October 30, 2008 — Pinnacle Systems, Inc. announced today the 12.1 release update and new Pinnacle Theme Winter Pack content for its market-leading Pinnacle Studio consumer video editing software. The 12.1 update expands the format support for the Pinnacle Studio version 12 family of products. The new Pinnacle Theme Winter Pack offers more than 80 additional winter-themed titles, DVD menus, and Pinnacle Montage templates. A U.S. $79.99 value, the Theme Winter Pack is included in special Pinnacle Studio Plus and Ultimate Winter Pack Editions at selected etailers and retailers until December 31, 2008. Existing Pinnacle Studio version 12 users can purchase the Winter Pack for a special upgrade price of U.S. $39.99 from October 30, 2008 to November 6, 2008, directly from the Pinnacle Systems estore.

The 12.1 update is available as a free download from the Pinnacle Systems website for Pinnacle Studio version 12 users. With the Pinnacle Studio 12.1 release, users will have the easiest way to get their video and photos into Studio – regardless of their camera’s format. In addition to supporting hard drives, solid state drives, DVD, HD and tape videos and photos, the 12.1 update offers:

• Support for QuickTime .mov import – Users of digital still cameras that take .mov videos can import them and make compelling movies and slideshows out of their photos.
• Support for QuickTime .mov export – Users can now make standard resolution QuickTime videos to share with MAC users.
• Expanded support for the latest H.264-based camcorders such as Aiptek H.264 and Sanyo Xacti.
• Performance improvements enable users a faster response at editing.

Along with the new QuickTime .mov export capabilities, content can also be recorded to a DVD, HD-DVD or BD disc or output to Sony PSP, Apple iPod, DivX-certified players, Flash video and 3GP cell phones.

With these new capabilities, creating and sharing videos that look like “made-for-TV movies” has never been easier. In addition to including customizable tools that appeal to experienced video enthusiasts, Pinnacle Studio offers unique, theme-based editing with Pinnacle Montage for video editing beginners and people who don’t have time to edit. This feature lets users mix their favorite photos, video clips and music and then work with up to 18* video tracks to add Hollywood-style, multi-layered effects with picture-in-picture, animated graphics, titles and audio. In just minutes, anyone can produce entertaining videos with professional touches that look like they were created by an expert.

The Pinnacle Theme Winter Pack content enables users to make their holidays simply unforgettable. The enhanced videos and photo albums can be emailed as holiday greetings and directly uploaded to YouTube and Yahoo! Video.

The new Pinnacle Theme Winter Pack includes:

• An additional 38 titles and 15 DVD menu sets, plus five new Pinnacle Montage themes with 28 individual templates
  
• Professionally designed, the templates, titles and DVD menus provide inspiration with creative themes such as Autumn, Back to School, Halloween, Winter, Christmas, New Year and St. Valentine’s
• Artistic-looking Pinnacle Montage themes include a broad range of individual templates that have innovative graphics and masks with dynamic motion effects
  

*Available only in Studio Plus version 12 and Studio Ultimate version 12.

About Pinnacle Studio, Studio Plus and Studio Ultimate version 12

Offering unprecedented ease of use, Pinnacle Studio is #1 in the consumer video editing market in the U.S. and in major European countries¹. It is also the recent recipient of the prestigious “European HD Video Editing 2008-2009” (EISA) award. For more information, go to Pinnacle Studio version 12.

Availability and Pricing

The 12.1 release for Pinnacle Studio, Studio Plus and Studio Ultimate is available as a free download to registered users of version 12. Upgrades from all of the previous Pinnacle Studio versions to version 12.1 are also available from the Pinnacle Systems e-store for a fee.

The U.S. $79.99 value Pinnacle Theme Winter Pack is included in special Pinnacle Studio Plus and Ultimate Winter Pack Editions at selected etailers and retailers until December 31, 2008; and at the Pinnacle Systems estore for existing Pinnacle Studio version 12 users for a special upgrade price of $39.99 from October 30, 2008 to November 6, 2008. To watch a demo of the new Pinnacle Theme Winter Pack content, click here.

For more information, visit www.pinnaclesys.com.

Sources: 1. The NPD Group/Retail Tracking/Consumer Video Editing (Annual 2007) – US. Based on consumer sales for 4 European countries (DE, FR, IT and GB cumulated) annual 2007 in the GFK Retail-Market.

SOURCE Pinnacle Systems