Cyberlink PowerProducer - 2.0 User’s Guide

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of CyberLink Corporation.

To the extent allowed by law, POWERPRODUCER IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY FOR INFORMATION, SERVICES, OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED THROUGH OR IN CONNECTION WITH POWERPRODUCER AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

BY USING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE THAT CYBERLINK WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE OR MATERIALS CONTAINED EITHER IN THIS PACKAGE.

The terms and conditions here under shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of Taiwan.

PowerProducer is a registered trademark along with other company and product names mentioned in this publication, used for identification purposes and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

PowerDVD Auto-Player Agreement

The PowerDVD Auto-player is provided for your personal and individual use only. Its commercial use, distribution or sublicense is strictly prohibited, regardless of whether it is for profit or not. If you would like to use the player for any of these prohibited purposes, you may be required to obtain license(s) from third party(ies) for such use, and it shall be your sole responsibility, and at your own expense, to obtain such license(s). For the same reason, you shall indemnify and hold CyberLink harmless from any claims, proceedings, damages, costs, and expenses resulting from your use of the PowerDVD Auto-player for any of these prohibited purposes. You will note that by incorporating the Auto-player, you shall be deemed to have accepted all of the terms mentioned above, and such terms shall constitute a part of the license agreement for PowerProducer between you and CyberLink.

International Headquarters

Mailing Address

CyberLink Corporation

15F, #100, Min Chuan Road, Hsin Tian City

Taipei County, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Web Site

www.gocyberlink.com

Phone Numbers

Telephone: 886-2-8667-1298

Fax: 886-2-8667-1300

Contents

Introduction......................................................... 1

Welcome ................................................................................................... 2

Production Flow ...................................................................................... 3

Pre-Production .................................................................................... 3

Disc Production .................................................................................. 4

Ready to Burn ..................................................................................... 4

Your Production Environment .............................................................. 5

PowerProducer Projects ......................................................................... 6

The Right Technology ............................................................................. 7

CD vs. DVD ......................................................................................... 7

NTSC vs. PAL ................................................................................... 10

Video Quality .................................................................................... 10

System Requirements ........................................................................... 11

OS ....................................................................................................... 11

Memory .............................................................................................. 11

CPU .................................................................................................... 11

Hard Disk Drive ............................................................................... 12

Video Capture ................................................................................... 12

Burning .............................................................................................. 12

PowerProducer Versions ...................................................................... 13

Navigating in CyberLink PowerProducer ......................................... 14

Produce a Movie Disc ........................................ 15

Acquire Content .................................................................................... 16

Import Video Files ............................................................................ 17

Import DVD Content ....................................................................... 17

Capture from a DV Camcorder ...................................................... 18

Capture from a TV ........................................................................... 20

Capture from a VCR ........................................................................ 21

Capture from a PC Camera (Webcam) ......................................... 22

Capture from a Digital Camera ...................................................... 23

Organize Your Story ............................................................................. 24

Manipulate Clips in the Storyboard .............................................. 24

View a Clip ........................................................................................ 25

Edit Clips ................................................................................................ 26

Trim .................................................................................................... 26

Merge ................................................................................................. 27

Split ..................................................................................................... 27

Add Audio ........................................................................................ 28

Produce a Photo Slideshow ................................................................. 29

Create an Album .............................................................................. 29

Select an Album ................................................................................ 30

Add Effects to an Album ................................................................. 30

Preview Disc Content ........................................................................... 32

Preview Using the Remote .............................................................. 32

View the Production Summary ...................................................... 33

Customize Your DVD ........................................................................... 34

Modify Your Disc’s Menus ............................................................. 34

Customize the Menu Page .............................................................. 35

Set Chapters ...................................................................................... 37

Add Special Effects .......................................................................... 38

Adjust Color ...................................................................................... 38

Burn to Disc ............................................................................................ 39

Set Your Burning Configuration .................................................... 39

Burn .................................................................................................... 40

QuickBurn ......................................................................................... 42

Burn DV Content to a DVD ................................................................. 43

Edit a Disc After Burning ..................................................................... 46

Disc Utilities ...................................................... 49

Erase a Disc ............................................................................................ 50

Copy a Disc ............................................................................................ 51

Defragment a Disc ................................................................................. 53

Burn a Disc Image ................................................................................. 54

Save a Disc Image .................................................................................. 55

Burn a Disc from a Folder .................................................................... 56

Appendix........................................................... 57

Technical Support ................................................................................. 58

Web Support .......................................................................................... 58

Fax Support ............................................................................................ 58

Telephone Support ................................................................................ 59

FAQ ......................................................................................................... 60

Glossary .................................................................................................. 64

Index ................................................................ 69

Chapter 1:

Introduction

This chapter introduces CyberLink PowerProducer and the digital movie production process, including what you need to have on hand before you begin working with CyberLink PowerProducer. If you are looking for instructions on how to start producing a movie immediately, see Produce a Movie Disc on p.15.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Welcome on p.2

•

Production Flow on p.3

•

Your Production Environment on p.5

•

PowerProducer Projects on p.6

•

The Right Technology on p.7

•

System Requirements on p.11

•

PowerProducer Versions on p.13

•

Navigating in CyberLink PowerProducer on p.14

•

Chapter 1

Welcome

Welcome to the CyberLink family of digital video tools! CyberLink PowerProducer allows you to finalize your digital video productions and burn them to disc. You can use PowerProducer for light editing tasks and to capture new media, and when it’s time to polish your movie, CyberLink PowerProducer is the best production tool to use.

What is a production tool?

A production tool turns the movie on your hard drive into a DVD or CD that you can play on a disc player and share with friends. But that’s not even half the story. PowerProducer’s production functions include the following:

•

burn

s C

Ds, DVDs, VCDs, SVCDs, MiniDVDs, and editable

DVDs

•

erases discs that contain unwanted content

•

copies discs

•

defragments discs for burning video content

•

burns DV content straight to DVD

•

offers HQ, SP, and LP video qualities

•

supports CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, VCD, SVCD, and miniDVD formats

•

sets chapters within video content

•

adds background music to videos and menus

•

offers custom menu layouts that include buttons, frames, and backgrounds

•

captures from DVD, firewire devices, analog capture cards, USB devices, and files

PowerProducer also boasts simple but powerful video editing functions, including the following:

•

trims, merges, and splits video clips

•

creates photo slideshows

•

adds special effects to photos and video clips

•

matches slideshow length to background music duration

•

adds transitions in slideshows and movies

Production Flow

The digital movie production process involves a combination of artistry and technology, beginning with raw video footage and ending with a movie production burned to disc. CyberLink PowerProducer provides the easiest way to produce your finished movie and burn it to the medium of your choice.

Pre-Production

Before you produce your movie using CyberLink PowerProducer, you must first gather (or create) its component parts: video clips, photos, and background music.

You may collect raw footage yourself with a camcorder or other recording device, or you may simply use non-copyright protected media files that you have on hand.

Introduction

You may even have already created your own movie in a video editing software program, such as CyberLink PowerDirector.

Whatever the case, you should have all of the bits and pieces of your movie on hand so that the production process goes as smoothly as possible.

Chapter 1

Disc Production

When your movie is ready for production, that’s the time to use PowerProducer. Because PowerProducer offers basic video editing tools, your movie does not have to be perfectly polished at this stage.

If you have your media clips on hand, but have not previously edited and polished your movie, you might expect to use CyberLink PowerProducer to perform the following tasks:

1. Specify the disc type and video quality you want to use.

2. Acquire video content.

3. Trim video content to a desired length.

4. Split your video into chapters for disc navigation.

5. Add a special effect to a video clip.

6. Adjust the sharpness, contrast, and color of a video clip.

7. Add background music to a video file.

8. Specify the buttons, background image, background music, and

layout of your menu page.

