Powerdirector 15 Ultra Vs Ultimate

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.

: Dec 29, 2010

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That all depends on whether or not you would use the following:

600+ Effects & Templates

1 NewBlueFX effect packs

3 proDAD effect packs

Holiday Pack 8 / Wedding Pack

2 BorisFX content packs

It is not worth it if you are never going to use the added features of the Ultimate version. You could get the Ultra version and upgrade to the Ultimate version when a new version is released. In the end it depends on what features you think you need and which ones you think are not needed.

That all depends on whether or not you would use the following:

600+ Effects & Templates

1 NewBlueFX effect packs

3 proDAD effect packs

Holiday Pack 8 / Wedding Pack

2 BorisFX content packs

The thing is... I am going to be new to anything that would involve effects. It would sure be fun, though, but I am not 100% sure how often I'd do anything beyond just normal edits of video, without effects involved. I guess it comes down to exactly which effects are in those packs. I assume I can look them up and it will explain more about them.

I have gift certificates expiring tomorrow and was hoping to buy this to use those up. The sale prices have ultra for $40 and ultimate for $60 today, as well.

A while back they had this ultra and photodirector ultra for either $45 or $55 (I forget which). But if there is no real advantage to having the same brand on both, I'd probably get photoshop elements or paintshop pro there...

Another thing is this... probably version 17 will be out in less than 3 months, but I have these certificates expiring and can't think of anything else to buy.

As for upgrading later, when i checked into that a while back, it looked to me like if you upgrade you pay the full price of the new product, no discounts.

: Dec 29, 2010

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You could go with ULTRA to get a feel for the software. When the new version is released you will have a better idea of whether or not you want/need the Ultimate version.

True, but I'm trying to get software that I won't want to upgrade from for a while. I'd just be throwing money away if I turn around and buy 17 in a few months. So I'm just going to pick one and if I do get ultra maybe i'll want ultimate at some point, but I wouldn't turn around quickly and get it.

Does ultra itself have many effects?

I am finding info on some of those packs, but the problem is I can find little to nothing about the contents of the packs that come with ultra. So, for example, I have no idea if it already includes something good for making titles, and the titler pack just has more options... or if titles would suck all around without that extra pack.

I'd rather have waited until 17 comes out and then decide, but this money is just going to disappear if i don't buy something now, so... not much choice. No good motherboards on sale.

: Dec 29, 2010

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I know time is running out but have you considered a trial version to see if what it comes with is sufficient? I see there are limitations with the trial version but it may give you some clue as to what is available with the titles.

Now check out this nonsense. I was going to just get ultra, figuring better to risk on the lower end, since it would probably be longer before I'd ever think of using effects. So then it suddenly says the item was not eligible for the code I was using for the discount. Even though it was the first item right on the list of products the code could be used for.

So then I wasted almost an entire hour in chat with them, them having me do screen shots of the email, forwarding the email, etc.... only to tell me I had to w it for someone to look into it now. Then when she asked if I had any more concerns I said I guess not, but I am not happy with this situation and so much wasted time and she then sent a message and closed the chat without allowing a response.

At least I found out my gift certificates don't expire until about 23 hours from now. But I may be forced to either spend $20 extra for ultimate and likely never use the effects or find something else to get and wait for powerdirector 17 ultra and look for a holiday discount.

Can you even think of anything they could add to make 17 worth waiting for? I don't see a lot of complaints about 16... and can't think of new features they could add that would be worth waiting on.

Also, was going to get a different brand of photo software, but wondering if the improvements in other brands' will be offset by it not as easy to work between the video software and photo software. In other words... since photodirector is the same brand, I wonder if it works well with powerdirector, thus I'd be having a more difficult time if I get another brand.

Also, about every video editing software I can think of is rated pretty mediocrely on amazon, newegg, etc.... but rated highly in professional reviews... powerdirector, videostudio, etc...

