Hi. Last week I upgraded my Cyberlink PowerDirector 4 to PowerDirector 5. After working with the various tools, I noticed that the tool "Magic Fix" would not work due to a "front end streaming error".

I contacted Cyberlink Tech Support and they had me jumping through every hoop in the book, including updating every driver they could think of (mine were already up to date) and ending with a total reinstallation, which I carried out. After the reinstallation I realized that I could no longer access my project files! When I clicked on "Open Project" the program just hung. When I contacted Tech Support they said, "sorry, there is no fix for opening your projects if the program won't open them." Never mind that those projects represented hours and hours of work! Luckily for me, I managed to fix that problem myself: Turns out that if you download a new video and create and save a new project, it will then let you access your older projects. Tech Support didn't know that.

My problem with "Magic Fix" is still outstanding after several days. I realized last night that I also get an error message when I try to use "Smart Sound", although it was working perfectly with PowerDirector 4.

Has anyone else run into bugs with this software? Better yet, can anyone suggest any solutions for fixing these bugs? Tech Support doesn't seem to know what the problem is

The program is great in theory but it sure would be nice if it worked. I don't think it's me or my machine, since I had no trouble at all with the previous version. At the moment I'm editing my videos with the tools that work, but at a $50 upgrade, everything should work!

Suggestions are welcome...

Yes - Powerdirector 5 is crap. 16:9 mode has all sorts of problems and tech support tells me they don't support it - which is really stooopid because the website lists it as a new feature.

I upgraded to Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 and am thrilled. It takes more CPU power so have a look at the hardware requirements before you shell out the cash, but its a great program.

One good thing about cyberlink is that they'll give you a refund - contact element5 and let them have it.

peter

Check out my error message reported in the response by the techie below:
Thank you for contacting Cyberlink Online Support.

I understand that Error on selecting existing project: Dummy mixer callback window… Instruction at “OX7…..” referenced memory at “OXfff…”.
The memory could not be “read”.
…terminate.. Cannot access your project with video, images, transitions, etc., no audio added as yet.

If the original content has moved, modified or deleted once after the project has been saved, the project may not open since Power Director only saves links to the location of the imported files.

Try few other clips or clips of other file formats as well.

Please follow the steps in exact order. Try running Power Director after each step. If issue is resolved, ignore further steps.

1. To avoid any compatibility issues, please close all other software and utility applications including virus scans,spyware, screen saver and instant messaging software,UNINSTALL ANTI-SPYWARE installed on your system,
close any popup blocker installed before you launch Power Director.

2. Reset your display settings, screen area to 1024*768, color depth to 16 bit and monitor refresh rate to 60 HZ.

3.Please update your VGA & sound card driver. You may contact your VGA & sound card manufacturer or the computer manufacturer to get the latest drivers.

4 Make sure Direct X version is 9.0c

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...en&categoryid=2

5. Uninstall PowerDirector software:

a.) Start--> Programs -->Cyberlink PowerDirector --> Uninstall PowerDirector
b.) Start --> Run --> type "regedit" --> click "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" --> click
"Software" --> click "Cyberlink"-->Click Power Director-->Delete "Power Director" folder.
c.) Start --> Run --> type "regedit"--> click "Hkey_Current_user" --> click
"Software" --> click "Cyberlink" -->Click Power Director-->Delete "Power Director" folder.
d.) Delete C:\Programs Files\Cyberlink\Power Director

And reboot your PC.

6.Reinstall PowerDirector.

The Magical Tutorials of PowerDirector

http://www.gocyberlink.com/english/...4/tut_index.jsp

User's Guide for CyberLink PowerDirector

http://www.gocyberlink.com/multi/do...odId=4&lang=ENU

Please feel free to contact us back for any further clarification in this issue or for any assistance related to Cyberlink products.

