Note : This is an archived review for an older version of PowerDVD. For the latest review, please refer to this page.
New in 7.0
This page tries to list all the significant new features of PowerDVD 7.0 - if you want to see a complete review of the latest version of PowerDVD, please refer to this page.
Note that there are two versions of PowerDVD : Standard and Deluxe. All descriptions below are for the Standard version of PowerDVD, unless otherwise stated.
As with the previous version of PowerDVD, there are two major versions of PowerDVD for sale - Standard and Deluxe. The Standard version does not include the Notebook Power Saver, UPnP Sharing, Dolby Pro Logic IIx decoding, CLVS, Dolby Digital EX decoding, MLP decoding, DTS decoding, AAC decoding, H.264 Playback, DivX Pro playback, DVD-Audio playback, and support for CPRM and VCPS.
New Video Features
CyberLink Eagle Vision (CLEV)-2 was introduced in the previous version of PowerDVD. CLEV adjusts a scene's chroma and luminance to enhance image detail in scenes that are normally too dark or too bright. CLEV-2 has been improved in this latest version of PowerDVD, now called Adaptive CLEV-2, which as the name suggests, dynamically adapts the adjustments.
New Audio Features
A wide range of DTS decoding options have been added to the Deluxe version of PowerDVD and also in a separate audio add-on pack. DTS 96/24 Decoding has now been added to the Deluxe version, while DTS-ES Matrix, Discrete and DTS Neo:6 are available in a separate add-on pack (for both the Deluxe and Standard versions).
AAC decoding has also been added (Deluxe version), which is very useful for MPEG-4 playback.
New Playback Modes
MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) playback has been added to PowerDVD Deluxe (previously available in a separate add-on pack). H.264 has been chosen to be part of both Blu-ray and HD DVD standards, and so the native support for this format is the next logical step to having full high definition DVD playback support within PowerDVD. MPEG-4 AVC (.mp4) files are also becoming much more common, as versions of it is used by portable devices such as the PSP and iPod, and playback on the PC has always been an issue (the need to install codecs, etc...).
A new form of copy protection are also supported - VCPS (Video Content Protection System).
New Usability Features
If the previous version of PowerDVD can be described as one that focused on audio enhancements, then this version of PowerDVD is one where the user interface has been the main focal point.
Emulating the interface features that were released in WinDVD a couple of major revisions ago, PowerDVD now adds Docking, Mini and Wheel Control modes.
One of Digital Digest's most requested features has been the ability to change the positioning of DVD subtitles, mainly to allow the subtitles to be displayed in the black bars of a widescreen movie, as opposed to being on top of the picture it-self. PowerDVD 7.0 adds a features called "Read-It-Clearly", which does exactly this.
Normal Subtitles
Read-It-Clearly Subtitles
The "Say-It-Again" function automatically replays back the last bit of dialogue with a click of a button - the algorithm will playback to the point where a noticeable break in the audio is heard.
There are also several notebook related power saving features, such as "See-It-All" which speeds up playback so that the movie finishes before the battery runs out, a built-in battery meter and built-in mobility features to save power for the Deluxe version.
Other Features
The other main feature of PowerDVD 7.0 Deluxe is the support for UPnP media servers, which WinDVD has supported as well since version 7.0. PowerDVD can now act as a client for these servers, which are increasingly becoming standard parts of home network and home theatre setups.
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