Cyberlink PowerDVD18 Ultra Review

[tarekma7]

PowerDVD18 –World’s No.1 Movie & Media Player


PowerDVD18 plays more than just DVD and Blu-ray discs. For video, audio, photos, VR 360˚ content and even YouTube or Vimeo, PowerDVD18 is your essential entertainment companion. Unlock the potential of your Ultra HD HDR TV and surround sound system, immerse yourself in virtual worlds with access to ever growing collections of 360˚ videos, or simply unwind wherever you are with unrivaled playback support and unique enhancements on your PC or laptop.



PowerDVD18 Product Page:

http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerd...581_-1_809

Download Link (30 day trial version):

http://update.cyberlink.com/Retail/Power...loader.exe

Retail Price: $99.95

Buy Link: http://www.cyberlink.com/store/powerdvd-...581_-1_809

Current Version: 18



Release Date: 2018-04-17

File Size : 202.54 MB

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Format Support:

Movies:  BD-R 1.1/BD-RE 2.1, BD-R 2.0/BD-RE 3.0, BDROM 2.2, BD-J, BDROM Profile 1.1 (Bonus View), BDROM Profile 2.0 (BD-Live), BDROM Profile 5.0 (BD 3D), BDROM Profile 6.0 (Ultra HD Blu-ray), AVCREC, AVCHD XAVC-S, DVD-Video, DVD-VR, DVD+VR, VCD, SVCD, CD, BD ISO, DVD ISO
Videos: Conventional Video: 264, 265, 26L, 3G2, 3GP, 3GP2, 3GPP, ASF, AVC, AVI, BSF, DIV, DIVX, DVR-MS, FLV, H264, H265, HEVC, JSV, JVT, M1V, M2P, M2T, M2TS, M2V, M4V, MK3D, MKV, MOD, MOV, MP4, MP4V, MPE, MPEG, MPG, MPV, MTS, MVC, QT, TOD, TP, TPD, TRP, TS, TTS, VC1, VOB, VRO, WM, WMV, WTV
360 Video: Equirectangular format MP4 (H.264/265). Supports up to 4K resolution in 2:1 aspect ratio.
3D-360 Video: Packed-Equirectangular format MP4 (H.264/265). Supports up to 4K resolution in 1:1 aspect ratio.
HDR 10 Video: H.265 in MP4, MKV and M2TS
Photos: BMP, JPEG, JPG, PNG, TIF, TIFF, MPO, JPS, ARW, CR2, CRW, DCR, DNG, ERF, KDC, MEF, MRW, NEF, ORF, PEF, RAF, RAW, RW2, SR2, SRF, X3F
360 Photo: Equirectangular format JPG
Music: AAC, AC3, ADTS, AOB, APE, DTS, FLAC, M4A(AAC, ALAC codec), MID, MKA, MP2, MP3, MPA, OGG, RMI, WAV, WMA, DSD Audio (DSF, DFF)

Minimum System Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 10/8.1/8/7 Note: Windows 10 required for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback
Disc Drive: DVD drive to play DVDs and CDs
Blu-ray drive to play Blu-ray Discs
Ultra HD Blu-ray drive to play Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs
Display Devices: HDCP 2.2 complaint display for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback
HDCP complaint display for Blu-ray playback
Memory: 2 GB for Blu-ray Disc playback, 4 GB for Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc playback
Hard Disk Space: 500MB
Graphics Support:
Intel HD Graphics, ATI Radeon HD 5000, NVIDIA GeForce 9500GT
Intel HD Graphics 630 or above in Intel 7th Gen CPU for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback
Audio Support: PCI sound card or on-board audio output
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz, AMD Phenom 2.10GHz
Intel 7th Gen Core i (Kaby Lake) with Intel SGX support for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback
Internet Connection: Required for initial software activation, video codec activation and social media services

Media Casting to Streaming Device:

Supported Devices
Roku®
Chromecast™
Apple TV®
Fire TV™

DLNA Specifications:

Digital Media Server (DMS) to store content for sharing with other DLNA players and receivers
Digital Media Player (DMP) for playback of media stored on Digital Media Server (DMS) on local network
Digital Media Controller (DMC) to find content on Digital Media Servers for playback on Digital Media Receivers (DMR)
Digital Media Receiver (DMR) for playback of content received from a Digital Media Controller

Installation:



After installation is complete you can select to import your settings from the previous version


 
Free Trial Limitations:

30-day trial version.
VC-1/H.264/Blu-ray format playback in the trial version is limited to systems with hardware acceleration.
Does not support the playback of HEVC/H.265/Blu-ray 3D/Ultra HD Blu-ray/HDR Video/360 Video content.
Does not support the playback of CPRM/DTCP-IP protected content.
Does not support USB Sync and Home Media Server.
Does not support audio extraction from video files.
Does not support CD audio ripping.
A CyberLink account is required to access CyberLink Cloud features.
2GB of free storage in CyberLink Cloud is provided during the trial period. Media content in CyberLink Cloud may be deleted when the trial expires.
CyberLink Cloud for Power Media Player is not supported in the trial version.
Transcoding media before uploading to CyberLink Cloud is not supported in the trial version.
Video playback quality to media casting devices may be reduced due to hardware encoding limitations.

User Interface:




 
Activation:

After purchase you will receive download link for the retail version and license key. After simple installation, submit your license key and activate online. That's all!
 
Registration:



After complete installation, you can optionally register your software to enjoy all the benefits and offers of registered users.
 
