Virulent VHS tape mould taking hold in Britain’s damp climate means memories on VHS will need to be transferred to DVD  

London, 22 July 2008 - People holding onto past memories in VHS format are at high risk of losing them all thanks to a virulent mould which is destroying tapes at an exponential rate across the UK.  The mould, which attacks the sensitive VHS and audio tape formats, can be fatal to those collections of memories we all hold dear, particularly those recorded in the 1980s and 1990s.

From family holidays to birthdays; from your child’s first steps to memories of times away with parents, grandparents or great grandparents, we all have those special memories we want to keep hold of. And although we have them locked away on VHS, we may be in for a rude awakening when we find them covered in the mould’s fine white dust and rendered totally unwatchable.

Despite the thought of losing precious memories, for most of us backing tapes up conjures up thoughts of lots of work and expense. But with Pinnacle’s Dazzle family of products, anyone can digitise all their memories quickly, efficiently and with minimal expense.

The Pinnacle Dazzle range includes three products to ensure something for everyone. The Pinnacle Dazzle Video Recorder (RRP £39.99) offers straight forward recording from a VHS or audio tape and transfers it straight onto your computer in an easy-to-use format. The Dazzle Video Creator (RRP £59.99) takes things to the next step, including Pinnacle Studio software to edit your home movies once they’re saved on a digital format. Finally the Dazzle Video Creator Platinum (RRP £69.99) takes things to the next level, offering software to make all your home movies look stunningly professional in a number of formats.

So when the job is done, you have memories that:
*  Won’t deteriorate no matter how often you play the disc, because the laser never touches the media
*  Will play on virtually any DVD player, recorder or drive
*  Will last 50-100 years
*  You can copy them again and again and each copy will be as clear and crisp as the original
*  Let you add menus so you can quickly move from video clip to video clip
*  Take up almost no space on your shelf or in your drawer
Matt Cox of Pinnacle Systems says “We all have those memories we want to hold on to – the memories that we want to be able to look back on whenever we can. But if you’re wanting to keep them safe and watchable, you’ll need to back up onto a digital format quickly! Pinnacle’s Dazzle range lets you do just that.”

Product Availability
Pinnacle Dazzle products are available now through Pinnacle Systems website (www.pinnaclesys.com), major e-tailers and retailers.

About Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
Pinnacle Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc., is an industry leader in providing a complete set of home video editing and TV viewing tools for the consumer market. The company’s product lines including Pinnacle PCTV™, Dazzle®, Pinnacle ShowCenter®, and its flagship Pinnacle Studio™ line, cover the needs and requirements of any level of video storytellers or consumers who simply want to enjoy TV from their computer. Pinnacle Systems has received nine prestigious Emmy® Awards for its technical innovations and carries the commitment to help consumers enhance, preserve and share their memories with ease. For more information, visit www.pinnaclesys.com.

About Avid Technology, Inc.
Avid is a worldwide leader in tools for film, video, audio, 3D animation, gaming and broadcast professionals – as well as for home audio and video enthusiasts. Avid professional and consumer brands include Avid, Digidesign, M-Audio, Pinnacle Systems, Sibelius, Softimage and Sundance Digital. The vast majority of primetime television shows, feature films, commercials and chart-topping music hits are made using one or more Avid products. Whether used by seasoned professionals or beginning students, Avid’s products and services enable customers to work more efficiently, productively and creatively. Avid received an Oscar® statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design, and engineering of the Avid® Film Composer® system for motion picture editing. For more information about the company’s Oscar, Grammy® and Emmy® award-winning products and services, visit www.avid.com.