Test Bench: CyberLink PowerDirector 3.0 Editing Software (page 2)
DVD and Extras
DVD authoring was simple. A few clicks through a wizard was all it took to encode the video and then you could design your menus using the competent EzProducer. Burning was trouble free. With wide support for many formats, including DivX, the technology behind PowerProducer is solid. There are some extras we found in no other products, including a DVD Disc Defragmentation utility for rewriteable discs that was very interesting indeed.
Extra
So is PowerDirector 3.0 worth $80? Considering what it does, capture, edit, titles, audio mixing, effects, DVD authoring and burning it's remarkable that it only costs $80.Unfortunately, we have no real reason to recommend PowerDirector over Ulead VideoStudio or Pinnacle Studio (or the Apple iLife suite, for that matter). With only a few minor differences, these products all do the same thing and have roughly the same features. None of these companies are known for their tech support, especially not for sub-$100 software. Although fairly stable and mature, these products can behave badly on some computers, so go ahead, download the trial version and give it a whirl. If you happily use one of these applications, we can't think of any reason to switch to one of the others.
D. Eric Franks is Videomaker's Technical Editor.
TECH SPECS
Platform: PC
Operating System: Win 98SE, Me, 2000, XP
Processor: 450MHz
RAM: 128MB
Hard Disk Space: 300MB
Other Hardware: 1024x768 Display card
Printed Manual: 24 pages
Upgrade: $50
Trial Version: 23MB, 30-day, limited
STRENGTHS
- All in one from capture to burn
- Solid performance, rendering
- Easy to use
WEAKNESSES
- Nothing to recommend it over Studio, VideoStudio
SUMMARY
Not a bad introductory editing application that is certainly worth a free trial download.
$80
CyberLink USA
46750 Fremont Blvd, Suite 200
Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 668-0118
www.gocyberlink.com
