Roxio®, a division of Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), today launched Roxio Creator® 2010, a comprehensive upgrade focused on streamlining and accelerating the process of capturing, editing and enjoying personal video, including high-definition content. Building on Creator’s already extensive feature set for editing and sharing digital video, Roxio Creator 2010 now offers automatic smart encoding to dramatically decrease rendering times while maintaining optimum video quality, and leverages ATI Stream and NVIDIA® CUDA™ technologies to make project encoding up to five times faster. Creator 2010 also adds a range of Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) features including AVCHD Archiving, BD-RE on-disc editing, and complements its comprehensive Blu-ray Disc authoring capabilities with a new array of new high-definition motion menus.

Roxio Creator 2010 also makes it easier to enjoy video on a range of mobile devices with a newly simplified and reorganized output display that enables users to quickly transfer videos that are automatically optimized for the display characteristics and playback features of their particular device. Adding to Creator 2010’s versatile video capabilities is a Web video capture feature that allows consumers to grab streaming video, such as user-generated content on YouTube®, for viewing offline on portable devices and DVD players.

"Prices on high-definition camcorders have dropped into mainstream territory and a greater number of high-definition players and televisions are now in homes, so we’ve responded by making digital video a major focus of our latest release," said Matt DiMaria, general manager, Roxio. "From cutting production times to minutes instead of hours, to simple controls and easy output options for sharing, Roxio Creator 2010 is consumers’ go-to application for working with video and bringing high-definition personal content from capture devices to the big- screen television in the living room."

Roxio Creator 2010’s powerful new video features are accessed via a redesigned user interface that emphasizes commonly used tasks and includes a built-in Learning Center with dozens of video tutorials and step-by-step instructional guides. Roxio Creator 2010 also expands other functional areas of the suite dedicated to working with photos and music as well as completing burning projects.

Consumers have helped make the Roxio product line the leading consumer toolset for digital media, with over 300 million units shipped worldwide and a North American retail market share of almost 60%, which is four times greater than its closest competitor, according to Roxio.

Pricing and Availability
Fully Windows 7 compatible, Roxio Creator 2010 is available today at www.roxio.com for $99.99 and will be introduced early next month in retail stores worldwide. Roxio Creator 2010 Pro, priced at $129.99, also includes the Blu-ray Disc authoring capability, a $19.99 value, as well as a set of award-winning additional applications valued at almost $300 SRP if purchased separately. These Pro features include built-in photo enhancement with LightZone™, custom soundtrack creation with Sonicfire® Pro, audio noise reduction in both audio and video files with SoundSoap™ SE, comprehensive hard-drive backup and recovery with BackOnTrack™ 3, and direct editing of HD video on BD-RE.

Roxio Creator 2010 Highlights:

Faster, More Versatile Video
Roxio Creator 2010’s new and enhanced video features improve the consumer video experience at every level. From brilliant high-definition video on the big screen to easy-to-share clips for phones and mobile devices:

• Accelerated encode processing – support for ATI Stream and NVIDIA® CUDA™ technologies means encoding and rendering is now up to five times faster.
• Automatic smart encoding – Creator 2010’s intelligent video editor speeds rendering of edited clips by determining which parts must be re-encoded (e.g. titles and transitions) while leaving the remaining footage in its original form. In addition, Creator 2010 is the first application to support Smart Encoding for AVCHD videos.
• Flexible encoding control – Creator 2010 now allows users to preview the results of current video encoding settings before committing to a lengthy conversion, to pause and resume processor-intensive encoding operations, and to schedule conversions for times when the computer is not otherwise in use, such as overnight.
• Blu-ray Disc authoring – Creator 2010 builds HD video clips into true high-definition discs playable not only on PCs but also on set-top BD players.
• Direct BD-RE editing – video recorded on BD-RE can be edited directly on disc without first transferring to a local hard drive and then re-recording back to disc.
• AVCHD archiving – Creator 2010 backs up an entire camcorder’s worth of AVCHD video at its original high-definition resolution to a recordable Blu-ray disc (BD-R or BD-RE) or a standard DVD in AVCHD format.
• BD playback on PC – an optional Blu-ray Playback plug-in enables playback on PC of BDs including Hollywood movies.
• Direct HDV to disc – high-definition camcorder video can be recorded directly to a PC-hosted DVD or Blu-ray recordable drive without the interim step of storing the video to the hard drive.
• Web video capture – online streaming videos can now be grabbed to a local hard drive and converted for viewing away from a PC, including from portable devices and set-top DVD players.
• Streamlined output options – newly simplified and reorganized, the output display now emphasizes target output devices which are represented with easily recognized pictures to aid identification.
• Video compilations – improved compilation features allow fast assembly of clips into compilations that are optimized for DVD playback and burned to disc.