9. Preview your production.

10. Burn your production to CD/DVD.

Ready to Burn

When you are ready to burn your movie to disc, you should have several discs on hand that are compatible with your burning drive. Make sure not only that the media type is correct (i.e.: that you have DVDs for a DVD drive and CDs for a CD drive), but that your discs are all in the correct format (CD-R, DVD+RW, and so on).

Keep several discs on hand in case your first production doesn’t turn out the way you expected, or to make duplicate copies when you are satisfied with the results.

Your Production Environment

CyberLink PowerProducer offers a range of choices to set your video production environment to better suit the way you work. These

preferences, described below, can be accessed by clicking the button, available on most PowerProducer screens.

•

Movie playback mode: Set your video to return to the disc menu or continue on to the next movie after each movie on the disc finishes playing.

•

Working directory: This is the directory that PowerProducer uses for output. This directory is set during installation. If you change this directory, be sure that the hard disc it is on has enough free space to accommodate your production.

•

Temporary directory: This is the directory that PowerProducer uses for temporary files that are automatically deleted when you exit PowerProducer. This directory is set during installation.

•

Default name for captured video: Enter a name to give to each video file you capture. PowerProducer adds a unique timestamp to distinguish each captured file.

•

Split captured video files according to disc size limit: Split video as you capture to ensure that each captured video file can fit on the type of disc you are using.

•

Create new chapter every: Create a new chapter automatically whenever the set time period is reached.

•

Prompt me if my recording drive is not detected at startup: Instruct PowerProducer to notify you if your computer loses communication with your disc burner at startup.

•

Back up photos on disc: Make backup copies of your original photos whose resolution is higher than that of your final movie production.

•

Default menu style: Specify your favorite style (.fl file) as the style for each new PowerProducer project.

Introduction

Chapter 1

PowerProducer Projects

CyberLink PowerProducer saves projects as a .PPP file. This project file is the collection of all of your movie content, your special effects, and your settings, but is not the final production. This file must be rendered (compiled, or created) from its component parts in order to create the final production, much like a batter must be baked to make a cake out of eggs, flour, and milk.

Whatever changes you make to your video clips, audio files, or photos in CyberLink PowerProducer does not affect your original media. Since your settings are all saved in the project file, you can trim, edit, or delete clips in PowerProducer, but still keep your original files on your hard drive, untouched. So let yourself get creative! If you end up changing things too drastically, you can always start over.

You can use the standard Windows buttons to create a new PowerProducer project file, as well as open or save existing files. The buttons for these tasks are located at the top of the page under most PowerProducer function

New

Save

Preferences

Open

Note: These tools are not always available in all functions.

Save As

The Right Technology

With a seemingly unending array of technologies in the digital video industry, selecting exactly which is suitable for your movie production may seem overwhelming: Should you burn your movie to CD or DVD? Should you use HQ, SP, or LP video quality? What are NTSC and PAL?

This chapter takes the guesswork out of digital technology, so you can use CyberLink PowerProducer to turn a daunting task into creative freedom.

CD vs. DVD

CDs and DVDs look the same and do pretty much the same thing: store data. Both can be used to record your movie. However, CDs and DVDs are incompatible, bringing different advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the decision of which to use is left up to you. This confusion can be cleared up by asking yourself two simple questions:

Introduction

•

What disc type is supported by my disc burner?

•

What disc type is supported by my disc player?

Knowing the answers to these questions goes a long way towards deciding on a disc type: after all, you want to be able to play your disc after burning it, and of course, your burner must support the disc type you want to create.

In broad terms, discs are divided into CD (which, being the earlier technology, is more widely supported) and DVD (which holds seven times the amount of content). Below is a brief description of the different disc types supported by CyberLink PowerProducer.

Chapter 1

CD Types

CD denotes a disc size that contains up to 74/80 minutes of high quality video or 650/700 MB of data. DVDs, VCDs, SVCDs, and miniDVDs (despite the name) are all CD size.

CD-R

CD-RW

SVCD

VCD

CD-R is a once-writable format. CD-RW writers and some new

DVD writers can write in CD-R, and most DVD players can also

read this format. The CD-R format is commonly used for

distribution of computer data and digital audio.

CD-RW is a rewritable CD format. CD-RW writers and some

new DVD writers can write in CD-RW, and most DVD players

can also read this format. The CD-RW format is best suited for

storage of computer data and digital audio.

SVCD (super video compact disc) is a CD-size disc that offers

much higher video quality than VCD, but lower than that of

DVD. It can hold 35 minutes of video, and can contain menus

and chapters like a DVD, as well as slideshows with background

audio. SVCD can be played on a PC with DVD playback

software, and on some standalone DVD players.

VCD (video compact disc) is a CD format that contains audio and

video of a quality about the same as that of VHS, and menus and

chapters like a DVD. VCD uses the MPEG compression standard,

and can be played on a PC with VCD/MPEG playback software

and on most stand-alone DVD players.

DVD Types

DVD is a high capacity CD-size disc that holds anywhere from 1 - 12 gigabytes of data, or from 1 - 6+ hours of video (depending on the type of DVD). Using the High Quality setting, you can expect to be able to record 1-2 hours of video.)

DVDs can be played on DVD players and computers equipped with DVD drives. For more detailed information on DVD-R/RW formats, see www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd or other web sources. For more detailed information on DVD+R/RW formats, see www.dvdrw.com or other web sources.

Introduction

DVD-R

DVD-RW

DVD+R

DVD+RW

MiniDVD

DVD-R is a once-writable DVD format. It is a competitor product to DVD+R, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVDR and DVD+R, and most DVD players can read both formats.

DVD-RW is a DVD format that can be written to about 1,000 times. It is a competitor product to DVD+RW, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVD-RW and DVD+RW, and most DVD players can read both formats.

DVD+R is a once-writable DVD format. It is a competitor product to DVD-R, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVDR and DVD+R, and most DVD players can read both formats.

DVD+RW is a rewritable DVD format that can be written to about 1,000 times. It is a competitor product to DVD-RW, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVD-RW and DVD+RW, and most DVD players can read both formats.

MiniDVD is a variation of DVD, in which a true DVD (including menus and high-resolution video) is placed on a disc in CD-R/W format. While technically a DVD in terms of data structure, miniDVD is not supported by many DVD players because the format is mistaken for standard CD media. MiniDVD is playable on a PC with DVD playback software, but on very few stand-alone DVD players.

Chapter 1

NTSC vs. PAL

NTSC and PAL are formats adopted by television broadcasters in different countries. The main difference between the two formats is the number of frames per second they offer: 30 in NTSC, and 25 in PAL. This difference means that a movie recorded in NTSC format is unplayable by a PAL player and vice versa.

Fortunately, the question of whether to use PAL or NTSC television format for your disc can be reduced to the following simple question:

•

In which country do you plan to play this disc?

Since all countries use either the NTSC or PAL format, knowing the country in which the disc will be played pretty much resolves this issue for you. By selecting the desired country in PowerProducer, the television format (PAL or NTSC) is automatically set.

Note: Generally speaking, the United States, Japan, Canada,

and Mexico use NTSC, while Germany, Great Britain, South America, Australia, and most of Western European and Asian countries use PAL.

Video Quality

The different video quality settings (HQ, SP, and LP) available in CyberLink PowerProducer result in a final picture of higher or lower quality and a movie file of larger or smaller size. Better quality video also demands more from your computer and limits the video duration you can burn to disc. Below is a comparison of the length of video you can expect to be able to burn to a DVD using the different qualities:

•

HQ (High Quality): 60 mins

•

SP (Standard Play): 120 mins

•

LP (Long Play): 180 mins

For the best possible image in your final production, select the highest video quality that will allow your production to fit onto the disc type you are using. Your ultimate choice of video quality, however, should be based both on the image quality you want in your final production and on the processing power of your computer.

System Requirements

The system requirements listed below are recommended as minimums for general digital video production work. You may find that your system, while meeting these recommended minimums, requires expanded capacity during specific DV editing tasks.

