LA VIE D'ABORD,
labDV newsletter
Contents:
- Last letter of the year: Merry Chistmas and Happy New Year !
- Nero: formerly Ahead Software AG, pushes Nero Digital (MPEG-4)
- Ulead UK: a 15% time limited coupon for the holidays
- Muvee autoProducer: Christmas Promotions
- More Xmas shopping: many rebates at rebateplace.com
1. Last letter of the year: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
I'm writing the last newsletter for year 2004, this is time for gifts,
fiestas and whishes, so I will focus on announcements and Xmas shopping
while January we'll be for guides and helpers and new software as well.
The new web site is now running at 95% features since a couple of weeks onh our test server, it is very stable and I'm working on the latest graphical stuff. I'm writing this letter from the new site so it's very comfortable for me.
Most of of readers are celebrating Christmas so I'm wishing you a Merry Christmas!
All readers will celebrate the new year 2005 (maybe not Chinese but they'd do in a month I guess), the whole labDV team is joining me to whish you all our best for the new year 2005 !
2. Nero: formerly Ahead Software AG, pushes Nero Digital (MPEG-4)
The Nero company was very active in December.
On
the 7th they announced the first set-top DVD player supporting
Nero
Digital™ format in home movies. This player, the "SCO
5000ND" is
available from Siemssen for
99 Euros and supports MP3, JPEG, VCD, SVCD, DivX and Xvid.
On the 14th, they renamed them from Ahead Software AG (a German company) to Nero. Nero’s award-winning and innovative products have received critical acclaim throughout the World, and this makes sense to reinforce Nero brand and to rename the three subsidiaries in Europe, USA and Japan.
And
on the 22th, they announced in cooperation with KiSS
Technology,
the release of a new DVD recorder that supports files in Nero
Digital™ format. The KiSS
DP-558 records on its 80GB Hard Disk
(120 Hours) thru the Kiss PC-Link and is compliant with full DVD, DivX,
Xvid, MPEG-4 (and Nero
Digital™ format), MP3, WMA, OGG VORBIS and JPEG.
Some thoughts about the Nero Digital™ format:
- this is a MPEG-4 based format which, I guess, announces several alternatives to DivX and Microsoft WMV9 in the battle for MPEG-4 support in upcoming HD-DVD, EVD and Blue-Ray. The HD-DVD consortium has adopted H.264 as its MPEG-4 format and companies will battle to impose their H.264 flavor (I guess Nero Digital™ is the best H.264 codec available). DivX is the most popular MPEG-4 flavor at the moment but it may not be if they don't get HD-DVD agreement...
3. Ulead UK: a 15% time limited coupon for the holidays
If
you have subscribed to the Ulead newsletter (I am as a registered DVD
PictureShow user) you may have received a 15% Limited Time Coupon,
I did.
I'm not going to buy a Ulead software and I haven't found any restrictions on the Ulead web site and I guess anyone can use my own, so feel free to use my code: UCHDEC. Maybe it will work only for the first of you (please let me now).
You will find also current Ulead world wide rebates at Ulead Mall.
4. Muvee autoProducer: Christmas Promotions
Muvee
autoProducer is a program to create home movies unlike any other
around. The creative process is handled completely by the program.
No settings to control, just select your file(s) or capture directly
from your DV camera using Firewire, select a style, select a piece
of music and hit produce. Done !
There is your home movie. No tinkering with timelines, effects captions, and any other hassles. In other words the original program to make your home video's. Learn more from our review.
Christmas promotions are available for styles pack at Muvee promoweb page.
5. More Xmas shopping: many rebates at rebateplace.com
This
site is to be added to your bookmarks for Xmas and any further shopping.
You will find there rebates for:
Easy Media Creator 7 (Roxio)
VideoWave Professional 7 (Roxio)
VideoStudio 8.0 (Ulead)
Studio 9 (Pinnacle)
Studio Media Suite Version 9 (Pinnacle)
It works like a comparator so you easily find rebates and best prices. Nevertheless, pay attention to offers there, some are good bargain and otters just price list.
Alternative rebate opportunities
DVD/Video at RebateShare.com
DVD/Video at DealDude.com
Software at DealDude.com
Again, I wish you all my best for New Year 2005 !
Jim, Founder of labDV.com