: Dec 29, 2010

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I know you said no to Adobe but Premiere Elements does not require a subscription and you can get it bundled with Photoshop Elements. VideoStudio does require an extra fee for Blu-ray.

yeah, I know. I did a ton of research on all of those. There are pluses and minuses to all of them. The reason I settled on powerdirector is no BR fee, faster than almost all others (only one was ahead of it in one test I saw), and several sites preferred it, other than saying it was not the easiest to learn.

Some of the other programs either didn't have BR burning ability at all, were much slower, had limits on things PD didn't, or in some cases didn't have some features I wanted.

All of that said... I still get tempted back to videostudio, but then read people's comments on how much slower it is. I think the blu ray authoring fee is just a one time fee, though, right?

And ps I started thinking and I really don't know why I even got tempted by ultimate for powerdirector.... I may never have any videos I'd want effects in. If I do, it would be a long time from now, I bet. I really need to just get ultra, but now the problem is their customer support probably won't honor it, for whatever reason and then I'll be forced to either pay for ultimate (cheaper than ultra, with them not honoring the ultra discount) or find something else to buy and get editing software some other time.

: Dec 29, 2010

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Yes, the blu-ray is a one time time fee. If Ultimate is cheaper with the discount then that may be the way to go. Worst case you have effects you don't use and you don't the blu-ray fee is covered. You may get it and love it. The effects may be fun to experiment with using.

My thinking on effects is basically what you just said... I originally had never even thought about effects at all in making a decision on software, but then started thinking how fun it would be. Too bad this stuff wasn't around when I was a teenager because I bet it would have especially been fun then, making movies with friends. lol.

Now the 2700x processor is on sale for $300, so I am tempted to buy that, which would then use up all expiring gift certificates and give me more time on this software. But I am just as torn on cpu.... 2700x, 8700, 8700k.... Have to figure this all out today where I don't just throw money away by not using.

: Dec 29, 2010

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I remember my first editing program - ULead VideoStudio - back before Corel bought it out. I remember thinking the counter was off not knowing it was the frame rate and not the time. I wish you the best with whatever you decide.

Thanks, and thanks for the responses. I'm sure I'll be happy with any i choose. I actually am way overthinking, because I'll rarely even do video editing, so should be happy regardless. Now I just have to hurry and decide for sure on cpu in the next few hours...

Now I really screwed up. I was going to get this, then read where it says the supported graphics cards and it doesn't even list rx cards or nvidea 10xx ones. AND I came across a post where someone said they lock the good performing amd ones where they can't be selected for gpu acceleration.

So then I bought a router for $65, where $40 of it was about to expire, and they say if I return it, I don't get the $40 back and I just noticed a walmart near here has it for $19. So i just threw $40 out the window so now whichever software I get I have to add $40 to how much I spent to get it.

After wasting a TON of time (pathetic that I even let myself get stressed over $40....) they agreed to give me $30 off my next purchase. So at least I only lost $10, but if I had been prepared, ie knew which item I wanted, I'd have had $10 more.

I am probably going to forget the editing software until later in the year... But I hate to get powerdirector if it won't even utilize the rx 580. That would mean I totally wasted money on the gpu. I don't game.

: Dec 29, 2010

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Thank you for the update. You can contact Cyberlink and ask them about your card before you purchase. The link below may be worth a read.

https/www.cyberlink.com/support/product-faq-content.do?id=12777&

Thank you for the update. You can contact Cyberlink and ask them about your card before you purchase. The link below may be worth a read.

https/www.cyberlink.com/support/product-faq-content.do?id=12777&

yeah I have contacted them before and I posted on their forum asking about this, for now.

Have you used many different editors yourself? Also, I wonder, generally, if most video editing software has at least a few photo and audio features without having to get standalone software to do anything with the audio.

Now that I have waited this long, I wish I could just wait a few months and get a new version of something, new intel cpu, etc... but I probably can't wait that long, at least for the cpu.

: Dec 29, 2010

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VideoStudio (ULead and Corel) - have the latest version of it installed on a laptop.
PowerDirector - used it several years ago. It came bundled with a camcorder.
Adobe Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements - currently installed on an old MacBook Pro.
Adobe Premiere Pro - currently using on my desktop.

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