• Tower Records/Video to Host In-Store Appearance By Innovative DVD Filmmakers Chamber of Poets May 12 & 13!
  Time: 18:00 EDT/23:00 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  DVD filmmakers Dwight Marcus and Charles Barth of Chamber of Poets will appear in an innovative multimedia in-store that takes DVD technology to new heights! Appearing at Tower Records/Video on Sunset Boulevard on Saturday, May 12 and Tower Records/Video in Long Beach on Saturday, May 13, they will perform songs from their critically-acclaimed SlingShot Home Video DVD, News From The West.

  In addition to a unique multi-media performance, they will discuss their vision of music-driven short film as an art form. Fans could win a Denon DVD player (value $499.00), DVD singles of News From The West and other exciting DVDs at the in-store (must be present to win). For more information please log onto Tower Video's e-commerce sight, www.towerrecords.com .

  It is undeniably the art form that opens the 21st Century -- THIS IS PULSE. What the ``beat'' movement was to the free-spirited artists of the 1950's, PULSE is to the sound bite-driven millennium. Chamber of Poets' DVD release News From The West is the embodiment of PULSE. It is both culmination and antidote. It is sweetness and chaos. It is a window on our future.

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• Greenleaf Chief Operating Officer Addresses Attendees at DVD Summit III
  Time: 18:00 EDT/23:00 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Frank LoVerme, chief operating officer of Greenleaf Technologies Corp., in an address to the attendees of DVD Summit III, said that the future success of the DVD-ROM lies in the ability to form a direct relationship between the consumer and the software vendor.

  He went on to say that this can be done by capitalizing on the greater capacity of the DVD-18 disc to carry numerous software titles and Greenleaf's encryption technology, which allows the content to be purchased online or via touch-tone phone. He concluded by saying that the business model will result in increased profit margins for software developers and publishers.

  LoVerme cited the success of the WIG DVD Keeper Series, a DVD-ROM property containing Infogrames' game content, Greenleaf's encryption technology and Warner Advanced Media Operations' proprietary DVD-18 memory capacity, as an example of how software vendors reach consumers directly. The WIG DVD Keeper Series is a product of WIG, a joint venture comprising Warner Media Advanced Operations, Infogrames and Greenleaf.

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• This Week's Picks
  Time: 04:15 EST/09:15 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Do you have a favorite DVD Movie you would like to see posted here? Drop me an e-mail and we will get it posted.

  Showgirls

  “Sleek seductiveness…a world of exoticism and danger!”

  Seduction, passion and power struggles unfold when the creators of Basic Instinct, director Paul Verhoeven (Starship Troopers) and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas (Original Sin), blow the lid off the seemingly glamorous world of Las Vegas showdancing to create one of the most controversial – and shocking – films of all time.

  Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) has what it takes to make it as a Las Vegas showgirl – what she doesn’t have is a way in. To survive, she accepts the only job available: lap-dancing at a seedy club. And when she meets Cristal (Gina Gershon), Vegas’ reigning showgirl, Nomi wants everything she has – including her boyfriend (Kyle MacLachlan). And as Nomi dives deeper into the world she so desperately desires, a rivalry between the two women heats up. The battle for the spotlight becomes so fiercely competitive that it drives Nomi to desperate lengths – and devious heights – for fame in Sin City.

  "Showgirls" is rated "NC-17" and has a running time of 131 minutes.

   

  Spaceballs

  May the farce be with you in this hysterically funny space oddity, created by comic genius Mel Brooks, that will send you into hyperspace with fits of laughter! Lampooning everything from Star Wars to Star Trek, this outrageous send-up of epic sci-fi movies is full of cosmic crazies.

  Fearless – and clueless – space heroes Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half-man/half-dog sidekick Barf (John Candy) wage interstellar warfare to free Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) from the evil clutches of Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis). On the way to the rescue – in their Winnebago – they confront the huge, gooey Pizza The Hutt (voice of Dom De Luise), sassy robot Dot Matrix (voice of Joan Rivers) and a wise little creature named Yogurt (Mel Brooks), who teaches them the mystical power of “The Schwartz” in order to bring peace – and merchandising rights – to the entire galaxy!

  "Spaceballs" is rated "PG" and has a running time of 96 minutes.

   

  Star Trek III: The Search For Spock

  Admiral Kirk’s defeat of Khan and the creation of the Genesis planet are empty victories. Spock is dead and McCoy is inexplicably being driven insane. Then a surprise visit from Sarek, Spock’s father, provides a startling revelation. McCoy is harboring Spock’s living essence.

  With one friend alive and one not, but both in pain, Kirk attempts to help his friends by stealing the U.S.S. Enterprise and defying Starfleet’s Genesis planet quarantine. But the Klingons have also learned of Genesis and race to meet Kirk in a deadly rendezvous.

  "Star Trek III: The Search For Spock" is rated "PG" and has a running time of 105 minutes.

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• New Enhanced `Space Jam' DVD July 25
  Time: 17:35 EST/22:35 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  The slam-dunk release of the century has arrived! On July 25, superstar Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the world's favorite Looney Tunes characters score big with the newly enhanced ``Space Jam'' DVD.

  For the first time ever, viewers will experience the behind-the-scenes magic, cool music videos and other kid-friendly features that make ``Space Jam'' a ``must-have'' classic. Additionally, fans will get an inside peek at fun film facts including what the Looney Tunes characters ate to gear up for the ``Space Jam'' game plus the story behind the college shorts Michael Jordan wears under his NBA uniform.

  Special features on this all-new DVD include:

  • Feature-length audio commentary by director Joe Pytka, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck
  • Jammin' with Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan "making-of-featurette"
  • Three smash hit music videos: R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly," Seal's "Fly Like an Eagle" and the Monstars' "Monster Anthem: Hit `em High"
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Alternate music-only track

  Enhanced features for DVD-ROM PCs include:

  • Links to Warner Bros., Looney Tunes and family-related Web sites
  • Updated original theatrical Web site, including games, chat rooms, live event links, Web cards and screensavers
  • Theatrical trailer sampling featuring other WHV DVD family titles

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• RAVISENT and St Microelectronics Powers Consumer DVD Player
  Time: 17:28 EDT/22:28 GMT News Source: Press ReleasePosted By: Matthew Sabean

  RAVISENT Technologies Inc., a software and IP licensing company, today announces that Vestel® Electronics, a premier European consumer electronic manufacturing company, is including RAVISENT's Software CineMaster decoder with the ST Microelectronics STi5505 single-chip DVD solution, in a consumer electronic DVD player.

  The new Vestel DVD player, marketed in Europe under the Universum brand name, combines RAVISENT's Software CineMaster® DVD decoder with the ST Microelectronics STi5505 single-chip DVD solution, enabling playback of theater-quality video and audio from DVDs to a television set. The Vestel DVD player uses the advanced features of Software CineMaster to deliver advanced audio and video capabilities at nearly half the cost of competitive products.

  The award-winning Software CineMaster® DVD decoder, originally developed for PC based systems, has been ported by RAVISENT to volume consumer electronic device architectures, allowing OEMs to develop DVD players with advanced functionality at a fraction of the cost of internally developed alternatives.

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• Warner Home Video's `Big Action' Debut On June 6
  Time: 18:10 EST/23:10 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Newly enhanced DVD & VHS versions of ``Interview with the Vampire'' and ``Twister'' plus DVD Director's Cut premieres from the ``Lethal Weapon'' series are featured in the Warner Home Video (WHV) ``Big Action'' line-up debuting June 6.

  • The DVD ``Interview with the Vampire'' will contains an all-new introduction by novelist Anne Rice, director Neil Jordan and Antonio Banderas; an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary ``In The Shadow of the Vampire'' featuring new interviews from Christian Slater, Antonio Banderas, Stephen Rea, Kirsten Dunst, Anne Rice, Neil Jordan and more; the original theatrical trailer; and a limited edition collector's card, plus feature-length audio commentary by director Neil Jordan; production notes and filmographies; subtitles and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.
  • The DVD ``Director's Cut'' editions of the first three ``Lethal Weapon'' films starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover will each feature an all-new Dolby Digital 5.1 remix; several minutes of previously unavailable footage; widescreen presentation; subtitles; and original theatrical trailer.
  • The DVD ``Twister''' will also debut in an enhanced version. Special features include: new behind-the-scenes documentaries ``The Making of Twister'' and ``Anatomy of the Twister''; Van Halen's music video, ``Humans Being''; feature-length audio commentary by director Jan De Bont and Visual Effects Supervisor Stefen Fangmeier; production notes and filmographies; two original theatrical trailers; expanded motion menu; subtitles and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.