Thank you and best regards

MY RESPONSE TODAY:
With reference to vcahitosh Reply 2005/12/16 19:46, it was no help at all. I had your PowerDirector 5 installed for just 36 hours when I had the problem. Your first suggestion that I had changed location of some items is not the case. I closed the project Thursday night & when I started up the following morning the project gave the error reported. Even if this were the case, I would expect the software to flag a file or item as “not found” and not cause a termination without a way to salvage the project. I am not the only person having similar problems. See: http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t121938.html found by Google. The rest of your suggestions such as reinstalling are irrelevant because the program still works. But I do not want to have to save a backup of the project every time before I make the slightest change in the project, fearing that it will not open on the next restart of the program. Other things I have noticed in software: slow to register changes in project items; an image placed before a video will sometimes cause the video to be ignored after the image is previewed; and the title animations are tricky to get selected. All in all, this looks like a beta version you are trying to sell as good software. If it won’t work on a brand new HP P4 630 (P) HT 3.0 GHz 800 MHz FSB with 1G RAM (which is running other software with no problem) it seems your software is the problem.

I called cyberlink customer service, number is hard to get. You should try looking at your confirmation email to get this phone. They agreed to refund my money without any questions. I wonder why, is a shame because the product looks good, until I lost 9 hours of work trying to open my file. I end up creating an mpg with my last backup before any changes and finish it on Ulead 8 (Solid.) I may actually try Ulead 9 instead. Good luck to you all...
chivazo

Here is my part of story...waiting for nearly a week for fix.
[EVERYTHING WORKED FINE UNTIL UPGRADE TO VERSION 5]

======REPORTED TO CYBERLINK TECH SUPPORT======
CASE ID :CS000305258_VCMitesh

Problem reported:
=================
Error 80040154 during burn DVD using
Power Director 5

Description:
============
When using Power Director 5->Create
Disk->Create Disk Preference->Menu-
>Enable Video Thumbnail->Burn fails
with "Burning Faild!:Error Code
80040154. Same problem occurs if Burn-
>Create DVD Folder option as well.

Information given so far to Cyberlink:
=========================
1.Power Director Version 5.00.1018 SR
Number: VDE050930-02
2.Firmware version of DVD burner: B7W9
(BENQ DVD DD DW1620 B7W9)
3.Requested screen shot file:Cyberlink
error5.JPG
4.Requested screen shot fileVD Drive
info.bmp (DVD driver info screen shot)
5.Requested output file: DxDiag.txt
6. HTML output file of GuidCheck.
======REPORTED TO CYBERLINK TECH SUPPORT======

Okay so I don't no nutting about video editing software just trying to evaluate whats out there for a newbie and read posts to make sure that I get something that is userfriendly and works. I read this review
http://video-editing-software-revie...y=powerdirector rates PowerDirect as the best are they just blowing smoke? Are the problems that I'm reading about due to upgrade compatibility? Money isn't the issue but I sure don't like spending more than I have to and I my initial needs for the software is to learn the basics and go from there. Thanks in advance for your help.

Robert

That appears to be the same review as discussed in November 2004 in this thread:http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t109273.html

and it was an old review then...

I don't believe they tested anything recently. I wonder if they have really tested any of the software they list. Their reviews don't tell you anything you can't find on the software manufacturers web site. Why are they still ignoring Sony Vegas Movie Studio + DVD or Sony Vegas Movie Studio+DVD Platinum Edition or Adobe Premiere Elements?


Rich

__________________
FireWire Survey

I purchased the retail version based on the review I found here:
http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com

I'd sure like to see the system they tested on because it does't even come close to living up to the review.

Very slow, Unable to get beyond 6 min of edited video without a crash.
I don't even dare attempt the magic tools or audio.

Looks like tech support has a form letter:

1. To avoid any compatibility issues, please close all other software and utility applications including virus scans, screen saver and instant messaging software before you launch Power Director.

2. Reset your display settings, screen area to 1024*768, color depth to 16 bit and monitor refresh rate to 60 HZ.

3.Please update your VGA card driver. You may contact your VGA card manufacturer or the computer manufacturer to get the latest drivers.

If issue is still not resolved, we may need to reinstall PowerDirector.

4. Update the direct x from this website
www.microsoft.com/directx

4. Uninstall PowerDirector software:

a.) Start--> Programs -->Cyberlink PowerDirector --> Uninstall PowerDirector
b.) Start --> Run --> type "regedit" --> click "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" --> click
"Software" --> click "Cyberlink" -->Delete "Cyberlink" this folder
c.) Start --> Run --> type "regedit"--> click "Hkey_Current_user" --> click
"Software" --> click "Cyberlink" -->Delete "Cyberlink" this folder.
d.) Delete C:\Programs Files\Cyberlink
And reboot your PC.

