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H.264 activation
Samuel L. [Avatar]
Newbie Location: Saskatoon, Canada Joined: Jan 01, 2008 23:05 Messages: 29 Offline
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I used PD10 Ultra (full version, not upgrade) for several months before starting to edit my AVCHD files having,
up to that point, been dealing with low res family videos. I did so for several weeks before, out of the blue, I was prompted to activate H.264 capability. I duly did but had to repeat the process every time I tried to load AVCHd files. Some weeks later, when prompted, I received a message to the effect that there was no response from the server. From that
point on, I could not load AVCHD files for editing. A ticket has been started with Cyberlink but, several weeks later,
I am no closer to a solution. A diagostic file and various image files have been submitted to Cyberlink and the problem
is not a function of the patch version.

I know this problem of H.264 activation has been brought up earlier but none of the info or suggestions provided
matched my circumstances. When reading the earlier thread, I note that Daffyd mentioned that the function should
be activated within 30 days of the date of purchase. How is one supposed to activate H.264 capability within 30 days
of purchasing the program when that requirement is not presented to the user? Having informed Cyberlink support
of my tardy activation attempts, that factor appears to have been overlooked and is not a factor in any of the
supposed solutions presented.

I can import and edit the same AVCHd files in PD 9 without any problem or a prompt to activate H.264 capability.

Does anyone out there have fresh insight into my problem?

Sorlie
Robert2 S
Senior Contributor Location: Australia Joined: Apr 22, 2009 05:57 Messages: 1461 Offline
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Sorry no help but agree with you completely "How can you activate a feature you don't even know exists" Cyberlink really does do some stupid things sometimes. My youtube channel====> http://www.youtube.com/user/relate2?feature=mhsn
garioch7
Senior Contributor Location: Port Hood, Nova Scotia, Canada Joined: Feb 07, 2011 06:45 Messages: 852 Offline
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Samuel: There is some fine print at the bottom of the PD10 requirements page. Read Footnote 3.

http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdirector/requirements_en_CA.html

Fortunately for me, Carl, informed me of the requirement to activate all formats within 30 days. It is not hard or time consuming to do. Just create a little project with the sample clips and try producing them to the various formats listed. If done once within the 30 days, it is activated for good, unless you uninstall and reinstall. I don't think I even had to actually produce, just get to the point where the format asks to be activated.

I am guessing that the solution to your situation is to contact Cyberlink Tech Support and request their advice as to how to activate the various formats AFTER thirty days.

I agree that it is a stupid requirement. We have paid for the software and it should work, but I am guessing that CL probably has to pay the copyright owners for each activation of their format, rather than including that in the price of all PD10 product sold, but that is just a guess. Could keep the cost down and many folks don't use many of those formats. I know most of my stuff is just vanilla mpeg2.

Hope this helps. Have a great day.

Regards,
-Phil Windows 10 Pro x64
Dell XPS 8930
Intel CoreT i7 (4.6 GHz)
32 GB DDR4-2666 RAM
1 TB PCIe -x4 SSD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
PD14 Ultimate x64, 4207
CD4 Ultra and AD6 Ultra
Bleeping Computer Malware Response Instructor
Samuel L. [Avatar]
Newbie Location: Saskatoon, Canada Joined: Jan 01, 2008 23:05 Messages: 29 Offline
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Robert: thank you for reassuring me that I am not the only one who considers this an Alice in Wonderland situation.

Phil: thank you for the link. That this condition is buried in the small print suggests that Cyberlink does not want one to
activate the feature despite it being an advertised function of PD 10. From September 2010, all my movies are AVCHD and I was so looking forward to enjoying the higher resolution and am reluctant to convert the videos to a lower resolution. Having caught up with processing earlier films, some going back to the early 1970s, I was starting to deal with the more recent movies in the family archive, especially to be handed on to the grandchildren. Now I am totally frustrated especially since I had no problems with any earlier version of PD.

Several weeks back I opened a ticket with Cyberlink support and since then I feel I've been getting the run around. I explained the situation up front and have supplied diagnostic files, several screen images and demonstrated that the effect is not a function of a particular patch. The issue is clear but none of the responses from Cyberlink provides a solution or even acknowledges the real problem. Now my responses are ignored because, when I reply, either through the 'reply' button on Cyberlink's Email or via the link they suggest, my response is given a new CS number. I am then asked to respond using the original CS number although there is no mechanism for me to enter the appropriate number, which is allocated by Cyberlink's web site software. On reflection, Alice lived in a simpler world!

