EMediaLive.com

OWC Mercury Pro Features FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, & eSATA Interfaces, Burns Blu-ray Discs to 8X, DVDs to 16X, CDs to 40X Speeds -- Priced from $299.99

Philips Settles with Moser Baer and Imation

aVinci's My Personal Movie Photo DVD Product Launches at Walgreens Stores Nationwide

Highly Anticipated OPPO Blu-ray Disc Player Finally Arrives

Experience the Power of Blu-ray Hi-Def Like Never Before on Fast & Furious Through Enhanced Blu-ray Bonus Features for iPhone(TM) and iPod Touch(R)

Samsung Unveils Enhanced Home Theater System with Blu-ray Creating Powerful HD Experience for Consumers

Sonic Clears Path for 3D Movie Downloads

Consumers Still Buying Consumer Electronics in a Down Economy, CEA Forecast Finds

Acer Group to Bundle Nero 9 Essentials on All Desktop PCs

Super DVD Creator The Easy Way Create DVD From Videos

Sonic and Verismo Deliver Movie Streaming in India

Macrovision Solutions Corporation Formally Changes Name to Rovi Corporation

Final Cut Studio 3 First Look: Apple Ignores DVD Studio Pro Again, but Debuts (Modest) Blu-ray Support, New HD Codecs

By now you've heard that there's a new version of Final Cut Studio shipping from Apple, aptly called "the New Final Cut Studio." What's new? Well, it starts with a new price of $999, $300 less than Final Cut Studio 2. You can upgrade to the new suite from any previous version, even Final Cut Pro 1.0, for $299. All suite components were upgraded (to varying degrees) except for DVD Studio Pro—which, as you may recall, wasn't upgraded in the previous suite either. Fear not, however (are you sitting down?): The suite upgrade does enable a modest level of Blu-ray Disc authoring. More on that later.

There are more than 100 new features spread over the suite, but here I'll focus on Final Cut Pro and Compressor. Although I had a 2-hour product briefing from Apple, I couldn't actually test the product before submitting this column, so I'm simply reporting what I saw and heard.

The first key thing to note about Final Cut Pro is that the interface is unchanged. As for new features, the most significant is a Share option that lets you produce a new range of outputs right from the timeline, including Blu-ray Discs, various quality levels of YouTube and MobileMe output, as well as any setting created in Compressor. You can batch your outputs, but what's really neat is that all rendering occurs in the background so you can keep working in Final Cut Pro after you share the timeline. No more creating QuickTime reference movies and loading them separately into Compressor.

Also significant are three new flavors of ProRes. At the high end, there's a new ProRes 4444 (330Mbps at 1080p), and there are two lower-bitrate versions: ProRes 422LT (100Mbps at 1080p) and ProRes 422 Proxy (45Mbps at 1080p). During the demo, the Apple rep showed me side-by-side versions of an original test video and ProRes versions all the way down to Proxy, and the videos appeared visually identical as I stood about 3' from the monitor.

As the Apple rep explained, ProRes 4444 (the last 4 is for alpha channel) is for post houses that need a high-quality intermediate format with alpha channel, while the lower-bitrate versions are targeted at AVCHD and HDV producers. I challenged the need for the latter, commenting that Final Cut Pro edited HDV very efficiently in my projects and tests. That's true, the product manager agreed, before telling me something I didn't know.

The product manager explained that Final Cut Pro's ability to work with multiple cores is usually limited by the codec used for preview and, ultimately, rendering. Final Cut Pro uses a very limited number of cores for HDV but can implement all available cores for ProRes, which should make all previews and even final rendering much faster. Of course, before the upgrade, the most efficient version of ProRes costs you about 150Mbps, six times more than HDV, which is a stiff price to pay. I'll be eager to try the 422LT and Proxy versions in my next HDV project. While discussing new format support, I should note that Apple has also included support for AVC-Intra in Final Cut Pro and Color 1.5.

Let's get back to Blu-ray for a moment. When I say Final Cut Studio now incorporates a modest level of Blu-ray Disc authoring, I mean multiple HD menu presets and the ability to create your own presets in Motion, with automatic chapter menus created for all menu markers. I don't think you get menu branching, and you certainly don't get the pop-up Blu-ray menus available in Adobe Encore CS4 (see my tutorial in the November 2008 issue). Still, what you get is sufficient for most corporate and indie productions, which appear to be Apple's targets. You can also record AVCHD discs with menus on legacy DVD recorders, which can contain up to about 40 minutes of HD video and can play on many Blu-ray players.

Also new is the ability to share a project preview via iChat, complete with timecodes. This function transmits the output of either the preview monitor or the viewer to an iChat client, complete with timecode, so you can easily preview and discuss the project with a remote client or collaborator. The iChat quality looked extremely good, and the display seemed very responsive even though the iChat client connected via wireless.

There's also a keyframeable speed adjustment utility that's much easier to use than the older slo-mo effect, which required an engineering degree to figure out. It's the first speed tool I've seen that has a "ripple" option, which lets you decide whether to push back subsequent clips on the timeline when you slow a clip down or to simply fill the same space with the slower video.

Since you can access any Compressor preset from Final Cut Pro's Share feature (and render in the background), you probably won't use Compressor to render files produced in Final Cut Pro. In addition to encoding stand-alone files from other sources, you'll primarily use Compressor to create presets. Apple has added a neat "auto-detect" setting that lets you easily create a preset from any existing encoded file, as well as enhanced droplets that you can tweak outside of Compressor.

The enhancements to Final Cut Pro and Compressor alone will make it hard for serious producers to resist the lure of this new version, and few should. It's a release packed with utility at a very aggressive price.

Jan Ozer (janozer at doceo.com) is a contributing editor to EventDV and Streaming Media.

Back to Contents...

The Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ: Updates

Back to Contents...

Verity Systems Launch Dual CD/DVD Autoloading Print Station

Verity Systems, leading manufacturers of on-demand CD, DVD and Blu-ray publishing equipment, today announced the release of the CopyDisc Ice2, an automated disc print station, featuring two bulk-ink printers and an extra large disc capacity.