Windows XP/2000/ME/98SE

Memory

128 MB RAM (256 or above recommended)

DDR RAM recommended for the Right-to-Disc function

CPU

Introduction

Production

VCD (MPEG-1): Pentium II 450 Mhz or AMD Athlon 500 Mhz

DVD (MPEG-2): Pentium III 700 Mhz or AMD Athlon 700 Mhz

DV Tape Capture

MPEG-1 real-time: Pentium III 800MHz, AMD Athlon 800 MHz

MPEG-2 real-time: P4 1.6GHz, AMD Athlon 1.4GHz

MPEG-1/MPEG-2 non real-time: Pentium II 450, AMD Athlon 500

Mhz

Right-to-Disc

P4 1.8GHz (P4 2.0GHz recommended) or AMD Athlon 1.6 Ghz

Chapter 1

Hard Disk Drive

MPEG-1 (VCD) files: 1GB or higher

MPEG-2 (DVD) files: 10GB or higher

Video Capture

Analog

WDM-compliant USB or PCI capture device

OHCI-compliant IEEE1394 I/O device

Burning

A CD or DVD writer is required for burning VCD, SVCD, DVD, or miniDVD movies.

PowerProducer Versions

Listed below is a table outlining the differences between PowerProducer DE, ME, and VE OEM versions.

Features DE ME VE

DVD authoring -- --

VCD authoring

SVCD authoring --

cDVD authoring --

Editable DVD authoring -- --

Copy Disc CD only CD only

Defragment Disc -- -- --

Introduction

Right-to-Disc -- --

Edit Disc -- --

Import DVD content -- --

Editing functions (includes trimming, audio, and color adjustment)

Chapter 1

Navigating in CyberLink PowerProducer

When you have finished using a function in PowerProducer, click

to proceed to the next function. (You can also skip functions

that are not required for your production by clicking this button.)

To return to a function you have skipped over or already modified, click .

To return to the PowerProducer main page, click .

To skip directly to the burning function, click . See Burn to Disc on p.39.

Chapter 2:

Produce a Movie Disc

This chapter leads you through the process of producing a movie, from capturing content to burning your finished production to disc. It includes instructions for creating a full-feature video production or photo slideshow, customizing your DVD, burning DV directly onto DVD, and editing a disc after burning. The focus of this chapter is on the fun, creative side of production.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Acquire Content on p.16

•

Organize Your Story on p.24

•

Edit Clips on p.26

•

Produce a Photo Slideshow on p.29

•

Preview Disc Content on p.32

•

Customize Your DVD on p.34

•

Burn to Disc on p.39

•

Burn DV Content to a DVD on p.43

•

Edit a Disc After Burning on p.46

•

Chapter 2

Acquire Content

The first step in any production is acquiring content. You may already have digital files you simply want to import into PowerProducer, or you may have raw footage from either an analog or a digital source that you need to capture.

Your production can contain a mixture of video and photos. If you would like to mix still photos with video clips, you must separately acquire your video media and create a photo slideshow (see Produce a Photo Slideshow on p.29).

Note: If you would like to add a single still image to a video

production, you must still create a slideshow of an album containing one photo.

The import and capture functions are located on the Import/Capture Content page within the Produce Movie Disc function.

To get to the Import/Capture Content page, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Produce Movie Disc.

3. Click to bypass the Select Your Disc page.

Note: You can either adjust the settings on this page now or

return to this page to modify them later.

4. Select an import or capture source from the list of available devices on the left-hand side.

The procedures for acquiring content depend on the kind of device used. The sections that follow describe the specific steps to take for importing or capturing content using the devices available to PowerProducer.

Produce a Movie Disc

Import Video Files

You can import video files (including the audio portion) for use in PowerProducer by clicking the Video Files option.

You import video files using a normal Open dialog box, but with one exception: PowerProducer allows you to preview video files (including the audio portion) before you open them. Use the controls under the preview window to start and stop the preview.

After import, the video appears in the storyboard as a clip. To learn about the actions you can perform on clips, see Edit Clips on p.26.

Import DVD Content

You can import video (including the audio portion) for use in PowerProducer by clicking the DVD Content option.

Chapter 2

To import DVD content, do this:

Note: Some DVDs are protected by technology that does not

allow you to import the content they contain.

1. Select your DVD drive.

2. Locate the content you want to import. You may use the Playlists and Scenes options to better define your search.

•

You can preview the video using the playback controls in the preview window to ensure that the video content you are importing is the content you want.

3. Click .

After import, the video appears in the storyboard as a clip. To learn about the actions you can perform on clips, see Edit Clips on p.26.

Capture from a DV Camcorder

You can capture video (including the audio portion) from a DV camcorder for use in PowerProducer by clicking the DV Camcorder option.

Produce a Movie Disc

To capture from a DV camcorder, do this:

Note: Be sure that your DV camcorder is set to VCR mode.

1. Locate the content you want to capture.

•

You may use the playback controls under the preview window.

•

You may enter the timecode of the first frame of the video you want to capture.

•

You may enter a duration (in minutes and seconds) in the Auto-recording duration field to instruct PowerProducer to capture this amount of video from the current position when you begin recording.

•

Non-realtime capture continues capturing and processing after the video has finished playing in order to ensure that no frames are dropped during capture.

2. Click to begin capture.

3. Click to end capture when you have captured the video you

want.

After capture, the video appears in the storyboard as a clip. To learn about the actions you can perform on clips, see Edit Clips on p.26.

Chapter 2

Capture from a TV

You can capture video (including the audio portion) from a TV for use in PowerProducer by clicking the TV option.

To capture from a TV, do this:

1. Select the source (antenna or cable) of your TV signal.

2. Select the channel you wish to record.

•

You may enter a duration (in minutes and seconds) in the Auto-recording duration field to instruct PowerProducer to capture this amount of video from the time you begin recording.

3. Select an audio source from the drop-down box. This source reflects the input source of your audio card.

4. Click to begin capture.

5. Click to end capture when you have captured the video you

want.

After capture, the video appears in the storyboard as a clip. To learn about the actions you can perform on clips, see Edit Clips on p.26.

Produce a Movie Disc

Capture from a VCR

You can capture video (including the audio portion) from a VCR for use in PowerProducer by clicking the VCR option.

To capture from a VCR, do this:

1. Select a video source. The options Composite and S-Video refer to different types of analog video. Select the option that matches your VCR.

Note: If you are unsure which kind of VCR you have, check the

type of connector you attached it with: this connector should be labeled as composite or s-video.

2. Select an audio source from the drop-down box. This source reflects the input source of your audio card.

3. Click to begin capture.

•

You may enter a duration (in minutes and seconds) in the Auto-recording duration field to instruct PowerProducer to capture this amount of video from the time you begin recording.

Chapter 2

4. Click to end capture when you have captured the video you want.

After capture, the video appears in the storyboard as a clip. To learn about the actions you can perform on clips, see Edit Clips on p.26.

Capture from a PC Camera (Webcam)

You can capture video from a PC camera (webcam) for use in PowerProducer by clicking the PC Camera option.

To capture from a PC camera (webcam), do this:

1. Select an audio source from the drop-down box. This source reflects the input source of your audio card.

2. Click to begin capture.

•

You may enter a duration (in minutes and seconds) in the Auto-recording duration field to instruct PowerProducer to capture this amount of video from the time you begin recording.

Produce a Movie Disc

3. Click to end capture when you have captured the video you want.

After capture, the video appears in the storyboard as a clip. To learn about the actions you can perform on clips, see Edit Clips on p.26.

Capture from a Digital Camera

You can capture still photos from a digital camera for use in PowerProducer by clicking the Digital Camera option.

To capture from a digital camera, do this:

1. Select your camera from the drop-down box.

2. Check the photo(s) you want to capture.

Note: Since all photos are selected by default, uncheck the

photos you do

•

Click to select all of the photos.

want to capture.

not

3. Click to locate the directory where you want to save the

photos.

