CyberLink PowerDirector, a popular video editing software, has received significant upgrades with the introduction of high-efficiency video coding (HEVC), thanks to the power of NVIDIA RTX technology. This development aims to enhance the video editing experience by improving efficiency and quality, according to the NVIDIA Blog.

HEVC Upgrades

The new HEVC setting in CyberLink PowerDirector leverages NVIDIA’s NVENC video encoder, which is embedded in every RTX graphics card. This feature offloads the compute-intensive task of video encoding from the CPU to a dedicated part of the GPU, thus improving encoding efficiency by 55%. The result is superior video quality at reduced bit rates, offering content creators the ability to deliver higher-quality videos to their audiences.

Another significant addition is the alpha exporting feature, which allows users to add overlay effects to videos by exporting HEVC video with an alpha channel. This capability is particularly useful for creating transparent backgrounds and rapidly processing animated overlays, making it ideal for social media content creation. With an alpha channel, HEVC videos can be exported up to 8x faster compared to other encoding methods, with a 100x reduction in file size.

Related Creative App Updates

In addition to CyberLink PowerDirector, several other creative applications have been updated. Adobe Substance 3D Modeler introduced ‘Block to Stock,’ an AI-powered feature for accelerating the prototyping of complex shapes. This tool allows rough 3D shapes to be quickly replaced with pre-existing, highly detailed models, streamlining the creation process.

SideFX: Houdini, a 3D procedural software, has integrated NVIDIA OptiX 8 and Shader Execution Reordering into its Karma XPU renderer, exclusively for NVIDIA RTX GPUs. These features enable computationally intensive tasks to be executed up to 4x faster.

Topaz Video AI Pro, known for its photo and video enhancement capabilities, now includes TensorRT acceleration for multi-GPU configurations. This update allows for parallelization across multiple GPUs, significantly speeding up rendering times.

Preserving Cultural Heritage

Stavros Liaskos, a featured artist in the ‘In the NVIDIA Studio’ series, is using NVIDIA Omniverse to create photorealistic 3D replicas of Greek Orthodox churches and other cultural sites. These digital replicas serve as a means to preserve the architectural splendor of these sites for future generations. Liaskos utilized a combination of laser scanning, photogrammetry, and various 3D modeling tools to create these detailed models, which can be explored in virtual reality.

Liaskos dedicated his project to his late father, who inspired him with the values of patience and perseverance. The advanced real-time rendering capabilities of Omniverse, combined with NVIDIA’s OpenUSD framework, enabled a seamless workflow across multiple applications, ensuring that every element of his creative process was optimized for efficiency and quality.

By leveraging NVIDIA’s technology, Liaskos was able to create immersive virtual experiences that allow users to explore these cultural sites in real-time. This initiative not only showcases the architectural beauty of these structures but also highlights the cultural significance of preserving them digitally.

For more information on these updates, visit the NVIDIA Blog.

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