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MACROMEDIA AND SORENSON MEDIA BRING VIDEO TO MACROMEDIA FLASH CONTENT AND APPLICATIONS
Sorenson Spark video codec integration broadens the palette for Macromedia Flash user experiences
 

San Francisco—March 4, 2002—Macromedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: MACR) and Sorenson Media today announced the integration of video support in Macromedia Flash MX and Macromedia Flash Player 6 using the Sorenson Spark codec. Sorenson Spark enables designers and developers to deliver compressed video as part of Macromedia Flash content and applications. Video support is one of the leading new features in Macromedia Flash MX, which was announced today (see separate release). By bringing video support within Macromedia Flash, developers can create entirely new types of interactive video applications while maintaining a higher level of control over the user experience, providing seamless integration of video-based content within websites.

"Video support has been one of the most requested features in Macromedia Flash, and we're pleased to provide integration with a leading video compression company such as Sorenson Media," said Eric Wittman, director of product management, Macromedia. "Sorenson's ability to deliver high-quality content at low data rates mirrors why Macromedia Flash is an online standard, making it a natural choice for us."

Video support in Macromedia Flash MX and Macromedia Flash Player 6 gives designers and developers new opportunities through the ability to embed video into their content and applications. Video content in Macromedia Flash enables a seamless user experience, unlike existing video options that require external players to be launched and have platform inconsistencies.

"The ubiquity of Macromedia Flash Player and the quality of Macromedia Flash MX are a testament to their ability to deliver software that advances the state of the Internet," said Jim Sorenson Jr., CEO of Sorenson Media. "By providing the opportunity to bring rich, high-quality video to Macromedia Flash content and applications, Sorenson Media is helping Macromedia deliver better user experiences online."

Macromedia Flash MX can import any standard video file supported by QuickTime or Windows Media Player, including MPEG, DV (Digital Video), MOV (QuickTime), and AVI. Users can then manipulate, scale, rotate, skew, mask, and animate any video objects, as well as make them interactive, using scripting. The video is automatically compressed by the Sorenson Spark codec in Macromedia Flash MX. Customers using high-motion, high-impact videos in their Macromedia Flash content will benefit from Sorenson Squeeze for Macromedia Flash MX (including the Sorenson Spark Pro codec), which offers additional compression capabilities and will be sold separately by Sorenson Media.

ABOUT SORENSON MEDIA
Sorenson Media (www.sorenson.com) was founded in April of 2000 to provide streaming media solutions that enable people anywhere to easily stream quality web video. Sorenson Media is the recognized leader in video compression and streaming services that empower people to more expressly entertain, educate and communicate over the web. With these innovative tools and services, Sorenson Media is in a unique position to drive mass-market adoption of web streaming.

ABOUT MACROMEDIA
Macromedia (Nasdaq: MACR) is passionate about what the web can be. Its award-winning products empower designers and developers to efficiently create and deliver the most engaging experiences on the web, and enable innovative Internet business applications. Headquartered in San Francisco, Macromedia has more than 1,400 employees worldwide and is available on the Internet at www.macromedia.com.