Designed for optimum compatibility with the ISO/14496-2/3 MPEG-4 standard, the Nero Digital MPEG-4 A/V codecs feature the utmost speed and quality video coding algorithms and full High Efficiency AAC in MPEG audio.

With DVD quality at only 20 percent of the space, Nero Digital video codec supports the most popular simple and advanced MPEG-4 visual profiles, and can decode all other MPEG-4 implementations.

The Nero Digital audio codec is built on Ahead’s proven proficiency in AAC technology, but goes much further with significant efficiency and quality enhancements. A key core component of MPEG- 4, High Efficiency AAC in MPEG audio is an incomparable bandwidth extension technique allowing bit rates to be considerably reduced with no definable quality loss.

Nero Recode is both a re-quantizing and transcoding application, and is a world’s first in its class. Non-protected DVD-Video discs and DVD folders, including DVD-9 titles, can be re-authored in MPEG-2 by re-processing the MPEG streams. The user can choose to keep the menu structure of the source DVD or re-author a DVD from one or more DVD-Video titles.

In addition, Nero Recode features the ability to convert DVD titles into Nero Digital, making it possible to fit an entire movie onto a CD with virtually no perceivable loss in audio or video quality. A unique video and audio preview with expanded window view and full screen mode includes Dolby (R) Digital audio preview (DTS preview through S/PDIF). Also a watch-while-you-burn mode allows you to enjoy the movie in full screen video and multi-channel audio while copying a complete DVD, re-authoring a DVD or converting DVDs to Nero Digital(TM).

Nero Digital is the result of extensive co-development by Ahead Software and one of the World leaders in video and signal processing, Ateme of France. Further information is available from the www.nerodigital.com web site.

“Nero Digital will be one of the World’s first complete end-to-end MPEG-4 solutions to include MPEG-4 High Efficiency AAC profile,” says Udo Eberlein, President of Ahead Software Inc. “With its unbeatable video and audio encoding power, we are confident that Nero Digital will be best positioned to become ‘the’ technology leader in the ever increasing MPEG-4 market.”

Nero Recode and Nero Digital will be part of the ‘free’ PowerPack upgrade for the Nero 6.0 Ultra- Edition that will also include 5.1 Dolby(R) Digital playback and stereo encoding. The free PowerPack will be made available later this year.