PowerDVD is a
media player software
Media player software is a type of application software for playing multimedia computer files like audio and video files. Media players commonly display standard media control icons known from physical devices such as tape recorders and CD play ...
for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
created by
CyberLink, for
DVD movie discs,
Blu-ray movie discs, and digital video
files, photos and music.
PowerDVD is offered in various versions, which vary greatly in terms of functionality, and can be expanded to include additional functions such as playback of licensed audio formats or power-saving functions for use on notebooks using plug-ins and so-called “enhancement packs”.
During 2016, PowerDVD achieved certification from the
Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) for the playback of
Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs, and became the world's first software player to pass the BD-ROM 4.0 PC Application Software License process. Playback of UHD Blu-ray discs requires an
SGX-capable Intel CPU; with SGX support removed in newer generations of Intel CPUs, playback of UHD Blu-rays is no longer possible on newer PCs.
Features
* 8K video playback: added in PowerDVD 19
*
Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD, UHD-BD, or 4K Blu-ray) is a digital optical disc data storage format that is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray. Ultra HD Blu-ray supports 4K UHD (3840 × 2160 pixel resolution) video at frame rates up to 60 progre ...
disc playback: PowerDVD 17 is the first software that supports 4K UHD Blu-ray drives, however this feature only worked on PCs with Intel's
Software Guard Extensions (SGX). In January 2022, Intel deprecated support for SGX for the
Rocket Lake
Rocket Lake is Intel's codename for its 11th generation Core microprocessors. Released on March 30, 2021, it is based on the new Cypress Cove microarchitecture, a variant of Sunny Cove (used by Intel's Ice Lake mobile processors) backporte ...
and
Alder Lake generation desktop processors, leading to Ultra HD Blu-ray discs being unplayable on those systems. Cyberlink permanently removed Ultra HD Blu-ray disc playback with PowerDVD 22 version 3526.
* 360-Degree VR: PowerDVD 17 supports 360-degree camera such as Samsung Gear 360 and the Nikon KeyMission. Available to watch VR content on an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headset.
* Blu-ray 3D disc playback: added in PowerDVD 10 and removed in PowerDVD 20.
* Blu-ray disc playback: added in PowerDVD 6.
* TrueTheater: PowerDVD adds TrueTheater image/color correction and enhancement, also motion enhancement to make motion smoother. TrueTheater HDR enhancement provides a larger color space.
* Media Casting to Streaming Devices: supported devices as Roku, Chromecast, and Apple TV.
Decoders
Native video decoders
*
H.264/MPEG-4 AVC (including MVC for Blu-ray-3D)
*
H.265/MPEG-H HEVC (Media File Type)
* MPEG-4 ASP (
DivX
DIVX (Digital Video Express) is a discontinued digital video format. Created in part by Circuit City, it was an unsuccessful attempt to create an alternative to video rental in the United States. The format's poor reception from consumers resu ...
,
Xvid)
*
MPEG-2
MPEG-2 (a.k.a. H.222/H.262 as was defined by the ITU) is a standard for "the generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information". It describes a combination of lossy video compression and lossy audio data compression methods ...
/HD
*
MPEG-1
MPEG-1 is a Technical standard, standard for lossy compression of video and Audio frequency, audio. It is designed to compress VHS-quality raw digital video and CD audio down to about 1.5 Mbit/s (26:1 and 6:1 compression ratios respectively ...
*
VC-1
SMPTE 421, informally known as VC-1, is a video coding format. Most of it was initially developed as Microsoft's proprietary video format Windows Media Video 9 in 2003. With some enhancements including the development of a new Advanced Profile, ...
*
WMV HD
Native audio decoders
* Dolby
Meridian Lossless Packing
Meridian Lossless Packing, also known as Packed PCM (PPCM), is a lossless compression technique for PCM audio data developed by Meridian Audio, Ltd. MLP is the standard lossless compression method for DVD-Audio content (often advertised with t ...
(MLP)
*
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby TrueHD is a lossless, multi-channel audio codec developed by Dolby Laboratories for home video, used principally in Blu-ray Disc and compatible hardware. Dolby TrueHD, along with Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) and Dolby AC-4, is one of th ...
(7.1 Channel)
*
Dolby Digital Plus (7.1 Channel)
*
Dolby Digital EX (7.1 Channel)
*
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital, originally synonymous with Dolby AC-3 (see below), is the name for a family of audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. Called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1995, it is lossy compression (except for Dolby Tr ...
(2 & 5.1 Channel)
*
DSD (In PowerDVD 16)
*
DTS-HD (7.1 Channel)
*
DTS-ES (Discrete & Matrix)
*
DTS 96/24 Decoding
* DTS (5.1 Channel)
*
LPCM
*
AAC
*
MP3 Surround
*
MP2
Audio effects
*
Dolby Pro Logic IIx Surround Sound
* Dolby Virtual Speaker
* CyberLink TrueTheater Surround
Version history
See also
*
Comparison of video player software
References
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Powerdvd
1998 software
Software Blu-ray players
Windows media players
Software DVD players