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• Sonic Teams With Avid to Introduce Direct 24P Digital Video Encoding for DVD
  Time: 17:55 EDT/22:55 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Sonic Solutions announced today a major enhancement to its high-end DVD Creator MPEG-2 encoding systems which allows direct 24P digital video input from Avid Symphony Universal, Avid's high-end editorial finishing and 24P Universal mastering system.

  With Sonic's new Direct-24 input capability, DVD Creator can encode film content directly from a 24 FPS (frame-per-second) film source, making it possible to encode film material at speeds faster than real time and at the same time deliver higher quality.

  ``Sonic is a recognized leader in bringing new DVD production technology to the professional market,'' said Michael Phillips, Senior Product Designer at Avid Technology. ``Using Avid Symphony Universal, our users can edit, color correct and master a film-based project in a totally digital, uncompressed, 24 frame progressive environment. Sonic's new 24P support in DVD Creator makes it possible to directly transfer content to MPEG-2 without having to re-insert 2:3 pulldown (a telecine process), speeding production and improving quality.''

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• Samsung, one of the first in the US to announce a combined CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-ROM product - COMBO
  Time: 17:31 EST/22:31 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Samsung, the company that has brought you the best in Consumer Electronics and Telecommunications, proudly introduces a new and innovative product, COMBO.

  Samsung's COMBO combines the best technologies to provide the simplicity of viewing your favorite high-resolution DVD movies to backing up valuable data on CDs all in one drive. In one unique package, COMBO (SM-304) provides speeds such as 4X CD-Recording, 4X CD-Rewriting, 24X CD-ROM Reading, and 4X DVD-ROM reading. With competitive seek times in the industry, Samsung's COMBO offers Average Access Times of 120ms for DVD and 110ms for CD. COMBO also has added features such as Annular Mask Lens (na 0.6 and 0.5), which is a patented on core pick-up component, and Acoustic-Noise Reduction System (ARS), a technology that Samsung prides itself in. The COMBO drive package is bundled with Adaptec's Easy & Direct CD, Power DVD, and CD-R/RW media. The retail bundle price for Samsung's COMBO is $349. COMBO begins shipping May 1st, 2000.

  SPECS:

  • 4X CD-R, 4X CD-RW, 4X DVD-ROM, 24X CD-ROM
  • 2MB Buffer Memory
  • EIDE/ATAPI Interface
  • Recording Capacity: CD-RW Disc 650MB (Type 74)
  • CD-R Disc 700/650/550 MB (Type 80/74/63)

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• Released This Week: Flawless
  Time: 04:59 EDT/09:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Walter Koontz (De Niro) - once a hero cop, now a security guard - lives in a rundown Hell's kitchen tenement. One fateful night, after hearing the cries of a neighbor in trouble, his attempt to help turns into a nightmare when he suffers a stroke.

  Paralyzed on his right side and unable to speak clearly, Koontz, on the advice of his doctor, seeks voice lessons. But with winter holding him hostage to his apartment, he has no choice but to seek help from a musically inclined neighbor whom he vehemently dislikes...an outspoken guy named Rusty (Hoffman)!
  

  "Flawless" is rated "R" and has a running time of 111 minutes.

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• Vivid Interactive Will Launch 'Interactive Body Parts' DVD Game with Promotion at Virgin Megastore Times Square
  Time: 04:57 EDT/09:57 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Vivid Interactive, the leader in adult DVD technology, is bringing Vivid Girl Kira Kener to Times Square to launch its ``Interactive Body Parts'' on Thursday, May 11th, starting at 4:00 EDT at Virgin Megastore Times Square at 45th and Broadway.

  The in-store promotion featuring the acclaimed adult film star will introduce New Yorkers to ``Interactive Body Parts'' and ``Interactive Mind Teazzer''-- an award winning series by Dyanna Lauren (The DVD, which won the AVN Award Winner for Best Interactive DVD in January,) -- is the very best that true interactive DVD has to offer. Both DVDs in the series allow the player to participate in a digitally decadent game of mix and match, where floating body parts must be arranged by using the DVD remote control to create the ideal girl. After completion, the player is rewarded with a special fantasy segment.

  ``These are a couple of the only interactive Adult DVD games in the entire world that can be played on DVD video, DVD-Rom, Playstation 2, and Microsoft X Box,'' said Vivid Interactive VP Jim Monroe. ``Furthermore these discs are compatible with PAL, NTSC, & SECAM with no regional coding.''

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• DVant Digital Announces Interactive and Web Enabled Windsurfing Encyclopedia DVD-Video
  Time: 04:55 EDT/09:55 GMT News Source: Yahoo! Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  DVant Digital, an award winning DVD authoring facility, and MVC Productions, a San Francisco based video company, announce the release of Windsurfing Encyclopedia -- Volume 1, an interactive DVD-Video featuring Internet connectivity, multiple languages, multiple angles, looping music tracks and the most exciting windsurfing footage seen anywhere.

  ``I am really excited about DVD-Video as a media because of the interactivity possibilities,'' said Dobri Kiprov, president, MVC Productions, ``which allows a presentation that is much more interesting then a straight linear film. The viewer actually becomes part of the creative process since he or she can control what they watch. In addition, the ability to have multiple language sound tracks makes DVD a universal product. In addition, not only can a DVD-Video product play on a standard DVD player, but it is also fully functional in PC or Mac computer equipped with a DVD drive. In fact,'' continued Kiprov, ``we took advantage of DVDs multi-platform capability and included Internet connectivity in Windsurfing Encyclopedia, which allows the user to access windsurfing related web sites directly from the DVD disc.''

  ``DVD-Video is moving in a very exciting direction with the ability to provide Internet connectivity,'' said Gabriel Murano, DVant Digital's CEO. Not only do our clients have the ability to tell their stories and feature their products with high quality audio and hours of broadcast quality video, but now DVant can include the unlimited possibilities of Internet access and E-commerce on the same disc.``

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• Released This Week: Fortress 2: Re-entry
  Time: 04:39 EDT/09:39 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  In the not-so-distant future, Earth is controlled by a giant corporation called Men-Tel. After escaping from a maximum security prison known as The Fortress, renegade John Brennick (Christopher Lambert) and his wife and son are fugitives on the run. But Brennick is soon apprehended again and placed in a futuristic state-of-the-art maximum security prison recently completed by Men-Tel.

  Orbiting 26,000 miles from Earth, the prison houses the planet's most fierce criminals, forcing them to perform dreaded space labor amidst meteor showers and other harsh elements. Here, Brennick is locked down by hi-tech security jail cells and surrounded by an elaborate system of computer surveillance devices, including a camera placed inside his body. If Brennick ever wants to be re-united with his wife and son, he has no hope but to try to escape - an idea that was never thought possible...until now!
  

  "Fortress 2: Re-entry " is rated "R" and has a running time of 92 minutes.

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• ''Jaws'' leads Spielberg classics to DVD
  Time: 04:15 EDT/09:15 GMT News Source: Yahoo! Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Steven Spielberg has finally relented and will begin introducing his library of blockbuster movies on DVD, beginning this summer with ``Jaws.''

  Universal Home Video is expected to announce Tuesday a special 25th anniversary collector's edition of the 1975 monster hit to be released July 11. It will include deleted scenes, outtakes, a trivia game and a new digital widescreen view with a choice of Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 Surround-sound.

  The rest of the hits Spielberg made for Universal, including ``E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'' and ``Jurassic Park '' -- ranked as the fourth- and fifth-biggest moneymakers of all time, respectively -- are expected to be introduced later, as will ''Schindler's List'' and ``The Lost World: Jurassic Park '' on a staggered basis.

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• DVD Genie v3.43
  Time: 05:45 EST/10:45 GMT News Source: File Flash Posted By: Alex Harris

  A new version of DVD Genie is out with support for NVIDIA GeForce motion compensation acceleration, Matrox Sun-Picture acceleration, smoother panning settings, and better Windows 2000 support. DVD Genie allows you to modify the region code for popular software-based DVD Players such as Software Cinemaster, PowerDVD and WinDVD (among a few). It also allows you to tweak these programs with undocumented features to better fit your system. DVD Genie will also allow you to select which program runs when a DVD Disc is inserted into the drive and contains support for fullscreen Zooming on widescreen movies with certain players.

  You can download DVD Genie v3.43 here.

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• DVD Easter Eggs Updated
  Time: 19:20 EDT/00:20 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  We have updated our DVD Easter Egg section. Easter Eggs are added hidden features added to a DVD which usually contain extra trailers, music, games, production credits, and more. The trick is to find them.

  If you know of any hidden features then drop me an e-mail and we will get them posted.

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• LUCASFILM speaks out on STAR WARS DVDs
  Time: 05:35 EDT/10:35 GMT News Source: DVD File Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  The STAR WARS buzz-o-meter has been on overdrive the past few days, following a surprise radio appearance by George Lucas last Friday morning on Los Angeles' modern rock station KROQ. Lucas, who is currently prepping EPISODE II, due to begin filming in Australia this June, took a break from his current race car duties to phone in and chat with "Kevin and Bean". And of course, the inevitable question "So when's STAR WARS coming to DVD?" was asked. While Lucas did mention that a DVD of THE PHANTOM MENACE would be coming, the exact transcript of Lucas' quotes was never revealed, but that didn't stop the excitement from building at a fast and furious pace on the web. Where the DVDs really, finally coming, and what would be on them?

  We spoke with Lucasfilm representative Jeannie Cole, who was able to share the current state of the progress on STAR WARS DVDs, the rumors on possible content of the discs, as well as any known timetables for their release. "Yes, Lucasfilm has officially begun work on DVDs for the STAR WARS films," Ms. Cole explained, but it is still far too soon to know which film(s) will be released when and what the content will be. "It is up to George (Lucas) to decide the content of the discs," and "they will not be released in 2000, nor is there any firm date beyond this year." However, Cole did dispel some of the notions of further alternations or extensive new footage appearing on any upcoming DVD releases: "Any rumors of new digitally-created scenes or other extensive digital alterations are false."

  Read more

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• This Week's Picks
  Time: 05:15 EST/10:15 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Do you have a favorite DVD Movie you would like to see posted here? Drop me an e-mail and we will get it posted.

  Walt Disney's Tarzan: Collector's Edition

  From Walt Disney Home Entertainment comes the critically acclaimed Tarzan, in a Collector's Edition DVD you won't want to miss. Entertainment buffs and DVD enthusiasts will want to go behind the scenes with the filmmakers and learn about the deep canvas animation that captures the allure of the jungle as never before. This two-disc set will take you on an extraordinary journey from Tarzan's inception all the way through its theatrical release. See the characters leap to life, hear the music of Phil Collins and experience Tarzan as never before.

  Tarzan is the extraordinary tale of an orphaned infant raised by a family of gorillas who accept him as one of their own. As Tarzan matures into a young man--with the instincts of a jungle animal and the physical prowess of an athletic superstar--his life changes forever when he finally meets other humans. Combining humor, breathtaking jungle action and sensational music with powerful emotional themes, Tarzan provides a timeless yet contemporary take on the popular story.

  "Tarzan: Collector's Edition" is rated "G" and has a running time of 88 minutes.

   

  The Bachelor

  One thousand brides. One hundred million dollars. Jimmie Shannon is about to discover the true value of love. Faced with the choice of getting married within 24 hours or losing a $100 million inheritance, Jimmie, the unrepentant bachelor, is suddenly desperate to get to the alter.

  The problem is his adorable and independent girlfriend, Anne, has seen through his act and won't touch him with a ten-foot pole. With the priest waiting in the wings and the minutes counting down, Jimmie will soon discover the true meaning of love.

  "The Bachelor" is rated "PG-13" and has a running time of 102 minutes.

   

  Happy, Texas

  Popular stars Steven Zahn (Forces Of Nature, You’ve Got Mail, Out Of Sight), Jeremy Northam (An Ideal Husband, Mimic) and William H. Macy (Mystery Men, A Civil Action, Fargo) enliven a hilarious comedy where a case of mistaken identity leads to a beauty of a con game! When escaped convicts Harry Sawyer (Northam) and Wayne Wayne Wayne, Jr. (Zahn) are pulled over in the town of Happy, Texas…while driving a stolen Winnebago… they think they’re being arrested.

  Rather, they’re immediately welcomed as the vehicle’s owners: a gay couple who’ve come to orchestrate the “Little Miss Fresh-Squeezed Pre-Teen” beauty pageant! Not ones to let a good con pass them by, the pair don’t hesitate to adopt flamboyant new personalities…and quickly meet with outrageously unpredictable consequences! With a great cast of stars playing an unusually offbeat collection of characters – you’ll be more than happy you picked up this laugh-out-loud comedy treat!

  "Happy Texas" is rated "PG-13" and has a running time of 98 minutes.

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• First-Ever Virtual Time Capsule Lets New Line Cinema Web Surfers Send Messages 30 Years Into the Future
  Time: 05:00 EDT/10:00 GMT News Source: Yahoo! Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Through an innovative film Web site, New Line Cinema is giving Internet surfers the opportunity to send audio, photos, and text messages 30 years into the future. By traveling to www.frequencymovie.com , Web visitors can send time-delayed communiques that will not be released until the year 2030. The message can only be cracked with a secret password generated by the site and kept safe by the message originator. In the year 2030, the friends or family members can return to www.frequencymovie.com and enter their secret password to access the virtual time capsule.

  The concept of communicating across 30 years of time is thematically married to New Line's upcoming thriller, ``Frequency,'' which will be released nationwide on April 28.

  For those who can't wait 30 years to view or hear the message, Internet aficionados have the option to make their messages public now. Selected e-mails will be culled from this group by New Line Cinema and included on the DVD release of ``Frequency.''

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• Image Entertainment Announces Home Video Debut of Classic World War II Film, ''The Story of G.I. Joe''
  Time: 15:32 EDT/20:32 GMT News Source: Entertainment Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Image Entertainment Inc., a leading licensee and distributor of DVDs in North America, has announced a May 23, 2000, release date for the DVD and VHS videocassette of William Wellman's ``The Story of G.I. Joe.''

  Never before available on home video, this classic World War II drama has been hailed as an influential masterpiece and was proclaimed by Dwight D. Eisenhower as ``the greatest war picture I've ever seen.''

  ``The Story of G.I. Joe'' portrays the experiences of Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent Ernie Pyle with the men of Company C in the 18th Infantry during the invasion of Italy. The story begins in North Africa as Pyle joins Captain Bill Walker and his men, then follows these gallant soldiers as they fight their way from the beaches of Sicily to the hills of southern Italy. Pyle's frequent dispatches to American newspapers depicted for the first time the G.I. as the common man and as an individual with a loving family back home.

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• Access all areas: DVD chipping torpedos Hollywood
  Time: 06:15 EDT/11:15 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Up to 70 per cent of DVD players sold in Europe are "chipped", making a mockery of industry attempts to control the market through hardware-embedded copyright restrictions.

  And by the next year, multi-region DVD players made in China and retailing for under £100, will be widely available, Jim Bottoms, of Understandings and Solutions, told delegates at this week's DVD Summit.

  Held in Dublin, Convergence was the buzzword at the conference, now in its third year, but integration of DVD-dependent technologies into a single DEB (digital entertainment box) is still some way off.

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• Image Entertainment Acquires International Home Video and Broadcast Rights for Santana's Supernatural Tour
  Time: 17:34 EDT/22:34 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Image Entertainment, Inc., a leading licensee and distributor of DVD programming in North America, today announced that it had acquired international home video and broadcast rights to the filmed concert, ``A Supernatural Evening with Santana.''

  Music legend Carlos Santana swept the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards with a total of nine wins, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. The Supernatural Album has been certified Dectillion Platinum (Diamond) by the Recording Industry Association of America and the single, ``Smooth,'' was the No. 1 record on Billboard's ``Hot 100'' for 12 consecutive weeks; the longest running No. 1 single of 1999.

  The concert was filmed on April 8, 2000 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Southern California. A number of artists who played on the Supernatural album made guest appearances at the concert, including Lauryn Hill, Rob Thomas, Sarah McLachlan, Dave Matthews, Everlast, The Product G & B, Cee-Lo and saxophonist Wayne Shorter. The Supernatural tour will continue through August, including a set of European and Japanese dates.

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• DVD Player Helper comes to developers' rescue
  Time: 06:00 EDT/11:00 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  DVD Player Helper is now available from Bare Bones Software, according to MacTech magazine . And developers who want to watch DVDs with MacsBugs installed will rejoice.

  Beginning with the Power Mac G4 AGP ("Sawtooth") machines, Apple introduced version 2.0 of the Apple DVD Player software. This version (and subsequent releases) of the Apple DVD Player don't require DVD decoding and playback hardware in order to play DVD video disks. However, at the same time, Apple introduced a limitation into the DVD player: if you have MacsBug (Apple's machine-level debugger) installed, the Apple DVD Player will display an error message, and then exit.

  If you're a developer, and you use your machine for both software development and recreation, the error message is probably frustratingly familiar. Until now, the only way to watch DVDs using the Apple DVD Player has been to remove MacsBug from your system folder, restart the machine, watch your DVD video(s), put MacsBug back in the system folder, and restart the machine again.

