RITEK Corporation Signs Qflix Technology Licensing Agreement with Sonic
Readies Qflix DVD Media to Enable the Secure Recording of Digitally Distributed Entertainment
Las Vegas, Nevada, CES (January 7, 2008) — Sonic
Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, announced
today that RITEK Corporation, the leading global manufacturer of optical
media, has signed a Qflix™ technology and IP licensing
agreement. RITEK is now taking orders on specialized DVDs that will
enable the on-demand recording of digitally distributed entertainment
with CSS encryption (Content Scramble System) – the same protection
found on commercially mass-produced titles. The Qflix DVDs will be
used by duplication system operators providing custom DVD publishing
services to Internet retailers and in movie kiosks that will offer
retail customers touch-screen access to a vast virtual inventory of
rich content. The Qflix media will also be available for consumer use
in the home as a way to legally record premium entertainment downloaded
from the Internet. Demonstrations of Qflix solutions are available
by appointment in Sonic’s private meeting room at the Renaissance Hotel
(Copa Conference Suite A and B) during the Consumer Electronics Show
(CES), January 7th to the 12th, Las Vegas, NV.
“We are delighted to be an official manufacturer and distributor
of Qflix DVDs and to be participating in the new entertainment value
chain Sonic’s technologies are helping to establish,” said Eric Ai,
RITEK spokesperson. “Our long-standing reputation for producing
discs of uncompromising quality and compatibility will help ensure
a consistent and reliable consumer entertainment experience regardless
of whether content is ordered online, purchased at retail, or produced
in the home.”
In addition to appearing on recordable DVDs, the Qflix brand will
appear on other consumer products and services including compatible
drives and video download services as a symbol for consumers looking
for legitimate "purchase, download, and burn" solutions.
Qflix is also the label for the technology and licensing program that
includes product and component certification to enable content owners,
service providers, and manufacturers of recordable media, PC DVD writers,
network-connected DVD recorders, set-top boxes, and software to create
compatible and interoperable solutions.
“Our initiative to enable new markets for the efficient distribution
of high-quality entertainment continues to gain momentum,” said Jim
Taylor, senior vice president and general manager of Sonic Solutions'
Advanced Technology Group. “By adding more partners from the consumer
electronics, content distribution, and PC and media storage industries,
we remain on track to introduce solutions this year that will fundamentally
shift the way entertainment is delivered.”
The royalty-bearing Qflix licensing program for media and optical
drive manufacturers was established by Pioneer and Sonic to facilitate
the adoption of secure download and burn applications in accordance
with the approved industry specifications for recording downloads set
by the DVD Forum and the DVD Copy Control Association.
About Qflix
The Qflix program offers a new means for content owners to release
titles for custom production and sale over the Internet while maintaining
the same level of copy protection used on commercially mass-produced
DVDs. Sonic's Qflix program provides essential technology and IP for
both the professional and consumer market. For professional and enterprise
manufacturing of DVDs "on demand," the Qflix program allows
production facilities to reduce the cost of carrying physical inventory
while simultaneously offering extensive catalogs of content. The program
also enables retailers to broaden the number of movies by augmenting
physical product with on-demand DVD creation kiosks in their stores.
For consumers, the Qflix program provides a long-awaited downloading
and burning solution for movies and premium video content in computers
and consumer electronic devices such as set-top boxes, networked DVD
recorders, and DVRs.
For more information regarding the Qflix technology licensing program,
please contact Qflix Licensing (licensing@qflix.com) or visit (www.qflix.com).
About RITEK
By combining the Right Technology at the Right Time with the Right
Product, RITEK has earned its name in the high-tech field of storage
media. By maintaining an innovative business vision and combining it
with a strong commitment to innovation and exceptional customer services,
RITEK had successfully become the largest manufacturer of optical storage
media in the world.
About Sonic Solutions
Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC; http://www.sonic.com)
enables the creation, management, and enjoyment of digital media content
through its Hollywood to Home™ products, services,
and technologies. Sonic's products range from the advanced authoring
systems used to produce Hollywood DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray Disc film
releases to the award-winning Roxio®-branded photo, video, music, and
digital-media management applications. Sonic's patented technologies
and AuthorScript® media engine are relied upon by leading technology
firms to define rich media experiences on a wide array of consumer
electronics, mobile devices, set-top players, retail kiosks, and PCs.
Always an innovator, Sonic has taken a leading role in helping professional
and consumer markets make the successful transition to the new high-definition
media formats and, through the DVD On Demand™ and
Qflix™ platforms, Sonic is defining new models for
the digital distribution of premium Hollywood entertainment. Sonic
Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements
that are based upon current expectations, including the distribution
and market acceptance of the Qflix program. Actual results could
differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements
as a result of various risks and uncertainties, 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, Form 10-Q
and other reports 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.
The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements.
Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, AuthorScript, Hollywood to
Home, Sonic DVD On Demand, Qflix, and Roxio are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Sonic Solutions in the United States and/or other countries.
All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective
owners and, in some cases, are used by Sonic Solutions under license.
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