Sonic Enables New DVD Burning Plug-in for SnapStream's Beyond TV
AuthorScript Engine Enables PC DVR Software Users to Author DVDs of Recorded Shows
NOVATO, California (December 18, 2006) - Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced that SnapStream, a leading developer of digital home products, has chosen Sonic's comprehensive authoring, encoding, and formatting engine, AuthorScript® to bring DVD burning capabilities to Beyond TV™, the company's award-winning PC Digital Video Recorder (DVR) application. Available now, the optional DVD-burning plug-in enables Beyond TV owners to author DVDs of saved TV shows for playback on a broad range of set-top DVD players. This latest agreement reinforces the versatility of AuthorScript, which was also selected recently to enable DVD recording features in Windows Vista and high-quality DVD playback in a future version of Nintendo's Wii™ gaming console.
"We are very excited to be working with Sonic Solutions to expand our Beyond TV offering," said Rakesh Agrawal, CEO, SnapStream Inc. "Thanks to Sonic technology, Beyond TV customers can now create DVD libraries of saved programming and enjoy their favorite shows at their convenience in the comfort of their living rooms. Sonic AuthorScript was the ideal solution, providing not only the proven authoring engine, but also the implementation flexibility necessary to ensure DVD creation became a tightly-integrated component of the Beyond TV experience."
Easy to install and configure, Beyond TV software enables consumers to record and watch TV on their PC. Similar to a set-top DVR, Beyond TV allows users to record programs for enjoyment at a later time as well as pause, fast-forward and rewind live television. Key features of the application include an integrated electronic program guide with powerful search capabilities, a SmartSkip™ feature for quickly passing commercial blocks, and extensive codec support that allows users to compress content to preserve hard drive space as well as prepare recorded content for enjoyment on portable devices. The new DVD burning plug-in integrates seamlessly into the Beyond TV workflow and enables users to easily record favorite shows to disc complete with menus, content titles, and SmartSkip chapter points. For more information regarding Beyond TV and the DVD burning Plug-in, visit: http://www.snapstream.com.
"We are extremely pleased to be working with SnapStream to enhance the capabilities of Beyond TV, an innovative application that makes consumers' digital media experience more rewarding by enabling them to enjoy favorite TV entertainment on their own terms," said Mark Ely, executive vice president of strategy, Sonic Solutions. "With installations of AuthorScript in the tens of millions in 2007, Sonic technology will continue to play the leading role in shaping the future of digital media."
About AuthorScript
Sonic AuthorScript is the industry standard for a broad range of developers requiring a quick and easy solution for integrating robust DVD and CD recording, authoring and playback capabilities into their products, including hardware and software applications, music download sites, consumer electronics devices, and products incorporating the next-generation high-definition DVD formats. AuthorScript provides its users the assurance that their DVDs are of the highest quality and are compatible with virtually all of the world's more than one billion DVD players. Sonic has also developed AuthorScript® DVD on Demand™ to power the electronic sell-through of movies and television content.
For more information on AuthorScript visit: http://www.sonic.com/products/Developer/Authorscript/
About SnapStream Media, Inc.
SnapStream Media, Inc. is a leading developer of digital home products based in Houston, Texas. SnapStream Media's vision is to create high-quality consumer entertainment experiences that leverage PC and Internet technologies. The company's digital video recording (DVR) software, Beyond TV™, was showcased by Bill Gates in his keynote address at the Windows XP Launch in 2001, and received PC Magazine's Product of the Year Award in December 2004. Beyond TV was praised as "an idea whose time has come" by the Associated Press and declared "better than TiVo" by Maximum PC. Interested parties can find more information about SnapStream Media and its products at www.snapstream.com.
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.