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• Released This Week: Boys Don't Cry
  Time: 04:00 EDT/09:00 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Based on a true story, this drama was adapted from the life of Brandon Teena, born Teena Brandon, a woman who chose to live her life as a man and suffered tragic consequences as a result. In 1993, 20-year-old Brandon (Oscar-winner Hilary Swank) leaves Lincoln, Nebraska, for the nearby community of Falls City, where she sports a crew cut, favors jeans and boots, and is regarded as a man by most of the people in town.

  Brandon develops a reputation for being something of a ladies' man and falls in love with Lana, a teenage girl. Eventually her secret is revealed and Brandon's new friend's anger soon boils over into violence.
  

  "Boys Don't Cry" is rated "R" and has a running time of 116 minutes.

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• TTR Technologies Launches Development Project for Protection Against Digital DVD-DVD Piracy
  Time: 18:34 EDT/23:34 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  TTR Technologies, Inc. a leading developer of digital anti-piracy technologies, today announced the commencement of a project to develop the first technology designed for copy protection of digital DVD to DVD piracy.

  TTR's development effort will include in-house research based on the technology developed for TTR's MusicGuard, which protects against the illegal replication of audio content on compact discs (CDs). TTR has already successfully leveraged its copy protection technology originally developed for CD-ROM software piracy to develop protection for CDs. As part of a joint development and marketing venture, TTR's audio content protection technology has been licensed to Macrovision Corporation, the leading marketer of video and CD-ROM software copyright protection products.

  Mr. Marc Tokayer, Chairman of TTR Technologies, Inc. said, ``Developing copy protection for DVDs is a natural progression for TTR. We've already successfully developed copy protection technologies for every physical content delivery medium since diskettes. Given the phenomenal growth of the DVD video player market, digital piracy of DVD content will be a key issue for producers, just as it has become a key concern for audio content producers.''

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• Japan to Ease Sony Playstation2 Export Controls
  Time: 18:30 EDT/23:30 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Japan's Trade Ministry has simplified export procedures for Sony Corp's flagship PlayStation2 video game after earlier imposing controls amid concerns that parts could be used for military purposes.

  ``It is, after all, a general-purpose product and we have simplified the procedures,'' Minister of Trade and Industry Takashi Fukaya was quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying on Tuesday.

  The most profitable product of Sony Computer Entertainment, a subsidiary of electronic giant Sony, faced export restrictions because the machine and its eight-megabyte memory card were so sophisticated they could be used in missile guidance systems.

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• Daikin's EDK to Include InterActual's Next Generation Technology for Internet-Enabled DVDs
  Time: 18:28 EDT/23:28 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Daikin U.S. Comtec Laboratories, the developer of the industry-leading DVD authoring system, Scenarist, and InterActual Technologies Inc., the leading solutions provider for Internet-enabled DVDs, announced today that Daikin's Enhanced DVD Kit (EDK) will incorporate InterActual's next generation technology for Internet-enabled DVDs, including support for both computers and Internet-connected set-top DVD players.

  ``One year ago, our collaboration with Daikin led to the co-development of the industry's first complete tool solution for enhanced/hybrid DVD software production,'' said Todd R. Collart, President and CEO of InterActual Technologies. ``Daikin's EDK will now be expanded with InterActual's next generation of software and DVD-ROM tools to offer an integrated turnkey web solution for Hollywood as well as the corporate and educational markets.''

  Daikin's EDK merges the very successful DVD-Video format with web applications, creating new business opportunities for DVD and Web publishers alike. Users of Daikin's renowned series of DVD tools such as Scenarist, Informer, ROM Formatter and ReelDVD can utilize the EDK to associate URLs with menu buttons and other portions of the DVD-Video. InterActual's technology is automatically combined with DVD Video during formatting, providing a consistent playback environment that offers the broadest level of compatibility between major industry DVD playback systems on both computers and Internet-connected set-top DVD players.

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• Released This Week: End Of Days: Collector's Edition
  Time: 04:00 EDT/09:00 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  All hell breaks loose when Arnold Schwarzenegger battles the ultimate evil in this chilling supernatural action thriller. When a burned-out former New York City cop named Jericho (Schwarzenegger) is assigned to security detail for a mysterious and foreboding stranger (Gabriel Byrne), Jericho thwarts an incredible assassination attempt.

  During the ensuing investigation, he and his partner (Kevin Pollak) save the life of the beautiful and terrified Christine York (Robin Tunney), whose destiny involves death, the devil and the fate of mankind. Now it's up to Jericho to save the girl, the world and his own soul as he comes face to face with his most powerful enemy ever!

  "End Of Days" is rated "R" and has a running time of 123 minutes.

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• Warner Home Video Salutes Timeless Musicals and Hollywood Legends on DVD
  Time: 19:35 EDT/00:35 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  May Releases Feature Beloved Icons of Song and Dance. Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Rosalind Russell and Ava Gardner Sparkle With DVD Quality. Six fun-filled comedies also debut on DVD

  Warner Home Video announced its DVD lineup for May featuring timeless musical classics such as ``Anchors Aweigh,'' ``Gypsy,'' ``On the Town'' and ``Little Shop of Horrors.''

  The May DVD roster also features laugh-packed hits including Tim Burton's directorial debut in ``Pee Wee's Big Adventure,'' plus ``Major League II,'' ``Major League: Back to the Minors,'' ``Big Bully,'' ``Stay Tuned'' and the classic conspiracy tale ``Seven Days in May.''

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• Sonic and RAVISENT Debut World's First HDTV on a DVD Disc
  Time: 19:33 EDT/00:33 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Sonic Solutions announced today a technology partnership with RAVISENT Technologies Inc. to bring High-Definition DVD to content developers and consumers for the first time.

  Called hDVD(TM), the new format expands DVD beyond standard definition video to include any of the 18 ATSC video formats, including 1080i and 720p. RAVISENT's software-based High Definition MPEG encoding and decoding technology will provide secure generation and display of the high-definition content with an internet-enabled user interface, while Sonic's DVD Creator, DVD Fusion and DVDit! authoring applications will be extended to support the high-resolution video streams.

  ``hDVD represents a major breakthrough for studios looking to begin deploying High-Definition content today,'' said Christopher Kryzan, senior vice president of Marketing and Engineering at Sonic Solutions. ``Working with RAVISENT we have extended the DVD format to include the exceptional video quality of 1080i or 720p MPEG-2 HDTV content in our extensive line of authoring tools.''

  ``This jointly-developed technology will enable exciting new forms of entertainment for consumers,'' said Alan McCann, senior vice president and general manager, RAVISENT Digital Media Division. ``And basing hDVD on existing industry standards protects the digital investments of content producers and offers tremendous new business opportunities for programming distributors.''

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• PlayStation2 Export Restriction Won't Hurt Sony
  Time: 19:30 EDT/00:30 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Japan electronics giant Sony Corp. played down Monday the risk to its business from export restrictions imposed on its flagship PlayStation2 video game due to concerns it could be used for military purposes.

  The company could not compromise the technology for its most profitable product just to escape a government control when it needed to stay ahead in a highly competitive market, said an official for Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), a subsidiary of Sony Corp.

  ``We need PlayStation2 to remain competitive for the next five years and given the rapid developments in technology, we could not afford to compromise,'' the official said.

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• George Lucas Announces That The Phantom Menace DVD Is Coming
  Time: 16:52 EDT/21:51 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron Hinson

  It is a boring day for most news so I thought I would post the best bit of news I have heard today. George Lucas has announced that ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) are working on The Phantom Menace DVD. Here is the blurb from The Force.net

  -ILM is working on the DVD version of Ep1 with extra footage, scenes, etc, but no specific date when it will be out. When Lucas was asked about how he has time to go and race here in L.A when it sounds like he's working 24/7 on Star Wars

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• This Week's Picks
  Time: 04:41 EST/09:41 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Do you have a favorite DVD Movie you would like to see posted here? Drop me an e-mail and we will get it posted.

  Superstar

  Saturday Night Live star Molly Shannon brings her popular character Mary Katherine Gallagher to the big screen in this hilarious comedy romp.

  All schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher (Shannon) wants in life is a kiss. Not just any kiss, mind you - a big-time, hold-your-breath-till-you-think-you're-gonna-faint, Hollywood-style kiss. But no matter how hard she tries, no one will kiss her. Mary Katherine decides that the only way she's ever going to get what she wants is to become just like the people she sees getting those kisses in the movies. And when Catholic Teen Magazine sponsors a talent contest at her school, Mary Katherine just might make her dreams come true...and become a Superstar! Costarring Will Ferrell (A Night At The Roxbury).

  "Superstar" is rated "PG-13" and has a running time of 82 minutes.

