Sonic Solutions has released Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe, the premium version of the PrimeTime line of DVD creation software, for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition. Launched in conjunction with Microsoft's release of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, PrimeTime Deluxe expands upon the Media Center experience by making it easy to archive personal digital media such as recorded TV shows onto DVDs that can be played on set-top DVD players and multimedia PCs. With new features, including realtime TV preview, expanded menu style selections, OpenDVD edit-on-disc capability and Sonic SmartStyle technology, PrimeTime Deluxe is an ideal companion for Windows XP Media Center Edition.
Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe will be available for purchase on the Sonic e-store at www.estore.sonic.com for $79.99 on October 15, 2003. PrimeTime Deluxe is also featured in Online Spotlight, Media Center's new built-in online Web interface.
"Sonic continues to demonstrate its commitment to Media Center PCs by releasing a new, more powerful version of Sonic PrimeTime in conjunction with the release of Media Center Edition 2004," said Joe Belfiore, general manager for the Windows eHome division at Microsoft. "With PrimeTime Deluxe, Sonic has designed an extremely elegant and simple way for consumers to use their Media Center PC to archive their favorite digital media to DVD."
"Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe enhances the Media Center experience by seamlessly adding DVD burning into the Media Center environment," added Dave Habiger, svp/gm for desktop products at Sonic.
Designed to add DVD creation to the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 experience, Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe employs the remote-controlled Media Center user interface to archive digital media such as TV programs that you might otherwise miss. Sonic PrimeTime utilizes the same program information and sorting functionality as Media Center, making it fast and easy for anyone to browse, select, preview and burn their favorite recorded TV shows to DVD or Video CD. Sonic PrimeTime also includes a built-in Bit Budget, which makes it easy to see how much space is available on each recorded DVD. Once PrimeTime starts burning a DVD, users can return to watching TV or listening to music on their Media Center PC. The final disc can then be played back on standard set-top DVD players and DVD-equipped PCs.
New Sonic PrimeTime Deluxe features include:
-- Edit-on-Disc - PrimeTime Deluxe is OpenDVD(TM)-compliant, allowing users to add or remove content on their rewritable DVDs and VCDs at anytime.
-- Realtime preview - PrimeTime Deluxe integrates TV playback into its interface, allowing users to play, pause and navigate through each show and see the chapter points that will automatically get burned to disc.
-- Sonic SmartStyles - PrimeTime Deluxe creates menus that replicate the Media Center experience, allowing users to sort their TV shows directly on their DVD during playback.
-- Style chooser - PrimeTime Deluxe gives users the ability to choose the look and feel of their final DVD disc with a built-in style chooser. Additional styles will be available on the Sonic e-store.
-- Dolby Digital audio - PrimeTime Deluxe includes Dolby Digital audio encoding, providing crystal clear theater-quality sound and allowing for up to 50% more video on a disc.
Based in Marin County, California, Sonic Solutions (www.sonic.com) is a 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 aftermarket 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 others.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