Delivering their highest volume, disc printing system to date, the CopyDisc Ice2 combines Verity Systems proven robotics with two Panther printers and an incredible 660 disc capacity. The CopyDisc Ice2’s failsafe robotics transfer discs from the input spindles into the waiting printers. Once printed, discs are removed to the output spindles.

Utilizing the very latest in Hewlett-Packard inkjet technology, each Panther printers delivers an impressive 4800dpi, photo-quality resolution. The large, individual CMYK ink cartridges enable users to print large volumes of professional quality discs at a low cost per print. Each Panther printer can achieve 1500 full color discs on one set of cartridges alone, so users can print 3000 discs before having to change a single cartridge. In addition, the clever software allows for real-time ink monitoring, so users are guaranteed never to run out of ink mid job.

"The CopyDisc Ice2 has been built with the high-volume printer in mind" said Verity Systems Managing Director, David Tucker. "Our customers continue to demand faster print speeds and increased capacities. The CopyDisc Ice2 provides a continuous, automated printing solution that meets these demands. Not only does it offer the most economical solution for printing large quantities of discs, it maintains an excellent print quality throughout, a key feature often overlooked by other disc printing systems, particularly those featuring continuous ink supply systems".

The CopyDisc Ice 2 is operated via a PC through a USB 2.0 port, delivering the fastest data transfer and printing times possible. CopyDisc Ice2 comes with networking software as standard so that multiple users are able to submit jobs to the print station and their jobs will be produced in the order submitted.

Pricing
CopyDisc Ice2 sells for $9,999 (MSRP) and is available from Verity Systems’ network of distributors and resellers throughout the world.

About Verity Systems
Verity Systems are world leading designers and manufacturers of duplicating, printing and packaging solutions, providing complete turnkey solutions for on-demand disc production.

www.veritysystems.co.uk

Back to Contents...

Atlona Releases New HDMI and DVI Cables with Swivel Connectors Designed for Mounted HDTVs

HDTV owners placing plasma on the newest slim profile mounts proliferating the market are faced with issues when connecting standard HDMI cables to rear-facing HDMI ports. The average HDMI cable connector combined with limited cable flexibility near the connector ends can extend up to two and a half inches from the HDMI port. This limited distance requires users to either use mounts or risk damaging their cable as well as their televisions HDMI port. Atlona Technologies has developed a line of HDMI 1.3b cables that cut the distance needed for the HDMI connector ends by more than 50%, extending just over 1 inch from an HDMI port.

Atlona’s hew HDMI and DVI to HDMI cables feature a swivel connector end which allow them to bend at a 90 degrees in either direction. This new connector allows users to nearly flush mount their HDTVs. "This is another product designed to solve a specific problem that a affects a lot of HDTV owners," says Michael Khain, who heads up Atlona’s Product Development Department.

Atlona Technologies has held true to their motto of being a solutions based manufacturer since its inception, making products that resolve problems. Abandoning the "good, better, best" product strategy that has ruled the AV accessory market for years, Atlona Technologies has surpassed such standards, providing high quality products typically missing in most AV systems. These new swivel connector cables fall right in line with Atlona’s market strategy of providing solutions that serve every market from Professional to Residential AV.

Atlona’s new line of swivel connector HDMI and DVI cables include models AT14035-X (HDMI) and AT14022-X (DVI to HDMI). They are expected to start shipping by July 27, 2009 starting at $34.99 MSRP.

For more information on Atlona Products:
http://www.atlona.com

Back to Contents...

Rentrak Adds Blu-Ray Disc Component to Screen Media DVD Revenue Sharing Program

Rentrak Corporation (Nasdaq: RENT), a leader in multi-screen media measurement serving the entertainment and advertising industries, today announced the addition of a Blu-ray Disc "BD" component to the company's existing Screen Media DVD revenue sharing program. Screen Media Ventures is one of the largest independent suppliers of high quality motion pictures to U.S. and international broadcast markets, cable networks, home video outlets and new media venues.

According to Rentrak's Home Video Essentials, BD rental revenue increased 62% to $203 million during the first half of 2009, and is projected to experience a growing share of the overall rental market in the years ahead. As this transition to high definition continues, revenue sharing programs will play a key role in growing consumer adoption of the format. Rentrak's Pay-Per-Transaction (PPT) program enables rental retailers to pay a small up-front fee to stock the widest array of popular home entertainment titles to help meet growing demand for Blu-ray content.

"With more independent retailers looking to grow their footprint in Blu-ray rental, Rentrak is excited to announce yet another content supplier establishing a revenue sharing option," said Tim Erwin, SVP Sales & Customer Relations, Home Entertainment Division at Rentrak. "Increasing the number of outlets with a Blu-ray selection will give consumers the confidence they need to accelerate the adoption and growth of the format."

"We are excited to expand our relationship with Rentrak to include the rapidly growing Blu-ray format," said Robert Baruc, president, Screen Media. "Rentrak's unique business model and strong relationships with hundreds of independent retailers will help us expand our Blu-ray market share."

The first Screen Media title available under the new BD program through Rentrak is "Lymelife," starring Alec Baldwin, Emma Roberts, Jill Hennessy, and Timothy Hutton. "Lymelife" will be available to rent September 22, 2009.

About Rentrak's PPT Division
Developed in 1988, Rentrak's proven Pay-Per-Transaction(R) (PPT) model supplies both content providers and retailers with the industry-leading technology, information systems and other sales and support services necessary to make revenue sharing viable and productive for everyone involved. Rentrak greatly simplifies the landscape for each content provider by consolidating the thousands of individual retailers participating in our PPT system into one business partner. Through Rentrak's PPT system, video retailers are given monthly access to a wide selection of box office hits, independent releases and foreign films from the industry's leading suppliers.

About Rentrak Corporation
Rentrak Corporation is an industry-advancing media measurement and research company, serving the most recognizable names in the entertainment industry. Reaching across numerous platforms including box office, home entertainment, on-demand and linear television, broadband and mobile, Rentrak provides unique and actionable insight for our clients and partners. From the introduction of our revolutionary Pay-Per-Transaction(R) distribution and revenue-sharing system, which equipped Rentrak with the intelligence and ability to deal with large, complex data streams, to the company's exclusive Essentials(TM) suite of services, Rentrak has redefined digital audience measurement. Rentrak is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with additional offices in Los Angeles, New York City and Miami/ Ft. Lauderdale. For more information on any of Rentrak's services, please visit www.rentrak.com.

