Powerdirector 16 Versions

[DefinitelyNotTom]

Looks like ultimate pretty much just adds some effects and templates. I'd "rather" get it than ultra, but the ultra version is almost constantly on sale for around $40, whereas ultimate is usually $100 for an actual disc version.

Just wondering if it's really worth getting ultimate...

No way am I going to pay a monthly fee to use the adobe program or pay the high cost of vegas pro. Then most other software either doesn't let you burn to BR, charges you extra to do so, is missing key features, or is slow. So I've about settled on powerdirector.

Also, judging by recent years, 17 is probably releasing in a few months, but when I asked them about it, they are making me register an account just to read their email answer. lol. So i'll probably not bother with that.

Anyway, so ultimate necessary or not? Recently newegg even had the combo of ultra and cyberlink's photo editor for $45 or $55 combined! Maybe should have just done that.

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

Btw, I don't get how they can even come up with anything worth people upgrading from year to year on a photo editor... video editor is more understandable, because so much changes in video. But what would change in photography... As far as I know, they aren't coming up with more and more image file types.

 

[USAFRet]

Btw, I don't get how they can even come up with anything worth people upgrading from year to year on a photo editor... video editor is more understandable, because so much changes in video. But what would change in photography... As far as I know, they aren't coming up with more and more image file types.

For me, if the upgrade cost for PSP is $30 or under, I'll probably do it.
Otherwise, wait 2-3 years.

New file types? Well, HEIC & HEIF is just now becoming a thing:
https/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Efficiency_Image_File_Format

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

Either of you use Affinity? From what I have seen of it, it seems to be rated highly, but not as easy for beginners.

 

[USAFRet]

Either of you use Affinity? From what I have seen of it, it seems to be rated highly, but not as easy for beginners.

I looked into it. It looks good.
But it didn't seem to give me anything that my current combination of Lightroom and PSP doesn't.

 

[kenrivers]

No, but it looks good. What is does I already have in other editing software.

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

Affinity is cheaper is why it's recommended, though. But everything I see says it has a steeper learning curve. Also, I think you have to buy straight from them, wehreas I get $50 and $75 off coupons at big name sites that sell elements and paintshop pro.

 

[USAFRet]

Affinity is cheaper is why it's recommended, though. But everything I see says it has a steeper learning curve. Also, I think you have to buy straight from them, wehreas I get $50 and $75 off coupons at big name sites that sell elements and paintshop pro.

"steeper learning curve" depends 100% on you.
But for $50, it didn't offer anything over the software I already have and use.

If I were just starting out? Maybe, probably.

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

There are way too many factors to figure out on everything. Now someone is telling me nvidia cards are better for powerdirector, and I got an amd card, which they say is broken for acceleration on that program.

Does anyone know if videostudio has gpu acceleration and how nvidia vs. amd works on it?

This is becoming a chore. Only PD and VS seem to have an option to burn blu-rays, so I have barely any choices. And then they may not take advantage of my gpu, so my gpu cost would have been wasted.

 

[kenrivers]

Corel VideoStudio 2018 System Requirements

According to page that compares versions the following are supported: NVIDIA, Intel & AMD DirectX video acceleration support

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

Corel VideoStudio 2018 System Requirements

According to page that compares versions the following are supported: NVIDIA, Intel & AMD DirectX video acceleration support

Supported, but for PD they are supported, too, yet there are issues with amd for it, apparently. This sucks, whether it be my RAM or GPU choices I have already made, there are issues using many things with them. For my RAM, it's up in the air how it will work if I get an amd cpu. For my gpu, it's up in the air whether or not it will improve anything for me. Feels like I have wasted a lot of money.

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

I really don't know what to do. All professional articles say you need to get 16gb, or preferably even 32 or 64 gb, RAM, have a good cpu with a lot of threads, and have a good gpu if you are doing 4k video editing. Then I am told on the PD forums pretty much opposite... If specs don't matter, what was the point of me getting good components? It's making me wonder if PD is just not as good as reviewers say.

And there are just no choices that allow BR burning... PD or VS and that's about it, unless you want to spend $400 for software.