4. Click .

After capture, the photos appear in the storyboard as slides. To learn about creating a photo slideshow, see Produce a Photo Slideshow on p.29. To learn about changing the appearance of slides, see Add Special Effects on p.38 and Adjust Color on p.38.

Chapter 2

Organize Your Story

Once your video content has been acquired and your slideshow has been created, it appears in the storyboard as a clip. You can reorder, remove, and preview each of these clips in order to organize your production into proper order.

Manipulate Clips in the Storyboard

PowerProducer offers tools to allow you to move, delete, and undelete clips in the storyboard.

Move towards start

Delete

Undelete

Move towards end

Move a Clip

To move a clip, right-click on it and select Move towards start (towards the beginning of your story) or Move towards end (towards the end of your story). The clip moves one position in the direction you have specified each time you click the button.

Delete a Clip

To remove an unwanted clip from the storyboard, select it and click

. The clip is removed from the storyboard.

To undelete a clip, click .

Note: You can undelete all of the clips you delete in reverse

order of deletion.

Produce a Movie Disc

View a Clip

When you click on a video or slideshow clip in the storyboard, the first frame appears in the preview window.

Preview Video Media

To preview a video clip in the preview window, use the playback controls at the bottom of the window.

Preview a Slideshow

To preview a slideshow in the preview window, use the playback controls at the bottom of the window.

To view the collection of slides in a slideshow, click under the preview window. A window appears, displaying all of the slides in the slideshow. If the total number of slides in a slideshow cannot be displayed in the window, click or to reveal more slides.

To view an individual slide, double-click it in the Slideshow Photos window. Another window appears, displaying an enlarged view of the slide.

View Clip Properties

You can view clip-related properties, which include the clip’s file name, resolution, and playback time (along with other information).

To view clip properties, right-click on the clip and select Properties.

Chapter 2

Edit Clips

Clip editing options are located on the Edit Clips page within the Produce Movie Disc function. The editing options available in PowerProducer may be applied to both video clips and to albums contained in slideshows.

To get to the Edit Clips page, do this:

1. Click Edit Clips on the Import/Capture Content page.

2. Select an editing option from the list on the left-hand side.

Trim

Trim a clip to remove unwanted portions.

To trim a clip, do this:

1. Select the Trim option.

2. Click on the clip you want to trim.

3. Set the mark in time/slide (the first frame or slide of the portion

that you want to keep). There are several ways to set the mark in time/slide:

•

Enter the time/slide number of the beginning of the portion

you want to keep in the entry boxes, then click to set the starting position.

•

Drag the slider under the preview window to the beginning of the portion you want to keep, then click to set the starting position.

4. Set the mark out time/slide (the last frame or slide of the portion that you want to keep). There are several ways to set the mark out time/slide:

•

Enter the time/slide number of the beginning of the portion you want to keep in the entry boxes, then click to set the ending position.

•

Drag the slider under the preview window to the beginning of the portion you want to keep, then click to set the

ending position.

5. Click .

The trimmed clip appears in the storyboard.

Produce a Movie Disc

Merge

Merge multiple clips into a single file that you may find easier to work with in certain editing functions, or to ensure that effects that you apply later are applied evenly over the length of the clips.

Note: Video clips and slideshow albums may not be merged.

To merge multiple clips, do this:

1. Select the Merge option.

2. Select a clip, then click to add the clip to the merge list.

Continue to add all the clips you want to merge.

•

Use the button to remove clips from the merge list.

•

Use the and buttons to reorder the clips, if necessary.

3. Click to merge the clips.

The merged clips appear in the storyboard as one clip.

Split

Split a long video clip into two clips if you want to apply different special effects or audio files to each of the different portions or for further editing.

To split a clip, do this:

1. Select the Split option.

2. Set the split time/slide (the frame or slide at the position at

which you want to split the clip). There are several ways to set the split time/slide:

•

Enter a time in the entry boxes and click to seek to that time.

•

Drag the slider under the preview window to the desired position, then click to set that position as the split

position.

3. Click to split the clip.

The split clip appears in the storyboard as two clips.

Chapter 2

Add Audio

You may add an audio file to a video clip whether or not it already contains an audio portion. PowerProducer provides options for mixing the two audio portions for a greater degree of artistic control. You may also add an audio file to a slideshow.

To add audio to a clip, do this:

1. Select the Add Audio option.

2. Click . The Background Music dialog box opens. You can

adjust the fade in/out options and the volume of the original audio track here. You can also mute the original audio if you prefer to use a different audio track for the video clip.

3. Click to open an audio track. You may edit the audio file

here or click to add it to the video file you have selected. The following options are available, if desired:

•

Select a fade in/out option.

•

Select to repeat the audio track until the video clip ends.

•

Trim the audio file using the sliders on the trim bar.

•

Adjust the volume.

4. Click .

The additional audio track appears beneath the original audio track.

•

If you want to remove the additional audio track, click .

Produce a Movie Disc

Produce a Photo Slideshow

A slideshow is a presentation that can include both photos (called slides) and effects, such as transitions and background music. The photos and effects in a slideshow are contained in units called albums, which can contain any number of photos, as well as transitions and music.

Using multiple albums allows you to use additional background music or effects. If you want to use a single audio file and special effect for your entire slideshow, you can use a single album.

The functions for creating a slideshow are located on the Create a Slideshow page within the Produce Movie Disc function.

To get to the Create a Slideshow page, click Create a Slideshow on the Import/Capture Content page.

Create an Album

When you create a slideshow, PowerProducer automatically creates a new album within that slideshow, in which you can add your photos.

To create a slideshow, do this:

1. Click New Album.

2. Open the photos you want to add. The photos appear in the

storyboard as slides, and the first slide appears in the album window as a preview.

•

To add slides to the album, click Add Slides, then open the photos you want to add.

•

To view album properties, right-click the preview slide in the album window and select Properties.

•

Check the Back up photos on disc option to burn copies of your photos onto your disc. This is especially useful for photos with a resolution higher than DVD (720x480).

Chapter 2

Select an Album

When you create a new album, a preview appears in the album preview window. You may, however, have other albums that are not visible.

To select a different album, click or . Its preview slide appears within the album preview window and the slides it contains appear in the storyboard.

Add Effects to an Album

Adding effects to an album turns your slideshow into a full multimedia production.

Add Background Music

The procedure for adding an audio file to an album is the same as the procedure for adding an audio file to a video clip. See Add Audio on p.28 for the steps to follow.

Set Durations

You can set the duration of all of the slides or albums in a slideshow or by matching the duration of the audio file that accompanies it.

To set slide durations, click Slides and enter a duration.

To set album durations, click Album and enter a duration.

To match the duration of the audio file, click Match music duration and enter a duration.

Produce a Movie Disc

Add Transition Effects

To set a transition effect between all of the slides in an album, do this:

Note: Transitions can only be applied within a slideshow.

1. Select a transition effect from the drop-down box.

2. Enter the duration (in seconds) of the transition effect.

•

Click to apply the same transition effect to all of the

albums in the slideshow. Click to remove the transition effect from the current album.

Chapter 2

Preview Disc Content

When you have organized your clips and finalized the content, it is a good idea to preview your entire production. You can also customize your disc from the Preview page, so if you make further modifications, it’s a good idea to preview your production again before you burn it to disc.

Preview Using the Remote

To preview your production, press .

To preview a specific chapter or slideshow album, click on it in the preview window.

While your production is playing, use the playback controls on the remote to control playback. These controls are explained below:

Play chapter that corresponds to number

Return to main menu

Menu page navigation (up, down, left, right)

Enter

Playback controls (play, pause, stop)

Volume controls (decrease, mute, increase)

Previous/next chapter

Produce a Movie Disc

View the Production Summary

You can view up-to-the-minute system and production information

by clicking on the PowerProducer interface. This button is available on most PowerProducer pages.

PowerProducer gives you an overview of the file size and duration of your production next to this button.