Back to Contents...

OWC Mercury Pro Features FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, & eSATA Interfaces, Burns Blu-ray Discs to 8X, DVDs to 16X, CDs to 40X Speeds -- Priced from $299.99

Other World Computing (OWC, http://www.macsales.com), a leading Mac and PC technology company, announced today that it has lowered prices on its Mercury Pro™ Blu-ray "Quad Interface" External Drive line and has introduced two new special Mac bundles that include the full $149.99 retail version of Toast 10 Titanium Pro, the easiest tool for Mac users to burn music, video, photos, and data files onto CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs. The Mercury Pro Blu-ray "Quad Interface" External Drives are the only Blu-ray burners on the market that provide the flexibility of a "Quad Interface" of FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, & eSATA for Plug & Play compatibility with both Windows and Macintosh systems.

Pricing for OWC Mercury Pro Blu-ray "Quad Interface" External Drive line:

OWC Mercury Pro "Quad Interface" External Drive (model OWCMRF8UEBDW6) $299.99. Up to 6X Blu-ray, 16X DVD, and 40X CD Burn Speeds. Includes all connection cables, two 25GB 4X BD-R discs, and one year OWC warranty.
OWC Mercury Pro "Quad Interface" External Drive (model OWCMRF8BDSD8X) $349.99. Up to 8X Blu-ray, 16X DVD, and 32X CD Burn Speeds. Includes all connection cables, two 25GB 4X BD-R discs, and one year OWC warranty.
Special Mac User Bundle: OWC Mercury Pro "Quad Interface" External Drive and Toast 10 Titanium Pro (model OWCMRF8UEBDW6T) $399.99. Up to 6X Blu-ray, 16X DVD, and 40X CD Burn Speeds. Includes full retail box version Toast 10 Titanium Pro, all connection cables, two 25GB 4X BD-R discs, and one year OWC warranty.
Special Mac User Bundle: OWC Mercury Pro "Quad Interface" External Drive and Toast 10 Titanium Pro (model OWCMRF8BDSD8XT) $449.99. Up to 8X Blu-ray, 16X DVD, and 32X CD Burn Speeds. Includes full retail box version Toast 10 Titanium Pro, all connection cables, two 25GB 4X BD-R discs, and one year OWC warranty.

Burn 50,000 JPEG Images, 17,500 MP3 Songs, or 25 DVD Movies on a Single Blu-ray Disc
Available immediately priced starting at $299.99, the Mercury Pro Blu-ray External Drives are ideal for consumers with large amounts of High-Definition or other video, photos, music, and data files that they want to author, archive, or retrieve using a single disk. Capable of burning up to 50GB of data -- equal to 50,000 JPEG images, 17,500 MP3 songs, 25 DVD quality movies, or just under four hours of High Definition video -- onto a single Blu-ray disc as quickly as 30 minutes, the Mercury Pro Blu-ray drives also read and/or write virtually all types of optical media, including DVD R/RW & Dual-Layer, DVD-RAM, and CD-R/RW.

Special Mac Bundles Include $149.99 Retail Version of Toast 10 Titanium Pro
A $149.99 retail value, Toast 10 Titanium Pro is included with two new OWC Mercury Pro Blu-ray External Drives bundles for Mac users. A long time Mac favorite tool for burning CDs and DVDs, Toast 10 Titanium Pro takes burning on Macs to the next level with built-in Blu-ray data and video disc burning capabilities, in addition to DVD & CD support. Ideal for creative professionals and designers, as well as home photo and video hobbyists, Toast 10 Titanium Pro supports the burning of massive amounts of raw data files, as well as the creation of fully playable Blu-ray video discs. Using this included software, Mac users can convert and burn a wide variety of QuickTime compatible files and HD video footage from AVCHD camcorders, TiVo DVRs, ElGato’s EyeTV, etc. and then play the discs on any standard Blu-ray set-top box or PS3 game console.

"With up to 8X Blu-ray write speeds for burning up to 2GB per minute, four interfaces for the fastest performance with any computer, all connection cables included, and two media disks included, the Mercury Pro Blu-ray External Drives give Mac and PC users with a large amount of data the complete performance package to convert those files to Blu-ray disc quickly and easily," said Larry O’Connor, CEO, Other World Computing. "For Mac users, the two special Toast bundles represent an outstanding value on the easiest drag and drop video to Blu-ray disk burning application on the market."

The OWC Mercury Pro Blu-ray "Quad Interface" External Drive line has been fully tested for compatibility with most Mac and Windows built-in and third party DVD/CD tools and players, including Apple iTunes, Apple Disc Burning, Apple iLife Suite, Apple Final Cut Studio 2 (exporting edited video to Toast for Blu-ray mastering), EMC Retrospect Express, NTI DragonBurn, Roxio Toast, Roxio Easy Media Creator, and Nero Burning.

For more information on the OWC Mercury Pro Blu-ray external drive solutions, visit:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/optical-drives/

About Other World Computing (OWC)
Other World Computing (OWC) has been providing quality hardware products and support to the computer industry since 1988 and features one of the largest online catalogs of computer, iPod, and iPhone enhancement products through its e-commerce portal www.macsales.com. As a Premiere Level Apple Developer Connection member, OWC also provides extensive US based technical support for Macintosh users around the world as well as Interest access via www.fastermac.net and www.owc.net.

OWC’s industry awards and recognition include: Crain’s Chicago Business 2009 "Fast 50" List of 50 Fastest Growing Compnies in the Chicago Area; Computerworld Magazine Top Green-IT Companies for 2008; BizRate’s Gold Circle of Excellence, 2004 to 2008; Inc. 5,000 Top 100 Computers & Electronics Companies 2007 & 2008; Crain’s Chicago Business 2008 Largest Privately Held Companies List; and McHenry County Economic Development Corporation 2008 Business Champion Award.

OWC corporate headquarters in Woodstock, IL will soon be awarded "Platinum" level certification, the highest level given by the United States Green Building Council’s LEED program, for compliance with environmentally sound building methods which incorporate innovative use of "green" systems and materials. Later this year, OWC will again take a leadership role in environmental stewardship by installing a clean power source wind turbine that will generate more than double the amount of power required by OWC’s operations.

