How to Enhance Video Using PowerDirector?

PowerDirector is a powerful and versatile video editing software developed by CyberLink. If you are a PowerDirector user looking for ways to improve video quality, then I am sure you will find some ideas and inspirations here.

This article introduces two methods to enhance your videos in PowerDirector. Both can help boost the visual appeal of your clips. You can decide which approach best fits your needs, budget, and version of PowerDirector.

"Video Enhancement" refers to improving the visual quality of a video using PowerDirector (or other similar video editing tools). It focuses on optimizing videos using a few algorithms, such as:

• Adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation.
• Reduce noise/graininess of the video.
• Sharpening tools to improve the clarity of video details.
• Apply High Dynamic Range (HDR) effect.
• Regulate the color correction and color enhancement.

These functions can indeed improve the visual effect of the video to some extent, but the effect largely depends on the quality of the source video. If the source video has low resolution, lots of noise, significant color distortion, or the details themselves are missing, the "Enhancement" is quite limited. Most video editing software inherently cannot "create" details that do not exist.

In short, you have to recognize a fact, the main purpose of the "video enhancement" is to make the picture "more pleasing", but it does not change the basic quality of the video. Low-quality source videos will still expose their defects on large screens or high-resolution devices.

At the end of 2024, CyberLink released an updated version of PowerDirector 365 that offers a new feature - AI Video Enhancement. It aims to make video enhancement simple and efficient by using advanced cloud-based AI to automatically increase resolution, smooth frames, and improve overall quality. Here's how to use it:

• Launch PowerDirector 365 and import your source video to the "My Media" section.
• Drag and drop the video onto the editing timeline. Make sure your video is selected before moving on.

• Click on the "Edit" button above the timeline, then select the "Video" tab.
• After that, switch to the "Enhance" subtab, and click the "AI Video Enhancement" button.

• There's another way to enter the feature. Simply go to the "Tools" menu and choose "AI Video Enhancement".
• Then browse and import a video file from your local drive.

If your video is longer than 3 minutes, you will need to trim it first in the pop-up window.

Currently, the AI Video Enhancement feature only works on clips that are at least 5 seconds long but no more than 3 minutes.

You will see two main options: Frame Interpolation and Upscaler.

• Frame Interpolation adds extra frames to make motion smoother. It is only available if the source video's frame rate is 30 fps or lower.
• Upscaler upscales the resolution of your video. It is only available if the original video is at or below 1920×1080.

After choosing your settings, click the "Enhance" button.

Credits will be deducted from your account based on the video's length and the enhancements chosen. A minimum of 5 credits is required for each enhancement process.

• PowerDirector will upload your video to CyberLink's cloud servers for processing.
• You will receive an email notification when the enhancement process is complete.
• The time required depends on the video length. The longer the video is, the longer it will take to generate.

• Once your video is ready, click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of PowerDirector.
• Navigate to "My GenAI Creations" and choose "AI Video Enhancement".
• You can either add the newly enhanced video to the timeline or export it directly as an H.264 8-bit 4:2:0 MP4.

If you do not have credits for AI Video Enhancement or you’re using an older version of PowerDirector, you can still enhance your video manually. PowerDirector includes many classic editing tools that can make a dramatic difference if used properly.

Manual enhancements also offer you more control since you can tweak each parameter to your preference. These methods require no additional costs but may take more time and effort.

Just like the previous steps mentioned above:

Launch PowerDirector, import your target video, and add it to the timeline. Click on the "Edit" button above the timeline to access some manual enhancement tools:

Adjust the intensity of the correction level using the slider. Move it until the camera shake is smoothed out without losing too much detail.

Move the "Denoise Degree" slider to find a balance where noise is diminished without making the video look overly soft or blurred.

If you know your camera's make and model, select it from the drop-down menu to apply a preset.

Otherwise, use the manual sliders (Fisheye distortion, Vignette Removal, etc.) to fine-tune the correction until straight lines look correct and edges are no longer warped.

