Metabeam® Releases New Metamenu™ Modules And Introduces Design Automation For Media Experience With Indexed Search, Personalization, Mobile And More At Connections 2007

Entertainment Technology Provider Unveils New Class of Software to Accelerate Production for Advanced Interactive and Networked Features in HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc

May 8, 2007

Digital artists seeking to produce content with new interactive and networked features just got a powerful set of modules from Metabeam that extend its popular Metamenu media navigation system. The Metamenu code base and design standard is used in many Hollywood productions for HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The new Metamenu modules build on this foundation enabling producers to mix, match and customize design elements to fit the needs of the content. “Our goal is to free artists to concentrate on art, and to get the technology out of their way,” explains Chris Brown, CEO of Metabeam. “We developed these modules by isolating viewer scenarios and minimizing the effort to achieve common user goals. This functional framework is provided to the artist, who can then modify the look and feel for artistic expression. This speeds development and lowers cost, substantially reducing risks associated with starting from scratch.” The Metamenu modules feature a variety of viewer enhancements, including: - BEAM provides content producers a mechanism to distribute mobile content triggered by a viewer request. - GALLERY is a simple slide show module that can be used to browse a collection of still images, online or off. - KEYPAD is a variety of alphanumeric modules for data entry by viewers. - PERSISTENT PREFERENCES allow users to store and recall audio and video setup preferences. Brown adds, “When you buy a new movie or device, you shouldn’t need to learn how to use it. Instead, it should learn how to serve you.” - SCREENSAVER gives artists controls for the user to mix content from the disc with personal videos and photos to play during periods of screen inactivity. - SEARCH provides an alternative to the traditional scene-based method of navigation, giving users finer control of their experience. Viewers can more deeply explore a content property in the way that suits their interests best. Many of the new Metamenu modules are available now to members of the Media Experience Trade Association (www.mediaexperience.org) and are being incorporated into the web services METAMENUS.COM and SimpleROM.com. Additionally, Metabeam is participating in Sonic’s Extended Developer Group (EDGe), a certified program for the creation of third-party plug-ins for its world-class high-definition authoring platform Scenarist® with its METAMENU MODULATOR. “METAMENU MODULATOR is an outstanding addition to our initial Scenarist plug-ins, generating high-definition interactive menu interfaces without the need for hand coding," said Rolf Hartley, senior vice president and general manager of Sonic's Professional Products Group. “METAMENU MODULATOR will help our Scenarist customers more quickly and efficiently develop advanced interactive HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) titles that deliver a far richer, more innovative consumer entertainment experience.”

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http://www.mediaexperience.org