Quote: Having not yet found DV editing software that does what I need, I am evaluating Powerdirector 5 (30 day trial version downloaded). So far I like the features and was moving PD5 to the top of my list. Then it crashed. I put this down to a glitch. Then it crashed again and I lost 3 hours work. Then I clicked on 'undo' and it crashed again. After the fourth crash, I decided to evaluate something else. I installed directX 9.0c and I've got good hardware - so it's not my computer. Anyone want to give them a second chance by letting me know if there's a way to stabilise this product? I've still got 28 days left .....

Hi Steve,
I don't have the trial on my computer.... I can only give suggestions and possible reasons.
Uninstall and re-install the trial software - see text file attachment.

To check the trial I would only recommend using the demo mpg "Aquarium.mpg" which comes with the program. The problem with a trial is it's neutered to prevent actions. If you import a video file into the editing set up it may conflict with the inhibitions - being too long, wrong media type. I have also known the watermark to clash with video files. Most editing trials have time-line restrictions which prevent encoding beyond a specific length. For example if you import a 1 min clip into the time-line of the trial...it might render it successfully with the watermark. If you tried the same with a 10 min clip...the restriction point is reached and a conflict occurs leading to a shut down. The same "wont write" inhibitions can apply to the Create Disc part.

I don't see how 3 hours of work can be applied to a Trial which is used to demo with click-able links to show roughly what an editing feature can do. I think you're expectations of a trial are beyond what is available.

What I'd like you to do is pin point precisely what caused the crash to occur. Basically I want you to repeat exactly the stages you went through to the place where the event happened. To do this properly each action has to be noted and logged. Then following that list each action is repeated to confirm the problem or glitch. If you could do that...then it would help isolate the cause and reason you have encountered a problem in the trial version.

I use PowerDirector 5 Premium.

Dafydd

Dafydd, Thanks for the tips. I'm not really interested in running a prefabricated demo, I need to see if the software works with my hardware (camcorder, IEEE1394 port, DVD rewriter and PC in general), doesn't drop frames on capture (which some other software does) and writes DVDs that are not "jerky" when played back. Premier elements trial was successful, but I don't like the human interface. From what I've seen so far I think its worth giving PD5 another chance, so I'll give it a go.

Quote: Dafydd, Thanks for the tips. I'm not really interested in running a prefabricated demo, I need to see if the software works with my hardware (camcorder, IEEE1394 port, DVD rewriter and PC in general), doesn't drop frames on capture (which some other software does) and writes DVDs that are not "jerky" when played back. Premier elements trial was successful, but I don't like the human interface. From what I've seen so far I think its worth giving PD5 another chance, so I'll give it a go.

Hi Steve,

I can understand your comments. RE: "camcorder, IEEE1394 port, DVD rewriter and PC in general" - works on my set up...without a problem.

Issues to watch out for: DirectX, Graphics card, Ram, HDrive capacity, System set up (partitioned correctly). Capture file placement and File usage placement (Use My Work's directory for all files during editing). Watch out for file names being too long and the address location (that's why I mentioned "My Work"). These are a few of the things I can think of. Post if you have additional follow up questions.

One area I had problems with recently was with Windows Media Player and mpg files - they jerked and jumped. In PowerDVD 7 Deluxe there was no such problem, everything including avi's played without a problem.

Dafydd