler treatments, but there are a few handy ones.
There's now support for JVC's HD Everio cameras, and you can export edited footage to the camera. AVCHD footage is supported natively, abandoning version 6's requirement to convert to MPEG2 on import. Previews on our Core 2 Duo E6600 PC were smooth and responsive when editing 1,440x1,080 AVCHD footage from Sony's SR7 and Panasonic's DX1 cameras. However, 1,920x1,080 AVCHD clips from Panasonic's HDC-HS9 were unworkable.
The £72 Ultra version adds Blu-ray disc authoring using the same straightforward facilities included in the Deluxe version. It can burn Blu-ray or AVCHD data to DVDs. These should play in set-top Blu-ray players, making this an excellent way to archive and share HD video until Blu-ray writers and blank media become more affordable.
Most of PowerDirector's features feel crude compared to Premiere Elements, but its AVCHD support and comprehensive HD disc authoring help to keep it in the running.
System Specifications
Requires Windows XP SP2/Vista, 2.2GHz processor, 512MB RAM (2GHz dual-core processor and 2GB RAM for HD video), 5GB disk space
Author: Ben Pitt
Computer Shopper Online