DVD authoring - News Briefs

Emedia Professional, Feb, 2000

Apollo Expert DVDer Now Available Bundled with DVD Virtuoso

DV Studio has announced that its Apollo Expert DVDer, a real-time MPEG-2 encoding package, is now available bundled with Spruce Technologies' DVD Virtuoso software. The bundle includes importable video streams (MPEG-1 and 2), importable audio streams, drag and drop features, navigation simulation and title emulation, region coding, PhotoShop file import, DLT verify and DVD, DVD-R, and DLT write. The bundle runs under Windows NT 4.0, and is available at an MSRP of $2,995. An upgrade is available for current Apollo Expert DVDer users. The Apollo Expert DVDer retails for a $1,995 MSRP.

(DV Studio Technologies LLC; 15375 Barranca Parkway, J-103, Irvine, CA 92618; phone: 949/453-1702; Fax 949/453-1311; http://www.dv-studio.com. Spruce Technologies, Inc., 1054 South De Anza Boulevard, San Jose, CA 95129-3553; 408/861-2200; Fax 408/8639701; http://www.spruce-tech.com)

Sonic and Ravisent Team Up for Authoring Bundle

Sonic Solutions has announced that. Sonic DVDit! SE, its DVD authoring application for Windows 98 and NT, will now include Ravisent Technologies' Cinemaster 2000 software DVD player. Sonic has also announced Sonic DVDit! PE (Professional Edition), which will build upon DVDit! SE with additional features that include multi-angle video, multiple audio streams, motion-video menus, and MPEG-2 conversion from AVI files. Sonic DVDit! SE retails for an MSRP of $499, while DVDit! PE will be available in the first quarter of 2000 at $2,999 MSRP.

(RAVISENT Technologies, Inc., One Great Valley Parkway, Malvern, PA 19355; 800/700-0362, 610/251-9999; Fax 610/695-2592; http:// www.ravisent.com. Sonic Solutions, Inc., 101 Rowland Way, Suite 110, Novato, CA 94945; 415/893-8000; Fax 415/893-8008; http://www.sonic.com)

Daikin Releases Scenarist NT 2.0

Daikin U.S. Comtec Laboratories has begun shipping version 2.0 of Scenarist NT DVD authoring software. New features of Version 2.0 include a file-based scenario management interface, drag and drop asset registration via Explorer, a template wizard, cut and paste authoring within projects, and direct input of subtitles. Scenarist NT 2.0 adds support for the Joliet file system, DVD planner, and Dolby Digital batch encode. Version 2.0 also adds support for Pioneer's DVD-R drive, and 3.95GB and 4.7GB DVD-R discs.

(Daikin U.S. Comtec Laboratories, 999 Grant Avenue, Novato, CA 94945-3219; 415/893-7800; Fax 415/893-7807; http://www.scenarist.com)

Astarte Releases New version of DVDirector with Mac OS9 Support

Astarte has announced the release of DVDirector 1.6.1, which now supports Macintosh 0S9. Version 1.6.1 supports the use of MPEG files that are larger than 2GB on Macintosh 0S9, as well as earlier OS version. DVDirector 1.6.1 features an enhanced preview mode that uses the included WiredStream decoder card, a revised Property Inspector, and an improved multiplexing engine. Astarte also began shipping DVDirector RT, DVDExport RT and DVDelight RT. The RT (real-time transcoding) versions make use of the Wired Digital MediaPress MPEG encoder. Digital video can be captured through the Mac's built-in FireWire port, or transcoded from existing DV files. DVDirector RT ships for $5,699, DVDExport RT for $999, and DVDelight for $999.

(Astarte USA, 364 Wildwood Avenue, Birchwood, MN 55110; 651/653-6247; Fax 651/6536495; http://www.astarteusa.com)

Avid to Include DVDit! SE in DV Editing System

Sonic Solutions has announced that Avid Technology will bundle Sonic's DVDit! SE authoring software with its Xpress DV on an IBM Intellistation M Pro System. DVDit! SE can convert video and audio data directly from the Avid Xpress DV workstation into a DVD-compliant stream to be written to a DVD-R. The solution will be available for a suggested retail price of $8,750.

(Sonic Solutions, Inc., 101 Rowland Way, Suite 110, Novato, CA 94945; 415/893-8000; Fax 415/893-8008; http://www.sonic.com. Avid Technology, Inc., Metropolitan Technology Park, One Park West, Tewksbury, MA 01876; 800/949-2843, 978/640-6789; Fax 978/640-1366; http://www.avid.com)

Media 100 to acquire assets of Wired

Media 100 has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Wired, Inc. Wired supplies MPEG streaming media production tools for the internet and DVD authoring. Wired's tools offer real-time encoding, transcoding, and decoding of MPEG video streams, and include products such as Digital Media Press and FireWired DV. Terms of the agreement were not announced.

(Wired Inc., 1040-155 Grant Road, Mountain View, CA 94040; 408/855-9350; Fax 408/8559349; http://www.wiredinc.com)