Suite Enhancements
The Roxio Creator 2010 interface has been redesigned for even greater clarity, with the emphasis on common, straightforward tasks and fast access to Help. Functional areas have been enhanced to include new photo and music options, as well as to provide better burning and backup:

• Task-oriented design – Creator 2010’s Home page brings frequent tasks to the forefront while still enabling quick access to less-used features.
• Built-in Learning Center – users have built-in access to dozens of video tutorials and printable step-by-step instructions for quick help when needed.
• Desktop burning – files can be dragged directly onto the Roxio Burn desktop icon to immediately begin the disc burning process without first launching a separate application.
• Web radio capture – audio from streaming internet radio can be captured and automatically added to an iTunes-compatible music library for playback from a PC or a portable player such as an iPod.
• Photo slideshows – Creator 2010 lets users turn a photo collection and video clips into an engaging slideshow, complete with music and professionally-designed graphics that can be burned to DVD or shared online in a personal PhotoShow.com gallery.
• Access to Roxio CinemaNow® – direct online access to a massive selection of premium entertainment for downloading, including new movies often on the same day and date as they are available in stores.

About Roxio
Roxio enables consumers to easily manage, share, and enjoy personal digital media content and, through Roxio CinemaNow®, conveniently access premium Hollywood entertainment from a broad range of connected devices. A wide array of leading technology companies and developers rely on Roxio applications, services and technologies to bring innovative digital media functionality to next-generation devices and platforms.

Roxio is a division of Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), headquartered in Novato, California.

The Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ Has Moved!

Hugh Bennett’s The Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ has moved to its new home at Hugh’s News (www.hughsnews.ca).

It can now be found at: www.hughsnews.ca/faqs/authoritative-blu-ray-disc-bd-faq

EditGroove Software today announces the release of the DVD Bit Budget Assistant(TM), a professional, fully-featured video "bit budgeting" utility for the iPhone. It is also designed with Educational users in mind.

"How much stuff can I fit onto my Video DVD?"
"What bitrates should I encode in Apple’s Compressor, for DVD Studio Pro?"
"Can you help me make sense of all this?"

Those are never-ending questions, since creating a Video DVD can be an arcane process, and often involves finding one’s way through a complex Excel spreadsheet.

What is Bit Budgeting?

Quantity versus Quality: That’s it, the basic set of trade-offs facing anyone creating today’s optical video media.

Bit Budgeting is an integral part of that planning -- it's the process of choosing a balance between how much and what kinds of program material ("assets") you want to include on your Disc, vs. what you can "afford" based on the room available.

The DVD Bit Budget Assistant makes this process far more easy, and even fun. It’s a more portable, interactive alternative for experimenting with these "what-if" bit budgeting scenarios, in the form of a pocket-sized brainstorming tool that you can always carry with you.

The application has been carefully and thoughtfully designed to be useful both to Professionals already working in the industry -- especially those who aren’t content to rely on the usual cookie-cutter assumptions -- as well as Students of film, video and digital media.

Benefits:
* Easily and quickly run through numerous "what-if" planning scenarios, interactively, in the palm of your hand.
* Learn more about the DVD format, and gain a more intuitive understanding of the trade-offs inherent in producing today’s optical video media.
* Keep your video looking its best.

Features:
* Five standard DVD capacities (DVD-5, -9, -10, -14, -18)
* Total program durations up to 10 hours
* Up to 5 soundtracks of each of the three most common formats (AC-3, DTS, PCM), with configurable bitrate for each format
* Up to 10 subtitle tracks (also with configurable bitrate)
* Ability to set aside up to 4GB for DVD-"ROM" content
* Colorful "Vid-O-Meter"(TM) shows immediate feedback, with average bitrate of resulting video
* Special excerpt explaining Bit Budgeting in layman’s terms, from classic video/film textbook "Nonlinear"
* Detailed Help screen, which explains all functions
* Plus: web links to authoritative third-party resources

Minimum requirements
- The DVD Bit Budget Assistant runs on iPhone and iPod Touch, OS 2.0 or later.
- Requires 0.8 MB.

Price and availability
- List price is $3.99 USD; with a special introductory price of $1.99 USD for a limited time.
- Available now on the iPhone App Store.

