Preview release none [±] Initial release 1988 | Type Media player | |
Stable release 16.0.2406.60 (January 19, 2017; 2 months ago (2017-01-19)) [±] Website cyberlink.com/products/powerdvd/overview_en_US.html | ||
Movie media player with cloud cyberlink powerdvd
CyberLink PowerDVD is a media player for Microsoft Windows providing DVD playback, with Blu-ray playback available in higher editions. The current version is available in three editions: PowerDVD 16 Standard (DVD only), PowerDVD 16 Pro (Blu-ray playback) or PowerDVD 16 Ultra (Blu-ray 3D playback).
Contents
- Movie media player with cloud cyberlink powerdvd
- Cyberlink powerdvd 12 review
- Features
- Limitations
- Criticism
- References
PowerDVD is distributed on physical media or by download from the CyberLink website. It is often bundled with PC systems and peripheral devices, particularly optical drives, a strategy that has enabled CyberLink to claim it as "the market's #1 media playback product with annual distribution of over 100 million units".
PowerDVD Live was introduced in 2013, as an annual- or quarterly-fee subscription model including cloud storage, similar to Adobe Creative Cloud, under which consumers could ensure they remain on the latest version while paying but would lose the ability to use the software if their subscription lapsed.
PowerDVD was the first Blu-ray 3D software player to achieve certification from the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) under the new Blu-ray 3D standard (Profile 5.0).
Cyberlink powerdvd 12 review
Features
Limitations
To watch Blu-ray in PowerDVD 11 or above, the user's computer must be HDCP compliant, with an appropriate video card, cable and monitor; there is no such limitation on version 10 and earlier releases, and so VGA, composite or S-Video interfaces can be used to connect the monitor or TV to PC. When installed on laptops, this limitation doesn't apply, but newer Blu-ray protected discs can be played only in more recent versions and most of the time need an Internet connection to do so.
HD DVD support is not available since PowerDVD 9.
Support for Windows XP was dropped in version 15 and Windows Vista was dropped in version 16.
Criticism
CyberLink supports PowerDVD with updates for a limited time after a version is released, which became a problem once Blu-ray Disc support was included with the release of PowerDVD 7 Ultra in December 2009: Blu-ray copy protection requires player software or firmware to be updated periodically to allow playback of newer discs. For CyberLink customers wanting to watch a Blu-ray Disc mastered after the date on which their version of PowerDVD went EOL, this means they might be unable to do so until they have upgraded to a newer release of PowerDVD. Since version 9, the software provides notification if an unplayable disc is inserted: users with a version still in support are prompted by this notification to update to the latest patch, those with a version that is EOL are prompted to upgrade to the current release and on clicking are taken to the CyberLink website to buy a copy of the current version at a discount.
Versions 7 Ultra, 8 and 9 were updated for only 12, 24 and 26 months respectively, and this requirement to buy a new PowerDVD release every other year for continued Blu-ray capability led to many complaints about incompatibility from users of PowerDVD 9 and earlier when Star Wars was first released on Blu-ray. Subsequently, versions 10 and 11 have continued to receive updates for longer than the previous three versions did, and the support notice for the EOL of version 10 directed customers with "PowerDVD 10 Ultra retail version installed" to "download and install an update to PowerDVD 11 Ultra", essentially a free upgrade for customers with the highest-tier version, after 47 months of support for version 10.
DVD Audio support is not available in version 11. Support stopped during version 9, although Cyberlink advertised versions 9 and 10 as being able to play DVD Audio discs. Cyberlink has refused to offer assistance to customers who bought versions 10 and 11 believing they could play back DVD Audio discs using them.
For users with international disks, PowerDVD does not have an option to set preferred languages or disk menus. This causes serious issues with Japanese Blu-ray disks of international titles, as PowerDVD often ignores the Japanese menus in favor of the primary (non-Japanese) menu. There is no fix offered by Cyberlink other than to switch versions to a Japanese one.