For more information, visit www.macsales.com.

Back to Contents...

Philips Settles with Moser Baer and Imation

On the 13th of July 2009 Philips ended its legal disputes with regard to recordable and rewritable optical discs with Imation and Moser Baer in two separate settlements.

Under the settlement with Imation, Imation agreed to pay $ 53 million to Philips over a period of 3 years.

Simultaneously Moser Baer India Limited, an India based company who is a major supplier of CD and DVD discs to Imation, has been authorized by Philips under certain confidential conditions to use its patents for the manufacture and sale of recordable and rewritable optical discs. All other terms of the two settlements are confidential.

Philips is glad that the cases with Imation and Moser Baer are finally settled and believes that the settlements with Imation and Moser Baer create a good basis for cooperation with both companies in the future.

Back to Contents...

aVinci's My Personal Movie Photo DVD Product Launches at Walgreens Stores Nationwide

aVinci Media Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVMC) and Walgreens, the nations largest drugstore chain, announced today the completion of a six month roll-out of My Personal Movie to nearly 7,000 Walgreens stores. My Personal Movie, now available at existing photo kiosks nationwide, allows consumers to easily share, celebrate and preserve stories in their lives by transforming their digital images into a memorable, emotional and personalized DVD in minutes.

Developed by aVinci, My Personal Movie utilizes engaging special effects and occasion-based themes to showcase consumer photos. Walgreens customers can choose from a variety of themes including all occasion, wedding, vacation, Christmas and baby. In addition, consumers can customize their DVD by choosing from many licensed popular songs to create a compelling, emotional multimedia story. Customers supply their favorite digital images and My Personal Movie does the rest.

"Customer reaction to My Personal Movie has been sensational," said Mona Kelly, divisional merchandise manager of Walgreens photofinishing and front end services. Many Walgreens customers have provided feedback on the value of this exciting new service. For instance, customer Suzanne D. wrote to say, 'Thank you for creating a beautiful testament to our family! I viewed it by myself before giving it to my husband and I cried my eyes out! When the girls gave it to their dad, he cried too! It turned out perfect! This is a wonderful service! Especially for us novices it was easy and affordable!"'

"We're excited that Walgreens, a retail leader in photographic services, is offering their customers this multimedia personalized photo product," stated Chett Paulsen, CEO of aVinci Media. "My Personal Movie provides great value to customers with professional quality production which provides Walgreens customers an easy, powerful way to memorialize special events and relive life's memories in a truly creative way."

Each My Personal Movie DVD features up to 100 personal photos for $19.99. The professional quality DVD comes complete with a personalized case cover. Customers can also order duplicate copies for $9.99 to keep and share with others

aVinci Media Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: AVMC)
Of the 300 billion digital photos captured each year less than 10% are monetized. Since 2003, aVinci has inspired consumers to unlock the potential of their images by creating innovative, easy-to-use products. aVinci's proprietary technology automates the creation, sharing and preservation of personal stories, memories, aspiration and dreams. Consumers are empowered to integrate their photos into compelling personal movies, photo books and posters using licensed brands and creative occasion based themes. aVinci products are offered both in store and online through leading retailers and partners such as Walgreens, Walmart, Costco, Meijer, HP, Fujicolor, Rimage, Noritsu and ESPN www.myESPNhighlights.com. For more information, visit http://www.avincimedia.com.

About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,902 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 715 locations throughout the country.

Back to Contents...

Highly Anticipated OPPO Blu-ray Disc Player Finally Arrives

OPPO Digital (www.oppodigital.com) announced the release of their long-awaited BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player.

The BDP-83 is a full-featured universal Blu-ray Disc™ player that supports BD Profile 2.0 (BD-Live and BonusView), DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), HDCD, CD and other media formats such as AVCHD, MKV video, digital music and photos. Based on and expanded upon the acclaimed OPPO up-converting DVD players, the BDP-83 delivers first-class video quality for both Blu-ray and DVD. Utilizing the VRS by Anchor Bay video processing solution, it supports all the high-end video features including 1080p24Hz output, HDMI 1.3 with Deep Color, Source Direct output, and many other picture control and enhancement options.

OPPO did not stop at just video performance. Audio performance is equally important. The BDP-83 supports all the high-resolution audio formats with bit-stream output and onboard decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. For SACD playback, the BDP-83 supports direct DSD over HDMI and DSD-to-analog without any PCM conversion, a very unique feature. The BDP-83 features a refined analog audio stage with a pair of dedicated stereo as well as 7.1ch analog audio outputs.

The BDP-83 is a user-friendly player. Initially setup is a breeze and all operation and setup details are explained in the well-written manual. Users can appreciate its quick start-up, fast disc loading and responsive operation. Setup menus can be accessed without interruption to disc playback. The included front and back USB 2.0 ports enable easy access to music, photo and video. Featuring a heavy gauge brushed aluminum front panel, dimmable display and a sturdy chassis, the BDP-83 fits nicely to any home theater environment, from simple to very high-end. Additional convenient features include a remote control with backlight, IR in and out ports, optional RS-232 control and wireless bridge kit.

It has been a long wait for this unique player. OPPO Digital took their time to make sure the BDP-83 will uphold the OPPO performance heritage and meet the users' expectations. During the past year, the BDP-83 went though a lengthy beta test, two rounds of Early Adoption Programs, and many firmware revisions. As a result of the collective contribution of the user community, product reviewers and developers, OPPO finally made the debut of this highly anticipated product as their entrant into the Blu-ray Disc player market.

Available for an estimated retail price of $499, the BDP-83 can be ordered directly from the OPPO Digital web site http://www.oppodigital.com and authorized resellers. Backed by the renowned quality and customer support from OPPO Digital, the BDP-83 will bring stunning visual and breath-taking audio performance to any home theater.

Back to Contents...

