MAGIX Announces Support of mp3 SURROUND into Line of Professional and Consumer Music and Video Editing Tools

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2005--MAGIX, worldwide leader in music and video editing software(1), today announced the addition of mp3 SURROUND into its comprehensive range of applications. Providing studios, artists and consumers with the necessary tools to easily create multi-channel, surround-quality mixes for a broad spectrum of applications, mp3 SURROUND also offers complete backward compatibility to any existing mp3 software and hardware devices.

mp3 SURROUND supports high-quality, multi-channel sound at bit rates comparable to those currently used to encode stereo mp3 material, resulting in files half the size of common compressed surround formats. mp3 SURROUND was developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in collaboration with Agere Systems and introduced in December 2004. The technology enables 5.1 channel surround-quality sound for web-based music distribution, broadcasting systems, PC-related audiovisual or gaming applications, consumer electronics and automotive systems.
"As professional and amateur musicians continue to rely more and more on the PC for performing editing and mixing functions, they will be seeking the latest technologies to help them achieve the 'perfect' sound," said Jurgen Jaron, CEO MAGIX. "We are pleased to add mp3 SURROUND to our already vast library of professional and consumer music and video editing tools. The mp3 SURROUND capabilities are a perfect match for our popular Sequoia and Samplitude software programs, as well as for our video editing software like Movie Edit Pro 10."
"Its versatility, compatibility and high sound quality make the mp3 SURROUND format a valuable tool for artists and the recording industry as a whole," said Rocky Caldwell, Director, Technology Marketing, Audio and mp3 program of the Intellectual Property and Licensing Unit of Thomson.
"With the direct integration of mp3 SURROUND encoding in MAGIX editing software, distributing 5.1 surround content has never been so efficient and easy to accomplish", comments Harald Popp, head of the Multimedia Realtime Systems department at Fraunhofer IIS.
About Thomson - Partner to the Media & Entertainment Industries
Thomson (Euronext Paris:18453) (NYSE:TMS) provides services, systems and technology to help its Media & Entertainment clients -- content creators, content distributors and users of its technology -- realize their business goals and optimize their performance in a rapidly changing technology environment. The Group intends to become the preferred partner to the Media & Entertainment industries through its Technicolor, Grass Valley, RCA and THOMSON brands. For more information: http://www.thomson.net.
About MAGIX
MAGIX is a principal pioneer of innovative rich media products for professional and consumer markets, and a worldwide market leader in photo, video and audio applications combined with multimedia content and online services (1). MAGIX is the worldwide technology leader in Personal Rich Media. Personal Rich Media allows consumers to convert, edit, create and publish digital media, including video, photos and music, making it possible for users of all ages and experience levels to create, share and publish their own rich media content. MAGIX, with its worldwide subsidiaries, is the only international company to offer a full range of photo, video and audio solutions with content and services for broadband, B2B and consumer markets. More information at http://www.magix.com
About Fraunhofer IIS
Founded in 1985 the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Erlangen, today with 450 staff members, ranks first among the Fraunhofer Institutes concerning headcount and revenues. With the development of the audio coding method MP3, Fraunhofer IIS has reached worldwide recognition. It provides research services on contract basis and technology licensing. The research topics are: Audio and video source coding, multimedia realtime systems, digital radio broadcasting and digital cinema systems, integrated circuits and sensor systems, design automation, wireless, wired and optical networks, localization and navigation, imaging systems and nanofocus X-ray technology, high-speed cameras, medical sensor solutions and communications technology in transport and logistics. The budget of 50 million Euro is mainly financed by projects from industry, the service sector and public authorities. Less than 20 percent of the budget is subsidized by federal and state funds. For more information: http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de.

(1) According to Media Control annual charts Germany (PC/CD-rom non-games) 2002-2004, MAGIX sold more products than any other publisher in the segments "Music Software", "Video Software" and "Photo Software". See also the GFK charts 2003 non-games (France, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Italy), NPD Charts 2003 (USA), Charttrack Annual 2003 Great Britain and Future Retail Panel England, Italy, Spain and Scandinavia