CyberLink Releases PowerDirector 12

While the big-name video editors get all the attention, they're not the full story. CyberLInk offers a suite of tools for companies that want professional features without the professional price tag. Its PowerDirector platform has just been upgraded to version 12, and the most complete version, the Director Suite 2, still comes in at $299.99. Slightly cheaper ($249.99) is the PowerDirector 12 Ultimate Suite.

CyberLink offers multiple versions of the PowerDirector platform and it can be a little confusing, so let's focus on the Ultimate Suite as the main offering. Ultimate Suite comes with PowerDirector 12 and two applications that work seamlessly with it: ColorDirector 2 and AudioDirector 4. You'll also get 2 effects packs and 4 design packs.

With this update, all the applications get some impressive new abilities. Version 12 Ultimate Suite now includes multicam editing, which lets you synchronize up to four camera angles of the same scene and then select the shots you want. It's a great way to create more professional results. The suite also includes a new theme designer for creating 3D looks and a motion blur effect to give the impression of speed. Video editing time is greatly reduced, CyberLink says, thanks to the new TrueVelocity 4 editing engine that makes video editing 3 times faster.

Color Director, the suite's video color gradient tool, lets you add more of a dynamic range to scenes with HDR video support. AudioDirector, the included soundtrack designer, now lets you add pro surround sound with a 5.1/7.1 channel surround sound panner. It also include noise reduction and hum removal, perfect for salvaging noisy footage.

If you only want PowerDirector 12 on its own, the Deluxe version is a low $69.99. For companies just starting out in online video, CyberlLink makes it easy to learn the ropes of video editing without making a big financial investment.

Troy Dreier's article first appeared on OnlineVideo.net