Experience the Power of Blu-ray Hi-Def Like Never Before on Fast & Furious Through Enhanced Blu-ray Bonus Features for iPhone(TM) and iPod Touch(R)

In a groundbreaking move that promises to further elevate and differentiate the Blu-ray user experience, Universal Studios Home Entertainment today announced a plan to deliver an extensive array of iPhone and iPod touch-enabled features on its upcoming Blu-ray releases that can be accessed via companion applications from the App Store.

This industry-leading functionality will launch on Apple's APP Store on July 28, 2009, coinciding with the 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray release of the box-office smash Fast & Furious. For the first time ever, iPhone and iPod touch users will have the ability to control interactive content on their Internet and Wi-Fi connected Blu-ray players for a more enhanced and unique experience. Later this year on select Universal releases, consumers will also be able to access bonus content found on their Blu-ray disc and download it into their iPhone or iPod touch to watch features on-the-go; use the devices as a virtual remote to control their Blu-ray disc features; and/or access additional detailed information about the film, its cast and more while watching the movie. Releases will also integrate with social network applications or sites such as Facebook and Twitter to allow users to update their friends about movie-related activities.

"By harnessing Blu-ray technology and combining it with Apple's highly acclaimed iPod touch and iPhone, we continue to raise the bar in delivering an array of unprecedented, user-friendly home entertainment experiences," said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platforms. "Bridging these platforms further broadens the scope of the digital landscape by paving the way for innovative new applications and interactive content enhancements that continue to uniquely engage consumers."

Powered by BD-Live, the 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray release of Fast & Furious will utilize this interactive technology tied to its "Virtual Car Garage" bonus feature. With iPhone or iPod touch in-hand, Blu-ray viewers can use their devices' touch screens to control 360-degree views of the movie's supercharged street-racers and instantly punch up exclusive technical specs for the film's high-tech cars.

The "Virtual Car Garage" is just one of many exciting features included in the fully-loaded release of the Fast & Furious 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray, which hits the streets July 28, 2009. Packed with more fast cars, hot bodies and breath-taking stunts than ever, this built-for-speed action thriller reunites the original cast for an all-new, high-octane adventure. The 2-disc Special Edition Blu-ray comes packed with bonus materials, plus a digital copy of the film that can be enjoyed on an array of electronic devices.

In this global hit, Vin Diesel (The Chronicles of Riddick) and Paul Walker (2 Fast 2 Furious) re-team with Michelle Rodriguez ("Lost") and Jordana Brewster (Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning) for the ultimate experience in unfettered speed. Director Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) also returns to create another edgy fast-paced crowd-pleaser. The 2-Disc Special Edition Blu-ray Fast & Furious is priced at $39.98 SRP.

The app will be available for free from Apple's App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.

Back to Contents...

Samsung Unveils Enhanced Home Theater System with Blu-ray Creating Powerful HD Experience for Consumers

Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the introduction of its new HT-BD3252 home theater system to deliver an enhanced Blu-ray integrated home theater experience for consumers. The new HT-BD3252 combines a high quality viewing experience, with powerful audio and an array of advanced networking options in a boldly designed player that can help convert almost any living space into a premium HD showroom.

Samsung HT-BD3252 Home Theater System Product Pricing and Availability

Price: $799
Availability: August 2009

"Samsung has been offering Blu-ray video and HD audio as an integrated and powerful home entertainment package for the last two years, and our continuing drive to bring premium and extraordinarily designed products into consumers’ homes is underscored by the HT-BD3252," said Reid Sullivan, senior vice president of audio/video and digital imaging marketing, Samsung Electronics America. "The HT-BD3252 builds on the success of the HT-BD1250 and adds several performance and ease of use enhancements including rear wireless speakers and built-in wireless access to the latest streaming and PC-based multimedia content."

The Samsung HT-BD3252 provides a theater-like sound at home, with an expanded center channel ensuring clear dialogue reproduction and the inclusion of front tallboy and wireless rear speakers delivering notable audio presence and décor-friendly sophisticated style. The system’s 1,000W of total power paired together with Samsung’s crystal amplifier and unique, bio kelp speaker cones allows consumers to enjoy improved audio detail and dynamics. Samsung’s Auto Sound Calibration (ASC) automatically adjusts the speakers to optimum levels and output depending upon their seating position at the touch of a button. Additionally, the system supports decoding of the latest HD audio formats, including Dolby TrueHD™ and DTS-HD Master Audio®.

The Samsung HT-BD3252 touts exceptional video playback with its integrated Blu-ray player, which supports BD-Live™ interactive content (available on select Blu-ray discs) using either the wired Ethernet port, or wirelessly with the included Wi-Fi USB dongle. Consumers can instantly stream the latest SD and HD content from Netflix and access Pandora’s library of online music right on their TV (subscriptions required). Starting in the Fall of 2009, BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand service will become available via a future firmware upgrade. For added entertainment options, the HT-BD3252 plays a variety of audio and photo files from a networked PC, a connected USB device, such as a digital camera, or even a portable drive for big-screen sharing with family and friends. Two HDMI-CEC inputs allow for simple, high quality connections to other home entertainment components, while an included iPod®/iPhone® cradle and onscreen display support make it easy to navigate favorite video and audio using the HT-BD3252’s remote control.

Specifications
HT-BD3252 Blu-ray Home Theater System

Power
- 1000 Watts total output power
Audio * 5.1-Channel
- Smart Volume
- Dolby Digital®, Dolby Pro-Logic II®, Dolby Digital Plus™, Dolby Digital True HD™, DTS-HD Master Audio®
- Rear Wireless Included
Connectivity * Wi-Fi capable with included USB dongle (802.11b/g/n)
- 1 USB 2.0 port with USB HOST functionality
- Made for iPod®/iPhone® with included cradle, onscreen display support, and remote control navigation
- 1 HDMI-CEC output
- 1 Composite output
- 2 HDMI-CEC inputs
- 1 Optical input
- 1 Ethernet port
Other Features
- Crystal Amplifier
- Bio Kelp Speaker Cones
- Energy Star® compliant
- BD Wise
- BD Profile 2.0-compliant (BD-Live™)
- Plays Netflix SD/HD streaming content (subscription required)
- Plays Pandora streaming audio (subscription required)
- Plays BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand streaming content (via firmware upgrade available in Fall 2009)
- Auto Sound Calibration (ASC) with included microphone
- Wired / wireless PC Streaming of select audio and photo files
Estimated Selling Price
- $799
Availability
- August 2009

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.

