Main Review

CyberLink’s MediaShow 4 is a media management and editing program. In its fourth incarnation, the software incorporates a 3D ‘liquid’ interface for enhanced usability and a variety of functions for both photos and videos.

Once your images have been imported, the program allows for adjustments in white balance, sharpness and contrast among other parameters, plus tools for cropping, redeye reduction and straightening. Images may be organised into a slideshow, complemented with a range of transition effects and set to music, or uploaded directly to Flickr and YouTube. Outputting to DVDs is also possible, which is further enhanced with DVD menu creation.

In use, the software is clear in its interface, with large function buttons accessing key options. The adjustments are limited compared to a program like Corel’s PaintShop Pro or Photoshop Elements, but then MediaShow’s priorities are more thinly spread. One area where the program does impress is with its direct uploading; it took mere seconds to send a photo to Flickr, prior to which I had the option of resizing the file and setting public and private viewing priorities. The process even takes any titles and tags that you may have applied in the program to a particular photo.

Verdict

Essentially, MediaShow is hardly the master of any particular task, and there are free and purchasable programs that do a better editing job. For its multifunctionality though, it’s a great option.

Reviewer: Matt Golowczynski