BarryTheCrab: Thanks for the tip. I removed the Beta drivers and installed the latest WHQL drivers, and now I can use the Hardware Encoder. So thanks for that

Dafydd: Not yet, but it is on my list of laptop upgrades to do. But like I said before (I think) I've been using PD10/11 on 4Gb of RAM for a very long while without any issues, it's only recently it's started happening. And the RAM is working fine, as I recently performed a test on it. I still don't know where the 2Gb of video RAM came from. When I posted those specs, I was using an older video card with 512Mb of RAM (in SLi). I've since upgraded to a video card with 1Gb RAM (in SLi).. so where 2Gb of video memory came from I have no idea. Dell XPS M1730
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Intel Core2Duo (T9500) @ 2.60GHz
nVidia 9800m GTX SLi x2, 1GbMb per core, 2Gb SLi
4Gb DDR2 (PC6400) RAM
750Gb Western Digital HDD
PD12 12.0.3403.0

Well, that's amazing. After a week or two of PD10 working perfectly fine without a crash, out-of-the-blue and completely random, it's started up again.

I've done nothing to the computer, nothing to PowerDirector... it's just decided to crash and close every time I attempt to render a video... EVERY... SODDING... TIME. And by that... 5 attempts to render a video has resulted in 5 crashes.

The crashes don't even happen at the same point during the render.. I can be 5 minutes in, 15 minutes in, even 5 SECONDS in at it will decide to go "Nope.. no videos for you".

It's rare I come across such a travesty in software programing. I've never seen such buggy software before this. I've had my fair share of problematic programs.. but THIS one truly wins the award.

Congrats CyberLink... now if you can improve PowerDirector 12 and make it crash LESS... then I shall be happy. Looks like it's back to Corel VideoStudio for me. Dell XPS M1730
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Intel Core2Duo (T9500) @ 2.60GHz
nVidia 9800m GTX SLi x2, 1GbMb per core, 2Gb SLi
4Gb DDR2 (PC6400) RAM
750Gb Western Digital HDD
PD12 12.0.3403.0

You definitely have my condolences! With all the problems I have had with the bug-infested PD 11 over the past two months (on a brand new multi-media computer), I simply cannot trust their PD 12 upgrade! Additionally, there's something really wrong with having to upgrade for an additional charge to purchase a product to do what PD 11 was supposed to do!

I too, have gone on to another brand of video editing software. I am through with CyberLink!!

[frustrated] medlgl

PS In all fairness, I hope that CyberLink can take this issue seriously and put their most important resource, their customers, before profits. I hope they eventually work out the bugs (and, in all good conscience, refund the $$ that we all paid for a product they marketed as being viable video editing software, namely PowerDirector 11. CyberLink has my support with this issue but my movie-making endeavors need to continue without distractions, hence, it's onward and forward with another brand of software! I would hope CyberLink would begin releasing beta versions before finalizing the official release of their video editing software. Then, and only then, will they be listening to their customers!

Quote: the bug-infested PD 11 over the past two months...I would hope CyberLink would begin releasing beta versions before finalizing the official release of their video editing software.

Bug-infested? My PD11 has been stellar, so I take issue with that statement. Perfect? No. Bug-infested, BIG NO!
Release a BETA? To whom? Just because you were not on the list does mean it didn't happen.