Back to Contents...

Sonic Clears Path for 3D Movie Downloads

Sonic Solutions((R)) (Nasdaq: SNIC), is leveraging its broad range of Hollywood to Home(TM) digital media applications, technologies and services, including its Roxio CinemaNow((R)) movie delivery service, to provide consumers a convenient way to access and enjoy 3D movies at home. Sonic's solution for the digital delivery of 3D entertainment includes professional tools for preparing content for electronic distribution and sell-through, services for delivery of device-optimized 3D content, and software for PC playback.

"The same consumers demanding the finest in home video quality and convenience are now expecting to soon enjoy the score of new 3D theatrical releases in the comfort of their homes," said Richard Doherty, Research Director for The Envisioneering Group. "All the studio heads, cinematographers and technical wizards that we enjoy a dialogue with are confident that 3D in the home will soon become the next entertainment breakthrough. Sonic's long experience in providing tools that empower Hollywood to deliver movies into homes on disc and savvy in streaming content to CE platforms through CinemaNow will surely help propel 3D out of the theatre screen and literally into living rooms around the world."

Sonic is teaming with a number of industry leaders to ensure the 3D content delivered can be enjoyed across a range of 3D-capable devices. To provide a stunning visual experience for PC users, Sonic has teamed with NVIDIA. 3D movies from Roxio CinemaNow will be optimized for NVIDIA((R)) GeForce((R)) graphics processing units (GPUs) and the Roxio CinemaNow player will support NVIDIA 3D Vision((R)) and 3D Vision-Ready displays, including the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ and ViewSonic((R)) FuHzion((R)) VX2265wm currently in the market for 3D gaming.

"NVIDIA has pushed technological and design boundaries to deliver an unrivaled 3D gaming experience," said Ujesh Desai, vice president of GeForce business at NVIDIA. "Now, through our collaboration with Sonic and integrated support for Roxio CinemaNow content across our entire line of 3D Vision-capable GPUs, including the GeForce GTX 295, 285, and 275 processors, we hope to introduce millions of customers to the immersive world of 1080p 3D premium movies at home."

3D movies from CinemaNow will be delivered via the PC, which will perform the necessary decoding to display them on both 3D-ready PC displays and 3D-ready digital TVs and projectors. Unlike older anaglyph (colored glasses) solutions, this solution provides a true and compelling 3D experience, much like that created by today's digital-theater systems. Sonic is also collaborating with consumer electronics manufacturers in order to deliver 3D content directly to next-generation connected HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players.

"Technical advancements by industry leaders such as Mitsubishi Electric, NVIDIA and Samsung have created the necessary display and processing platforms to bring the 3D cinematic experience home," said Dave Habiger, president and CEO, Sonic Solutions. "Now through Roxio CinemaNow we will enable consumers to conveniently access 3D entertainment instantly and enjoy its depth and impact on the small screen from the comfort of their couch."

Sonic has relationships with more than 250 content providers and a content portfolio that includes entertainment from all major Hollywood studios and independent distributors. Roxio CinemaNow offers a massive selection of premium video entertainment for rental or purchase, including new releases from major Hollywood studios often on the same day the DVD is available in stores. CinemaNow's cloud-based media services power devices from multiple manufacturers, forming a connected ecosystem that consumers can use to seamlessly choose, move and view video entertainment.

The CinemaNow ecosystem currently includes PCs, connected TVs, set top DVRs, Blu-ray Disc and mobile media players from leading manufacturers such as Archos, Dell, HP, LG, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pioneer, Samsung and TiVo. As well as being available on a range of consumer electronics, Roxio CinemaNow is currently powering internet movie stores for Lionsgate, Warner Bros. and Blockbuster, and is instantly accessible through Bestbuy.com.

About Sonic Solutions
Sonic Solutions((R)) (NASDAQ: SNIC) is powering the digital media ecosystem through its complete range of Hollywood to Home(TM) applications, services, and technologies. Sonic's Roxio((R)) products enable consumers to easily manage and enjoy personal digital media content as well as premium Hollywood entertainment on a broad range of connected devices. A wide array of leading technology firms, professionals, and developers rely on Sonic to bring innovative digital media functionality to next-generation devices and platforms. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.

Back to Contents...

Consumers Still Buying Consumer Electronics in a Down Economy, CEA Forecast Finds

Consumers continue to buy technology products to improve their lives, although the consumer electronics (CE) industry will see overall shipment revenues decline in 2009, according to new data released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®. The semi-annual U.S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecast shows that industry revenues will contract to $165 billion in 2009 but grow slightly in 2010.

The consumer electronics industry will see shipment revenues fall 7.7 percent, to $165 billion this year, the first decline since 2001. While consumer demand for CE products remains high, several market forces are contributing to lower revenues, including lower consumer spending, price declines and compositional shifts in key product categories. As consumer confidence rebuilds, industry revenues will grow, albeit at a pace of less than one percent in 2010. CEA’s forecast projects industry revenues will bottom out by the second half of 2009, although many risk factors remain causing industry growth to remain muted.

The CE industry continues to hold up favorably compared with other industries. Most recessions are marked by steep declines in durable goods purchases as individuals defer discretionary purchases that can be pushed into the future. Despite the worst recession since the Great Depression, CE spending as a percentage of all durable goods is as high as it has been in 50 years. Vehicle sales are down 40 percent since the recession began in the fourth quarter of 2007, according to Autodata Corporation, and existing home sales are down 34 percent from their peak in August 2005, according to the National Association of Realtors.

"The CE industry is not impervious to the economic downturn but remains resilient compared to other industries," said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. "Through innovation and global access to consumers and open markets, technology companies will restore economic growth and prosperity. American consumers continue to purchase CE products despite cutting back in many areas, showing that consumer electronics are vital to everyday life in this country."

Digital displays continue to be the primary revenue driver for the industry, comprising 15 percent of overall industry sales. Unit shipments of displays remain robust, projected to be up eight percent in 2009. LCDs remain the display of choice for consumers with unit volumes jumping 24 percent. Lower price points and an increase in consumer demand for mid-size displays are reducing revenue. TV display shipment revenues are expected to drop six percent this year to $24 billion.

