Sonic and RAVISENT Team to Introduce new cDVD Format; Combines DVD Content and DVD Player on a CD-ROM for Universal PC Playback
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 2000--Sonic Solutions announced today at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB) an extension to the DVD format that allows PCs to play CD-ROMs formatted as DVD-Video discs.
Called cDVD(TM), the format makes use of a new, embedded software-only DVD player developed in collaboration with RAVISENT Technologies (Nasdaq:RVST) that makes it possible for Pentium-level PC users to view DVD-formatted Video titles delivered via CD, DVD, or any other storage media. The new cDVD technology will be included in all Sonic DVD authoring systems -- including DVDit!.
"Sonic users have created more DVD content than all other DVD developers combined," said Alan McCann, General Manager, Digital Media Division for RAVISENT Technologies. "By enabling every one of the tens of thousands of DVDit!, DVD Creator and DVD Fusion users to output a player along with their content, we can ensure that everyone who wants to view high-quality MPEG video with DVD interactivity on their personal computer has that ability."
"While DVD is the fastest-growing consumer electronics format in history, the majority of PCs are still CD-ROM-based," said James Manning, DVDit! Product Manager for Sonic. "Working with RAVISENT, an industry leader in DVD software players, Sonic has created a DVD playback solution that works on virtually any PC with a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. DVDit! users can now distribute a DVD player with every title they publish -- ensuring that their video presentation will play everywhere."
The RAVISENT CineMaster(R) cDVD player includes complete DVD navigation capabilities, exceptional MPEG video decoding, and PCM and MPEG audio playback. The player will be automatically embedded in all titles produced by Sonic DVDit!, DVD Fusion and DVD Creator, and can be distributed royalty-free with each cDVD or DVD disc created. The web-enabled player will be easily upgradable through Sonic's web store (http://store.dvdit.com) to add Dolby Digital audio decoding, the ability to play commercial DVD titles from DVD-ROM drives and the ability to play new High Definition DVD video content.
About Software CineMaster(R)DVD
Software CineMaster was developed using RAVISENT's modular software architecture and is a high performance software based solution designed to decode DVD, MPEG-1 and Broadcast MPEG-2 video streams. The application shares the same robust software core of the CineMaster family of products that are in use by major PC OEMs, video graphics and video game manufacturers. Software CineMaster assists OEMs to meet rapidly changing consumer preferences in record time at a low cost. Software CineMaster DVD is the first software-based DVD solution to deliver both decoding and encoding capabilities, as well as supporting cutting-edge HDTV (High Definition Television) decoding on multimedia PCs.
About RAVISENT Technologies Inc.
RAVISENT provides digital video, audio and Internet appliance technology to industry leading PC, Consumer Electronic and Internet Appliance OEMs, empowering them to deliver highly competitive, cost-effective products with a strong time-to-market advantage. RAVISENT software and intellectual property is contained in products from Compaq, Dell Computer, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Micron, Fujitsu, Quantex, Sony, Tottori-Sanyo, Vestel, Yamaha, ATI Technologies, C-Cube, ST Microelectronics, Telecom Italia, Met@box, Earthlink, Formenti, IPM, Cirrus Logic and Telecruz. Founded in 1994, RAVISENT is a global company, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with offices in Silicon Valley, Seattle, Germany and Japan. More information about RAVISENT is available at www.ravisent.com.
About Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq:SNIC)
Based in Marin County, Calif., Sonic (http://www.sonic.com) is the leading manufacturer of solutions for DVD publishing and interactive, streaming video on the Internet. Sonic DVDit! (http://www.dvdit.com) is the first application for DVD authoring targeted at consumers and corporate video producers, and is bundled with major video editing, capture, encoding and media production systems. Streaming DVD is the first interactive technology based on DVD for content distribution over the Internet. Sonic DVD Creator and DVD Fusion are the most widely-used systems for professional DVD publishing, and are installed worldwide at major studios, post production facilities and in corporate marketing departments. SonicStudio HD is the leading digital workstation for preparing audio for release on CD and the first for creating content for the new DVD-Audio format. Sonic is also a full voting member of the DVD Forum, the standards-setting body for the DVD format.
The above paragraphs of this press release contain forward looking statements that are based upon current expectations. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties including, among others, the timely introduction and acceptance of new products, costs associated with new product introductions, the transition of products to new hardware configurations and platforms and other factors, including those discussed in the Company's annual and quarterly reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contain a more detailed discussion of the Company's business including risks and uncertainties that may affect future results.
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that relate to RAVISENT's future business and financial performance. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual events of future results to differ from those discussed herein. Such factors include, among others: RAVISENT's recent change in its business model, its limited operating history, fluctuating quarterly operating results, expectation of future losses, anticipated price declines in products, dependence on its CineMaster(R) products, dependence on a small number of customers, lack of long-term commitments with customers, dependence on manufacturers and strategic relationships, product delays, the difficulty of protecting proprietary rights, the ability to manage growth and attract and retain additional personnel, the potential for defects in its products, risks from international operations, its ability to raise capital in the future, its dependence on the personal computer and consumer electronics industries, competition, its ability to manage technological change and respond to evolving industry standards, government regulation and Year 2000 software issues.
Note to Editors: Sonic Solutions, the Sonic logo, cDVD, DVD Creator, DVDit!, eDVD, Streaming DVD, and PersonalBroadcast are trademarks of Sonic Solutions. CineMaster is a registered trademark of, and RAVISENT Technologies is a trademark of, RAVISENT Technologies. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.
CONTACT:
Sonic Solutions
Paul Lefebvre, 415/893-8000
paul-lefebvre@sonic.com |
