Sonic Collaborates With Toshiba in Support of European HD DVD Launch

Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ:SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today announced a new collaboration with Toshiba Corporation, a world leader in high technology, to support European content holders and professional authoring facilities using Sonic’s industry-leading Scenarist® authoring systems for the creation of HD DVD titles. As part of the initiative, Sonic will distribute Toshiba’s HD DVD emulation system and software verifiers that provide professional authoring facilities with an extensive set of utilities for testing title features and compatibility prior to replication. The combination of Sonic’s authoring expertise and Toshiba’s tools and technology will help bring a truly dynamic HD DVD movie-viewing experience to European consumers. "The HD DVD format is a massive growth opportunity for our business developing packaged media entertainment. Working with Sonic on several projects has helped ease our transition to high definition and enabled us to gain the expertise needed to create titles using Scenarist that fully exploit the potential of HD DVD,” said José Garriga-Nogués, managing director at Infinia, S.A., a Spanish leading professional authoring studio based in Barcelona. "Given the imminent launch of HD DVD players in Europe, we welcome the additional support we will received based on Sonic’s initiative with Toshiba.” With Toshiba’s technical support, Sonic is offering Sonic’s High Definition Authoring Alliance (HDAA) members and their studio clients a comprehensive compatibility checking solution that includes content structure, advanced interactive syntax and stream verification testing, as well as replicated check-disc analysis to validate titles prior to mass replication. "As it has in Japan and the U.S., HD DVD is about to redefine the home theatre experience for movie lovers throughout Europe,” said Hiroharu Sato, general manager, Toshiba’s HD DVD Division. "Toshiba is extremely pleased to support Sonic in helping content holders and professional authoring studios streamline their HD DVD title creation efforts and assisting them in producing titles that take advantage of the power and potential of the new format.” "Sonic is delighted to be working with Toshiba in support of our customers as they create world-class HD DVD titles for launch in Europe in 2007,” said Richard Linecar, managing director of operations for Sonic’s professional products division in Europe. "By bringing Toshiba’s emulation and verification technology to our Scenarist users, Sonic is able to provide the most comprehensive HD DVD title creation technologies and support services commercially available.” The Toshiba emulator set and verification systems are available from Sonic and its channel of professional resellers worldwide. For more information contact: (info@sonic.com). Taking a leading role in helping the industry make a smooth transition to the new high-definition optical formats, Sonic forged the HDAA in 2005 to prepare the movie industry and its authoring facility partners for the rollout of high-definition titles. More recently, Sonic announced an extension to the Alliance with the formation of an Advisory Group (HDAA AG). Comprised of top-tier computer and consumer electronics companies, the HDAA AG is collaborating with the HDAA to ensure the high-definition formats deliver reliable, consistent and dynamic viewing experiences across all playback platforms. Today, Sonic offers a complete range of high-definition applications and technologies for professionals, pro-sumers, consumers, and technology partners. About Sonic Solutions Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ:SNIC) (http://www.sonic.com) is the leader in digital media software, providing a broad range of interoperable, platform-independent software tools and applications for creative professionals, business and home users, and technology partners. Sonic's products range from advanced DVD authoring systems and interactive content delivery technologies used to produce the majority of Hollywood DVD film releases, to the award-winning Roxio®-branded CD and DVD creation, playback and backup solutions that have become the premier choice for consumers, prosumers and business users worldwide. Sonic products are globally available from major retailers, online at Sonic.com and Roxio.com, and are bundled with PCs, after-market drives and consumer electronic devices. Sonic's digital media creation engine is the de facto standard and has been licensed by major software and hardware manufacturers, including Adobe, Microsoft, Scientific-Atlanta, Sony, and many others. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California. Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, Scenarist, and Roxio are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sonic Solutions or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners.