_Angus_;

I think the item that has the most impact on whether you should upgrade or not is the machine you are going to run it on.

Use the link below (see PART B) to create a DXDIAG file(s) for your machine and attach them here so we can make a recommendation.

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/7958.page

I agree with Fred, if your machine can' support it you'll have all sorts of problems to deal with. That being said, PD9 is a good upgrade in my opinion.

I am finding PD9 a joy to use, but only since patched to 2930. Before this it was absolutely Hellish. It has much more versatility vis-a-vis titles, timelines, slideshows. Just great. HP Envy Phoenix/4thGen i7-4770(4@3.4GHz~turbo>3.9)
Nvidia GTX 960(4GB)/16GB DDR3/
Canon Vixia HV30/HF-M40/HF-M41/HF-G20/Olympus E-PL5.
Tape capture using 6 VCR, TBC-1000, Elite BVP4+, Sony D8 camcorder with TBC.
https://www.facebook.com/BarryAFTT

Quote: I agree with Fred, if your machine can' support it you'll have all sorts of problems to deal with. That being said, PD9 is a good upgrade in my opinion.

Okay, I will do that tonight, essentially though its an AMD Phenom II dual core at 3.1 mhz with 4 gbs memory and a Geforce 1gb 9800 GT.

From what you are saying Powerdirector 9 needs quite a bit more grunt to cope? And as you can see I've not got a very powerful pc. It certainly copes with Powerdirector 8 with no problem, so perhaps I'll have to stick with that.

The other thing is Amazon have Adobe Premiere Elements 7 for a bout 24 pounds, but it seems to get an awful lot of bad press.

PD9 will still run on a slower PC (mine for example) but you will find that it takes vary long to run simple tasks. But i'll let the more advanced users evaluate your specs.
Premiere can be complicated and tough to use for the average user, but that's a topic for a different forum.

As Fred requested, let's get a look at your computer's innards.

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/7958.page PART B HP Envy Phoenix/4thGen i7-4770(4@3.4GHz~turbo>3.9)
Nvidia GTX 960(4GB)/16GB DDR3/
Canon Vixia HV30/HF-M40/HF-M41/HF-G20/Olympus E-PL5.
Tape capture using 6 VCR, TBC-1000, Elite BVP4+, Sony D8 camcorder with TBC.
https://www.facebook.com/BarryAFTT

Quote: As Fred requested, let's get a look at your computer's innards.

http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/7958.page PART B

Okay, here it is - I think.

Angus;
Thanks for providing the file. What is missing from the DXDIAG (I am not sure WHY) is the DEDICATED MEMORY specification for the video card. Are you using a separate Video Card or the built in GPU?

Can you please provide Mfr,Model#of the machine so we can hunt down the full specs?

THANKS

Quote: Angus;
Thanks for providing the file. What is missing from the DXDIAG (I am not sure WHY) is the DEDICATED MEMORY specification for the video card. Are you using a separate Video Card or the built in GPU?

Can you please provide Mfr,Model#of the machine so we can hunt down the full specs?

THANKS

Sure Fred, I assume this is what you mean:

Nvidia Geforce 9800 GT
Integrated RAMDAC

1024.0 Mbs

Hmmmm... perhaps that's not what you mean, as it appears to be in the DXdiag file.

Just found some stuff with the Nvidia control panel - attached.



I don't appear to have any more information about the card, it was fitted by PC Specialist, and that's what they called it on their inventory, and if I select Properties it just says the same.

I think the card is fine.
You definately need to go to the Nvidia website and the latest driver, you are way behind in that regard.
More RAM may be helpful.
I see a boatload of hard-drives in your DX, you need a lot of free space to make the program run and render.
Did you download a trial yet? HP Envy Phoenix/4thGen i7-4770(4@3.4GHz~turbo>3.9)
Nvidia GTX 960(4GB)/16GB DDR3/
Canon Vixia HV30/HF-M40/HF-M41/HF-G20/Olympus E-PL5.
Tape capture using 6 VCR, TBC-1000, Elite BVP4+, Sony D8 camcorder with TBC.
https://www.facebook.com/BarryAFTT

_Angus_

Here is the contents of my DXDIAG related to my Nvidia Card:
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTX 465
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_06C4&SUBSYS_22211462&REV_A3
Display Memory: 4065 MB
Dedicated Memory: 993 MB
Shared Memory: 3071 MB

Notice how the DEDICATED memory is broken out. That was what I was looking for..OK no worries. It is a discreet (separate) card so the 1024 might be accurate.