   

  The Minus Man

  When quiet and amiable Vann Siegert (Owen Wilson) drifts into town, no one suspects the evil that lies beneath the surface. Despite his easy charm, he is merely a reflection of what those who encounter him want him to be.

  The more Vann tries to make a success of his new life, the stronger are the mysterious forces that pull him in a darker direction. When locals start to disappear, it becomes clear that an eerie subtraction is at work among the lost and lonely of this sleepy, seaside hamlet. People look toward Vann, but no one can quite put their finger on who he really is. Through it all, he carries on a surreal dialogue with imaginary detectives (Dwight Yoakam and Dennis Haysbert) who question his crimes and motives.

  Janeane Garofalo, Brian Cox and Mercedes Ruehl also star in this unsettling and offbeat psychological thriller that looks in the mind of a serial killer.

  "The Minus Man" is rated "R" and has a running time of 113 minutes.

   

  The Birds: Collector's Edition

  Nothing equals The Birds for sheer terror when Alfred Hitchcock unleashes his foul friends in one of his most shocking and memorable masterpieces.

  As beautiful blonde Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) rolls into Bodega Bay in pursuit of eligible bachelor Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), she is inexplicably attacked by a seagull. Suddenly thousands of birds are flocking into town, preying on schoolchildren and residents in a terrifying series of attacks. Soon Mitch and Melanie are fighting for their lives against a deadly force that can't be explained and can't be stopped in one of Hollywood's most horrific films of nature gone berserk.

  "The Birds: Collector's Edition" is rated "PG-13" and has a running time of 120 minutes.

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• DVD-Video 1Q Software Sales Soar
  Time: 09:00 EDT/14:00 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Experiencing yet another record breaking quarter, an additional 1.18 million DVD-Video players were shipped to retail in the first quarter 2000 bringing the total units shipped in North America since the format's launch to nearly 6.7 million according to figures compiled by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).

  DVD-Video experienced a 188 percent rate of growth in the first quarter 2000 vs. the first quarter 1999 -- shipping 772,000 more hardware units than shipped in the first quarter 1999. If growth continues at this rate, there could be as many as 11 million DVD-Video players shipped to retailers in North America this calendar year.

  ``Yet again, we are seeing the consumer desire for DVD-Video's high quality video and amazing surround sound,'' said Emiel N. Petrone, chairman, DVD Entertainment Group, and executive vice president, Philips Entertainment Group, Worldwide. ``The home theater is today's hot new trend and DVD-Video is leading that charge. It continues to be the fastest-growing consumer electronics product ever introduced.''

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• ''Sixth Sense'' heads for pay-per-view release
  Time: 08:15 EDT/13:15 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  With a deal from Disney to premiere ``The Sixth Sense'' on TV just 30 days after its home video launch, the 10th biggest theatrical release of all time is now expected to become the biggest pay-per-view movie ever.

  ``The Sixth Sense'' will premiere on DirecTV and on digital cable systems through the cable industry's pay-per-view (PPV) service iNDemand on April 27.

  It's believed to be the biggest movie to be offered to PPV in such a short window, for which DirecTV and iNDemand pay Disney's Buena Vista pay-TV unit a guarantee of a minimum number of purchases.

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• Navarre's Subsidiary Digital Entertainment Changes Name to eSplice
  Time: 08:10 EDT/13:10 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Navarre Corporation a leading distributor of PC software, music and DVD, today announced that its digital distribution subsidiary, Digital Entertainment, Inc. has changed its name to eSplice.

  eSplice is charged with implementing a distribution model which incorporates Navarre's current physical product line-up of PC Software, music and DVD as well as offering a secure digital solution to its current customers and future affiliate partners.

  Ian Warfield, President and COO of eSplice stated, ``We are currently beta testing our sales engine and look to introduce our service in May, 2000, beginning with music and software. Our capabilities will allow us the ability in the near future to offer other media formats such as video movies, audio and e-book content to our customer base.''

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• Software Creates Pirating Bonanza
  Time: 06:14 EDT/11:14 GMT News Source: Yahoo! Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  To makers of music, movies and software, it's like a cancer metastasizing out of control across the Web, an infectious method of thwarting copyright law and undermining big business.

  But users and proponents of a subversive little program called Gnutella say it's making the Internet what it was designed to be all along: an easy-to-use and open environment to share information.

  Whether or not that information is copyrighted hasn't stopped thousands of Gnutella users from peering directly at each other's hard drives to download whatever's being offered.

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• DVD Easter Eggs Updated
  Time: 06:07 EDT/11:07 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  We have updated our DVD Easter Egg section. Easter Eggs are added hidden features added to a DVD which usually contain extra trailers, music, games, production credits, and more. The trick is to find them.

  Our thanks to our readers for the most recent additions to our list. Keep them coming!

  If you know of any hidden features then drop me an e-mail and we will get them posted.

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• Pee Wee's Big Adventure Premieres On DVD May 2
  Time: 16:10 EDT/21:10 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Pee Wee's bicycle has been stolen! And he won't give up until he finds it. Could it be hidden in the basement of The Alamo? Join Pee Wee Herman for a hilarious trek that becomes a hero's journey, Pee Wee Herman style.

  ``Pee-wee's Big Adventure'' -- the comedy classic starring Paul Reubens as the much-loved child-like character Pee-wee Herman and the film that launched Tim Burton's directorial career (``Beetlejuice,'' ``Batman,'' ``Sleepy Hollow'') -- pedals into retail outlets for the first time ever on DVD May 2. The Warner Home Video (WHV) release will be available on DVD at a suggested retail price of $24.98 and on video at $14.95 SRP.

  Exciting bonus extras on the ``Pee-wee's Big Adventure'' DVD include:
  

  • Deleted scenes
  • Full-length commentary by Tim Burton and Paul Reubens
  • Separate music track with commentary from composer Danny Elfman
  • Cast and crew biographies
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Widescreen presentation
  • Dolby Digital 5.1 audio

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• Lucas Goes Digital for "Episode II"
  Time: 05:25 EDT/10:25 GMT News Source: E! Online Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Just when you thought George Lucas completely dissed the digital age by not releasing The Phantom Menace on DVD (yet), the Star Wars mastermind announced he's going digital for Episode II.

  Lucas says he plans to shoot most of the film's live-action scenes using six digital, high-definition camcorders--instead of tried and true film cameras--when shooting starts in Australia in June.

  Ditching film has its advantages. All-digital production promises higher resolution, sharper sound and more efficient editing, not to mention eliminating the need for costly digital-to-film transfers. Luddites, however, insist current digital quality lacks the "warmth" of old-fashioned film.

  But before movie buffs start rushing off to declare blasphemy, Lucas insists the quality is on par with traditional cameras on the big screen. The director already pioneered digital projection in movie theaters last year with Episode I, but recent test runs proved to him the new cameras are up to snuff.

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• Dazzle Introduces Digital Video Creator II to Create Home DVD-movies at an Affordable Price
  Time: 05:20 EDT/10:20 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Bringing DVD-quality video to consumers, Dazzle today announced that the Dazzle Digital Video Creator II, featuring MPEG-2 encoder and decoder capabilities and an advanced editing software package including DVD authoring, will be available to consumers in Q2 2000 for $349.99, hundreds less than comparable video editing products.

  Dazzle's new products will be showcased at National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) tradeshow in Las Vegas, April 10-13, 2000, at the Sonic Solution's booth (S5531) located in the Sands Convention Center.

  ``With the increased demand for home DVD products, the Digital Video Creator II offers consumers an affordable way to produce their own Hollywood-style movies on the PC,'' said Prem Talreja, vice president, marketing of Dazzle. ``Using our new advanced editing software, MovieStar(TM), users can spice up their home videos with the click of a mouse by adding special effects like titles, transitions, music and more.''

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• Studios Influenced by DVD Sites
  Time: 05:00 EDT/10:00 GMT News Source: DVD Shrine Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Some Disney fans are going ape over the slew of previews and advertisements they have to get through before they can watch DVDs.

  In most DVD films, after the obligatory FBI warning, a menu bar appears on the screen, directing viewers to the movie or other extra material such as interviews with the director, music videos tied to the movie or previews.

  Specifically, on the "Tarzan" (and others like The Sixth Sense) DVD, however, viewers have to watch or fast forward past both the FBI warning and the previews before they get to the menu selection.

  Post Your Comments

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• Panasonic DVD-RAM Drives Put New Spin on Game Analysis for SF Giants
  Time: 17:55 EDT/22:55 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  With the installation of the sports world's first Intranet-based video coaching system at Pacific Bell Park now complete, the San Francisco Giants gained the support of Panasonic Industrial Company's high-capacity DVD-RAM drives. Developed by Panasonic Corporate Systems Company (PCSC), the system will be used by the Giants' coaching staff to record, store and organize data for all Giants' games on 3.9TB ASACA DVD libraries configured with 6 Panasonic rewriteable DVD-RAM drives. Coaches and players will use the videos to analyze and improve player performance and more accurately assess league competitors.

