CloneDVD 2 - sneak preview - soon available

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Cham, 13.2.2004 - The "Sneak Preview" of the new version of CloneDVD will be available for downloading at www.elby.ch next week. The "Sneak Preview" does not claim to be final and without bugs. Users can familiarise themselves with the new version until the full version becomes available, probably before Cebit 2004. The "Sneak Preview" will run for 30 days and is not available for purchase.

CloneDVD 2 redefines the notion of picture quality. On the one hand the revamped transcoding technology delivers far better results, on the other hand the user has more control over the size of the video data.

New revamped transcoder
Increased speed and improved quality: At low reduction rates the movie will be copied faster, at higher reduction rates (e.g. footage of more than two hours) the new transcoder delivers better picture quality.

More control over the size of the video data
The new version of CloneDVD offers much more transparency for the user. A second quality bar shows the influence of the language selection on the compression rate. Through the direct correlation between title and language selection, CloneDVD 2 leaves more space deciding which titles or languages are left out to achieve the desired compression rate.

The new chapter trimming allows for additional data reduction. Unwanted chapters (e.g. very long credits) can be cut off. A further advantage: Long movies can be split over two DVD media without being compressed!

Until now CloneDVD has limited the target size to the size of a DVD-5, even if an ISO image of a short trailer has been created. Now it is possible to adjust the target size yourself.

Intuitive User interface
CloneDVD 2 thinks for the user. The intelligent user interface accompanies the user step by step through the copying procedure and collects the preferred audio setting with each newly inserted DVD. The page with the audio settings has been structured more clearly; the new features are usable even without taking a look at the manual. If an error occurs, CloneDVD 2 simplifies further actions through improved error messages.

Virtual CloneDrive
Virtual CloneDrive works just like a physical DVD drive, although it only exists virtually. Image files created by CloneDVD can be "inserted" into Virtual CloneDrive and used as if they were normal DVDs.

Technical information during the transcoding
CloneDVD 2 makes the waiting time during transcoding more entertaining: Picture Snapshots show which parts of the movie are transcoded at that instant, graphically presented bitrate and frame statistics inform you in realtime about the properties of the video input and output data. If that isn't enough you'll be able to replace the sheep animation with own animations in the full version.

Summarized Features up to now:

• Newly revamped transcoder
• Quality Bar during the audio settings
• Chapter trimming/Splitting
• With Virtual CloneDrive
• Target size freely adjustable (from 100 MB to 9999 MB)
• Audio and Subtitle Settings are structured more clearly
• Picture snapshots while transcoding and remuxing
• Realtime bitrate and frame statistics while transcoding (click on the sheep)
• Logging window available
• Layer Break Flag Removal possible
• Animation during trancoding and writing replacable

elby - Working Software for lazy people!

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Background Information:

Manufacturer: Elaborate Bytes AG (Cham/Switzerland)
URL for CloneDVD: www.elby.ch
Sneak Preview: Full functionality; timewise limited to 30 days, not available for purchase
Supported languages: German, English, Italian, French, Spanish and many other languages
System requirements:

• An IBM compatible personal computer with a Pentium-Class Microprocessor at minimum 500 MHz.
• CloneDVD requires Windows 98 / 98SE / ME with 128 MB RAM, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or better installed, Windows 2000 or Windows XP with 128 MB RAM.
• A DVD writer and/or DVD reader.
• About 5 GB of available temporary harddrive space are necessary to clone DVDs.
• The faster the CPU (1 GHz recommended) and the more memory (256 MB recommended) you have, the better CloneDVD is going to perform.