Barry is correct that you need updated drivers (yours are for Windows 2000 based on Nvidia System Information Report). Go to NVIDIA.COM and get the correct updated drivers.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-275.33-whql-driver.html

The way your drive is split up WILL be an issue. Not enough space on the C: drive (partition) for swapfiles, etc.

Since this is a 32 Bit XP OS, adding more RAM will not help you. 3GIG is the maximum addressable.

I would suggest that, once you work out the drive space, you can use this system for PD9, but it will not run well. That is my opinion.

Darn,
I missed the RAM limitations. Good call Fred. HP Envy Phoenix/4thGen i7-4770(4@3.4GHz~turbo>3.9)
Nvidia GTX 960(4GB)/16GB DDR3/
Canon Vixia HV30/HF-M40/HF-M41/HF-G20/Olympus E-PL5.
Tape capture using 6 VCR, TBC-1000, Elite BVP4+, Sony D8 camcorder with TBC.
https://www.facebook.com/BarryAFTT

Quote: _Angus_

The way your drive is split up WILL be an issue. Not enough space on the C: drive (partition) for swapfiles, etc.

Since this is a 32 Bit XP OS, adding more RAM will not help you. 3GIG is the maximum addressable.

I would suggest that, once you work out the drive space, you can use this system for PD9, but it will not run well. That is my opinion.

Thanks for all the advice gents.

So.... I've just (nearly) finished my second modest project with Powerdirector 8. Its just 2 static bits of interview with my Mum, about 20 minutes in total, talking about her early life and relatives. (by the way, I humbly but seriously recommend this as a worthwhile potential project, I wish I'd done one of my Dad.).

The problem I had with PD8 was I wanted to cut to still images, with pans and zooms, while my Mum was talking about related things, and PD8 only has one video track, and the PIP track doesn't allow the pans and zooms. I was able to use the video track but it was rather fiddly. With my limited skills, VERY fiddly.

If I undertook the same project on PD9 I'd have access to a seperate track for the still images, but would it slow my PC down a lot more than PD8?

I've just been writing to dvd and can't fault PD8 as far as its responsiveness and ease of use go - if it had a further video track I'd consider marriage.

_Angus_

So.... I've just (nearly) finished my second modest project with Powerdirector 8......If I undertook the same project on PD9 I'd have access to a seperate track for the still images, but would it slow my PC down a lot more than PD8?

I do NOT recommend moving to a new version of the program in the middle of an important project. I can appreciate the attraction to the new features and the reduction of effort it would mean....but RESIST THE URGE!!!

The difference in technology and implementation of features could have a negative impact on your project and may struggle to run in your machine environment. Imagine, how you would feel if this project FAILED!!

Finish (and Produce) your fine project in PD8, then consider the move to PD9.

Quote:

I do NOT recommend moving to a new version of the program in the middle of an important project. I can appreciate the attraction to the new features and the reduction of effort it would mean....but RESIST THE URGE!!!

Sorry Fred, I expressed myself poorly.

I am absolutely not going to change software until I've finished the current project, at the earliest.

What I meant to ask was, using this relatively modest project I outlined as benchmark, if I were to attempt it again, but using PD9, would I see a huge difference in responsiveness etc.

I'm not about to do it, but I'm trying to balance the effect on speed and stability I'd have against the advantages of having more than one video track.

Quote:

What I meant to ask was, using this relatively modest project I outlined as benchmark, if I were to attempt it again, but using PD9, would I see a huge difference in responsiveness etc.

I'm not about to do it, but I'm trying to balance the effect on speed and stability I'd have against the advantages of having more than one video track.

To answer my own question - from what I can see, using a project I completed on PD8, and then working on it in PD9, things like motion on still photos is noticeably jerkier when editing, but the program still seems to run (with this modest project) pretty much acceptably.