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Video Editors with DVD Authoring (CyberLink
PowerDirector and InterVideo WinProducer)
by Doug Dixon
www.manifest-tech.com
CyberLink and InterVideo
CyberLink PowerDirector -- Importing
-- Editing -- Exporting
InterVideo WinProducer
Editing and Authoring
References
You may know of CyberLink and InterVideo from their popular Windows
DVD Player applications, PowerDVD and WinDVD. Both of these companies
have expanded their digital video entertainment product lines to include
inexpensive video editing tools that even include basic DVD authoring.
These new products, CyberLink PowerDirector 2.0 and InterVideo
WinProducer 2, provide full-featured consumer video editing for around
$80, and a full version with integrated DVD / VCD authoring capability
for around $120.
As you will see, while both these applications are works in progress,
they provide an amazing range of technology, but with quite different
approaches and interfaces.
Video Editors and DVD Authoring
This is an exciting time for consumer digital video, as DV camcorders
and IEEE 1394 / FireWire boards have made video capture almost a generic
capability on computers. And with the DV format, now even the most basic
video editing software can be used to edit video productions without
compromising on video quality and frame rate.
Meanwhile, DVD authoring software has evolved from professional
stand-alone tools to more automated "wizard" approaches that
can be integrated with a video editor to quickly output a collection of
clips to DVD or CD. By the end of 2001, the leading consumer video
editing applications were adding this kind of DVD authoring capability:
- VideoWave 5 from MGI Software (www.mgisoft.com),
released in September 2001 ($129 MSRP), includes scene detection, video
mixing, text animation, transition and effects filters, time warp fast
or slow motion, and built-in DVD authoring.
- Similarly, VideoStudio 6 from Ulead Systems (www.ulead.com),
released in February 2002 ($99.95 MSRP), includes batch capture, scene
cut detection, real-time previews, DV and MPEG support, and integrated
DVD authoring.
Both CyberLink (www.gocyberlink.com)
and InterVideo (www.intervideo.com)
have deep roots in DVD player software. The latest versions of their
applications, CyberLink PowerDVD XP 4.0 (from $49.95 download, released
January 2002) and InterVideo WinDVD 4.0 (due to be released in March
2002), provide a tremendous array of features to make watching DVDs on
your computer even more enjoyable.
The new versions of these applications include support for Windows XP
and the latest display hardware, tools for exploring the navigational
structure of a DVD to find all the goodies, options for enhancing and
zooming the video to see more details, and audio options for boosting
and virtualizing a surround-sound experience.
From this background in real-time decoding of MPEG video for DVD
playback, CyberLink and InterVideo expanded into video encoding with
their digital VCR products, CyberLink PowerVCR and InterVideo WinDVR.
These applications turn your computer into a digital VCR by using TV
turner hardware both to show live television, and to capture and record
TV shows for later viewing.
From this background in DVD players, MPEG decoding and compression,
and managing recorded video clips, CyberLink and InterVideo then
expanded into video editing and DVD authoring. These new tools are
designed to take you end to end, from captured video clips to edited
productions to authoring to CD and DVD.
CyberLink PowerDirector 2.0 Pro is a storyboard-based video
editor with an integrated Disc Wizard for creating productions on CD or
DVD. PowerDirector 2.0 was released in February 2002, and is available
from CyberLink in two versions, PowerDirector 2.0 Pro ($119.95 download,
$124.95 retail box) and PowerDirector 2.0 Standard without the DVD
Wizard ($79.95 download).
PowerDirector has a very interesting and visually simple interface
design, without the profusion of windows and tabs of options that can
make some editors appear cluttered and confusing.
All the components of the interface are in fixed positions in the
PowerDirector window, and the window takes over your entire Windows
display screen.
The interface is centered around the main Preview window in the
middle of the screen, where you watch video clips during capture and
editing. The Library on the left side of the screen is where you import
and organize your media files: video, audio, and images. The Storyboard
runs along the bottom of the screen, with placeholders to lay out each
clip in your production, and add transitions between them.
Power Director Pro - Picture In Picture mode
But the key interface feature is the Modes Wheel in the top right
corner of the screen. Instead of trying to offer all editing modes and
alternatives at all times, with PowerDirector you turn the Modes Wheel
to select each editing mode, and to reveal the associated interface
elements for that mode. The panel under the Modes Wheel opens to reveal
additional controls.
The first two settings on the Modes Wheel are for Capture and the
default Preview mode for importing to the Library and reviewing clips.