  Working with Assistant General Manager, Ned Colletti, Administrative Coach, Carlos Alfonso and other members of the Giants' managerial staff, PCSC developed a solution that takes video coaching to the next level. As the first athletic performance analysis tool of its kind, the system is already generating interest around the league and throughout the sports world.

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• Released This Week: The Insider
  Time: 17:30 EDT/22:30 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Academy Award winner Al Pacino and Russell Crowe star in The Insider, a suspenseful edge-of-your-seat thriller, based on the true story that stunned the nation when whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand jeopardized everything he had to reveal the shocking practices of the tobacco industry.

  "The Insider" is rated "R" and has a running time of 157 minutes.

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• Siros Demonstrates Ultra High Capacity DVD Technology
  Time: 17:25 EDT/22:25 GMT News Source: Business Wire Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Siros Technologies, a privately held company in the forefront of emerging optical technologies, announced today the industry's first successful demonstration of the ability to write and read-back data in multiple thin layers within the depth of a single optical phase change disk, resulting in a seven-fold increase in storage capacity over today's DVD-RAM. Current DVD-RAM recording capacity is 2.6 GB on a single-sided disk; with Siros' 3DR (three dimensional recording) technology, DVD can store 18 GB on a single-sided, or 36 GB on a dual-sided, disk. To the consumer, this means that a 36 GB DVD could record 6 to 9 hours of HDTV programming. This breakthrough technology significantly expands today's storage solutions while building upon the solid base of the storage devices that are currently in use.

  "This is a fundamentally different approach to the design of multi-layer phase change media," said Dr. Lambertus Hesselink, Chief Technology Officer, Siros Technologies. "It gives us a way to immediately and substantially increase achievable storage capacity using current red laser-based DVD technology. Later on, when blue laser technology becomes commercially widespread, even further advantages will be realized."

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• Daikin's ReelDVD Now Shipping
  Time: 18:15 EDT/23:15 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Daikin U.S. Comtec Laboratories, the world leader in DVD Software tools, announces the release of ReelDVD, the first truly professional-quality DVD authoring software available to the prosumer and consumer markets.

  ReelDVD is designed specifically for video and corporate applications to enable the integration of DVD and multimedia. ReelDVD combines the strength of professional-level software with a user-friendly interface and simple workflow, making the process of creating DVDs quick, easy and fun.

  ``Our clients have been asking about a robust featured DVD authoring tool for Blossom's DaViD Series,'' said Alex Amor, president, Blossom Technologies. ``Now we have the appropriate solution for our very discerning customers, ReelDVD. Blossom Technologies is excited to offer ReelDVD with the DaViD Series. This will allow our customers to create full featured DVDs with ease and simplicity.''

  Key features of ReelDVD include:
  

  • Easy to use drag and drop authoring
  • Interactive storyboard editor
  • Creates subtitles on the fly
  • Supports multiple languages up to 3 audio and 3 subtitle tracks
  • Unlimited menus and navigation options
  • Built-in Dolby Digital AC3 encoder
  • DVD player software for emulation and testing
  • Output to CD-R, DVD-R or hard disk

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• Smart Storage and Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc. Provide Solution for Integrated DVD-R Library Storage
  Time: 18:06 EDT/23:06 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Smart Storage Inc., the leading provider of standards-based storage software for managing, accessing, and archiving information assets, and Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc., the leading provider of optical storage devices, today announced the first complete DVD-R solution for network storage in a library system.

  Prior to the release of SmartStor Archive v. 3.1 and the Pioneer internal DVD-R drive, users of the DRM-7000 FlexLibrary(TM) had to record a disc in a standalone drive and then access the disc from the library. The combination of SmartStor software and the Pioneer library now provides customers with true integrated DVD-R network storage.

  ``The availability of DVD-R support within an automated library provides significant benefits to our customers,'' stated Peter Smails, vice president of sales and marketing at Smart Storage. ``Many traditional document imaging applications--as well as new application segments, including medical imaging and digital asset management--require the combination of high capacity, write-once and automated operation. The FlexLibrary and SmartStor Archive is the only solution that offers this unique combination of attributes.''

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• This Week's Picks
  Time: 05:20 EST/10:20 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Do you have a favorite DVD Movie you would like to see posted here? Drop me an e-mail and we will get it posted.

  Caddyshack

  Greenskeeper Carl Spackler is about to start WWII - against a gopher. Pompous Judge Smails plays to win but his nubile niece Lacey Underall wants to score her own way. Playboy Ty Webb shoots perfect golf by becoming the ball. And country club loudmouth Al Czervik just doubles a $20,000 bet on a 10-foot putt. Insanity? No. Caddyshack.

  Chevy Chase, Rodeny Dangerfield, Bill Murray and Ted Knight tee off for a side-splitting round of fairway foolishness that does for gold what Animal House did for fraternities and Police Academy did for law enforcement. With hit make Harold Ramis in the director's chair, the virtuoso comic skilled of all four blend into a riotous hole-in-one for comedy fans.

  In Caddyshack, the term "gold nut" takes on a derange double meaning - and nonstop laughter is par for the course.

  "Caddyshack" is rated "PG-13" and has a running time of 99 minutes.

   

  Demolition Man

  Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes face off in this explosive 1993 hit. Arch-criminal Simon Phoenix (Snipes) awakens in 2032 from a 35-year deep freeze sentence in CryoPrison to find a serene non-violent Los Angeles ready for the taking.

  City officials, bewildered by his brutal 1990s style, revive old-fashioned cop John Spartan (Stallone) from an unjustly awarded term in CryoPrison as a result of his last encounter with Phoenix.

  "Demolition Man" is rated "R" and has a running time of 110 minutes.

   

  Die Hard

  High above the city of L.A. a team of terrorists has seized a building, taken hostages, and declared war. But one man has managed to escape detection...an off-duty cop. He's alone...tired...and the only chance anyone has.

  Bruce Willis stars as New Yourk City Detective John McClane, newly arrived in Los Angeles to spend the Christmas holiday with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia). But as McClane waits for his wife's office party to break-up, terrorists seize control of the building. While the henchman (Alan Rickman) and his savage henchman (Alexander Godunov) round up hostages, McClane slips away unnoticed. Armed with only a service revolver and his cunning, McClane launches his own one-man war. A crackling thriller from beginning to end, Die Hard explodes with heartstopping suspense.

  "Die Hard" is rated "R" and has a running time of 132 minutes.

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• Studios Influenced by DVD Sites
  Time: 05:00 EDT/10:00 GMT News Source: Wired Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  DVD is becoming a force to be reckoned with, and so are the websites that cover it.

  In January, DVDFile.com , along with The Digital Bits and other major DVD sites, launched a campaign to get Star Wars released on DVD. The effort gained so much support that Lucasfilm took notice. While the film company said it would not release Star Wars on DVD, normally tight-lipped director George Lucas agreed to answer 10 questions from the campaign's organizers.

  "DVD is the first format, I think, that grew through the Web," said DVDFile.com editor Peter Bracke.

  Sign The Petition

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• ASACA DVD RAID Raises Storage Flexibility to New Heights
  Time: 16:20 EDT/21:20 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  With the announcement of its DVD RAID option for the ASACA TeraCart® Digital Virtual Library (DVL) series at NAB and AIIM next week, NET Source, Inc., ASACA's master distributor, provides a level of storage flexibility that is unparalleled in the industry.

  The fully integrated system allows network managers to configure from two to five rewriteable DVD-RAM drives in either a mirror or striping mode for increased throughput and transfer rates that are up to 400 percent faster. Designed to simplify management and access, the RAID controller and associated software make the DVD drives appear as a single SCSI device.

  The DVD RAID option is available for ASACA libraries configured with 2 to 192 DVD-RAM drives and up to 11,600 double-sided 5.2GB DVD-RAM discs which provide capacities ranging from 1.3TB to 60.3TB. Widely recognized for its ultra-reliability, DVD-RAM media provides more than 100,000 write/rewrite cycles and a data life of more than 30 years, making the $.008/MB storage cost one of the lowest in the industry.

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• InnovaCom Chooses Sonic DVDit! for DVDimpact
  Time: 16:18 EDT/21:18 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Sonic Solutions today announced that InnovaCom Inc. will integrate Sonic DVDit! with their newest-generation MPEG-2 video encoding system, DVDimpact.

  Combining the power and ease-of-use of Sonic DVDit! with DVDimpact's broadcast quality video, InnovaCom brings to market a complete DVD publishing solution for multimedia studios and Fortune 1000 clients.