I am on the verge of giving up on PD10.

Thank you both for your prompt responses.

Sorlie
BarryTheCrab
Senior Contributor Location: USA Joined: Nov 06, 2008 22:18 Messages: 6240 Offline
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It's time for CL to change that, maybe lengthen the time period to 60 days. For new editors who are blind about such things, 30 days may not be enough time, more-so since it's a super double-secret thingy. 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
Dafydd B [Avatar]
Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline
[Post New]
Quote: Robert: thank you for reassuring me that I am not the only one who considers this an Alice in Wonderland situation.

Phil: thank you for the link. That this condition is buried in the small print suggests that Cyberlink does not want one to
activate the feature despite it being an advertised function of PD 10. From September 2010, all my movies are AVCHD and I was so looking forward to enjoying the higher resolution and am reluctant to convert the videos to a lower resolution. Having caught up with processing earlier films, some going back to the early 1970s, I was starting to deal with the more recent movies in the family archive, especially to be handed on to the grandchildren. Now I am totally frustrated especially since I had no problems with any earlier version of PD.

Several weeks back I opened a ticket with Cyberlink support and since then I feel I've been getting the run around. I explained the situation up front and have supplied diagnostic files, several screen images and demonstrated that the effect is not a function of a particular patch. The issue is clear but none of the responses from Cyberlink provides a solution or even acknowledges the real problem. Now my responses are ignored because, when I reply, either through the 'reply' button on Cyberlink's Email or via the link they suggest, my response is given a new CS number. I am then asked to respond using the original CS number although there is no mechanism for me to enter the appropriate number, which is allocated by Cyberlink's web site software. On reflection, Alice lived in a simpler world!

I am on the verge of giving up on PD10.

Thank you both for your prompt responses.

Sorlie


Hi Sorlie,
I understand your issue.
Online support would in this instance require proof of purchase. Please look up the confirmation email your received at the time of purchase and provide online support the following:
Your full name
You email address
Date of purchase
Order number
CyberLink would need to confirm these details with their sales records.

Please do not mix up the support ticket number with the Order number. It is understandable that without proof of purchase, support wont provide you anything.
Dafydd

Samuel L. [Avatar]
Newbie Location: Saskatoon, Canada Joined: Jan 01, 2008 23:05 Messages: 29 Offline
[Post New]
Dafydd,
Many thanks for providing prompt and accurate info. My problem is that Cyberlink has never asked for proof of purchase nor have they suggested a way to fix the problem. They keep asking for diagnostic files, patch being used, product SN etc, etc ad nauseam.
I have not confused the support ticket and order nos. My problem there is that when I respond via the "Reply" button, my response is treated as a new ticket and is issued another number. THEN, Cyberlink respond asking me to use the old number. I have no control over the number being issued.
Some day this mess will be sorted.
Many thanks,
Sorlie

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 13. 2012 12:12

Theshadowsback [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: May 10, 2012 10:36 Messages: 29 Offline
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I bought my PD10 in a sealed box. On the box it says AVCHD with no reference to having to download the necessary bits to do the job.

So in my opinion, that's exactly what it should do straight from the box

Cyberlink is not playing fair with this. If it says it on the box that's what you should get

Robert
jerrys
Senior Contributor Location: New Britain, CT, USA (between New York and Boston) Joined: Feb 10, 2010 21:36 Messages: 1038 Offline
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Quote: I bought my PD10 in a sealed box. On the box it says AVCHD with no reference to having to download the necessary bits to do the job.

So in my opinion, that's exactly what it should do straight from the box

Cyberlink is not playing fair with this. If it says it on the box that's what you should get

Robert

Unfortunately, they are telling you the truth without being informative. This stuff is in the box, but you can't use it until you activate it. This is undoubtedly some kind of licensing issue that requires them to count the number of users who activate some 3rd-party code. Jerry Schwartz
Robert2 S
Senior Contributor Location: Australia Joined: Apr 22, 2009 05:57 Messages: 1461 Offline
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An editing program I used years ago had a similar option. They said it was to keep the price of the program down so they did not have to pay for licensing not used.

The only thing with them there was no 30 day limit, so no one was caught out when they bought themselves a new HD video camera.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 13. 2012 03:03

My youtube channel====> http://www.youtube.com/user/relate2?feature=mhsn
Carl312
Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline
[Post New]
Quote: I bought my PD10 in a sealed box. On the box it says AVCHD with no reference to having to download the necessary bits to do the job.

