For Immediate Release

September 12, 2000

Windows™ Millennium Users get re-writable DVD drive support with WriteDVD!™ for MS Windows™

Bothell, WA...Software Architects, Inc. (SAI) announced today its release of WriteDVD!™ Pro Version 1.1.

The software provides everything you need to set up and run a rewritable DVD-RAM drive on a PC running Windows Millennium, 2000, NT 4.0, 98 or 95.

WriteDVD! Pro provides drive letter interface for reading and writing to rewritable DVD-RAM drives, and supports both native FAT formatted disks as well as the new Universal Disk Format (UDF) specified by the DVD Forum as the new industry standard for disk interchange.

Write DVD! Pro provides users with transparent access to multimedia content on DVD, CDR, CDRW and CD-ROM disks, while providing a fast, reliable, low cost replacement for tape backup, all in one easy to use storage system.

WriteDVD!™ Pro supports all manufacturer's and leading third party brand DVD-RAM drives, including: Hitachi, Panasonic, and Toshiba, and leading brands of storage integrators, including LaCie and APS. The software supports both ATAPI and SCSI protocol drives, plus LaCie Firewire protocol subsystems.

Key Components:

• The SmartDVD™ device driver that automatically configures for optimized I/O, based on the type of disk inserted in the drive
• The WriteDVD!™ file system that reads and writes to disks formatted in the Universal Disk Format (UDF) format specified for DVD disks
• The FormatUDF!™ application that formats in both UDF and FAT formats, write protects DVD-RAM disks, tests and remaps defective blocks on the media.
• FixDVD!™ diagnostic and repair utility that tests the disk for correct format, and repairs directory problems with UDF formatted disks. FixDVD! also tests the disk for compliance with the OSTA UDF standard to ensure interchange with other systems.

System Requirements
Version 1.1 supports personal computers running Windows Millennium with 32 mbytes RAM or higher, Windows 2000 Professional with 64 Mbytes RAM or higher, Windows 98 with 32 mbytes RAM or higher, Windows NT 4.0 with 32 mbytes RAM or higher, and Windows 95 with 32 mbytes RAM or higher.

Compatibility & Standards
WriteDVD! Pro is compatible with other SAI DVD utilities including DVD-RAM TuneUp™ for Apple Macintosh systems. WriteDVD! reads and writes to DVD-RAM disks formatted in OSTA UDF v1.02, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.0.1. It is compatible with Microsoft Windows Millennium, Windows 98 and Windows 2000 UDF readers.

WriteDVD! is the only utility that can ensure read/write compatibility of DVD-RAM disks between Apple Macintosh and Windows computer systems. WriteDVD!'s UDF file system is OSTA (Optical Storage Technology Association) UDF compliant and complies with DVD Forum specifications for DVD-RAM drives.

What is the UDF Format?
UDF stands for the "Universal Disk Format" and file system. It is the key software technology underlying DVD's disk format standard for digital convergence. Based on the International Standards Organization's (ISO) ISO-13346 standard, the UDF format ensures that disks can be properly used on all types of computer systems as well as future consumer digital appliances.

Advantages of UDF file format include:

• Operating system independence: UDF is the optimal archival medium.
• Large capacity: The UDF file system can store data to the terabyte level in a single volume
• Optimized data transfer rates: Read and write speeds of UDF formatted disks can outperform data transfer rates of native file systems when transferring larger files that are common with multimedia applications.

• Supports Unicode character set for compatibility with foreign language systems
• Supports extended file attributes used in some native operating systems.
• Supports long file names beyond the limits of current operating systems.

About SAI
Software Architects, Inc. develops and publishes system level utility software and specialty applications for personal computers. The company applies its file system, device driver and image enhancement technology to address the integration and ease of use of input and storage devices with personal computers.

Founded in 1987, the company has over twelve years of commercial experience licensing its technology to OEM manufacturers and systems integrators worldwide. As a member of the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) as well as the DVD Forum, SAI plays a leading role in the application of the Universal Disk Format and technology for a variety of computer and consumer applications.

US Headquarters
Software Architects, Inc
19102 North Creek Parkway, Suite 101
Bothell, WA 98011 USA
Phone:425-487-0122
Fax:425-487-0467
Email:sales@softarch.com
President's Email:bobz@softarch.com

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