Current size Maximum size

Warning level Current size/duration

Chapter 2

Customize Your DVD

Customization options are located on the Preview page within the Produce Movie Disc function. When you have finished making modifications, it is a good idea to go back and preview your production before proceeding to burn it to disc.

Modify Your Disc’s Menus

Menus allow you to navigate around on your final disc. The Preview page offers several options for modifying the appearance of the menu pages that appear on your disc.

Note: If you wish to include menus on your disc, be sure to check

the Include menus option. Checking this option enables the menu customization functions.

Background Style

To specify a background style, do this:

1. Click .

2. Select a file type (favorites or images) from the drop-down box,

then click OK.

•

Favorite (.fl) files include all of the customizable menu styles.

•

Image files include .bmp, .jpg, and .jpeg formats.

Menu Heading

To set the heading text of the menu page, enter the text in the entry box. Click to apply this same heading to all menu pages.

Menu Audio

The procedure for adding an audio file to a menu is the same as the procedure for adding an audio file to a video clip. See Add Audio on p.28 for the steps to follow.

Produce a Movie Disc

Customize the Menu Page

The Customize Menu page gives you complete creative control over the look of your menu page. You can modify the appearance of the menu’s buttons, text, and overall layout.

Menu Options

To customize your disc’s menu, do this:

1. Click Customize Menu.

2. Select the menu you want to customize in the directory tree.

3. Select the items you want to modify. You can modify the

following items:

•

Background

•

Buttons Per Page

•

Frame

•

Button Layout

•

Button Style

•

Highlight

4. Select a template, then one of the items it contains. The item you

select appears in the preview window.

5. Click to close the customization window.

Add an Image to the Template

To add your own image to the User-defined template, do this:

1. Click Background.

2. Click and open an image. The image you select is added to

the User-defined template.

•

Select an image and click to remove it from the Userdefined template.

•

Select an image and click to apply this image to all of your menus.

3. Click to close the customization window.

Chapter 2

Te xt

You can modify the menu page heading text as well as the names of each of the buttons on the menu page.

To modify any of the text on the menu page, do this:

1. Double-click the text to select it.

•

Enter new text if desired.

•

Click to change the font properties.

2. Click to close the customization window.

Favorites

After you modify the settings on the Customize Menu page, you can

save your new settings as a Favorite (.fl) file by clicking . To open

a Favorites file you have created, click .

Background Music

The procedure for adding an audio file to a DVD menu page is the same as the procedure for adding an audio file to a video clip. See Add Audio on p.28 for the steps to follow.

First Play

A clip designated as first play is the initial sequence that plays as soon as the DVD is inserted and before you reach the menu page. No navigation buttons are available during the first play, and viewers cannot fast forward past this segment. In a professional production, first play typically consists of a copyright notice or warning. However, you may prefer to use a personal introduction or other video clip instead.

To set a clip as first play, click and open the file that you want.

Click to remove the file set as first play.

Produce a Movie Disc

Set Chapters

Chapters allow for ease of navigation on a DVD. If you set chapters, viewers can jump from the menu page to the start of these chapters in order to skip previous content. However, your content may not require chapters, or you may choose not to include them.

Note: If you do not set chapters, your movie automatically starts

to play when your final disc is inserted into a player.

To set chapters, do this:

1. Click Set Chapters.

2. Set the chapters in your DVD.

•

If you want to specify the number of chapters in your DVD, select the Set chapters evenly option, then enter the number in the entry box.

•

If you do not know the number of chapters you want, but want to set chapters at specific points in your production, use the playback controls to locate the points, then click to

set chapters at these points.

•

If you want PowerProducer to set chapters for you, select the Set chapters by scene detection option. You can control the relative number of chapters by increasing or decreasing the sensitivity of scene detection. (Increased sensitivity sets more

chapters.) Click to start scene detection and automatic chapter setting.

•

To remove chapters from the clip in the storyboard, select

them and click .

3. Click .

Chapter 2

Add Special Effects

To add special effects to a clip, do this:

1. Click Add Special Effects.

2. Select the clips you want to add the special effect to.

3. Select the effect you want.

•

Use the playback controls under the preview window to preview the effect.

•

Click to reset the clip to its original appearance.

4. Click to apply the effect.

5. Click .

Adjust Color

To adjust the color of a clip, do this:

1. Click Adjust Color.

2. Select the clips you want to adjust.

3. Click along the slider to adjust the level of the color component

you want to change.

•

Use the playback controls under the preview window to preview the adjustment.

•

Click to reset the clip to its original appearance.

4. Click to apply the color adjustment.

5. Click .

Produce a Movie Disc

Burn to Disc

When you have acquired your media, assembled your story, edited your clips, added audio and other effects, and customized the layout and look of your DVD, then it’s time to burn your production to disc.

CyberLink PowerProducer offers several methods to burn a disc, which are useful under different circumstances. You can burn a disc as the last step in your movie production process, use the QuickBurn function to skip unnecessary editing steps, or burn DV content directly to DVD.

Note: If you are not familiar with the many disc types available in

PowerProducer, see The Right Technology on p.7.

Set Your Burning Configuration

Before you burn to disc for the first time, set your burning configuration on the Final Output page. After you set this configuration, PowerProducer uses the same configuration each time you burn until you change the settings.

To set your burning configuration, do this:

1. Click .

2. Select your recording drive.

3. Select a recording speed.

Note: It is recommended that you burn at 1x speed to avoid

errors during burning.

The Include buffer under-run protection option ensures that

•

your drive write without errors when your hard drive is busy or system resources are low.

4. Click to set your configuration and return to the Final Output page.

Note: You can erase a disc before burning to it by clicking

. See Erase a Disc on p.50 for the steps to follow.

Chapter 2

Burn

The Burn to Disc option is located on the Final Output page. This is the final stage of the movie production process.

To burn a disc, do this:

1. Select Burn to Disc and enter the number of copies you want to make.

•

You may save your production as a disc image.

•

You may create a DVD folder.

•

To give the disc a volume label, enter the desired label.

•

Check the Include PowerDVD Auto-player option to include CyberLink’s PowerDVD software player. This option ensures that you can play your production on any computer that supports the disc type.

Produce a Movie Disc

2. Click . Burning begins immediately. PowerProducer displays the real-time progress of the task.

•

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Chapter 2

Note: The burning process may take at least a few minutes,

depending on the length and quality of your video and your computer’s processing power. Be prepared for a short wait while PowerProducer renders your production!

QuickBurn

The QuickBurn option is available at any time during the movie production process. You may wish to use the QuickBurn option immediately after acquiring your video, for example, if you do not plan to edit your video, add any special effects, or customize your disc. The QuickBurn option allows you to skip these functions and go directly to the burning function.

To burn a disc using the QuickBurn option, click . The procedure for burning a disc using the QuickBurn option is the same as the procedure for burning a disc. See Burn to Disc on p.39 for the steps to follow.

Produce a Movie Disc

Burn DV Content to a DVD

You can burn DV content stored on a camcorder directly onto a DVD without the intermediary step of first burning to your hard drive. This can save you a lot of time when you want to add DV content to your production.

In the simplest scenario, you could burn your DV content straight onto DVD, then immediately play your movie on a DVD player. You can also choose to edit your video content and customize your DVD after burning.

To burn DV content directly to DVD, do this:

Note: Be sure that your DV camcorder is set to VCR mode.

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Right-to-Disc.

Chapter 2

3. Insert your target disc and ensure that the correct drive is selected.

4. Select a recording speed, then click .

Note: It is recommended that you select 1x speed to avoid errors

during burning.

5. Select the duration of your DV tape under the DV tape length drop-down box.

6. Set the TV format (NTSC or PAL) by selecting the location where you want to play your disc, and select a video quality. You may also set a number of other options at this time:

•

To give your movie a name, enter the name in the Movie title entry box, then click to change the font properties.

•

To set a menu style, click to open a Favorites file, or click

to customize the menu before burning.

