Sonic Introduces Scenarist and CineVision QC
Partnership with SMT Brings DVD Emulation and High-Definition Video Stream QC to Sonic's Leading Authoring and Encoding Systems
IBC 2006, Amsterdam (September 8, 2006) - Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced a collaboration with Sequoyan Media Technology (SMT) to introduce a new line of quality-control applications that offer standard definition DVD-Video emulation and real-time high-definition video stream compression and quality verification. The new applications, Scenarist® QC and CineVision™ QC, are planned for release in September as companion products to Scenarist® Workgroup, Sonic's powerful line of professional authoring and encoding systems. Sonic will be demonstrating Scenarist QC and CineVision QC at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), taking place in Amsterdam from September 8th through the 12th (Hall #7, stand #738).
"We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Sonic to deliver our best-of-breed QC solutions to the larger video disc compression and authoring industry," said Thomas Purnell-Fisher, president and founder of SMT. "QC is a critical step in professional title production workflow, and Scenarist QC and CineVision QC are the ideal solutions for ensuring that standard-def DVD projects and high-def video streams adhere to the producer's vision with maximum quality and compatibility."
Scenarist QC delivers standard-definition DVD emulation that enables authoring facilities to verify disc navigation, video and audio compression quality, and ancillary information such as closed captions and subtitles, ensuring that the content achieves the highest standards in the shortest amount of time. In addition to the SD emulation capabilities based on the collaboration with SMT, Scenarist QC also offers HD DVD emulation, and adds reference-quality HD-SDI video output, playback support for the new Dolby® and DTS® audio formats, and advanced debugging features.
Essential for performing quality control on compressed video streams, CineVision QC delivers real-time, reference-quality decoding and playback of all three next generation codecs (AVC, VC-1, and HD MPEG-2) on a single workstation. Offering the cleanest, most accurate output possible by avoiding graphics accelerators and graphics cards, CineVision QC allows compressionists, disc authors and QC personnel at professional production facilities to accurately analyze their HD encodes, identify potential problems, and create higher-quality titles.
"As the professional title industry's leading provider of solutions and services, Sonic is continually looking for ways to expand the depth of our portfolio and value of our products," said Rolf Hartley, senior vice president and general manager of Sonic's Professional Products Group. "We are thrilled to partner with SMT to deliver an even more comprehensive solution that now addresses all three of the core production segments of the professional DVD workflow: encoding, authoring, and QC. Completing the Scenarist solution with the complementary capabilities of quality-control tools allows our customers to benefit from greater efficiency and reduced costs in their production operations for both DVD and new high-definition formats."
About SMT
SMT was founded in 2002 to develop software for the high-end DVD production industry, with solutions such as the Phoenix SD DVD Emulator and the Avacuno HD Stream QC tool. These products have established SMT as a leading source of QC solutions for the most demanding compression and authoring facilities.
About Sonic Solutions
Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC; http://www.sonic.com) is the leader in digital media software, providing a broad range of interoperable, platform-independent software tools and applications for creative professionals, business and home users, and technology partners. Sonic's products range from advanced DVD authoring systems and interactive content delivery technologies used to produce the majority of Hollywood DVD film releases, to the award-winning Roxio®-branded CD and DVD creation, playback and backup solutions that have become the premier choice for consumers, prosumers and business users worldwide.
Sonic products are globally available from major retailers, online at Sonic.com and Roxio.com, and are bundled with PCs, after-market drives and consumer electronic devices. Sonic's digital media creation engine is the de facto standard and has been licensed by major software and hardware manufacturers, including Adobe, Microsoft, Scientific-Atlanta, Sony, and many others. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.
Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, Scenarist, CineVision, and Roxio are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sonic Solutions or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners.