Sonic Foundry Introduces Sound Forge[R] 4.5 with Expanded Features and Support for RealSystem 5.0

Sonic Foundry, Inc. today announced their flagship Sound Forge product will soon be offered in a new 4.5 version with expanded features and support for RealSystem[TM] 5.0 developed by RealNetworks, the recognized leader in streaming media. The 4.5 version of Sound Forge includes the features of the 4.0 release, plus a built-in batch converter for automated processing of multiple files, a powerful spectrum analyzer function, and an advanced loop editing tool set with support for Sonic Foundry's ACID[TM] loop-based music creation product.

According to Chief Technology Officer Curtis Palmer, "We expect Sound Forge 4.5's enhanced Internet authoring capability and included batch conversion extension to further demonstrate Sonic Foundry's commitment to providing leading edge Internet authoring tools. RealNetwork's technology is an emerging streaming media standard and our continued support for them will help benefit content developers worldwide."

"We're thrilled that Sonic Foundry has chosen to support RealSystem 5.0's rich streaming multimedia capabilities with its Sound Forge 4.5 product," said Phil Barrett, Senior Vice President, Media Systems, RealNetworks, Inc. "The superior features in Sound Forge 4.5 will enable Web page authors to create compelling content enhanced by RealAudio[R] and RealVideo[R] technology."

Sound Forge is a comprehensive media editing environment containing a wide range of processes, tools, and effects for manipulating digital media and specifically audio content. Sound Forge has been built from the ground up as a Windows product, featuring DirectX plug-in compatibility and support for new media streaming formats including RealSystem 5.0 streaming audio and video technology.

Applications -- Music production, multimedia development, Internet media production, sound design, broadcast production, and sound analysis.

Features -- Powerful tools combined with easy-to-use preset functions in the familiar Windows environment make the program easy enough for beginners and the tool of choice for professionals. Video for Windows support includes editing sound events to video with sub-frame accuracy. Sound Forge 4.5 is expandable with proprietary and third party DirectX Audio Plug-Ins.

Upgrades and Demo Downloads on the Internet -- Current owners of Sound Forge 4.0 are eligible for a reduced price upgrade of $99 while owners of Sound Forge[R] XP are eligible for a $249 upgrade, directly from Sonic Foundry. Demo versions of Sound Forge 4.5 can be obtained by anyone with a Web browser by visiting the Sonic Foundry Web site.

MSRP - $499

Technical Requirements -- Sound Forge 4.5 runs on Windows 9x and NT 4.0 or later systems. It requires a computer with a 133MHz Intel Pentium or better, at least 8MB of RAM, 5MB of hard-disk space for installation, a 300M or larger hard disk for temporary file storage, and a CD-ROM drive.

NOTE: RealSystem 5.0, RealAudio, and RealVideo are trademarks or registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. All other companies or products listed herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information about Sonic Foundry, Inc. via facsimile at no additional cost, simply dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter the company code SFO.

SOURCE: Sonic Foundry, Inc.