•

To give the disc a volume label, enter the desired label.

•

To defragment the disc before burning, check the Defragment disc option. See Defragment a Disc on p.53.

Produce a Movie Disc

•

To record a specific length of video, enter the mark in and out times. The steps are similar to trimming a clip. See Trim on p.26.

7. Click to start burning. PowerProducer displays the real- time progress of the task.

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Note: The burning process may take at least a few minutes,

depending on the length of your video and your computer’s processing power.

Chapter 2

Edit a Disc After Burning

What happens if you shoot additional video that would complete your production perfectly? Do you have to erase your entire disc or burn a new one? Not necessarily...

After you burn your production onto a rewritable disc (i.e.: in -RW or +RW format), you can go back and edit the content at a later time.

To edit a disc after burning, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Edit Disc.

3. Insert your target disc.

4. Select a recording speed, then click .

Note: It is recommended that you burn at 1x speed to avoid

errors during burning.

Produce a Movie Disc

You can now preview your movie or select an editing option from the list on the left-hand side.

To add video to your production, click Append New Video. See Acquire Content on p.16.

To customize the menu, click Customize Menu. See Modify Your Disc’s Menus on p.34.

To set chapters, click Set Chapters. See Set Chapters on p.37.

Chapter 2

When you are ready to burn your new modifications to your production, click . See Burn to Disc on p.39.

Chapter 3:

Disc Utilities

In addition to its production, editing, and disc burning functions, CyberLink PowerProducer offers a number of other utilities for managing your discs.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Erase a Disc on p.50

•

Copy a Disc on p.51

•

Defragment a Disc on p.53

•

Burn a Disc Image on p.54

•

Save a Disc Image on p.55

•

Burn a Disc from a Folder on p.56

•

Chapter 3

Erase a Disc

If you are using a rewritable disc (i.e.: a disc in RW or + RW format), you can erase content that has been previously recorded onto it. This allows you to reuse the same discs over and over without the need to continually buy new discs. Most manufacturers suggest that current rewritable discs can be written to about 1,000 times.

To erase a disc, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Disc Utilities.

3. Click Erase Disc.

4. Insert your disc and select your drive.

5. Select an erasing method.

•

The Quick option erases the disc index contained on the disc.

•

The Full option erases all of the content the disc contains.

6. Click to start. PowerProducer displays the real-time progress of the task.

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Copy a Disc

CyberLink PowerProducer allows you to make an exact copy of a disc of any format. However, you must copy the disc onto another disc of the same format. (You cannot, for example, copy a CD onto a DVD.)

Note: You may not copy a blank disc.

To copy a disc, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Disc Utilities.

3. Click Copy Disc.

4. Insert your source disc into your drive.

Note: If you use the same drive to copy discs, you must first set a

disc image directory so PowerProducer can copy the disc contents to your hard drive during the copy function.

5. Insert your target disc into your burning drive.

Disc Utilities

Chapter 3

6. Enter the number of copies you want to make and select the burning options you want.

•

Keep the Enable buffer underrun protection option checked in order to avoid errors during copy.

•

The On the fly option burns directly to disc without the intermediary step of first burning to your hard drive.

•

Check the Create disc image option when using one disc drive for the copy function.

7. Click to start. PowerProducer displays the real-time progress of the task.

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Defragment a Disc

Defragmenting a disc moves all of the content on a disc to one location so that the total free space on a disc is available for burning video. If unused space is scattered on the disc, video burning software is unable to access it, resulting in a loss of recording capacity of the disc. The Defragment Disc utility allows you to recover this lost space.

Note: The Defragment Disc utility is only available for DVDs. You

may not defragment a blank disc.

To defragment a disc, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Disc Utilities.

3. Click Defragment Disc.

4. Insert your disc and select your drive.

Disc Utilities

5. Click to start. PowerProducer displays the real-time progress of the task.

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Chapter 3

Burn a Disc Image

A disc image is the collection of all of your movie content, your special effects, and your settings that is compressed and saved to disc for storage so you can work on it at a later time. (In essence, a disc image is a PowerProducer project file saved to disc. Unlike a project file, however, a disc image is saved in the .RDF file format.) This function is particularly useful if you change hard drives or want to work on your production on a different computer.

To burn a disc image, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Disc Utilities.

3. Click Burn Disc From Image.

4. Insert your disc and select your drive.

5. Click to start. PowerProducer displays the real-time

progress of the task.

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Save a Disc Image

If you have previously burned a disc image to a disc, you can save that image onto your hard drive so you can resume working on your movie production. This function is particularly useful if you change hard drives or want to work on your production on a different computer.

To save a disc image, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Disc Utilities.

3. Click Save Disc Image.

4. Insert your disc and select your drive.

Disc Utilities

5. Click to set the file name and to select a directory to save the file to.

6. Click to start. PowerProducer displays the real-time progress of the task.

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Chapter 3

Burn a Disc from a Folder

If you have created a folder that contains all of the media files for your production, you can burn this folder to a disc for storage. (Burning a DVD folder to disc is similar to burning a disc image, but does not employ compression, and therefore has no compatibility issues.) This function is particularly useful if you want to work on your production on a different computer.

To burn a disc from a DVD folder, do this:

1. Start CyberLink PowerProducer.

2. Click Disc Utilities.

3. Click Burn Disc From DVD folder.

4. Insert your disc and select your drive.

5. Click to set the folder directory you want to burn from.

6. Click to start. PowerProducer displays the real-time

progress of the task.

When the task is completed, a screen message appears, informing you of the status.

Appendix

This chapter contains reference information to help answer questions you may have about the digital movie production process or about using CyberLink PowerProducer.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Before asking CyberLink Corp. for technical support, please

•

refer to this user's guide or online help for more information. You may also contact your local distributor/dealer. If your problem is still not resolved, the following sections provide ways to obtain technical support. on p.58

FAQ on p.60

•

Glossary on p.64

•

Appendix

Technical Support

Before asking CyberLink Corp. for technical support, please refer to this user's guide or online help for more information. You may also contact your local distributor/ dealer. If your problem is still not resolved, the following sections provide ways to obtain technical support.

Web Support

Solutions to your problem are available 24 hours a day at our Web sites:

www.gocyberlink.com

www.cli.co.jp

You may also find solutions or additional support at support.gocyberlink.com. In addition to frequently asked questions, we also provide troubleshooting techniques, the latest in product news, and other relevant information.

Fax Support

In order to answer your technical questions as quickly as possible, fax us at:

(886) 2-8667-1300

Note: Technical support is only offered to registered users, so please make sure to jot down your CD-key located on your CD case when visiting our Web sites or faxing.

Appendix

Telephone Support

You are welcome to call the CyberLink's Technical Support Hotline at (886) 2-8667-

1298. Phone support hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM (GMT +8:00) Taiwan local time excluding holidays. When calling for support, please have your computer ready and provide us with the following information:



your registered CD-key



the product version



Windows' OS version



hardware types (capture card, sound card, VGA card) and their specifications



warning messages displayed



detailed problem description and when it occurred

Note: Technical support is only offered to registered users, so please make sure your CD-key is ready when calling.

Appendix

FAQ

Answers to the most frequently asked questions concerning CyberLink PowerProducer are listed below. If you require further information, see Before asking CyberLink Corp. for technical support, please refer to this user's guide or online help for more information. You may also contact your local distributor/dealer. If your problem is still not resolved, the following sections provide ways to obtain technical support. on p.58.

1. What is PowerProducer?

PowerProducer is a software program for producing movie titles and photo slideshows in formats such as DVD, VCD, SVCD and MiniDVD. With video editing and menu customization capabilities, PowerProducer allows you to add the finishing touches to your home movies.

2. What's new in PowerProducer 2.0?

•

Right-to-Disc: recording your DV video straight to DVD.

•

Editing DVDs: appending new video, changing menu backgrounds, and modifying chapters.