This section usually includes:

• Exposure: Adjust overall brightness.
• Brightness: Fine-tune midtone brightness.
• Contrast: Increase or decrease the difference between light and dark areas.
• Hue: Shift the overall color tint of the clip.
• Saturation: Intensify or mute all colors equally.
• Vibrancy: Increase color intensity more selectively, often preserving skin tones.
• Highlight Healing: Recover or reduce intense highlights without dimming the entire video.
• Shadow: Brighten or darken shadow areas.
• Sharpness: Clarify edges and fine details (avoid over-sharpening to reduce artifacts).

Enable "Extreme Backlight" for clips with significant backlight. This can help recover details lost in shadows or highlights.

Adjust the Degree slider to dynamically increase the saturation and vibrancy in your video without overly affecting skin tones.

Use this to correct the overall color temperature and tint of your video.

Enable HDR Effect to simulate a high dynamic range look by adjusting the Strength, Radius, and Balance of both Glow and Edge.

Use this tool if you have multiple clips with varying color tones. Select a reference clip with the desired color and apply the settings to match other clips.

Adjust the highlights and shadows to give a specific tonal mood to your video (e.g., warm tones for highlights, cool tones for shadows).

• After making proper adjustments, click "Export" to finalize your edits.
• PowerDirector offers more export formats such as MP4, MKV, or WMV.
• You can also modify the resolution, bitrate, and frame rate. This lets you cater to specific needs and platforms.

• Source video quality matters most. The better your source video, the more noticeable the enhancements will be.
• For low-quality videos, you can try to combine the dedicated AI-driven tools (such as Topaz Video Enhance AI) for more advanced repairs.
• Over-adjusting can lead to unnatural results or introduce unwanted artifacts. Subtle changes usually produce more professional outcomes.
• Keep backups of your original footage and label your enhanced versions clearly. Use side-by-side comparisons to evaluate before and after effects.
• Make sure your chosen export settings match how you plan to use the final video (e.g., for professional use or for social media).
• Preview the enhanced video on various screens (e.g., phones, computers, TVs) to ensure it looks good across resolutions and display types.
• Regularly practice using both the AI-based feature and manual tools. Try different combinations of adjustments to see what works best for your footage.

If PowerDirector's tools seem a bit too advanced for you, consider using WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro as a starting point. It's a feature-rich video and audio processor that simplifies video enhancement through its intuitive interface. It also combines some basic editing features with video conversion capabilities. Here's how to enhance your videos using this tool:

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• DownloadDownload and install WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro on your PC.
• Launch this tool and open the Converter module on the main interface.
• Click “Add Files” to import the video you want to enhance. A simple drag-and-drop is also allowed.

• When the video is loaded, select an export format for your video from the "Output Format" section on the right-hand side.
• You can go to the "Video" category to choose a common format like MP4, MKV, AVI, or a preset optimized for devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets).

Click the "Parameter Settings" button to fine-tune your video's attributes for optimal quality:

• Resolution: Upscale video to a higher resolution (e.g., upscale from 1080p to 4K).
• Bitrate: Increase for better quality; decrease for smaller file size.
• Frame Rate: Set to match the source or desired output (e.g., 30fps for standard videos).
• Aspect Ratio: Choose the appropriate ratio to maintain the correct display.
• Deinterlace: Convert interlaced video to progressive mode.

Click "OK" to apply the adjustments.

• Click on the "Effect" icon (a magic wand) on the editing bar to open a new window.
• From the provided filters, select an option like "Sharpen", "White Balance", "Vignette", "Holiday", etc.
• Then use the slider to adjust the color settings like Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Hue.
• Use the preview window to see the final effect in real time.
• Once satisfied, click "OK" to apply the chosen filter.

• When everything is ready, choose a location at the bottom, and hit the "Run" button to start processing.
• The tool will enhance and convert your video based on the parameters you've configured.
• Once it's complete, check the video to ensure the enhancements meet your expectations.

All right. Let's recap. PowerDirector offers two main methods for video enhancement: the new AI Video Enhancement feature and the conventional Manual Enhancements.

Take your time to experiment with PowerDirector's different settings and combinations. Compare your before-and-after clips to judge if you have reached a balance between clarity, color, and effect.

If you're new to video editing, the novice-oriented tool - WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is a decent choice before transitioning to more advanced tools like PowerDirector. It simplifies the video enhancement process with a well-designed GUI and easy-to-use features. DownloadDownload here to have a try.