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AVID News New Pinnacle HD DVD Authoring Pack Lets Consumers Showcase Their Home Movies in Vivid HD

TEWKSBURY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID), today announced that its Consumer division, Pinnacle Systems, Inc., has introduced the Pinnacle HD DVD Authoring Pack as the newest feature available within Pinnacle Studio™ Plus. The HD DVD Authoring Pack enables users to create High-Definition DVD movie discs – complete with HD motion menus – right within the Pinnacle Studio Plus software using current generation, non-HD DVD burners. Once consumers burn HD DVDs of their projects, they can show their home movies on available HD DVD players and HD TVs. The new HD DVD Authoring Pack is available as an add-on for existing Pinnacle Studio Plus customers.

“Given the growing availability and popularity of HD devices, such as camcorders, DVD players, televisions and wide screen monitors, it’s only natural that people who are creating videos in high-definition want to show their movies to friends in full resolution HD” said Jeff Hastings, Pinnacle Systems general manager. “With our HD DVD Authoring Pack, home video enthusiasts now have an easy and cost-effective authoring tool that allows them to output their beautiful-looking HD projects to a DVD – with just a click of the mouse. It’s a great way for users to finish their video projects and then share them with friends in pristine-quality HD.”

Compelling and Professional-Looking Results

The HD DVD Authoring Pack completes the HD workflow for Pinnacle Studio Plus customers by allowing them to:

• Create HD DVD format movie discs complete with menus, as well as motion menus;
• Blend a combination of HD and SD (standard definition) footage, and still photographs to create stunning HD movies; all SD content is automatically up-sampled to the appropriate HD resolution;
• Use a standard DVD burner to convert HD DVD format discs straight to standard DVD media; and,
• Play HD DVD discs on the industry leading Toshiba and new RCA HD DVD players, and display on any HD TV.

Pricing and Availability

Pinnacle Studio Plus customers can download the latest version from the Pinnacle Systems website: www.pinnaclesys.com. Once upgraded or installed, consumers can unlock the Pinnacle HD DVD Authoring Pack for $49.99 USMSRP by clicking on the Activate button to instigate an online transaction the first time the HD DVD option under Make a Disc is selected. From there, customers can download the content pack that contains the Pinnacle Studio Plus HD format menus.

First-time customers can also test Pinnacle Studio home editing software before purchasing by visiting: www.pinnaclesys.com/Studio_Demo/index.html.

About Pinnacle Systems, Inc.

According to The NPD Group, Pinnacle Studio is the number one consumer video editing software, based on U.S. retail unit and dollar sales from October 2005 through September 2006. Pinnacle Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc., is an industry leader in video editing solutions, TV tuners for the PC, and digital media adapters for the consumer market. The company’s product lines include Pinnacle PCTV™, Dazzle®, Pinnacle ShowCenter™, Pinnacle Studio MediaSuite™, Pinnacle Mobile Media™ and its flagship Pinnacle Studio™ line. For more information, visit www.pinnaclesys.com.

About Avid

Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company’s Oscar®, Grammy®, and Emmy® award-winning products and services, please visit: www.avid.com.

© 2006 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice. All prices are USMSRP for the U.S. only and subject to change without notice. Contact your local office or reseller for current or local prices. Avid, Film Composer, Pro Tools, and Digidesign are either a registered trademark or trademark of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Avid received an Oscar Statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design and engineering of the Avid® Film Composer® system for motion picture editing. Digidesign, Avid’s audio division, received an Oscar Statuette representing the 2003 Scientific and Technical Award for the design, development and implementation of its Pro Tools® digital audio work station. Oscar is a trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Emmy is a registered trademark of ATAS/NATAS. Grammy is a trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc. Pinnacle Systems, the Pinnacle Pinwheel logo, Pinnacle PCTV, Dazzle, Pinnacle ShowCenter, Pinnacle MediaSuite, Pinnacle Mobile Media, Pinnacle Studio and Pinnacle Studio MovieBox are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Pinnacle Systems, Inc. and its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.