About EditGroove
EditGroove is a Los Angeles-based supplier of mobile & desktop software solutions, and video post-production editorial services. Its first product was UserMatic(TM), a critically-acclaimed user preferences management utility for Apple’s Final Cut Pro.

Product info & FAQ
http://www.editgroove.com/dvd/  

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Durabrand DVD Players

Units: About 1.5 Million

Importer: Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark.

Hazard: The DVD players can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Wal-Mart has received 12 reports of DVD players overheating, five of which have resulted in fires that caused property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves a single DVD player with a remote control. The device is silver colored and has a U-shaped opening at the top to insert the DVD.

Sold exclusively at: Wal-Mart stores nationwide from January 2006 through July 2009 for about $29.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product and return it to the nearest Wal-Mart for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Wal-Mart Stores at (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.walmartstores.com

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx  

Clear-Vu, the leading provider of media security packaging, announced today the completed acquisition of the brand and related assets of its main competitor, Nexpak Corporation.

Clear-Vu has long been the innovator in the retail/rental marketplace for security packaging of disc-based media such as CDs, DVDs, and now Blu-ray discs. By acquiring established product lines including Amaray II Benefit Denial™ and SecureCase™, Clear-Vu will enhance its existing portfolio of One-Time™ and Zenith Pac™ products, as well as foster new relationships with Nexpak's distributor and customer base. Nexpak's benefit denial technology, in particular, is a cost-effective method of theft deterrence that destroys a disc upon unauthorized access.

While the traditional retail/rental model of content distribution is often viewed as in its sunset years, Clear-Vu has identified and capitalized a niche growth market in physical media amidst the onslaught of digital distribution.

"We continue to see year-over-year growth in security packaging, especially in the library market, by integrating novel technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and self-checkout through our partnership with Checkpoint Systems and 3M Library Systems," said Daniel Lax, VP Business Development of Clear-Vu.

The acquisition, which was effected through a bankruptcy auction held last month in Delaware, solidifies Clear-Vu's standing as the preeminent supplier in the market to video rental chains, library distributors, and technology companies, and will open up new opportunities with leading media content providers.

About Clear-Vu
Clear-Vu is the industry leader in media security packaging. With customers including Blockbuster and Nintendo, Clear-Vu's innovative products have won critical acclaim with clients that focus on high-value merchandise in a high-touch, live sell environment. Clear-Vu has served the rental/retail marketplace with novel solutions since 1989, with design and manufacturing expertise backed by more than 50 successful years in plastic manufacturing through its parent-affiliate, Autronic Plastics, Inc.

For more information about Clear-Vu's line of products, visit http://www.clear-vu.com and http://www.nexpak.com.

Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:ACTG) announced today that its subsidiary, Acacia Patent Acquisition LLC, has acquired a portfolio of 38 U.S. patents, 11 U.S. patent applications and 10 foreign counterparts, issued to a major consumer electronics manufacturer.

"As Acacia's licensing success grows, more patent owners are selecting us as their partner for the licensing of their patented technologies," commented Paul Ryan, Acacia Chairman and CEO. "Acacia is rapidly becoming the leader in technology licensing and we continue to grow our base of future revenues by adding new patent portfolios," concluded Mr. Ryan.

This patented technology generally relates to the enhancement of digital video images and has applications in a wide variety of consumer electronics products, such as TV’s, DVD/Blu-ray players, game consoles, smart phones and cameras, in reducing artifacts created during digital video encoding.

ABOUT ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION

Acacia Research’s subsidiaries develop, acquire, and license patented technologies. Acacia Research’s subsidiaries control over 100 patent portfolios, covering technologies used in a wide variety of industries.

Information about Acacia Research is available at www.acaciatechnologies.com and www.acaciaresearch.com.  

Pegasys, Inc. (http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com) the company that makes digital video easy, and DivX, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIVX), a digital media company, today announced the availability of the newly updated version of TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress. The new update adds DivX® HD support for full HD output at video resolutions up to 1080p. The update is available now and is free for existing users. New users can download a trial version and find more information at the product webpage (http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/product/te4xp.html). Pricing for the full version of TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress starts from US $59.95.

"With the latest support for DivX HD, users can output in full 1920x1080p resolutions without the huge file sizes associated with HD video. With the versatility and portability of the DivX format, they can play DivX HD files on a number of DivX Certified® devices such as Blu-ray disc players, digital TVs or any computer," commented Tak EBINE, Pegasys CEO.

"We’re pleased that Pegasys has added DivX HD 1080p support to the latest version TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress," said Eric Rodli, Executive Vice President, Licensing at DivX. "With this product, Pegasys is spurring creation of superb quality DivX HD video and generating demand for new DivX Certified HD devices on which to play it back."

TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress gives users the freedom to take almost any video file and encode it to a desired file format including DivX, AVI, QuickTime, MPEG 4-ISO, H.264, DVD-Video, DVD-VR, HDV camcorder, Blu-ray Disc and much more. The software provides users with functions and features ranging from a simple cut-editor tool to powerful video filters and effects. NVIDIA CUDA™ support helps make filter processing ultra fast. Optional support for the Toshiba® SpursEngine™, based on the "Cell Broadband Engine™", allows for blazing fast MPEG-2 and H.264 encoding.

About PEGASYS Inc.
PEGASYS Inc. makes digital video easy. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, PEGASYS was established in November 2001 with the release of TMPGEnc Plus -- probably the world's most popular MPEG-1/2 video encoding software and at the time, was the only freeware video encoder. The company's two flagship products, the TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress video encoder and the new TMPGEnc Authoring Works 4, anchor a strong line of retail and OEM digital video editing and encoding products for home and professional users.

The recognized leaders in developing quality video encoding tools for MPEG applications, PEGASYS Inc.'s encoding technology is also incorporated into numerous commercial and professional video editing and DVD-creation software products. PEGASYS technologies have been bundled with quality products from top worldwide manufacturers, including Sony Japan and Pioneer. For information about PEGASYS Inc. and its products, visit the company's website atwww.pegasys-inc.com.

Pegasys Links:
For more information please visit:
Web: http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com  
Email: press-contact@tmpg-inc.com
Phone: 310-327-9700
Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/TMPGEncUSA

DivX, Inc. (Nasdaq: DIVX), a digital media company, and NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a leading provider of semiconductor solutions, today announced a multi-year licensing agreement covering the integration of DivX Plus(TM) HD technology into NEC Electronics' 'Enhanced Multi-Media Architecture' (EMMA(TM)). NEC Electronics' EMMA chips are designed to power next-generation Blu-ray players, digital televisions (DTVs) and set-top boxes, to enable consumer electronics manufacturers to deliver a high-quality and comprehensive high definition digital media experience to consumers.

Only DivX Plus HD Certified devices support playback of DivX Plus content (H.264 video with AAC audio in an MKV file container) created with DivX((R)) 7 software, while also supporting previous versions of DivX video up to 1080p and Hollywood content in the DivX format. Available on www.divx.com, DivX 7 software enables DivX Plus content creation.

Known for developing DivX Certified(R) devices that offer great performance, interoperability and visual quality, DivX gives consumers a complete digital media solution for enjoying highly compressed, high-quality Internet video from the PC to the TV and beyond. NEC Electronics is actively promoting EMMA chips for digital audio/visual (AV) appliances as a strategic business segment. Having released world's first digital broadcasting STB system-on-a-chip (SoC) in 1998 under the brand name "EMMA", the company has built a formidable range of successful AV SoC devices since then covering three main areas -- STBs, digital TVs and DVD recorders.

"Partnering with DivX enables us to incorporate their latest DivX H.264 digital video technology into our state-of-the-art EMMA chips and provide added value to our customers," said Masao Hirasawa, general manager of the SoC Systems Division, NEC Electronics Corporation. "With these new chips, our consumer electronics manufacturer customers will be able to offer Blu-ray players, DTVs and set-top boxes that support DivX Plus HD video playback up to 1080p."

"NEC Electronics is a valuable IC partner for DivX as we expand our ecosystem to include the next generation of electronics devices," said Kevin Hell, Chief Executive Officer of DivX, Inc. "Thanks to IC agreements such as this one, we continue to fuel the introduction of DivX Plus HD Certified devices to the market, enabling consumers to watch their favorite DivX HD videos and premium content anytime, anywhere."

NEC Electronics intends to actively utilize the DivX technology and extend it to the company's future EMMA products to provide customers with the highest quality and performance solutions for system development.

Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience, including reliable video creation and playback, interoperability with other DivX Certified devices and the visual quality users expect from DivX.

For more information about DivX, visit www.divx.com.  

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today unveiled the new PlayStation(R)3 (CECH-2000A) (body color: charcoal black) computer entertainment system, featuring an extremely streamlined form factor with a 120GB Hard Disk Drive (HDD). The new PlayStation(R)3 (PS3(R)) system will become available in stores from September 1, 2009, in North America, Europe/ PAL territories and Asian countries and regions at a very attractive recommended retail price (RRP) of US$299 and euro 299, respectively. The system will become available in Japan on September 3, 2009,( )at a RRP of 29,980 yen (including tax). With the introduction of the new PS3 system, SCE will also reduce the price of the current PS3 with 80GB HDD to a RRP of US$299 from August 18 and euro 299 from August 19. Also in North America, the price of PS3 with 160GB HDD will be reduced to a RRP of US$399 from August 18. By launching a vast library of exciting and attractive software titles for PS3 this holiday season and offering customers a line-up of hardware models and pricing to match their preference, SCE will build on the momentum and further accelerate the expansion of the PS3 platform.

The internal design architecture of the new PS3 system, from the main semiconductors and power supply unit to the cooling mechanism, has been completely redesigned, achieving a much slimmer and lighter body. Compared to the very first PS3 model with 60GB HDD, the internal volume as well as its thickness and weight are trimmed down to approximately two-thirds. Furthermore, power consumption is also cut to two-thirds, helping to reduce fan noise. While inheriting the sleek curved body design of the original model, the form factor of the new PS3 system features a new meticulous design with textured surface finish, giving an all new impression and a casual look. With the compact body and casual appearance, the newly introduced model will appeal to a wider audience who are looking to buy the best entertainment system for their home.

Concurrently with the release of the new PS3 system, SCE will modify the PS3 brand name from "PLAYSTATION 3" to "PlayStation 3", and introduce a new "PS3" logo, which is engraved on the surface of the new PS3 system. By unifying under the familiar "PlayStation(R)" name, which represents the entire PlayStation family, PS3 together with PlayStation(R)2 and PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) will further expand the PlayStation business, and will continue to enhance the entertainment experience along with the ever-growing PlayStation(R)Network.

The new PS3 continues to offer the cutting-edge features and functions of the current models, such as the ability to enjoy high-definition Blu-ray disc (BD) movies and games, as well as various content and services downloadable through the network. The new PS3's storage size has increased from 80GB to 120GB, and with the extra capacity users will be able to store more games, music, photos, videos as well as various content and services available through PlayStation Network. Having more than 27 million registered accounts around the world, PlayStation Network offers more than 15,000 pieces of digital content, ranging from game titles, trailers, and demos to more than 15,000 movies and TV shows via PlayStation Store. PlayStation Network members can also download free applications, such as PlayStation Home, a ground-breaking 3D social gaming community available on PS3 that allows users to interact, communicate and share gaming experiences, as well as Life with PlayStation, which offers users various news and information on a TV monitor in the living room by connecting the PS3 to the network.

Since the launch of PS3 in November 2006, the number of BD-based titles has reached more than 1,000 titles and downloadable PS3 games to 1,400 titles worldwide, with the support from a broad range of third party game developers and publishers. In addition to this extensive software title line-up, exciting and attractive new titles are to be released from SCE Worldwide Studios, including Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, EyePet, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Heavy Rain, God of War 3, MAG, ModNation Racer, Gran Turismo 5, and more.

www.us.playstation.com

MPEG LA, LLC, world leader in alternative one-stop patent licenses, today announced that patent holders to MPEG LA’s licenses have filed enforcement actions against Haier America Trading, L.L.C., Haier Group Co., and HAIM L.L.C. (collectively, "Haier") for infringement of patents used in digital televisions.

According to the complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Haier offers products in the United States, such as digital television sets, without having entered into licenses with the individual patent holders or portfolio licenses offered by MPEG LA.

The suit seeks, among other things, monetary damages and an injunction prohibiting Haier from using these patents in its products and from offering, marketing, or importing them.

MPEG LA, LLC
MPEG LA is the world leader in alternative technology licenses, enabling users to acquire worldwide patent rights necessary for a technology standard or platform from multiple patent owners in a single transaction as an alternative to negotiating individual licenses. Wherever an independently administered one-stop patent license would provide a convenient marketplace alternative to assist users with implementation of their technology choices, the licensing model pioneered and employed by MPEG LA may provide a solution. By balancing patent users’ interest in reasonable access with patent owners’ interest in reasonable return, MPEG LA creates the opportunity for adoption of new technologies and fuels innovation. MPEG LA’s initial licensing program for MPEG-2 digital video compression helped produce the most widely employed standard in consumer electronics history, and the MPEG LA® Licensing Model has become the template for addressing other technologies. Today MPEG LA manages licensing programs consisting of essential patents in 57 countries. MPEG LA is an independent licensing administrator; it is not related to any standards agency and is not an affiliate of any patent holder. For more information, please refer to http://www.mpegla.com.