Most of the Modes Wheel settings then are used for applying different
types of editing to clips as they are added to the Storyboard: Trim
(split and resize), Speed adjustment (1/4 X - 8 X), Titles, Effects,
Picture-in-Picture (PiP) overlay, Audio mixing, and Transitions.
The last two settings are used for saving your production: Produce
Movie to a disk file, and Disc Wizard to export to CD or DVD.
The Modes Wheel also provides a convenient visual summary of the
editing that you have performed: when you select a clip in the
Storyboard, the Modes Wheel shows red lines to indicate each mode in
which you have modified the clip.
In Capture mode, PowerDirector can capture material from DV
camcorders through a 1394 / FireWire card, analog sources, or digital
camera. You also can batch capture from a DV tape using timecodes and
take single snapshot images from the video source.
PowerDirector provides built-in profiles for capturing for different
purposes. Choose Video for General Purposes to capture to an AVI
(including DV) or MPEG format for further editing, or Video for Movie
Disc Production to capture to a MPEG format compatible with VCD or DVD.
PowerDirector includes an InstantMPEG feature to compress directly to
MPEG during capture, either in real time (if your system is fast enough)
or in non real time, with buffering. CyberLink's Smart Video Rendering
Technology (SVRT) then permits you to edit the MPEG video directly,
without requiring the data to be re-compressed during editing.
Capture, with scene detection
You then can view the clips in Preview mode, and import additional
clips for your project into the Library. PowerDirector also provides a
flexible Scene Detection function that can find scene changes based
either on the shot time from a DV tape, or by analyzing changes in the
actual video frames. When you divide a clip into scenes, they appear in
the Library in a subfolder so you can access the individual scenes.
To create a production in PowerDirector, you arrange a group of clips
from the Library in order on the Storyboard.
Transitions mode
In Trim mode, you can set marker points and trim or split a clip. You
can also resize and crop video or images.
In Speed mode, you can speed up or slow down the frame rate of a
clip, from 1/4 X slow motion to 8 X fast motion, and optionally adjust
the audio accordingly (which may be unintelligible).
In Titles mode, you can insert title text on a clip, adjust the font,
choose title motion effects, and set the Hold Time and Effect Length.
In Effects mode, you can adjust the video appearance and apply a
variety of image and motion effects (e.g., Emboss, Mosiac, Noise,
Ripple, Swing, TV Wall, Zoom), each with appearance and motion
parameters.
In Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode, you can overlay an image or video
clip on top of a video clip. You can set the overlay size and
transparency, and also apply a color filter extract portions of an
overlay image.
Since these edit modes only apply to individual clips in the
Storyboard, PowerDirector also supports a Master Watermark feature to
provide an image overlay over the entire movie (i.e., to place a logo on
your production). Note that this requires modifying every frame of the
production, so the SVRT fast rendering feature will be disabled.
In Audio mode, you can add up to three additional audio clips to a
video clip, for example for a musical background or voice-over. You can
trim the original clips, fade in and out, and mix the volume between
clips.
PowerDirector also supports a Master Audio feature to provide a
background audio track for the entire production.
Finally, in Transitions mode, you can apply transition effects
between clips in the storyboard. You also can adjust the transition
length, which is divided equally between the two adjacent video clips.
To preview your production from the Storyboard, click Play Movie.
PowerDirector blanks the screen and plays the production in a small
window on the display, unfortunately without any progress feedback or
controls.
Use the Produce Movie mode to save your production as a video movie
file on disk. PowerDirector can export to MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats,
Windows AVI (including DV), and Windows Media formats for use for
Internet streaming and distribution. You also can write your entire
production directly to your DV camcorder.
The Disc Wizard mode in PowerDirector is actually an independent DVD
authoring tool with a separate step-by-step interface. First, you select
the CD or DVD format, then import individual files on disc or files from
a PowerDirector project. You can also create up to 100 slideshows and
256 images per slideshow.
PowerDirector Disc Wizard - Menu design
Next, you finalize the order of the clips and slideshows (to be
automatically be laid out on one or more menus). You can then define
chapter points within clips to use in the menus and to jump between with
the remote control.
However, to create a DVD like Hollywood movies, so that you can play
through continuously or jump to chapter points, you must use only one
long video file. Otherwise, when a DVD is created from a collection of
clips, each clip plays to the end and then jumps back to the menu. Also,
jumping between chapters during playback is not supported for VCD and
SVCD discs.
