We have all heard the phrase "you get what you pay for", well that's not the case with Cyberlink's PowerDirector 8 you get a whole lot of features professional grade editing applications offer without the expensive price tag.

Cyberlink offers PowerDirector 8 in two different versions: PowerDirector 8 Deluxe at $70 and PowerDirector 8 Ultra at $100. The difference lies in Ultra's exporting of HD video, including AVCHD support, along with several other publishing and sharing video capabilities, mainly the ability to author Blu-ray discs.

First Look

PowerDirector 8 has a pleasing interface that is easy to get around from the get go. I found myself importing footage and adding various effects within minutes of installing PowerDirector 8. It has the ability to edit in both timeline and storyboard view, depending on your preference, and you also have the option of using dual display support, along with a flexible workspace that allows you to customize window sizes, ultimately making PowerDirector 8 a valid choice when looking for an intermediate editing application that will best suit your needs. As far as the layout goes, it's straight forward and relatively easy to grasp.

The Cutting Room

Within PowerDirector 8, the interface has everything arranged like other traditional editing applications do, with some customizable features depending on your preference. PowerDirector has different areas within the application called rooms for particular areas of editing. For example, there is an editing room, title room and a room for pretty much anything else you need to get done. You're also able to drag your media into the timeline and zoom in to get precise cuts, frame by frame. PowerDirector 8 boasts a 16-track timeline, providing plenty of space for intricate layered projects, with added copy and paste features not found in earlier versions.

One feature I was particularly impressed with is PowerDirector's ability to handle HD footage. When you import HD footage, PowerDirector has the option to create lower resolution proxies, ultimately boosting your workflow, allowing faster previews and more responsive editing. PowerDirector 8 also includes "power tools" that include slow motion, reverse video, and rotation options, allowing for pro-like results with minimal effort. If you want animation, PowerDirector 8 added a particle effect generator for simple effects all the way up to the most advanced special effects. With a 16-track timeline and added particle generator, Cyberlink didn't overlook any small details. They even tossed in an Auto Shutdown feature after long periods of rendering - saving power and time!

Did I mention, PowerDirector 8 comes loaded with 72 video effects with adjustable keyframe support and 142 transition effects. It also comes with a slideshow designer with beat detection technology for crisp slideshows and video upscaling and correction based on TrueTheater technology which takes SD media and upscales it to HD, generating stellar results. TrueTheater technology also fixes common video shooting errors such as poor backlighting, incorrect white balance and inadequate lighting.

PowerDirector Has Even More Features

AutoPilot PowerDirector 8 offers "Magic Movie Wizard" tools, which basically turns the application on autopilot and edits for you, taking care of music with "Magic Music" and video with "Magic Movie". This can be polished and, surprisingly, produces decent results. It comes in handy when you need to get something out fast or simply don't feel like editing. There are other helpful Magic Tools as well, making it a great tool if you're just getting into editing.
Faster Performance - CPU and GPU Optimization PowerDirector 8 lets you take full advantage of multiple processors, as well as your graphic card capitalizing on NVIDIA's CUDA technology and ATI's Stream technology. This ultimately ensures you spend less time waiting for the software and spend more time focusing on your project, as well as multi-tasking.
Director Zone Cyberlink has its very own online community with over 180,000 registered members. DirectorZone is a place where you can download, upload, share, subscribe, and comment on other users' effects. This resource in itself makes PowerDirector 8 a powerful application. With PowerDirector 8 you can upload projects to DirectorZone in the form of production maps. Sharing projects this way is a great way to learn.