•

Direct support of digital still camera

•

DVD video import

•

Additional audio track to your original video clips

•

Slideshow transitions

•

More disc utilities (Copy Disc, Defragment Disc)

3. How do I know if my DVD player will play the DVDs I create with PowerProducer?

Movie titles/discs created by PowerProducer has been thoroughly tested in the Class A verification lab approved by the DVD Forum. This means we are being verified and tested in world class labs that guarantee our compatibility. A DVD player that carries a DVD-video compatible logo should playback any movie discs without any problems.

Appendix

4. How do I know if my hardware is supported by CyberLink PowerProducer?

Check out the hardware approval sheet in the readme file. An updated version can also be found on CyberLink’s website. Just click Products > CyberLink PowerProducer, then click a device type under Supported Devices. There is information on the following types of devices:

•

Capture Cards

•

DV Camcorders

•

CD Burners

•

DVD Burners

5. What file formats can be imported into PowerProducer?

•

Video: .avi, .dat, .mpg, .mpeg, DivX (requires codec, which can be downloaded at www.divx.com/divx/)

•

Audio: .mp3, .wav

•

Photo: .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg

6. What movie disc types can be produced by PowerProducer?

•

DVD

•

DVD folders and disc images

•

MiniDVD (DVD-Video on CD)

•

SVCD

•

VCD

7. What is editable DVD?

Editable DVD is a DVD in either DVD-RW or DVD+RW format that can be written to, then edited after the burning process. Once a disc has been burned, you can further append video, modify backgrounds, and set chapters without rewriting the entire disc. The disc can be played on a standard DVD player after editing.

Appendix

8. What is the difference between CyberLink PowerProducer and CyberLink PowerDirector Pro?

CyberLink PowerProducer is mainly for users who want to turn their home videos saved in their computers or in DV camcorders and digital cameras into movie titles on DVDs or CDs and share with friends and family. Without spending too much time on learning how to operate a movie authoring software. Also you can produce a movie title with 3 simple steps.

CyberLink PowerDirector Pro, on the other hand, is mainly for users who have creative ideas on making fancy videos and would like to add stunning special effects by spending time in the cutting room. It also exports videos on popular video formats to hard drive and burns onto optical discs.

9. Which languages does PowerProducer support?

PowerProducer supports the languages listed below:

•

Chinese, Simplified

•

Chinese, Traditional

•

English

•

French

•

German

•

Italian

•

Japanese

•

Korean

•

Spanish

10. Commercial DVDs often contain up to 3 hours of video. How can I use PowerProducer to make a DVD that long?

Change the video quality setting in the Select Your Disc page. When you select a video quality, the detailed attributes of that quality setting are displayed at the bottom of the PowerProducer interface. For more information, see Video Quality on p.10.

Appendix

11. Isn't MPEG encoding slow? How does PowerProducer increase production speed?

PowerProducer incorporates a technology developed by CyberLink called SVRT - Smart Video Rendering Technology. Using SVRT, PowerProducer only renders the modified part of a video sequence, without rendering the untouched parts. This speeds up production time considerably. SVRT is the smartest way to render MPEG and still retain the original video quality.

12. What is the scene detection feature? How do I use it?

PowerProducer uses scene detection to create chapters based on the scenes in the original video file. To set relatively more scenes, increase the sensitivity setting. To set relatively fewer scenes, decrease the sensitivity setting. For more information, see Set Chapters on p.37.

Appendix

Glossary

The glossary provides definitions of terms used in this user’s guide that you may find unfamiliar. In addition to this glossary, CyberLink offers i-Help definitions on the PowerProducer program interface.

(To use i-Help, click the icon.)

album

CD-R

CD-RW

chapter

clip

codec

The building blocks of slideshows. An album may contain any number of slides (even just one), and a slideshow may contain any number of albums. An album can also contain special effects and background music.

A once-writable CD format that can hold up to 74 or 80 minutes (650 or 700 MB) of data. CD-RW writers and some new DVD writers can write in CD-R, and most DVD players can also read this format. The CD-R format is commonly used for distribution of computer data and digital audio.

A rewritable CD format that can hold up to 74 or 80 minutes (650 or 700 MB) of data. While CD-RW discs can be reused, they are not supported by all CD drives. CDRW writers and some new DVD writers can write in CDRW, and most DVD players can also read this format. The CD-RW format is best suited for storage of computer data and digital audio. CD-RWs can be written to about 1,000 times.

A marker set in a video clip in order allow viewers to jump to that specific point for navigation purposes.

A piece of video or a slideshow album that appears in PowerProducer’s storyboard.

Software used in compressiong/decompressing video.

contrast

The relative difference between the highlights and shadows in a picture.

Appendix

defragment disc

de-interlacing

disc image

DivX

DVD

DVD folder

Methods used to reduce or eliminate the decrease in video quality caused by interlacing.

The collection of all of your movie content, your special effects, and your settings that is compressed and saved to disc for storage so you can work on it at a later time.

A video file format based on MPEG-4 technology. The DivX codec can be downloaded for free from the DivX website at www.divx.com/divx/

(Digital Video) Refers to the capturing, manipulation and storage of video in digital formats. The DV format is an international standard for consumer use created in 1995 by a consortium of companies.

(Digital Versatile Disc) A high capacity CD-size disc for video, multimedia, games and audio applications.

A folder containing all of the media files for your production that can be burned to a disc for storage.

DVD-R

DVD+R

DVD-ROM

A DVD format that allows you to write once. It is a competitor product to DVD+R, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVD-R and DVD+R, and most DVD players can read both formats. For more detailed information, see www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd or other web sources.

A DVD format that allows you to write once. It is a competitor product to DVD-R, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVD+R and DVD-R, and most DVD players can read both formats. For more detailed information, see www.dvdrw.com or other web sources.

A read-only DVD format commonly used for distribution of movies (which are more specifically referred to as DVD-Video) and computer games.

Appendix

DVD-RW

DVD+RW

A DVD format that can be written to about 1,000 times. It is a competitor product to DVD+RW, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVD-RW and DVD+RW, and most DVD players can read both formats. For more detailed information, see www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd or other web sources.

A rewritable DVD format that can be written to about 1,000 times. It is a competitor product to DVD-RW, and is therefore not compatible with that format. Some new DVD writers can write in both DVD+RW and DVD-RW, and most DVD players can read both formats. For more detailed information, see www.dvdrw.com or other web sources.

editable DVDA DVD in either DVD-RW or DVD+RW format that

can be written to, then edited after the burning process.

Favorite file

A file (in .fl format) used by PowerProducer to remember your favorite styles for disc menus. Disc menu styles include button styles, button highlights, button frames, and page layouts.

(High Quality) The highest video quality you may select in PowerProducer.

hue

interlacing

The attribute of a color that distinguishes it from other colors.

Flickering or artefacts caused by the way video signals are broadcast. (Each frame of video is made up of a number of lines. When video frames are broadcast, the odd lines of the screen display are illuminated first, then the even lines. This causes the interlacing problem, which is most evident when the video contains motion.)

(Long Play) The lowest video quality you may select in PowerProducer.

A page on a DVD that contains links to the chapters the DVD contains.

Appendix

MiniDVD

MPEG

NTSC

PAL

production

render

A variation of DVD, in which a true DVD (including menus and high-resolution video) is placed on a disc in CD-R/W format. while technically a DVD in terms of data structure, miniDVD is not supported by most DVD players because the format is mistakenly recognized as standard CD media. MiniDVD is playable on a PC with DVD playback software, but on very few stand-alone DVD players.

(Moving Picture Experts Group) A family of international standards used for coding audio/video information into digital format. Currently, MPEG-2 is the standard for digital video formats and MP3 for digital audio formats.

(National Television Systems Committee) A standard format adopted by the FCC for television broadcasts in the United States, Japan, Canada, and Mexico. NTSC offers 525 lines of resolution per frame at 30 fps.