One you have defined all the content for your disc, you can choose
whether to create a DVD with or without menus, and then choose a menu
background and design. You can then fine-tune the design to change the
background, number of buttons, button design and frame, and add and
format text titles.
Once your design is complete, you can preview the DVD using a virtual
remote control, and with a full-screen preview window.
Finally, you can burn the production directly to the selected CD or
DVD disc format, or save it to hard disk as a disk image or as a DVD
volume folder. You then can import a disk image or DVD folder into the
Disk Wizard to burn the production at a later time. You can also save
and reopen your Disk Wizard projects.
The PowerDirector Disc Wizard also provides the option the include
DVD player software on the disc so it can be played on any Windows
machine, even if that machine does not have a player application
installed.
InterVideo also is developing a new version of its video editing
tool, WinProducer 2, which is scheduled to be available in March
2002, with different versions for video editing, authoring to VCD, and
DVD authoring. I worked with a beta version of the basic product, which
seemed to have most of the functionality implemented, but only the CD
authoring component.
WinProducer is designed for native editing with MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and
AVI / DV formats. It supports real-time MPEG encoding, scene cut
detection (only by frame content), and immediate previews without
rendering.
WinProducer provides a more sophisticated and customizable editing
interface, with a timeline instead of a clip-by-clip storyboard. You
capture and import clips in the Media Panel on the left side of the
window, with tabs for Video, Images (and image sequences), Audio, and
capturing from Input Sources.
WinProducer - Timeline - Editing transitions
You then assemble and edit your production by arranging clips on the
Time Line at the bottom of the window, and preview the results in the
Player Window at the center of the screen. You can apply effects from
the Effects panel on the right side of the window, with tabs for
Transitions, Filters, Overlays, Titles, and Audio Filters.
With WinProducer's Timeline approach, you can apply effects to an
individual clip, or place them in the filter track to apply it them
multiple clips in a video track. You can also use key frames to
dynamically change filter properties during a clip.
The WinProducer CD authoring capability works directly from the
Timeline. You choose a menu theme (background design), use the Theme
Editor to modify the design and add text titles, and mark (and name)
chapter points directly in the Timeline. WinProducer then prepares your
content and burns it directly to Video CD.
Theme Editor
For anyone interested in consumer video editing and DVD authoring
tools, CyberLink PowerDirector and InterVideo WinProducer now provide
even more choices. It is stunning to see how fast all this technology
has been integrated into products under $100, including DV capture,
real-time MPEG encoding, scene cut detection, native editing in DV and
MPEG formats, a broad repertoire of traditional editing controls and
effects, real-time previews, output to various AVI, MPEG, and streaming
formats, and even authoring to CD and DVD with menus, chapters, and
slide shows.
These two applications provide a clear choice in editing style,
depending whether you prefer a simple storyboard or a more flexible
timeline.
PowerDirector provides the simple storyboard approach to editing,
using the Modes Wheel to simplify the interface to a step-by-step
process. But all this simplification also constrains the interface, and
leads to a clunky editing style as you click from mode to mode.
PowerDirector also limits your interaction as you preview clips and the
production.
The WinProducer timeline approach adds complexity for a novice user,
but also provides much more control over combining clips, with effects
that can extend across multiple clips. It also provides a much more open
interface to move smoothly between operations and previewing.
Both of these applications are packed with technology, bursting at
the seams with the latest features. For example, PowerDirector includes
scene cut detection based on DV timecode and a DV batch recording
function. But this also means they are not mature products, so you
should expect some glitches. For example, text fields in PowerDirector
are often mis-sized and some fields like the capture time limit cannot
be edited properly.
Similarly, the PowerDirector Disc Wizard is a separate DVD authoring
tool that provides more control and more features, including slide shows
and the ability to save to and burn from DVD files on hard disc. And yet
it crashed on one system when I tried to burn to CD.
But the bottom line is that these applications are bringing a whole
new range of capabilities to inexpensive digital video entertainment
software. Like the other products from CyberLink and InterVideo, you can
download trial versions from the company web sites. So try them out for
yourself, to see how the interface style and features meet your own
needs.
CyberLink PowerDirector
www.gocyberlink.com
InterVideo WinProducer
www.intervideo.com
Copyright 2002, Douglas
Dixon .
All Rights Reserved
Manifest Technology(R),
www.manifest-tech.com .
Manifest Technology is a registered trademark of Douglas Dixon
also check out DVD
Burning Guide and Pioneer
A05 Review
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