Sonic and Digital Vision Team Up To Deliver
the Ultimate in High-Def Video Mastering
Sonic Integrates Digital Vision Processing into
its CineVision Encoding Solution for Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD
April 12, 2007 — Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC),
the leader in digital media software, and Digital Vision, a leading
developer of advanced digital media applications for film and video,
announced today a strategic partnership to integrate Digital Vision’s
best-of-class DVO finishing tools for high-definition video content
with Sonic’s CineVision™ high-definition encoding platform for AVC,
VC-1 and MPEG-2 stream creation. Sonic will offer Digital Vision’s
image enhancement technologies - including tools for managing film
grain, reducing unwanted electronic noise, and increasing picture sharpness
- with its well known CineVision encoder. The CineVision/Digital Vision
combination will enable authoring facilities to efficiently master
high-definition titles for the Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats with
the highest possible image quality. Sonic and Digital Vision will be
demonstrating the integrated solution at NAB (Stand SL4314), April
16th to the 19th in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Sonic to deliver our award-winning
image enhancement technology to the packaged media creation market.
Our two companies’ respective leadership positions in compression and
image processing represent a powerful value proposition for professional
authoring facilities everywhere," said Lars Taflin, chief executive
officer, Digital Vision. "By providing access to Digital Vision
image controls at the encoding stage, professional facilities will
be able to harness their creative potential to deliver never before
achieved high-definition image quality.”
Based on 20 years of experience in developing high-performance image
enhancement algorithms, Digital Vision Optics (DVO) are a collection
of resolution-independent, software-based image enhancement tools for
fine-tuning image quality. Included in CineVision will be DVO Grain,
which is designed specifically to manage the look of film grain and
to reduce unwanted electronic noise in film or video material. Grain
allows creative professionals to produce clean, sharp pictures and
to match the look of film grain from shot to shot, including grain
matching for underexposed film. Also to be included is DVO Aperture,
a high-quality spatial filter that increases the apparent sharpness
of the picture. Aperture is a great tool for use in conjunction with
DVO Grain in order to increase image clarity while still creatively
managing the look of film grain. Additional components incorporated
from Digital Vision will enable professional authors to effectively
remove high-frequency noise and reduce banding. The final component
of the suite of tools is DVO Dust that enables automatic removal of
film dust, dirt and scratches providing a cost effective route to re-master
archive titles that have been damaged in storage.
“While providing a stunning viewing experience for consumers, working
with high definition video is an unforgiving process that demands the
best possible tools and technologies,” said Rolf Hartley, senior vice
president and general manager of Sonic’s Professional Products Group.
“Working with Digital Vision, the industry leader in image enhancement
solutions, we’ve been able to extend the breadth, depth, and value
of our CineVision encoder – giving authoring facilities the power to
deliver the best looking HD and BD titles possible.”
Sonic CineVision is the world's first comprehensive encoding system
built to tackle the complex encoding challenges of the next-generation
Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD optical disc formats. Designed to enable complete
workflow flexibility, CineVision has been optimized for professionals
requiring comprehensive support for a wide range of input types, including
QuickTime®, AVI, and DPX image sequences, and all three of the next-generation
HD video codecs: H.264 (AVC), VC-1, and MPEG-2. In the latest update,
the application takes image quality to a new level for all three next-generation
HD format and includes new advanced tools, such as adaptive quantization,
to improve the handling of video effects. In addition, the application
improves timeline information, giving the compressionist a clear view
of the bit rate and quality metrics for the encoded files.
About Digital Vision
Digital Vision provides innovative image restoration, enhancement,
colour correction and data conforming systems that major movie studios,
television networks and post-production facilities use to produce
and enhance feature films, TV programs and commercials. The company’s
Nucoda product line provides a strong suite of products for tapeless
and non linear grading for HD broadcast and 2k/4k digital intermediate
productions. The company’s award-winning products are a standard
of the media and entertainment industry and are deployed at top facilities
and broadcasters around the world.
Digital Vision AB was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Stockholm,
Sweden, with two wholly owned subsidiaries, Digital Vision (US) in
Los Angeles, California, and Digital Vision UK in London, England.
The company maintains its global presence through a network of qualified
distributors. Digital Vision is listed on the Stockholm stock exchange.
For further information, go to www.digitalvision.se
About
Sonic’s Professional Products Group
Sonic’s Professional Products Group (PPG) develops authoring and encoding
systems used in the release of a wide variety of video entertainment
including major motion pictures on DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, HD DVD and Blu-ray
disc. Sonic’s world-renowned Scenarist® authoring and CineVision™ video
and audio encoding systems are intended for highly skilled professional
content creation facilities including high-end authoring and design
houses, major motion picture studios, and disc replicators. Sonic’s
Professional Products Group is actively involved in the development
and implementation of new entertainment standards and formats.
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 authoring systems and
interactive content delivery technologies used to produce Hollywood
DVD, HD, and Blu-ray 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.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements
that are based upon current expectations, including the launch, distribution,
and market acceptance of CineVision including the Digital Vision
Optics product. Actual results could differ materially from those
projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various
risks and uncertainties, 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, Form 10-Q and
other reports 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.
The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.
Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, 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 and, in some cases,
are used by Sonic Solutions under license.
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