(Phase Alteration Line) The standard format for television broadcasts in Germany, Great Britain, South America, Australia, and most of Western European and Asian countries. PAL offers 25 frames per second.

A movie or photo slideshow that can contain background music, special effects, and other settings.

To compile a video production from its component video, audio, photo, and settings parts.

saturation

slide

slideshow

The richness of a color.

An individual photo within a slideshow. Slides are contained within albums.

A presentation that can include both photos (called slides) and effects, such as transitions and background music. The photos and effects in a slideshow are contained in units called albums, which can contain any number of photos, as well as transitions and music.

(Standard Play) The median video quality in PowerProducer, inferior to HQ but superior to LP.

Appendix

SVCD

TV format

VCD

video quality

volume label

(Super Video Compact Disc) A CD-size disc format that offers much higher video quality than VCD, but lower than that of DVD. It can hold 35 minutes of video, and can contain menus and chapters like a DVD, as well as slideshows with background audio. SVCD can be played on a PC with DVD playback software, and on some standalone DVD players.

One of the formats (NTSC or PAL) that television broadcasts use around the world. PowerProducer helps you choose the right TV format by allowing you to select the country where you plan to play the disc you create.

(Video Compact Disc) A CD that contains audio and video of a quality about the same as that of VHS. VCD can hold up to 74/80 minutes of video on a 650/700Mb disc, and can contain menus and chapters like a DVD, as well as slideshows with background audio. VCD uses the MPEG compression standard, and can be played on a PC with VCD/MPEG playback software and on most standalone DVD players.

The quality of the final video that you produce. Select between HQ (high quality), SP (standard play), and LP (long play).

A title that can be seen in Windows’ Explorer and some disc players used to label a disc.

Index

acquiring content 16

from digital camera 23 from DV camcorder 18 from DVD 17 from file 17 from PC camera (webcam) 22 from TV 20 from VCR 21

adding

audio to clips 28 audio to menu pages 36 background music to albums 30 slides to albums 29 special effects to clips 38 text to menu pages 36

albums

adding background music to 30 adding slides to 29 applying transition effects 31 creating 29 in slideshows 29 selecting 30

audio

adding to clips 28 adding to menu pages 36

background

image in a menu 35 style 34

background music

adding to albums 30

adding to clips 28 adding to menu pages 36

adding to menus 34 backing up photos on disc 5 buffer underrun protection 52 burning

at end of production process 40

configuration 39

disc from a DVD folder 56

disc images 54

DV content to DVD 43

editing after 46

QuickBurn 42 buttons

frames 35

highlights 35

layout on menu pages 35

number per page 35

style 35

text 36

camcorder, capturing from 18 capturing

from digital camera 23

from DV camcorder 18

from PC camera (webcam) 22

from TV 20

from VCR 21 CD

types 8

vs. DVD 7 CD-R 8 CD-RW 8 chapters, setting 37 clips

adding audio 28

adding special effects to 38

deleting from storyboard 24

editing 26

merging 27

moving in storyboard 24

organizing in storyboard 24

previewing in storyboard 25

splitting 27 trimming 26

viewing properties 25 color, adjusting 38 composite video 21 content

acquiring 16

mixing video and photos 16

previewing 32 copying discs 51 countries that use NTCS or PAL 10 creating

albums 29

disc image file 52

PowerProducer projects 6

slideshows 29 customizing menu pages 35

default

menu style 5

name for captured video 5 defragmenting discs 53 deleting clips from storyboard 24 detecting scenes 37 digital camera, capturing from 23 disc burning 39, 40

QuickBurn 42 disc image

burning 54

creating 52

saving 55 disc types supported 61 disc utilities 49

burn a disc from a DVD folder 56

copying 51

defragmenting discs 53

disc images 54

erasing 50

saving a disc image 55 durations in slideshows, setting 30 DV camcorder, capturing from 18 DV, burning to DVD 43 DVD

importing content from 17 types 9 vs. CD 7

DVD folder

burning a disc from 56 DVD+R 9 DVD+RW 9, 66 DVD-R 9 DVD-ROM 65 DVD-RW 9, 66

editable DVD 61 editing

after burning 46

clips 26

functions in PowerProducer 2 erasing discs 50

FAQ 60 Favorites files

opening 36

saving 36 file formats supported 61 final output 49 first play 36 frames on menu page buttons 35 full erase 50

glossary 64

HQ (High Quality) 10

importing

DVD content 17 video files 17

introduction 1

OEM versions 13 on the fly copying 52 opening Favorites files 36 organizing clips in storyboard 24

languages supported 62 LP (Long Play) 10

mark in 26 mark out 26 menus

adding audio 34 adding background music 36 background image 35 background style 34 button frames 35 button highlight 35 button layout 35 button style 35 buttons per page 35 customizing 35 first play 36 frames 35 headings 34 modifying 34

text on 36 merging clips 27 MiniDVD 9 mixing video and photos 16 movie playback mode 5 moving clips in storyboard 24

PAL vs NTSC 10 PC camera, capturing from 22 photos

adding to slideshows 29

backing up on disc 5 playback modes 5 PowerProducer versions 13 preferences 5 pre-production

disc production 4

ready to burn 4 previewing

clips in storyboard 25

color adjustment 38

disc content 32

slideshows in storyboard 25

while importing DVD content 18

while importing video files 17 producing movie discs 15 production

environment 5

flow 3

functions in PowerProducer 2

pre-production 3

summary, viewing 33 project files 6 properties of clips, viewing 25

navigating in PowerProducer 14 NTSC vs PAL? 10

quick erase 50 QuickBurn 42

remote

buttons 32

using to preview movie 32 right technology for you 7 Right-to-disc 43

saving

disc images 55

Favorites files 36 scene detection 37, 63 setting chapters 37 slides, adding to albums 29 slideshow

albums in 29

creating 29

previewing in storyboard 25

producing 29 SP (Standard Play) 10 special effects, adding to clips 38 splitting clips 27 storyboard, organizing clips in 24 SVCD 8 S-Video 21 SVRT 63 system requirements 11

VCD 8 VCR, capturing from 21 versions of PowerProducer 13 video editing functions 2 video files, importing 17 video quality

hint on selecting 10 HQ 10 LP 10 SP 10

viewing

album properties 29 albums in preview window 30 clip properties 25 production size 33 production summary 33

webcam, capturing from 22 welcome 2 what’s new in PowerProducer 2.0? 60 working directory 5

technical support ??–59 temp directory 5 text on menu pages 36 transition effects, applying 31 trimming clips 26 TV, capturing from 20

utilities 49

Cyberlink PowerProducer - 2.0 User’s Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

Welcome

Production Flow

Pre-Production

Disc Production

Ready to Burn

Your Production Environment

PowerProducer Projects

The Right Technology

CD vs. DVD

NTSC vs. PAL

Video Quality

System Requirements

Memory

Hard Disk Drive

Video Capture

Burning

PowerProducer Versions

Navigating in CyberLink PowerProducer

Produce a Movie Disc

Acquire Content

Import Video Files

Import DVD Content

Capture from a DV Camcorder

Capture from a TV

Capture from a VCR

Capture from a PC Camera (Webcam)

Capture from a Digital Camera

Organize Your Story

Manipulate Clips in the Storyboard

View a Clip

Edit Clips

Trim

Merge

Split

Add Audio

Produce a Photo Slideshow

Create an Album

Select an Album

Add Effects to an Album

Preview Disc Content

Preview Using the Remote

View the Production Summary

Customize Your DVD

Modify Your Disc’s Menus

Customize the Menu Page

Set Chapters

Add Special Effects

Adjust Color

Burn to Disc

Set Your Burning Configuration

Burn

QuickBurn

Burn DV Content to a DVD

Edit a Disc After Burning

Disc Utilities

Erase a Disc

Copy a Disc

Defragment a Disc

Burn a Disc Image

Save a Disc Image

Burn a Disc from a Folder

Appendix

Technical Support

Web Support

Fax Support

Telephone Support

Glossary

Index