Sonic and Microsoft Enable High-Definition DVD Authoring Using Windows Media 9 Series

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2004 — Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq: SNIC ) and Microsoft Corp. today announced that they are developing new production tools that will allow film studios and production facilities to create high-definition DVD titles in Microsoft® Windows Media® 9 Series. DVD titles created using Windows Media Video 9 (WMV HD), a component of the Windows Media 9 Series platform, provide dramatically superior image quality at data rates comparable to those for standard-definition DVD video content. WMV HD titles can be played on the latest-generation Windows XP-based PCs, including the popular new Windows® XP Media Center Edition, which integrates into the living room to provide a top-notch home entertainment and online computing experience. Sonic plans to ship its WMV HD authoring system in May 2004.

Sonic is the leading supplier of professional DVD authoring’ systems to film studios and post-production houses, which have used Sonic’s authoring technology to release billions of consumer DVDs. In working with Microsoft, Sonic will add support for WMV HD to its professional authoring product line. It will be demonstrating the new technology at the 2004 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week. Sonic also will work to equip the world’s major studios with the tools necessary to create new titles using WMV HD.

“With its strong expertise in professional DVD authoring, Sonic is the logical company to enable studios to create WMV HD titles,” said Jonathan Usher, director of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft Corp. “Sonic’s solution will enable studios to easily take full advantage of the quality of WMV HD, supporting up to 1080p resolution six times that of standard DVD resolution.”

“Since the launch of DVD we have relied on Sonic to provide the latest and most advanced DVD authoring solutions,” said Leon Silverman, executive vice president of LaserPacific Media Corp. “With Sonic’s WMV HD authoring system, we can develop HD content for use in special interest titles, HD dailies and exciting high-definition bonus materials for blockbuster feature films.”

“We are proud to be working with Microsoft to pioneer a new era in high-definition packaged media using Windows Media 9 Series,” said Jim Taylor, chief of DVD technology and general manager of the Advanced Technology Group at Sonic. “Even in high definition, WMV HD achieves data rates low enough to fit an entire two-hour movie with stunning video quality and 5.1-channel sound onto a standard DVD.”

Sonic is demonstrating WMV HD authoring at CES 2004 in the Microsoft booth (CEN8323).

About Sonic Solutions

Based in Marin County, California, Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq: SNIC ) (http://www.sonic.com) is the world’s leading supplier of DVD creation software for professional, industrial and consumer applications. The majority of major film releases on DVD have been produced on Sonic’s professional DVD authoring systems in studios around the world. Sonic’s MyDVD® and DVDit!® are the most widely used DVD creation applications by consumers and video enthusiasts and are the solutions of choice among the key PC and after-market drive suppliers. Sonic’s RecordNow is a leading solution for audio and data mastering. Sonic’s AuthorScript® , the DVD and CD formatting and burning engine that underlies Sonic’s applications, is the most widely deployed DVD software engine and has been licensed by Adobe, Microsoft, Sony and many others.

About Windows Media

Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, used by consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations throughout the world. The Windows Media 9 Series platform includes Windows Media Player 9 Series; Windows Media Services 9 Series, the powerful streaming server feature in Windows Server™
2003 for distributing content; Windows Media Encoder 9 Series for content creation; Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series for the best-quality audio and video; Windows Media Digital Rights Management to help protect content; and the Windows Media Software Development Kit for software developers to develop digital media products and services. Windows Media Player, available in 26 languages, is now the leading media player. More information about Windows Media can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft, Windows Media, Windows and Windows Server are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Sonic, the Sonic logo, Backup MyPC, CinePlayer, DVD PrePlay, DVD Producer, Edit-on-DVD, OpenDVD, PrimeTime, RecordNow and Simple Backup are trademarks of Sonic Solutions. AuthorScript, AutoDVD, DVD-Audio Creator, DVD Creator, DVDit!, DVD Fusion, MyDVD, NoNOISE, ReelDVD, Scenarist and Sonic Solutions are registered trademarks of Sonic Solutions. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners and, in some cases, are used by Sonic under license. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp .

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