One year after emerging as the next-generation DVD format of choice, Blu-ray players are poised for growth in 2009. Unit shipments of Blu-ray players will jump 112 percent this year, reaching nearly six million. Even as prices drop, revenues are expected to top one billion dollars, an increase of 48 percent over 2008.

Continued innovation in the smartphone category is leading to high consumer demand and increased shipment revenues. Smartphone shipment revenues will increase almost three percent in 2009, to nearly $14 billion, despite declines in average unit prices. Smartphones will account for one in four total handset sales this year as consumers continue to seek devices capable of Internet access, navigation and media playback while on the go.

CEA’s updated sales and forecast also shows netbook momentum is building within the PC category. Unit shipments are forecasted to nearly double in 2009, rising 85 percent, to eight and a half million units. Even as more consumers opt for lower-priced netbooks, the category will reach $3.4 billion in revenue in 2009.

"Consumers continue to buy CE products at high rates, showing that CE is a must-have even during the darkest of economic times," said Steve Koenig, CEA director of industry analysis. "Notably, consumers are buying CE products that fit today’s budget, like mid-sized displays, netbooks and private label products. Some categories, such as digital cameras, Mp3 players and video game consoles, have reached maturation as most American homes now include such devices."

U.S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecasts 2005-2010 (July 2009) is published twice a year, in January and July. It was designed and formulated by CEA, the most comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research and historical trends for the consumer electronics industry. Please cite any information to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®. The complete report is available free to CEA member companies. Non-members may purchase the study for $2,000 exclusively at mycea.CE.org.

About CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $165 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES – Where Entertainment, Technology and Business Converge. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2009 CEA Industry Forum
October 18-21, 2009, Phoenix, AZ
2009 i-stage
October 19, 2009, Phoenix, AZ
Digital Hollywood Fall
October 19-22, 2009, Los Angeles, CA
CES New York Press Preview featuring CES Unveiled @ NY
November 10, 2009, New York, NY
Future of Television East
November 18-19, 2009, New York, NY
2010 International CES
January 7-10, 2010, Las Vegas, NV

Back to Contents...

Acer Group to Bundle Nero 9 Essentials on All Desktop PCs

Nero, creators of liquid media technology, today expanded their relationship with Acer Group, one of the world’s largest PC manufacturers. By the end of 2009, Acer Group will bundle Nero 9 Essentials, an OEM version of the Nero 9 integrated digital media and home entertainment software suite, on all desktop systems sold globally, incl uding the Acer, Gateway, Packard Bell and eMachines brands.

"Consumers need to be able to take their new system out of the box and complete tasks like burning music or videos with ease, and share their favorite digital content with friends and family," said Jackson Lin, vice president of Global Strategic Alliance, IT Products Global Operations at Acer Group. "Nero 9 Essentials gives them a quick and easy way to jump right into enjoying the power and functionality of their new=2 0computer."

Currently, all Packard Bell branded desktop and notebook computers are bundled with the award-winning burning solution. By including Nero 9 Essentials on all desktop systems in the Acer Group family, consumers will be able to easily burn CDs and DVDs and access the easy-to-use Nero StartSmart 9 Essential interface for navigating through the product’s features. The Nero Toolkit provides the industry standard for testing and benchmarking optical recording drives. With LabelFlash, consumers=2 0can easily personalize CDs and DVDs with custom inscriptions of text or photos.

"Customer feedback guides the design of each of our offerings. As a result, we’ve built a strong worldwide reputation of providing solid solutions for consumers to enjoy their content at home, on-the-go, and online," said Hyder Rabbani, senior vice president of Worldwide OEM Sales at Nero. "The bundling of the Nero 9 Essentials software with Acer computers takes advantage of the new Windows 7 ope rating systems and delivers a computer optimized for today’s PC users."

Acer Group desktop owners will be able to upgrade to the full Nero 9 suite with a special discount offer, along with other Nero products, including Nero BackItUp & Burn, Nero MediaHome and Nero Move it. For more information about Nero 9, please visit www.nero.com.

About Nero
Nero, the creator of liquid media technology, enables liquid content creation and distribution anytime, anywhere, and on any device. The company provides consumers with the freedom to simply enjoy their music, photos, and videos, regardless of hardware or file format, by taking a unique platform neutral, standards-based approach to solution development. More than 300 million units of Nero’s trusted sof tware solutions are used in the home, on the go, and professionally. Nero also provides strategic partners with cutting-edge applications, codecs, tools, software development kits, and programming interfaces for use with a variety of the latest platforms and devices. Products are available globally through hardware manufacturers, international partners, retailers, and directly through the Nero Online Shop at www.nero.com.

Back to Contents...

Super DVD Creator The Easy Way Create DVD From Videos

Super DVD Creator (http://www.alldj.com) lets you jumpstart your creativity and make a personalized disk (DVD, VCD or SVCD) from your videos. Whether you want to create DVD as a present for your friend or beloved, transfer an old video of a family get-together from VHS to digital form, or create a digital resume, Super DVD Creator is an excellent choice! It's easy, clean and makes precious memories last for many generations to come.

DVD creation is quick, easy and fun. Simply get guided by the wizard-style interface and create a disk in three steps. First you'll select the format (DVD, SVCD, VCD disk), then add video files, include a DVD menu with chapters and subtitles (*.srt) and click 'Start'. That's all! Super DVD Creator will take care of the rest. It'll burn the output to DVD in brilliant quality and much faster than any other DVD authoring software on the market.

The highest quality of viewing and listening experience is ensured by a choice of customizable video and audio controls. Another unique option in Super DVD Creator is Super Encode Engine, which is based on MMX-SSE & 3DNow! technology. It delivers an advanced and high speed converting method that lets users create a full 4.2 Gb DVD in 60 minutes!

Click here to download Super DVD Creator (http://www.alldj.com) free.