5.Reinstall PowerDirector.

Now download and install the below mentioned patch for PowerDirector 5.0:

dl_patch_302_4_ENU.html

6.Please close all other software and utility applications. Produce your movie.

Tried all those things to no avail. I hope (after reading other posts) I can get a refund. I woudn't recommend this software to anyone.

Shawn

Just think, you could also have found a spouse with their Online Dating Service Reviews then picked a cruise with their Caribbean Cruise Reviews then gotten some money for you and your honey to have a good time on the honeymoon with their Payday Loan Service Reviews ...

Rich

HMMMMMM;
I wonder how well the spouse would work?

Shawn

Zakhir Ali, did you find a solution to your 80040154 problem? I'm having the EXACT same problem. Thanks!

I emailed Cyberlink with my query, and received a response less than two days later. I consider that great customer service, esp. since I was still only a trial version user at that point!

I was told to update my DVD drivers (all turned out to be up-to-date, anyways), uninstall completely (following the instructions others have posted above, including regedit deleting...I tried uninstalling two days earlier, but not doing the regedit deleting), reinstall, and try to burn. Fortunately, everything worked well after this! In Cyberlink's response, a link to download a zip file was provided, should the uninstall and reinstall not work. Cyberlink also asked that if the zip file fix didn't help, to please email them the error file that gets created, located at "C:\CyberLinkDump.txt". But again, fortunately the complete uninstall worked so I didn’t need to proceed.

I went ahead and purchased the full version. I’ve heard you can’t do as much as you can with Pinnacle or Adobe, but I’ve heard horror stories about the new Pinnacle v10 (one of my friends even uninstalled and went back to v9) and I didn’t find Adobe intuitive at all. This Cyberlink Power Director is intuitive, works quicker than Ulead which I used to use. (This full version also seems to work more quickly than the trial). I also like the fact that I can input PAL files and it’ll render them to NTSC for me. I can see that I’ll hit some walls with this program lacking the flexibility of others, but I’m prepared to sacrifice in exchange for intuitiveness, breadth of file formats accepted (including dvr-ms, etc.).

I guess I'm lucky!

Edited to add: There's also a patch on Cyberlink's website for PowerDirector 5. Maybe it solves some of the problems people here have experienced.

I would like to add a quick warning about the Cyberlink PowerDirector and PowerProducer software on AMD machines running cool&quiet. If you install any one of these software packages (I installed PowerProducer that came with my DVD writer), it will disable Cool&Quiet *permanently*. I have searched high & low on the issue and found that other people are having the same problem with PowerDirector. At this time, there is no solution to how to re-enable this feature once it is disabled by Cyberlink.

I wrote a email message to Cyberlink about this problem and they gave me a textbook reply about checking drivers, uninstalling and reinstalling. No help whatsoever.

The only solution that I had was to rebuild my Windows XP from scratch and do not install the Cyberlink software. I made the mistake of disabling System Restore so I could go back to a point before the installation. Now that I've learned my lesson, the only Cyberlink software I have is the PowerDVD. Even after purchasing the MC500 a few days ago, I have not installed the PowerDirector software nor will I ever.

So in terms of buggy, yes, it is buggy in this respect.

My advice is to set a system restore point prior to installing Cyberlink (if you really must install it) and see if it works for you. If not, then restore the system back to the system restore point... it is as if you never installed it at all.

Good luck.

I just bought powerdirector a few days ago after demoing several other tools. I had it crash a few times and then one of my projects got corrupted. However, there are some pretty useful features and it's easy to use, edit video, add effects, ect. There are some key features missing though:

Limited customizable menus (simple things like moving around the text boxes), I can't figure out how to add my own music files to magic music, I couldn't get a music track to repeat to the length of the video, I also couldn't get the chapter settings to stay once I produced the movie into one complete movie. I had to go back and take the produced movie and add the chapters back. Their user guide isn't that detailed either. BUT, until I find a different product that's easy to use and fairly powerful, I guess i'll stick with Cyberlinks.

Have you had any luck in sorting out your problem yet. I tried uninstalling, deleting regedit files and reinstalling but still no luck!!!

Really annoying when you get new software and it doesn't work properly!