Reprinted from a Pinnacle Systems press release:
Pinnacle Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: PCLE) today announced Pinnacle Expression, a complete, consumer-friendly solution for publishing digital photos and videos to CD and DVD. The new software addresses the needs of digital still camera and DV camcorder owners who want to quickly create entertaining videos or digital photo slideshows, store them to long-lasting CDs or DVDs, and view them on a TV equipped with a set-top DVD player.
“Pinnacle Expression is ideal for people who want to archive and share their photos and videos with a minimum amount of effort,” said Bill Loesch, vice president of product marketing and engineering for Pinnacle Systems’ Business & Consumer Division. “Pinnacle Expression automates the key processes and provides simple intuitive controls for everything else. Now anyone can create a VideoCD or DVD from their digital photos or home movies.”
“With DVD player sales climbing to 151 million this year, and CD burners standard on most home PCs, most consumers have everything they need to take advantage of Pinnacle Expression,” explained Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research. “When you see how easy it is, a vast majority of digital camera owners and DV camcorder owners will want to put their digital photos, slideshow presentations and videos on a CD that they can view on their TV screen with a DVD player,” Peddie noted.
Pinnacle Expression for Video
With Pinnacle Expression, video can be imported directly from a DV camcorder using a PC’s FireWire interface or by dragging and dropping video files from the computer’s hard disk into the application. Pinnacle Expression automatically creates scene index menus to enable users instant access to any scene in the video without having to rewind or fast-forward just like a Hollywood DVD. Pinnacle Expression also lets you preview the project at any time, to make customizing menus, rearranging clips, and adding effects such as fades, titles, music fast and simple.
Pinnacle Expression for Photos
Ideal for creating slideshows from digital photos, Pinnacle Expression offers automatic slideshow creation that includes a fit-to-music feature. Users can crop and rotate digital photos, change their brightness, hue, and contrast, and arrange them into a slideshow, complete with transitions.
Pinnacle Expression for Sharing Videos and Photos
Completed projects that include videos and/or photo slideshows can be output to low-cost CDs or DVDs for playback on a set-top DVD player. Pinnacle Expression supports CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-R/DVD-RW/DVD+R/DVD+RW formats. For a professional-looking presentation, Pinnacle Expression includes built-in label creation capability for printing stick-on disc labels, jewel case and DVD case inserts.
Pricing and Availability
Pinnacle Expression can be used with Windows 98 SE/Me/XP/2000 systems and is available from major US computer retail stores and professional video resellers at a suggested retail price of $49. In addition to the software, the package includes a label applicator, CD and DVD labels, jewel and DVD case inserts, and a DVD case.