Super DVD Creator's Key Features at a Glance:

Create DVD from Flv, MP4, 3GP, RM, WMV, ASF, AVI DivX Mpeg files with DVD Menu and Subtitle;
Convert and burn Flv, MP4, 3GP,RM, ASF, WMV AVI DivX Mpeg files to DVD (PAL / NTSC);
Supports more than 130 video and 80 audio media formats;
Burn Media file to video DVD Disc;
DVD Video Disc Burner Inside;
Build DVD in 60 minutes, depending on your system speeds;
Batch convert all movies direct to DVD;
Create DVD with DVD Chapter Menu and Subtitle just one click.

Please explore www.Alldj.com to find out more information about Super DVD Creator. There you'll also find a free trial copy of the product, a package of codecs required to open some movie files, and ASPI layer, which is needed if your burner failed to work with Super DVD Creator.

Pricing and Availability
Super DVD Creator 9.8.10 runs under Microsoft Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, Vista , Win7 and costs $29.90 (US) for a single-user license. Discounts for volume buyers are available. Licensed customers are entitled to free lifetime technical support by email and free lifetime upgrades. The software is backed up by 30-day money back guarantee. Additional information on Super DVD Creator, as well as its free evaluation copy is available from Super DVD Creator Download (http://www.alldj.com) page.

About MasterSoft, Inc.
Founded in October 2002, MasterSoft, Inc. is a Westchester, California based technology company, developing audio and video software for Windows OS. The goal of the company is to empower its end users with the advanced multimedia technologies to enhance their DVD viewing and producing experience. Among the company's premier products, there is Super DVD Creator, Super DVD Player, Super DVD Video Editor, Alldj iPhone/iPod/PSP/iTurn/3GP/PDA Video Converter, Super Clone DVD, DVD To AVI Converter, and DVD To Mpeg Converter. For more information, please visit MasterSoft Online Store (http://www.alldj.com).

Click here to visit: Super DVD Creator Product page (http://www.alldj.com/sdvdc/index.htm)

Click here toDownload Super DVD Creator (http://www.alldj.com/sdvdc/download.htm)

Back to Contents...

Sonic and Verismo Deliver Movie Streaming in India

Sonic Solutions((R)) (Nasdaq: SNIC) and Verismo Networks today announced a collaboration to enable consumers in India to instantly stream premium video entertainment. Verismo will begin offering video entertainment from Roxio CinemaNow((R)) as part of its VuNow Internet TV platform, which is available for a broad range of original equipment manufacturers, as well as service providers, and is currently being deployed by ACT Television as part of its IPTV services into 100,000 homes in Bangalore, India.

"Teaming with Sonic enables us to expand and enhance our already rich line up of instantly accessible digital entertainment that includes linear TV channels as well as a range of Web-based content," said Prakash Bhalerao, CEO of Verismo Networks. "With the addition of on-demand premium entertainment from Roxio CinemaNow, our platform becomes a next-generation cable box capable of delivering the broad assortment of content that consumers crave."

Verismo's Internet TV platform is an end-to-end solution consisting of a compact size set-top box, middleware and video-on-demand server. The unified solution combines IPTV with over-the-top Internet video to enable TV viewing of linear TV channels as well as web-based content.

"Our partnership with Verismo allows us to introduce consumers in India to the convenience, instant gratification and flexibility of digital entertainment from Roxio CinemaNow," said Mark Ely, executive vice president of strategy, Sonic Solutions. "This latest agreement, along with our previously announced partnership with Zip.ca in Canada, is part of our broader strategy to make anytime, anywhere access to high-quality entertainment a reality for more consumers in more regions."

Sonic has relationships with more than 250 content providers and a content portfolio that includes entertainment from all major Hollywood studios and independent distributors. Roxio CinemaNow offers a massive selection of premium video entertainment for rental or purchase, including new releases from major Hollywood studios often on the same day the DVD is available in stores. CinemaNow's cloud-based media services power devices from multiple manufacturers, forming a connected ecosystem which consumers can use to seamlessly choose, move and view video entertainment.

The CinemaNow ecosystem currently includes PCs, connected TVs, set-top DVRs, Blu-ray Disc and mobile media players from leading manufacturers such as Archos, Dell, HP, LG, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pioneer, Samsung and TiVo. As well as being available on a range of consumer electronics, Roxio CinemaNow is currently powering internet movie stores for Lionsgate, Warner Bros. and Blockbuster, and is instantly accessible through Bestbuy.com.

About Verismo Networks
Verismo's VuNow platform transforms the TV set into a powerful multi-media hub with an unbelievable level of choice and ease in accessing digital entertainment. You've never seen your television like this before. The privately-held company is based in Mountain View, California with offices in Bangalore, India. For more information, please visit www.verismonetworks.com.

Back to Contents...

Macrovision Solutions Corporation Formally Changes Name to Rovi Corporation

Macrovision Solutions Corporation today announced the official change of its name to Rovi Corporation, and unveiled its new brand positioning and visual identity. The company will now officially operate under the banner of Rovi Corporation, and its common stock will trade under the stock symbol ROVI on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

"Over the past two years, we have been focused on an ambitious strategy to change the digital entertainment experience. As a result, we have made dramatic changes to our solutions portfolio. With our leading guide solutions and extensive entertainment metadata, we believe we are now positioned as a key enabler for digital entertainment. Today’s announcement is the next step in uniting our technology and people under one shared identity, allowing us to move forward in creating a highly enjoyable entertainment experience for the consumer," said Fred Amoroso, president and CEO of Rovi Corporation.

Today’s news also coincides with the company’s launch of a new media guide, code named "Liquid." This new media guide is capable of connecting consumers to entertainment content on the Internet and digital content stored at home, as well as broadcast and cable TV in a single, elegant user interface designed to simplify access to content.

About Rovi Corporation
Rovi Corporation is focused on revolutionizing the digital entertainment landscape by delivering solutions that enable consumers to intuitively discover new entertainment from many sources and locations. The company also provides extensive entertainment discovery solutions for television, movies, music and photos to its customers in the consumer electronics, cable and satellite, entertainment and online distribution markets. These solutions, complemented by industry leading entertainment data, create the connections between people and technology, and enable them to discover and manage entertainment in an enjoyable form.

Rovi holds over 4,000 issued or pending patents and patent applications worldwide and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with numerous offices across the United States and around the world including Japan, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom. More information about Rovi can be found at www.rovicorp.com.

Back to Contents...

ENTER HERE!