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M-Audio Announces Music-creation System for the PC: Session KeyStudio
03/27/2007
$99 Package Includes Everything Users Need to Make and Record Music with a Keyboard
Tewksbury, Mass. – March 27, 2007 – Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) today announced that M-Audio, a business unit of its Digidesign audio division, is releasing the newest addition to its “make-music-now” product family with the Session™ KeyStudio™ keyboard studio for the PC. This new music creation system lets PC users unlock the power of Session software with the included KeyStudio 49-note USB keyboard controller. The KeyStudio keyboard provides an intuitive way to play a wide variety of software instruments and build complete songs in the Session software.

“The computer is quickly becoming the hub for all things related to entertainment, including creating and recording music,” said Tony McCall, vice president of M-Audio’s consumer group. “Session KeyStudio gives piano or keyboard enthusiasts a simple way to transition into computer-based music-making – and also makes it easy for non-musicians to create and record for the very first time.”

For consumers looking to explore music creation on the PC, the Session KeyStudio bundle streamlines what used to be a complex process. The package includes a keyboard controller, Session software, and a high-performance audio interface that delivers premium sound quality. M-Audio designed all of the Session KeyStudio components to work together, ensuring a seamless out-of-box experience. It’s simple for customers to install and launch the software, connect the other components, and start playing.

The combination of the KeyStudio keyboard controller and Session software gives users much more flexibility than standalone keyboards that have a limited number of built-in sounds. For example, customers can use the KeyStudio keyboard to play hundreds of different instrument sounds that are already included in the Session software – from pianos and synthesizers to drums, bass guitars and more. In addition, customers can use the keyboard to trigger more than two gigabytes of pre-recorded audio loops that come with the Session software.

Family of Make-Music-Now Products
The Session KeyStudio bundle joins a diverse family of “make-music-now” solutions from M-Audio. In addition to Session software and the Session with Fast Track™ USB product offering, the company has a broad portfolio of consumer music-creation products including keyboards, microphones, podcasting gear, audio interfaces, speakers, DJ software and accessories. Visit www.m-audio.com for more information on these products.

Pricing and Availability
M-Audio’s Session KeyStudio has an SRP of $99, and is available nationwide at www.GuyGraphics.com

Avid Delivers AirSpeed 2.5 for Streamlined Production Workflow
03/21/2007
Award-winning video ingest and output server now available within an Avid Unity environment or as a standalone system
Tewksbury, MA — March 21, 2007 — Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) today announced the immediate availability of version 2.5 of the AirSpeed® multi-purpose video ingest and playout server. This new version can run in an Avid Unity™ shared-storage environment and, for the first time, as a standalone video server. As a standalone system, AirSpeed 2.5 can connect directly to Avid® editing workstations over a network and provide direct ingest and playout to and from these systems. Offering greater accessibility to small- and mid-sized broadcasters, AirSpeed 2.5 also delivers several new features, including support for 720p/50 formats for streamlined HD ingest on PAL projects.

“KTBS was a beta test site for AirSpeed 2.5 and the experience convinced us of the viability and value of AirSpeed as a standalone solution,” said Dale Cassidy, director of engineering at KTBS in Shreveport, LA. “AirSpeed, working in conjunction with our Avid NewsCutter® editors, can speed the process of getting content to air and play a key role in transitioning from conventional tape decks to a server-based system.”

The AirSpeed system integrates easily with existing equipment, applications and processes – including third-party automation systems – enabling broadcasters to get stories to air efficiently and cost-effectively. The system is available either with front-panel video control and monitoring, which includes new on-screen display (OSD) functionality showing comprehensive information about clips during ingest and playout, or with increased storage capacity (in place of the front-panel monitoring controls) for HD workflows. Regardless of whether the AirSpeed 2.5 system is running within an Avid Unity production environment or as standalone device, the system offers tight interoperability with Avid’s industry-standard nonlinear editing systems.

“The broadcast world is fast-moving and, as broadcasters of all sizes try to keep pace, the AirSpeed solution offers significant time savings at both the beginning and end of the production workflow,” said Johnathon Howard, director of on-air product management, Avid. “This latest version makes AirSpeed’s unprecedented speed, reliability, and support of HD and uncompressed SD production from capture to playout available to a wider range of broadcasters than ever before, especially stations with smaller budgets.”

In addition to operating as a standalone system, AirSpeed 2.5 boasts several other key new features including:

Direct output of longitudinal time code (LTC), eliminating the time and expense of separating time code tracks from ingested video and audio;
720p/50 ingest when linked to Avid’s DNxchange® HD encoding device for streamlined HD workflows emerging in Europe;
Automatic head frame capture for each clip in Avid Unity MediaManager and Avid Interplay™, making it easier for editors to identify and retrieve the right media at a glance;
Backup domain name system (DNS) server support to ensure continued operation in the event of a DNS server failure;
On-screen display of available storage when tied to an Avid Unity centralized storage system, so that editors know exactly where to store media;
Bandwidth optimization tool for use when ingesting media into an Avid Unity ISIS™ media network, ensuring efficient media transfers, and;
Support for next generation of iNEWS® Command playback automation-assisted system for any MOS-enabled or iNEWS newsroom.
Pricing & Availability
Avid AirSpeed 2.5 is available now in a standard configuration for $18,000 USMSRP, or a version with four times greater storage capacity and without front-panel controls and monitor for $20,000 USMSRP. Current AirSpeed customers under the Avid Assurance program can upgrade to AirSpeed 2.5 for free on the Avid Download Center.

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