Bundle With Ricoh MP5120A Super Combination Drive Brings Home DVD Publishing to Next Level

NOVATO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 1, 2001--Sonic Solutions announced today that Ricoh Company, Ltd., a leading supplier of office automation equipment and data processing systems, is bundling Sonic MyDVD(TM) Version 3 with its new MP5120A Super Combination Drive. With the addition of MyDVD, Ricoh's new DVD+RW drive provides a complete DVD solution that allows users to select personal video clips, add interactive menus, preview a DVD project and then record it directly to DVD. The new drive is now shipping and combines DVD+RW and CD-RW recording with DVD-ROM and CD-ROM playback in a single device.

"We are extremely pleased to offer Sonic MyDVD with our new MP5120A Super Combination Drive," said Mamoru Ishida, DVD+RW product manager at Ricoh. "As a leading provider of DVD and CD recording technology, Ricoh is committed to working with the world's leading software partners. With its strong record in providing the most innovative and compatible DVD solutions, Sonic is the clear choice and we look forward to working together as we take home DVD publishing to the next level."

The Ricoh/Sonic bundle takes advantage of the advanced capabilities of DVD+RW, enabling home PC users and video enthusiasts to quickly and easily record and edit DVD-video as well as add menus and additional content to DVD+RW discs. The resulting DVDs can be viewed on set-top DVD players or DVD-equipped PCs.

"For many workplace communications, video content is replacing paper," added Ishida. "Ricoh is at the forefront of this transition and we are pleased to now offer DVD+RW technology in addition to conventional CD-R/RW storage devices, providing an easy and low-cost means of sharing content."

Sonic MyDVD makes it easy to capture video and audio directly from computer-attached camcorders or VHS decks, automatically create menus, buttons and navigation based on a user-selected style, and record everything to DVD+RW discs that can be played on home set-top players or DVD-equipped PCs.

"We are excited about Ricoh's choice of Sonic to provide a complete DVD publishing solution for home users," said Koki Terui, senior vice-president of Pacific Rim Operations at Sonic Solutions. "The combination of MyDVD and the MP5120A rewritable DVD drive in a single, integrated solution offers the ease-of-use and attractive price point that makes DVD publishing accessible to a much broader market."

About MyDVD

MyDVD Video is built on Sonic's Hollywood-standard DVD formatting engine -- the same technology used to produce tens of millions of consumer DVD-Video titles. Building on this standard ensures that DVDs produced with the application are playable on the widest range of consumer DVD players. MyDVD provides three ways for consumers to create their own professional-looking DVD titles:

Direct-to-DVD(TM)

The first solution for recording directly to the DVD, MyDVD allows video from a camcorder or VCR to be written to DVD-recordable discs in a single step. In this mode, the user connects a camcorder or VCR to the PC and the application automatically converts the video and audio into DVD-compatible formats, creates menus and buttons for each video clip, and burns to the DVD-recorder.

DVD Authoring

In authoring mode, interactive DVDs can be created by dragging and dropping different types of multimedia elements into a DVD project -- video from camcorders, video files on hard disk in AVI, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 formats, audio and graphics data. MyDVD includes a built-in, faster-than-real-time(1) transcoder that automatically converts all incoming video formats into those compatible with DVD players, freeing the user from the headaches of determining DVD file compatibility.

MyDVD includes a wide range of professionally designed styles -- menu backgrounds, buttons and other features that add polish to projects. Chapter points can be added to any video, automatically or manually on-the-fly as video is being recorded. This means that DVD titles created with MyDVD include all of the navigation, buttons and menus automatically, yielding professional quality results for the home user.

DVD Editing(TM)

Sonic MyDVD is the first application that not only records DVDs in real-time, but also creates DVDs that can be re-edited right on disc. DVD Editing is an exciting new technology innovated by Sonic which allows discs to be changed after they are initially created, enabling an entirely new generation of DVD applications, such as video diaries, up-to-the-minute, customized sales presentations, compilations of family events, and more.

About DVD+RW

Jointly promoted by Philips Electronics, HP, MCC/Verbatim, Sony Corp., Ricoh Company, Ltd., Thomson Multimedia, Dell Computer, and Yamaha Corp., the DVD+RW format provides a universally compatible, rewritable DVD format that enables true convergence between personal computing and consumer electronics products. DVD+RW discs written on a DVD+RW recorder can be read and played on the majority of existing and future DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM drives.

About Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Ricoh Company, Ltd. is one of the world's leading suppliers of office automation equipment, including copiers, facsimile machines, data processing systems, and related supplies.

The Company is also renowned for its state-of-the-art electronic devices and photographic equipment.

About Sonic Solutions

Based in Marin County, Calif., Sonic (http://www.sonic.com) is the leading manufacturer of solutions for DVD publishing. Sonic MyDVD (http://www.mydvd3.sonic.com) is the first DVD authoring application for consumers, making it easy to capture "your life on DVD." Sonic DVDit!® (http://www.dvdit.com) is the first application for DVD authoring targeted at videographers and corporate video producers, and is bundled with major video editing, capture, encoding and media production systems. Sonic DVD Creator®, Sonic Scenarist®, Sonic ReelDVD(TM) and Sonic DVD Fusion® are the most widely-used systems for professional DVD publishing, and are installed worldwide at major studios, post production facilities and in corporate marketing departments. SonicStudio® HD is the leading digital workstation for preparing audio for release on CD and is the first for creating content for the new DVD-Audio format. (1) Based on performance tests conducted at Sonic Solutions on a single-processor Pentium 4 system running at 1.5GHz, on a 1 minute, full-frame, 30fps NTSC video file in AVI format.

The above paragraphs of this press release contain forward looking statements that are based upon current expectations. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties including, among others, the timely introduction and acceptance of new products, costs associated with new product introductions, the transition of products to new hardware configurations and platforms and other factors, including those discussed in the Company's annual and quarterly reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contain a more detailed discussion of the Company's business including risks and uncertainties that may affect future results.

Sonic, Sonic Solutions, the Sonic logo, cDVD, DVD Editing, MyDVD, ReelDVD and DVDit! are trademarks of Sonic Solutions. AuthorScript, DVD Creator, DVD Fusion, Scenarist and SonicStudio are registered trademarks of Sonic Solutions. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.