NEC Computers International to Bundle Sonic MyDVD; Packard Bell and NEC PCs Target Creating Home DVD Videos

Business Wire, March 21, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NOVATO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2001

Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq:SNIC), the world leader in DVD authoring applications, announced today that NEC Computers International will bundle Sonic MyDVD(TM), the leading DVD authoring software for home users, with the Packard Bell and NEC brands.

Packard Bell, the consumer division of NEC Computers International and leader in the European home PC market, will market its new Packard Bell Video Dre@m Machine based on its Packard Bell high-end Ixtreme platform with Intel Pentium III 1 GHz and/or Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz, a DV interface for capturing video, Sonic MyDVD and the new Pioneer DVD recorder.

NEC, a leading supplier of personal computers for corporations, individuals, governments and other public sector agencies, will include Sonic MyDVD and the new Pioneer DVD recorder with its award winning Direction range of PCs for small businesses and power users.

"With our new Video Dre@m, Packard Bell will be the first to offer European users the ability to author and record their own DVDs directly on their PCs," said Wim Vanheertum, Desktop Product Line Manager, Consumer Division, NEC Computers International. "By including Sonic MyDVD software, we are providing our users with the most elegant and easy solution for creating DVDs. And with all the great features of DVD -- high-quality video, menus and interactivity -- MyDVD adds much more fun and entertainment to home movies."

"We're delighted that NEC Computers International has chosen MyDVD for its Packard Bell and NEC PCs," said Rolf Hartley, Vice President of European Operations at Sonic. "With its extensive retail network, Packard Bell's Video Dre@m Machine offering is a fantastic solution for video and multimedia enthusiasts eager to create their home movies on DVDs."

Through its collaboration with Sonic, Packard Bell will provide an end-to-end DVD solution that allows home users to select personal video clips and graphics, add interactive menus, preview a DVD project and then record it directly to a DVD disc in the popular DVD-Video format. The resulting DVD discs can be played on set-top DVD players as well DVD-equipped PCs, making it possible for consumers to publish and share their videos on a universal medium that offers unparalleled video quality at a low cost. Since its introduction in 1997, DVD-Video has become the fastest growing consumer electronics format of all times and boasts an installed base of roughly 17 million set-top players and 40 million DVD-equipped PCs.

Sonic's award-winning MyDVD and DVDit! are the world's leading desktop and consumer DVD publishing applications and are powered by Sonic's high-performance DVD formatting engine that has been used to create hundreds of thousands of Hollywood movies, corporate, and consumer DVD titles. With its simple user interface, MyDVD and DVDit! make it very easy for anyone to create DVD projects without grappling with the complex intricacies of the DVD-video specification.

Packard Bell Video Dre@m Machine: Power and Features for the New Generation

Powered by an Intel Pentium III 1 GHz and/or Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz processor and using advanced motherboard design, the Packard Bell Ixtreme gives users access to the latest in PC technologies, including PC133 RAM, ATA -- 66 hard drive interface, 133MHz Front-Side Bus, and 4X AGP. Its system is designed for demanding content creation and media enjoyment. For example, its large hard drive (60GB mini), IEEE-1394 port, and Ulead VideoStudio software make it perfect for editing digital video movies.

In addition, its DVD-R drive, nVidia GeForce graphics card, and Diamond Audio Technology speakers make it perfect for enjoying DVD movies and games on its 19-inch monitor. But if the screen is not big enough, users can connect the Packard Bell Video Dre@m Machine directly to a home cinema system, thanks to its TV-out jack and S/PDIF connector with Dolby Digital sound.

The Packard Bell Video Dre@m Machine also comes with a large collection of software and the Packard Bell Activ Internet package.

About NEC Computers International

NEC Computers International (NEC CI) is Europe's sixth largest manufacturer of personal computers, supplying the consumer market with the Packard Bell brand and the professional market with the NEC brand. A core company of the Japanese NEC Corporation -- and part of the international NEC Solutions division -- NEC CI benefits from the group's on-going commitment to Research & Development.

NEC CI supplies personal computers, servers and Internet solutions to individuals, corporations, governments and other public sector agencies in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia (except Japan and China). The company's strategic objective is to provide its customers with innovative and global solutions and services, as well as a full range of products to facilitate access to the Internet.

For the past five years, NEC CI's annual unit sales have recorded an average increase of 30%. The company employs 3,500 people world-wide. Its headquarters are located in Wijchen, The Netherlands.