Et Cetera are now shipping Minnetonka Audio Software, (creators of the first affordable DVD-Audio tools) Version 2 of the flagship DVD-A authoring application discWelder™ CHROME. This highly-anticipated upgrade maintains the high-level DVD-Audio feature set of Version 1, while adding ground-breaking enhancements not found in any other DVD-A authoring programs.

New Features added to discWelder CHROME Version 2 are:

• Video Auto-Mirror – This exclusive, innovative feature allows the user to automatically create the Video Zone from the contents of the Audio Zone, which allows playback on both DVD-A and DVD-V players (by creating a universal DVD-A/V disc). The audio Tracks are encoded with an integrated SurCode™ Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoder, and the VIDEO_TS (video title set) is auto-formatted. The Auto-Mirror option creates the video main menu and a static MPEG2 slide per track (if there is a slide programmed for the Track).
  
• DSD Import/Conversion – Also an exclusive feature, this allows the import of DSD-format DFF audio files into the CHROME playlist. The DSD-to-PCM conversion bit-depth is set at 24-bit, and the sample rates are set at 48kHz for surround and 96kHz for stereo. This product innovation will encourage the authors of SACD discs to create DVD-Audio reference and approval discs of their SACD projects, something not possible in the DSD native format.
  
• Video Track Link – This feature allows a Track in the Audio Zone to be linked to play a Video Title in the VIDEO_TS. This makes possible the playback of Videos within the Audio menu.
  
• Custom Menu - This major feature upgrade allows the user to customize the DVD-A look and feel by creating the menu Background Image and Overlay bitmaps in an image editing program (like Adobe® Photoshop® LE), then importing these into CHROME to create the “hit” or “button” boxes with their associated actions (such as play Track, go to menu, etc).
  
• Motion Menu – Allows the user to select an MPEG video file to use as a menu background. The MPEG may contain audio as well as video, and the user may select a “video loop” option.
  
• Motion Logo – Allows the user to select an MPEG video file to be displayed once upon disc insertion. The file may contain audio as well as video. If the “Auto Play” option is checked, Group 1 Track 1 will start to play after the Motion Logo plays. Otherwise, the first page of the menu will be displayed after the Motion Logo.
  
• Active Menu – This feature allows the playlist menu to be active during Track playback. This option will override the display of slides on a track.
  
• CPPM – This allows the option of enabling the copy-protection flag for the album. (Note that the key file and encryption must be applied at the manufacturing facility).
  
• PGC Blocks – This allows two audio formats (surround and stereo, or different languages, for example) to be contained in each DVD-A Track – the DVD player will automatically play the format selected by the user. This allows one album menu structure to be used for both surround and stereo content, eliminating the need for surround downmixes.

Adding these and several other new features to discWelder CHROME brings unparalleled value with custom-authoring functionality to this high-level authoring tool. The new features are very easy to learn and use, continuing Minnetonka’s design goal of always offering an easily-understood user interface driving a highly-sophisticated application. Everyone can now create professional-grade DVD-Audio discs.

CHROME II will make universal DVD-A/V disc burning available to anyone, regardless of video skill level. This brings new flexibility to one-off discs burned for reference, client approval, and mixing checks, and is a major step forward in the push for DVD-A tools for all audio professionals. It will also make possible, for the first time, DVD-A reference discs for DSD streams.

Price:

• discWelder Chrome II £1999 inc VAT
• discWelder Chrome II with SurCode MLP £3399 inc VAT

Full details of discWelder Chrome II and all our products can be found on our Web site www.etcetera.co.uk

discWelder Chrome II

Et Cetera's product portfolio includes Aardvark pro audio interfaces for PC's, ADS Tech RedRover USB Audio Remote and Adobe Audition, Cakewalk Music Software sequencing and multitrack hard disk recording software, E-MU PC audio systems and samplers, Hercules pro audio interfaces, IMAGE Line FL Studio software, MakeMusic! (formerly Coda) notation software, Marian pro audio cards, PG Music award winning Band-in-a-Box and educational software, SM Pro Quality Mic Pre amps and other audio accessories, Soundtrek auto composition software, ST Audio (Hoontech) pro audio interfaces, Tascam (GigaStudio) professional software samplers and Yamaha professional music and sound cards et cetera.