  ``After evaluating other DVD authoring systems on the market, the ultimate choice for DVDimpact was clear,'' said Frank Alioto, president and CEO at InnovaCom. ``The industry requires an authoring tool that is simple to use and puts the power of DVD authoring into the hands of our customers, and DVDit! delivers a perfect balance of flexibility and ease-of-use. Sonic Solutions is the world leader in DVD authoring technology, and we are pleased to offer their product.''

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• Sonic Solutions DVD Publishing Technology Licensed by Avid
  Time: 16:16 EDT/21:16 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Sonic Solutions today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Avid Technology Inc. to license Sonic's award-winning DVD publishing technology for Avid's editing and finishing systems.

  The Sonic technology, called AuthorScript, makes it possible for Avid users to directly output their video and audio content in the popular DVD-Video format. AuthorScript provides a transparent ``print to DVD'' function and automatically formats projects on an Avid system into DVD, much like PostScript® transparently formats text for printing. Avid expects that the first implementation of AuthorScript will be for its Symphony(TM), Media Composer® and Avid Xpress® systems, with capabilities extended to other Avid products over time.

  ``Sonic is widely recognized as one of the leaders in DVD production and we are very enthusiastic about our collaboration,'' said David Krall, President and Chief Operating Officer of Avid Technology. ``We're making it push-button easy for our customers to deliver multiple formats and easily create multiple versions of projects, scaling and expanding those options as customers move up the product line. We've chosen to integrate Sonic AuthorScript into Avid Xpress, Media Composer and Symphony systems first, and plan to extend this functionality across other Avid products over time, since creating DVD-based content for disk and Internet distribution is an opportunity for all of our customers -- regardless of whether they're creating corporate video, Internet content or high-end television.''

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• "The Sixth Sense" Video Release Spooks Records
  Time: 06:00 EDT/11:00 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Hit supernatural thriller "The Sixth Sense" had a mind of its own on video last week, generating staggering home video rentals and sales. Consumer spending on the purchase of DVD versions and the rental of VHS and DVD versions in the first five days of the film's video release is estimated to be as high as $50 million.

  Disney's Buena Vista Home Video shipped a record 2.2 million DVD copies of "The Sixth Sense" and saw a stunning 1 million or more of those sold in the first weekend, according to industry sources.

  VSDA VidTrac is reporting that nearly 1 million more were rented last week -- meaning that nearly one out of every two people who own a DVD player rented or purchased "The Sixth Sense" on DVD last week.

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• Motion Picture Studios Seek Modification of January 20 Injunction in DeCSS Case
  Time: 17:46 EDT/22:46 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  In response to efforts by Eric Corley (a.k.a., ``Emmanuel Goldstein'') and his company, 2600 Enterprises, to maneuver around the court's injunction against them to cease posting the DeCSS utility, the member companies of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) today filed a motion to prohibit the defendants from hyperlinking to other Internet websites offering DeCSS.

  On January 20, 2000, the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York Court issued an injunction against Eric Corley (a.k.a., ``Emmanuel Goldstein''), his company, 2600 Enterprises, its Web site and 2 other Web sites, prohibiting them from posting the DeCSS utility. The DeCSS utility allows users to illegally decrypt the copy protection program (CSS) on DVDs so that they can be copied. DeCSS is an anti-circumvention device that is prohibited under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

  In its petition to the court, the MPAA member companies noted that although Corley is no longer directly posting DeCSS on his Web site, www.2600.com , he is continuing to violate federal law by creating hyperlinks to other unlawful postings. Corley has exhorted visitors to his Web site to post the program as broadly as possible and to help him create hyperlinks to it. Thus, he is indirectly accomplishing what he has been enjoined from doing directly--trafficking in software that circumvents copy protection. To date, there are over 300 hyperlinks to the DeCSS utility on his web site.

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• Cygnet to Participate At AIIM to Show Their Highest Capacity Jukebox
  Time: 10:10 EDT/15:10 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc., a privately held company, will be announcing an industry first at AIIM 2000, booth 1829. The industry's highest capacity jukebox and first fully integrated RAID and Networked DVD-RAM Jukebox will be the principal concentration for Cygnet.

  Cygnet, an ISO9001 certified manufacturer, has taken its superior Infinidisc robotic management system that controls multiple drives to read from and write to hundreds of CDs and DVDs within the same enclosure and has added faster disc exchange times, huge storage capacity, and two integrated components called InfiniNET Network Attached Storage and InfiniRAID Accelerated Throughput Storage modules.

  ``This is a dramatic improvement in technology without any hassle of integration and testing'', says Wayne Augsburger, Cygnet's V.P. of Sales of Marketing. ``Cygnet has responded to our customer's request to put more discs within the same physical floor space and maintain the reliability and integrity of Cygnet's InfiniDISC.''

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• DVD Easter Eggs Updated
  Time: 09:55 EDT/14:55 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  We have updated our DVD Easter Egg section. Easter Eggs are added hidden features added to a DVD which usually contain extra trailers, music, games, production credits, and more. The trick is to find them.

  If you know of any hidden features then drop me an e-mail and we will get them posted.

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• A DVDisturbance in the Force
  Time: 16:08 EDT/21:08 GMT News Source: Newsweek Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  First "The Matrix" spanks its movie on Oscar night, and now this. "The Phantom Menace" home video arrives on Tuesday, but "Star Wars" fans are miffed that the real prize —a DVD version—isn't even on George Lucas's radar. The boss promises a DVD someday, but maybe not until after Episode 2. Says one megafan: "Most of us are infuriated."

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• Released This Week: The Messenger: The Story Of Joan of Arc: Extended International Version
  Time: 04:00 EDT/09:00 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  The year is 1429. France is in polical and religious turmoil as members of the royal family battle for rule. But one peasant girl from a remote village gave her country the miracle it was looking for. Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element, Dazed And Confused) is Joan of Arc, a young woman who would inspire and lead her countrymen until her execution at the age of nineteen.

  Raised in a religious family, Joan witnessed her sister's rape and death at the hands of an invading army. Years later, as the same war raged on, Joan stood before her king with a message she claimed came from God: give her an army, and in God's name she would reclaim his diminished kingdom.

  But was the message real, or the delusion of a girl whose life had been shattered? This startling epic drama by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) explores the life of Joan of Arc, her amazing victories, relationship with God, and tragic death. Co-starring John Malkovich and Academy Award winners Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway, The Messenger is a modern take on a medieval saint who entralls people even today.

  "The Messenger: The Story Of Joan Of Arc: Extended International Version" is rated "R" and has a running time of 158 minutes.

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• First Amendment lawyers take on DVD cracking case
  Time: 16:08 EDT/21:08 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) submitted its appeal this week following the January order issued by a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge in California.

  The foundation argues that the Web site postings of the program are constitutionally protected free speech and do not meet the test of trade secret infringement.

  "The battleground over the First Amendment is now in cyberspace," Jim Wheaton, senior counsel for nonprofit, public-interest law firm the First Amendment Project, said in a statement. "Old media is lumbering into the new era and wants to knock down our civil liberties in a clumsy attempt to maintain the old paradigm."

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• Sonic Solutions and InterActual Technologies Team To Combine DVD and the Internet
  Time: 16:05 EDT/21:05 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Sonic Solutions today announced a technology partnership with InterActual Technologies, Inc., makers of the PCFriendly(TM) software, the world's leading solution for web-enabled DVDs.

  Under the agreement, Sonic will directly integrate InterActual's Web-connected DVD client technology into Sonic's DVD authoring applications, enabling users of Sonic DVD Creator, DVD Fusion and DVDit! to create web-connected titles that play on virtually all Internet-enabled DVD players. This is the first totally compatible web-based DVD solution of its kind including support for eDVD playback on Windows 95, 98, 2000 and Macintosh platforms as well as web-connected set-top DVD players.

  ``Sonic has been a driving force in expanding the power of DVD with new technologies like eDVD and Streaming DVD(TM),'' said Todd Collart, President and CEO of InterActual Technologies. ``By combining our web-connected DVD technology with Sonic's authoring expertise, we are enabling corporate AV departments, Fortune 1000 companies and independent video producers to create engaging and exciting web-integrated DVD content.''

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• Digital Audio Breakthrough Redefines Personal Computers
  Time: 16:00 EDT/21:00 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  JAM Technologies announced an all-digital audio breakthrough that makes digital music, DTV, DVD movies, and digital radio through a personal computer rival the performance of a high end living room stereo. JAM's REVA (TM) True Fidelity (R) delivers high resolution audio and eliminates the cost and space consumed by separate entertainment appliances. REVA True Fidelity is especially timely because the increasing prevalence of sound in news and entertainment Web-casts is boosting the demand for high resolution audio.

