Sonic Solutions today introduced significant new features and capabilities for the Scenarist Workgroup product line, further enabling motion picture studios and professional authoring facilities to encode, author, proof, and release Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD commercial titles. Scenarist Workgroup will now include updated versions of Sonic's authoring and encoding applications, Scenarist 4 and CineVision, which provide even greater codec support, high HD encoding quality, and support the simultaneous production of HD DVD and BD content. Additionally, Sonic is introducing new quality-control (QC) systems, including CineVision QC for real-time HD stream quality checking and Scenarist QC for both standard and high-definition project emulation. The new systems are planned for phased release starting in September. The Scenarist Workgroup line of products is being showcased at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), taking place in Amsterdam from September 8th through the 12th (Hall #7, stand #738).

New to the Scenarist Workgroup product line is Scenarist QC, a line of DVD-Video, Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD emulation systems. Available separately, the Scenarist QC emulators allow authoring facilities to verify disc navigation, video and audio compression quality, and ancillary information such as closed captions and subtitles to ensure discs are produced to the highest standard and in the shortest amount of time. Also new to the Scenarist Workgroup is CineVision QC, an HD video quality control system that enables encoding professionals for the first time to perform video compression quality control procedures in real-time on next-generation DVD format high-definition codecs. CineVision QC delivers decoded content via HD-SDI, providing the best possible quality for reproduction of the compressed image by passing video anomalies that can be introduced to video quality when output via DVI/HDMI.

Already the standard tool set for professional content creators who demand the highest level of creative control, Scenarist 4 and CineVision have been enhanced with a variety of notable features and capabilities. Based on Sonic's work with the High Definition Authoring Alliance Advisory Group (HDAA AG), and extensive playback testing, Scenarist 4 provides enhanced compatibility with the new range of high-definition set-top players now shipping. The extended high-definition feature set also includes support for the full complement of the audio and video codecs required by Hollywood studios including MPEG-2, VC-1, AVC, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD. Scenarist 4 also includes enhanced support for the AACS content protection specification including support for region coding for Blu-ray Disc title production. In addition, users are now able to generate compelling menus and graphics using Sonic's Scenarist Designer utility included with Scenarist Workgroup.

In the latest update, the CineVision encoder includes new advanced tools, such as adaptive quantization in AVC, to improve the handling of video effects. In addition, the application improves timeline information, giving the compressionist a clear view of the bit rate and quality metrics for the encoded files. CineVision also features additional workflow accelerators such as the ability to import chapter timecodes from Sonic StreamData or spreadsheet files. For more information on Sonic's comprehensive high-definition initiatives visit: http://www.sonic.com/HD