Pinnacle systems today announced the latest release of Pinnacle InstantCopy, the company's disc-copying software. InstantCopy version 8 gives anyone with a CD or DVD burner the ability to copy and store virtually any type of unencrypted video, audio, photo, and data disc. Users can copy an entire unencrypted, dual-layer DVD onto a single disc with menus and all other material completely intact and with virtually no loss of quality. The disc quality is perfectly retained in this process through Pinnacle's patent-pending technology called "Perceptual Requanitzation." InstantCopy can also be used to transfer DVD content to Video CDs (VCDs) and Super VCDs that can be played on most home DVD players. The software also enables bit-for-bit copies of any CD media, including data, music, video and games.

The new version of InstantCopy includes four major improvements:

- InstantDisc which creates a virtual CD or DVD-ROM copy of the original disc on the user's computer. The virtual copy can then be played at any time, saving battery life on laptops and keeps the CD/DVD drive bay open for other use.
- High-speed mode that copies DVDs up to four times faster than its predecessor.
- Direct-to-disc technology that shortens the duplication process by writing the contents of the source disc straight to the target disc without buffering the data on the computer's hard drive first. High-speed mode and direct-to-disc can be used separately or together to reduce the time needed to duplicate a CD or DVD disc.
- Content selection which enables users to copy only the content they want when copying a DVD.

Pricing and Availability

Pinnacle InstantCopy is immediately available for an estimated street price of $49.99. In the United States, Pinnacle InstantCopy is available through the Pinnacle estore at www.pinnaclesys.com as well as leading retailers.