  Independent test results prove that REVA True Fidelity demonstrates a combination of high quality, high power, and unique amplifier class that are unmatched by any other method.

  REVA True Fidelity is the only technology that produces high-quality, high-power, pure digital audio amplification with continuous average power of up to 25 watts per channel into 8 ohms from a personal computer using only the 5-volt power supply and any conventional, non-self-powered speakers. Because it is LSI-based, it is small, efficient, powerful, cool-running, and quickly integrated on to desktop computer system boards and notebook computer PC Cards. It eliminates digital-to-analog converters, DC/DC converters, analog signal pathways on conventional sound cards, and separate power supplies containing hot, bulky transformers. By replacing these now-superfluous and costly components, REVA True Fidelity allows the computer industry to eliminate the problems inherent in analog amplification and reduce costs at the same time.

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• Released This Week: For Love Of The Game
  Time: 06:00 EDT/11:00 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Legendary Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) has always been better at baseball than at love. Just ask Jane (Kelly Preston), his on-again, off-again girlfriend. At the end of a disappointing season, just before what may be the last professional game of his life, Jane tells Billy she's leaving him.

  Now, with his career and his love life in the balance, Billy battles against his physical and emotional limits as he plays the game of his life. And now with every pitch, Billy comes closer to making the most important decision of his life. The suspense doesn't end until the last ball is thrown in this heartwarming drama about love, life and the perfect game.

  "For Love of the Game" is rated "PG-13" and has a running time of 138 minutes.

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• Accelerated Technology's Nucleus PLUS A Driving Force Behind National Semiconductor's DVD Player Reference Design
  Time: 18:29 EDT/23:29 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Accelerated Technology, Inc., the leader of source code and non-royalty based Real-Time Operating System software, today announced its important role as the foundation for National Semiconductor's DVD player reference design. The tested Nucleus PLUS real-time kernel serves as the ``behind the scenes'' RTOS for the complete hardware and software reference platform, which is based on the National® Mediamatics(TM) DVD-on-a-chip solution, the first fully integrated chip for consumer DVD players. Accelerated Technology is introducing DVD technology worldwide by forming an alliance with National's Mediamatics group and supporting its commitment to penetrate DVD technology into the home market.

  The DVD market is characterized by shrinking product life cycles, accelerated growth and intense competition. Accelerated Technology counteracts these obstacles by providing developers a flexible, scalable kernel that allows them to build their DVD applications and get them to market faster than the competition. Accelerated Technology also offers a complete embedded product line to give engineers the software they need to add features and extra functionality to their applications.

  DVD-on-a-chip customers will benefit from Accelerated Technology's no royalty fees policy. Because the DVD market is very competitive, Accelerated Technology maintains its commitment to service by providing competitive pricing, source code accessibility and high performance technology with a small footprint to developers so they can build their applications easily and get them to market quickly.

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• Sonic and RAVISENT Collaborate to Bring Streaming DVD to the PC Desktop
  Time: 18:25 EDT/23:25 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Sonic Solutions and RAVISENT Technologies Inc. today announced a joint effort to bring the new Streaming DVD(TM) video standard to millions of PC users worldwide.

  Sonic Solutions will deliver Streaming DVD authoring applications for the creation of interactive, streaming video content. RAVISENT will integrate support for the Streaming DVD format into its CineMaster® family of web-integrated PC Digital Media Players, and extend the new format with its Media Access Control technology, enabling secure e-commerce delivery for content creators and distributors.

  This collaboration allows consumers to play back streaming DVD content over the Internet using the same interactive menus and navigation as on a physical DVD disc.

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• Express.com - Formerly DVD Express - Renews Deal With GO Network to be Premier DVD Commerce Partner
  Time: 18:20 EDT/23:20 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Express.com Inc., (www.express.com) a leading online entertainment destination, and GO Network (www.go.com), part of GO.com, announced today that they will renew their contract. Citing positive results from its first year in business with GO, Express.com has extended and in some cases expanded its status as a premier retailer of DVD products on GO Network.

  As part of the new relationship, Express.com and GO Network will undertake quarterly promotions on the GO Network home page, featuring Express.com and its breadth of entertainment products. This comes as part of a large-scale synergy program that enables the Express.com partnership to feature DVD products and/or jointly operated sweepstakes giveaways on the GO Network Home Page and the Home Page for the GO Entertainment Center.

  The deal will continue to position Express.com as the premier advertiser of DVD products on the Go Network Entertainment Center ``Movies'' page and as a preferred advertiser of DVD products in the GO Network ``Games Center'' and on the Mr. Showbiz (www.mrshowbiz.go.com ) home page. Express.com will also be featured in the ``Movies,'' ``Movie Reviews'' and ``DVD'' subcenters.

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• Digital Media Online Announces Exclusive Agreement with DVD Association
  Time: 18:18 EDT/23:18 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Digital Media Online, the leading developer of B2B vertical online communities for the digital media market, has entered into an exclusive agreement with the DVD Association (www.dvda.org) to incorporate the DVD Association site into the DigitalMediaNet.com communities.

  ``As the first in a series of cooperative programs with industry associations, the DVD Association strengthens our commitment to the industry and shows our desire to provide our community members with the resources they need,'' said Michael Skerly, president of Digital Media Online.

  The DVD Association will be the official association sponsor of www.DVDCreation.com. DVDCreation.com is the premier Web site for professional content creators using DVD format as their final output medium. The DVD Association represents the largest, most influential group of Interactive Digital Media developers with access to most of the important corporations worldwide.

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• First iDVD Internet Appliance Scheduled to Ship New Planetweb-enabled DVD Player Heralds Convergence of New Technologies
  Time: 18:15 EDT/23:15 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Planetweb®, an open systems provider of software and services for the Internet Appliance market, announced today that the world's first iDVD(TM) Internet appliance would be available from eisa.com later this month. The NEO iDVD(TM) player from eisa.com, which features the Planetweb iEnhance(TM) application software, will be available at key retailers this month at a suggested retail price of $99.

  ``When we created the iDVD category in January, we knew it would bring a new set of consumers to the Internet, and with eisa.com's NEO iDVD product and ISP support that vision is now a reality, said Ken Soohoo, president and CEO of Planetweb. ''Now families will be able to watch DVD's, listen to music CD's, as well as surf, email, chat and shop on the Internet - all from the comfort of their own couch.``

  The Planetweb iEnhance Internet appliance software and services includes a suite of applications designed to extend the boundaries of DVD players, game consoles or any other traditional home appliances. Designed with simple and intuitive controls to ensure ease-of-use by consumers, the iEnhance Internet software features a host of programs such as a browser, e-mail, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and comprehensive Your Values(TM) Parental Control. Additionally the iEnhance software's infrastructure allows for creation of 3rd party applications to tailor each appliance to the unique needs of the consumer.

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• Oak Introduces Industry's Most Integrated System Solution for the DVD-Player Market
  Time: 18:12 EDT/23:12 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Oak Technology, a leading provider of embedded software and semiconductor solutions for the Connected Office and optical storage markets, today announced the OTI-9820/OTI-2650 chipset, a complete system-on-a-chip (SOC) solution combining all major digital versatile disk (DVD) player functions on only two chips. The high integration and flexibility of the OTI-9820/OTI-2650 chipset will enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to rapidly design and produce feature-rich, yet cost-effective DVD-players, thus driving the adoption of DVD video as a mainstream format worldwide.

  ``The OTI-9820/OTI-2650 chipset is the first of Oak's new line of DVD player products,'' said Young Sohn, CEO and president of Oak Technology. ``Oak's core expertise in optical storage products, combined with our MPEG technology, puts us in a unique position to provide customers with a sophisticated, yet simple-to-implement, solution that will help them bring advanced DVD products to market quickly.''

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• DVD PRO Website Launch
  Time: 18:09 EDT/23:09 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Online Inc. announces the launch of the full website for DVD PRO Conference & Expo, held on July 17-18, 2000. Visit http://www.dvdpro.net to see the all new, full conference program for 2000.

  http://www.dvdpro.net contains a complete listing of all conference and expo details including information on speakers, exhibitors, and special events in the following categories: Business, Education, Pro Developer, and Prosumer.

  Planned by renowned DVD author and speaker Dana Parker, session topics include: Future-Proofing Your Content, E-DVD, Surround Astounds, New Media New Laws. A complete listing of Pre-Conference sessions is also available, including the NEW offsite session

  "The Omega Code" is rated "PG-13" and has a running time of 100 minutes.

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Do you have any DVD news? Just e-mail us!

You can read more of the past months news in our News Archive for February and March News.