Microsoft Corp. today announced that 16 feature films are being released as high-definition movies on DVD discs by a variety of publishers using the high-definition video capabilities of Microsoft® Windows Media® 9 Series (WMV HD). The 16 titles include 10 IMAX movies from MacGillivray Freeman Films Inc., and movies from Artisan Home Entertainment Inc., National Geographic, Luc Besson and more. The movies will be available at retail in two-disc DVD sets that contain both the movie in standard definition for playback on any DVD player and a companion DVD disc that contains the entire feature film in high-definition video and 5.1-channel surround sound using WMV HD, for playback on a Windows® XP-based PC. In addition, leading companies today signaled they have products or services available for content owners to author, produce and/or secure additional titles using WMV HD DVD discs.

With video resolution of up to 1080p (approximately six times the resolution of today's DVD video), the WMV HD titles provide a visually stunning experience on Windows XP-based PCs, including PCs powered by the new Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 operating system. The first disc available is MacGillivray Freeman's "Coral Reef Adventure," a two-DVD set, originally created for exhibition in IMAX theaters (http://www.coralfilm.com/). In a new national promotion, Gateway Inc. is offering a free copy of "Coral Reef Adventure" for a limited time with the purchase of a qualifying Gateway PC.