Features:


 
Optimized to Play Any Media on the Latest 4K UHD & HDR TVs

PowerDVD is optimized for playback on the latest Ultra HD 4K & HDR TVs. Whether you're watching the latest Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, classics from your DVD collection, or the latest online entertainment from YouTube & Vimeo, using PowerDVD ensures you'll have the sharpest, clearest audio-visual quality.

Better-than-Original Quality

CyberLink's unique TrueTheater audio-visual enhancement technology improves the quality of even Blu-ray and hi-def video, and the difference it makes to watching movies on your big screen TV has to be seen to be believed.

True Full Screen for Blu-ray

Watch your favorite Hollywood classics on ultra-widescreen TVs without any letterboxing or black bars. That means if your TV has an aspect ratio of 21:9 (2.35:1) PowerDVD will intelligently adjust playback of your discs to fit your screen.



Online Entertainment Just Got Even Better!

The future of online video is already here with YouTube 4K and HDR video. With PowerDVD you can actually enjoy online content the way it was meant to be enjoyed, in the highest possible quality on your big-screen Ultra HD 4K HDR TV.

Wireless Entertainment Made Easy

Cast anything you play in PowerDVD to your TV with a Roku®, Chromecast™, Apple TV®, and now Fire TV™. You can even improve the video and audio quality of any content in real time with CyberLink’s unique TrueTheater enhancements!

Enjoy Cinema-grade Sound at Home

PowerDVD supports master-quality sound technology from the leaders in professional digital audio—Dolby and DTS. Enjoy the acoustic difference of specialized multichannel audio and lossless audio formats such as FLAC and DSD.

The Essential PC Companion for Online & Offline Content

Watch YouTube while you work with Mini-View. Enjoy more online content whilst offline with our Pin feature, and utilize PowerDVD’s TrueTheater enhancements to make each video look and sound exactly as you want it.

Play Formats Even Windows Doesn’t Support

Did you know that Windows 10 does not support playback of the latest and popular HEVC (H.265) Ultra HD videos? PowerDVD does - so that means you can relive videos you shot on your GoPro or iPhone without having to download any additional software.

Supports Virtually Any Disc or File Format

PowerDVD boasts the most comprehensive disc and file format support you will find in any multimedia player. Play whatever your heart desires on your PC or laptop.



A World of VR Awaits NEW – Vimeo 360 playback

Immerse Yourself in VR with support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets, PowerDVD is the must-have player for the next-generation in multimedia entertainment. Plus, access the largest libraries of 360º videos online, ready for you to stream to your PC or into your headset

Don’t Miss a Moment in 360º

Watch 360º video from every angle simultaneously, even without a headset, and never miss a moment. Perfect if you’re watching 360º content on a smaller screen.

VR Mode for Popular Headsets



Immerse Yourself in VR with support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets, PowerDVD is the must-have player for the next-generation in multimedia entertainment.

Power Media Player MR – For Windows Mixed Reality Headsets

If you have a Windows Mixed Reality headset it’s now time to immerse yourself in an experience that will change how you enjoy entertainment. Plunge into a huge collection of breathtaking VR videos compiled from the very best that YouTube & Vimeo has to offer.



Multi Language Support:

English, French, German, Italian, Spanish (European), Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Japanese, Korean, Russian, 
Portugese, (Brasil)

Media Panel:



Located on the left side and shows all the options and features available for you. It includes media library, my computer, playlist, online video (YouTube and Vimeo), Cyberlink cloud and DLNA center

Media Library:





This part includes all types of supported media, for example; video, audio, photos, movies and TV. You can add more folders to the media library. The process is very easy. Simply click add button and specify new folder name. That’s all!
The settings tab specific for the media library allows you to add the folder or the location on your computer that includes the media type for video, music, photos and TV shows

My computer:

This is a built-in browser that allows users to browse all your computer for any supported media types

New Playlist:



You can easily create a new playlist using the media panel specific tab then select its name and start adding media using add button or simple drag and drop

Settings:



This part can be accessed using the option in the upper toolbar. It is well arranged with all features divided into two major categories; player settings and preference settings. The player settings shows many options such as general, video, audio, subtitles, blu-ray, cloud, information and hotkeys
The preferences include user interface, customization, media library, DLNA and 3D display

Compare Editions:

https://www.cyberlink.com/products/power...1_1326_540



Why you need to upgrade your current version?

Compare with Previous Versions:

https://www.cyberlink.com/products/power...en_US.html



Playing YouTube and Vimeo:



Blu-ray Disc Playback:



Connecting to Your Sound System and TV:



Movie Player Software & Media Panel:



TV Mode:






 
CyberLink PowerDVD Remote: free app that let you turn smart devices into a remote control. It can also wirelessly play and save videos and photos from smart devices to PC.

CyberLink Cloud for Power Media Player: this is a space where you can store your media files. Your subscription offers you 30 Gb free for one year. To continue using you need to renew cloud subscription





Power Media Player:  This app is available for both android and iPhone. It extends your PowerDVD use to the mobile devices.



Conclusion:

Cyberlink PowerDVD 18 is the best movie and media player for all discs, files and video streaming. It is full of features and tools that let users play Blu-ray and DVD discs and easily share videos with other devices. It is the highest quality video player that supports ultra HD Blu-ray discs on your computer. In addition, it's powerful, easy to use and offers you the best home entertainment. You will have your movie theater at home.

[Mike]

Another well done review Tarek.

[baziroll]

thanks for another detailed review.
gif created with which tool?

[tregs_beales]

Thanks for detailed review. They have improved some features.

[Alex]

Thanks for awesome review

[sterchin]

Good review. Thanks.

[Cool]

thanks for detailed review

[deathsmear]

Great Review ....... Thanks 

[scot]

Nice review.
Thank you.

[lovesoft]

Thanks for detailed review