Product Review: Page (1) of 2 - 07/05/07

CyberLink PowerDirector 6

NLE gets a YouTube connection By John Virata

CyberLink PowerDirector 6 is an entry level non-linear editing application that has been around for several years and offers some pretty nifty features that most occasional video editors would find useful. As such, over the years it has adopted much of the same functionality as other entry level video editors. It has all the transitions and effects you could need to go really overboard in your video editing jobs, has multiple output support, and features a very easy to use four button workflow to get you editing quickly.

With version 6, CyberLink has updated PowerDirector to offer file support for latest portable media player devices as well as broadcast video sites such as YouTube. For this review, we'll take a look at the workflow as well as some of the new features in version 6.

Workflow
PowerDirector 6 retains the same workflow as previous versions, and includes several wizards that enable you to quickly create videos and slideshows. In addition to the video editing element, you also have access to PhotoNow, for tweaking still images that will appear in slideshows or in your videos. The application itself uses a Timeline style interface or a Storyboard style interface, so you can choose the style that best suits your needs. It relies on a four button workflow to get things done. These buttons are Capture, Edit, Produce and Create Disc, all of which are located at the top of the PowerDirector window.

The interface of PowerDirector 6

The Capture tab is where you capture your media for import into PowerDirector. This can be an audio device such as a microphone, a digital video camcorder, or even a DVD. Once you've captured your footage, the next button you work with is Edit. Edit is where you assemble your movie.

You will spend most of your time creating your videos in Edit. From here you can trim your clips, add effects and transitions, create titles, mix audio, create subtitles, do voiceover narration, and more. You can also use the Magic Movie wizard to create instant movies complete with effects and transitions.

Capture Tab

The Produce tab enables you to create a file (AVI, MPEG-2, H.264, etc.) depending on how you wish to output your movie. New to version 6 is the addition of a YouTube button that enables you to output your clip directly to YouTube. You log into YouTube and then give PowerDirector permissions to access YouTube. After you grant permission, Step 3 in the process is to give your video a title, tag, and video channels, and public or private broadcast. Step 4 involves selecting your profile quality. Step 5 is a copyright disclaimer that you must agree to. Step 6 is where you produce your movie. Once the movie is produced, PowerDirector provides a link where you can test your movie. It is pretty seamless uploading to YouTube.

Upload to YouTube

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