Sonic Forges High Definition Authoring Alliance

Lasse Penttinen
12 Jul 2005 12:08

Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced that it has founded the High Definition Authoring Alliance™ (HDAA), the first and only worldwide association of top DVD authoring houses dedicated to facilitating the rollout of titles for release in the new high definition HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) optical disc formats. Building on Sonic’s leading role in DVD authoring solutions and its close, long-standing ties to Hollywood and the consumer electronics industry, the HDAA will increase momentum for successful introduction of the formats, ensuring the timely availability of quality titles by providing members with exclusive access to key information, HD-enabled tools and comprehensive training.
“Sonic’s HDAA opens the door to the entire range of information and tools that will be vital to our professional title creation business as we prepare for the HD evolution of disc-based packaged media,” said Mark Johnson, Director of Research and Development at Thomson Technicolor Creative Services in Burbank, California. “HDAA membership also makes us part of a community that is pulling together toward the same goal, which is to be sure that we’re prepared to make the launch of these new formats a great success.”

For authoring houses, adapting to the new HD DVD and BD formats will involve more than simply working with video material in HD. It will also mean learning how to take full advantage of the formats’ new interactive capabilities. These capabilities greatly expand the viewer experience by integrating menus and content into a unified presentation similar to that available during PC playback of premium DVDs created with Sonic’s patented InterActual® technology. To speed the learning process and facilitate the communication of important format requirements back to Sonic, HDAA members will participate in group meetings, special events and technical seminars with Sonic engineers who are involved in defining the new standards to exchange information, contribute ideas and discuss the practicalities of HD title development.