Microsoft Corp., together with CyberLink Corp., InterVideo Inc. and RAVISENT Technologies Inc., today announced two new add-on products for Microsoft® Windows® XP. The first is the MP3 Creation Pack, which will for the first time enable CD ripping (recording) into the MP3 format using Windows Media™ Player for Windows XP. The second add-on is the DVD Decoder Pack, which will install support for the playback of DVDs via Windows Media Player for Windows XP if a user does not have a DVD decoder. CyberLink, InterVideo and RAVISENT each will offer Microsoft Windows XP users the opportunity to purchase the MP3 Creation Pack and the DVD Decoder Pack separately or together.

Today's announcement provides consumers with more flexibility and choice for the format into which they want to rip their CDs and the software vendor they use to get MP3 and DVD support on their PC. It also demonstrates the growing third-party software developer support for Microsoft's new innovative MP3 and DVD plug-in architecture in Windows Media Player for Windows XP unveiled earlier this year.