Ulead Offers Complete PC DVD Authoring Solution in a Sub-$100 Video Editing Pack

March 21 -- Ulead Systems today announced the online availability of GoDVD! Plug-In -- an easy-to-use DVD authoring solution that plugs into Ulead VideoStudio 5.0. The $39.95 GoDVD! Plug-in gives users the ability to output video to VCD, SVCD and DVD formats. By incorporating DVD features in VideoStudio 5.0, Ulead is once again leading the low-end video editing categories in technical advances.
Ulead is the first software company to provide a complete PC video editing software package for the consumer market -- from capture to edit to export -- that includes DVD authoring. Ulead developed its own DVD authoring technology as a direct solution for PC vendors who want to offer this latest combination to their customers. Ulead's software technology provides the missing link for hardware companies seeking to provide an all-in-one video editing system, just as Apple incorporated iDVD software into its Power Mac G4 systems equipped with DVD recordable drives. The introduction of Ulead's GoDVD! also marks the first time a DVD authoring technology is priced below $50.

Using a 5-step wizard-style workflow and customizable templates, users can create VCD, SVCD and DVD titles with scene menus, navigation buttons and video introductions. The GoDVD! Plug-in also creates a Project Database to store user projects for editing or to be used at a later date. This software add-on even allows for direct burning from VideoStudio 5.0 to CD-R and CD-RW hardware. When DVD burning hardware becomes more widely available this year, support for direct burning to DVD will be added.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, sales of DVD players totaled 8.5 million units in 2000 and camcorder sales reached 5.8 million units. Cahners In-Stat Group, a market research firm, forecasts worldwide shipments of DVD recordable drives to reach 22 million by 2004.

"Later this year, companies will introduce DVD burning drives at a price point consumers can afford," said Lewis Liaw, senior vice president of engineering at Ulead Systems, Inc. "To stay ahead of the trend, Ulead is offering a powerful, easy-to-use DVD authoring plug-in to work with its already robust video editing solutions."

"DVD authoring presents a new communication medium for the consumer market," said Janet Kauffman, research analyst at InfoTrends Research Group. "With DVD equipment penetration growing in both home entertainment systems and in PCs, sharing video via DVD can become a viable alternative to bandwidth-limited Internet solutions like email and video streaming. As this activity grows, consumers will need new authoring solutions like this one from Ulead."

Pricing and Availability
The GoDVD! Plug-in for VideoStudio 5.0 is now available via download from http://www.ulead.com for $39.95. The GoDVD! Plug-in for Media Studio Pro 6.0 will also be available for $39.95 by the end of March. DVD authoring technology will be included in future boxed versions of Ulead's video software later in the year.

SOURCE Ulead Systems, Inc.
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