 

[kenrivers]

I believe you might be overthinking this. What are your system specs (CPU, GPU, RAM, storage)?

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

I believe you might be overthinking this. What are your system specs (CPU, GPU, RAM, storage)?

For the one I am building so far I got 32gb of ram and a rx 580 gpu. I haven't yet decided on cpu. I am not worried that my components aren't good enough. What I am worried about is that I overspent, believing what articles said about needing good specs. And people tell me powedirector's gpu acceleration is broken when using amd cards.

 

[USAFRet]

I believe you might be overthinking this. What are your system specs (CPU, GPU, RAM, storage)?

For the one I am building so far I got 32gb of ram and a rx 580 gpu. I haven't yet decided on cpu. I am not worried that my components aren't good enough. What I am worried about is that I overspent, believing what articles said about needing good specs. And people tell me powedirector's gpu acceleration is broken when using amd cards.

32GB is not overspending. I also have 32GB.
RX-580 is "probably not" overspending. It is a good GPU that will last you several years. I have one.

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

I'm just saying if only video editing is done, it may be. Because someone is claiming that powerdirector is broken with amd cards and that he ahs never seen ovber 2gb of RAM used (not sure if he means overall computer ram or the gpu ram). If it only uses 3gb ram, 32 is overkill, assuming I don't do anything else that requires much.

I had read where someone else was using a different program (I think the good adobe one, whose name is escaping me... the cc one) and that it uses up around 12gb of ram. So if PD uses 2, that tells me it must not be going to do a great job.

As for gpu, I'm very tempted to sell the rx 580 (it's unopened) and get a 1070 ti because even though I don't pc game, I'm thinking well if I already spent this much money, why not to even further and get better gaming with a 1070 ti?

 

[kenrivers]

I too have 32GB of RAM and don't consider it overkill. You may think you will but you won't regret the RAM purchase. My system is several years old and still works well for video editing. I have edited on systems with lesser specs and trust me it was less than a pleasurable experience.

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

I too have 32GB of RAM and don't consider it overkill. You may think you will but you won't regret the RAM purchase. My system is several years old and still works well for video editing. I have edited on systems with lesser specs and trust me it was less than a pleasurable experience.

But powerdirector isn't at the top of your list of goto editing software. It seems like that one, for whatever reason, handles things differently than others. Hmm, I can't think of any options though other than either use powerdirector or videostudio. Mostly because of me wanting the full blu ray burning options.

 

[kenrivers]

Only because I have limited experience with PowerDirector. I can't say anything good or bad about it with my limited experience with a much older limited version. I was using Premiere Pro and VideoStudio long before I ever heard of PowerDirector.

 

[DefinitelyNotTom]

I am just stumped as to what to do anymore. If you read professional reviews, every one of the video and photo editors will have big cons listed, unless you spend $300+.

For powerdirector, it says the effects are not professioanl at all.

For videostudio, it says it's very slow rendering, among other issues.

For the nero one, it said the effetcs are better than the others, but it had some issue... I forget what.

They recommended if you're spending $100+ to just get the main adobe one or final cut pro.... yeah because $100+ is even remotely close to $400+ for those products.

And I want ability to either burn blu rays OR cr3eate many other file types. Does anyone know which all programs allow for actual legit blu ray disc burning other than powerdirector and videostudio?

In the review where the professional reviewer said powerdirector's effects are not good enough, he said he turns to vegas movie studio... yet then I go and click that review and it is a ho hum review as if it's just ok and I recall that program doesn't have some features (maybe blu ray or 360 video editing) and I think limited you more on something that is unlimited in other programs.

I also want ability to zoom, which I know powerdirector ahs, but unsure of others. And would prefer motion tracking... which I think that may be what vegas movie studio lacks.

 

[USAFRet]

They recommended if you're spending $100+ to just get the main adobe one or final cut pro.... yeah because $100+ is even remotely close to $400+ for those products.

They're saying that because either you go inexpensive under $100 (VideoStudio, etc) , or you go all out with Final Cut or Adobe Premier.
There's isn't much in the middle.