So in my opinion, that's exactly what it should do straight from the box

Cyberlink is not playing fair with this. If it says it on the box that's what you should get

Robert

It does say it on the box, this is a scan of a Powerdirector 9 Ultra box.

Sorry the image is so large, I wanted to be sure you can read the text in the red box.

[Thumb - PD9 System requirments on box_note_full size.png]
 Filename
PD9 System requirments on box_note_full size.png
[Disk]
 Description
System requirements PD9 Box
 Filesize
337 Kbytes
 Downloaded:
572 time(s)
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

jerrys
Senior Contributor Location: New Britain, CT, USA (between New York and Boston) Joined: Feb 10, 2010 21:36 Messages: 1038 Offline
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Carl, I've looked at my downloads over and over again, and I can't find that text on them anywhere! Jerry Schwartz
Carl312
Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline
[Post New]
Quote: Carl, I've looked at my downloads over and over again, and I can't find that text on them anywhere!


Look here at the notes on bottom, see note 3.

http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdirector/requirements_en_US.html

No, I doubt you will see that text on your download.

Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

Samuel L. [Avatar]
Newbie Location: Saskatoon, Canada Joined: Jan 01, 2008 23:05 Messages: 29 Offline
[Post New]
Earlier today I received an E-mail from Cyberlink, providing a link for me to download another copy of PD 10 and the associated packs. Having installed the program and the latest patch, I am now able to edit AVCHD files. However, I was NOT prompted to activate H.264 capability so it remains to be seen whether I am headed for another disaster in future.

Dafydd: I was not asked to provide proof of purchase! Given Cyberlink's connection to Digital River and that Cyberlink was provided with the Serial Number and activation code of the software, it should not have been difficult for Cyberlink, in this day and age, to determine that I was the genuine purchaser of the software. One E-mail to Digital River would have provided the desired result. All of which makes one wonder why Cyberlink asks customers to provide proof of purchase!

I bought a download version so the comments from others that the boxed version contains the appropriate warning does not apply to me. However, the different responses of users simply adds to the confusion on this issue. Cyberlink apparently have a corporate policy re the H.264 activation, which they have implemented in the worst possible way. I, for one, would happily have paid more to avoid the hassle of the past three weeks.

My grateful thanks to those who provided moral support and technical information. I believe that there are lots of nice people out there that I have yet to meet. I am convinced that many of them contribute to this forum.

Finally, in a more jocular note, Phil, do you still have snow in Nova Scotia? Out here in Saskatoon, despite the rain, summer has arrived.

Sorlie

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 13. 2012 12:13

babindia
Senior Contributor Location: India Joined: Aug 16, 2007 06:11 Messages: 884 Offline
[Post New]
1st,I agree with the OP that CL should have asked the order information in the 1st place instead of a rigamarole.

2nd, 30 days activation is superfluous.Once the software is bought and paid for all the features the discretion lies with the user as to when he/she wants to use a particular feature.

3rd As OP rightly points out, an user will use the format when he decides to not what CL wants.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 13. 2012 02:51

PC specs :
OS Windows 10.0 Pro
MB - AS rock Z77 extreme 11
Intel 3770K @ 4.0 Ghz OC
Gskill 32 GB RAM 1800 Mhz
6 TB HDD, SSD bootable
nVidia ASUS GTX 660 Ti
BenQ 22" LCD monitor 1920x1080

garioch7
Senior Contributor Location: Port Hood, Nova Scotia, Canada Joined: Feb 07, 2011 06:45 Messages: 852 Offline
[Post New]
Samuel: No snow here in Nova Scotia. It was gone in late March. We had a very warm spring and things are growing two weeks ahead of schedule.

If you are concerned about H.264 activation, just grab some of the sample clips and make a little project and go to Produce or Burn in H.264 and that should initiate the H.264 activation, which, once done, is permanent, unless you uninstall PD10.

Glad to hear things are great in Saskatoon. Have a son in Winnipeg and they have been getting good weather too.

Have a great day.

Regards,
-Phil Windows 10 Pro x64
Dell XPS 8930
Intel CoreT i7 (4.6 GHz)
32 GB DDR4-2666 RAM
1 TB PCIe -x4 SSD
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
PD14 Ultimate x64, 4207
CD4 Ultra and AD6 Ultra
Bleeping Computer Malware Response Instructor
Theshadowsback [Avatar]
Newbie Joined: May 10, 2012 10:36 Messages: 29 Offline
[Post New]
@ Carl

I and most of the others are talking PD10, and it is not on the box
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