Sonic Solutions Buys CinemaNow

Digital media software maker Sonic Solutions is buying digital movie distributor CinemaNow in a move to push burnable movies to Qflix drives.

Sonic Solutions, which develops and distributes digital media software, has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire digital movie distributor CinemaNow. The deal will rename CinemaNow as Sonic’s Premium Content Group and integrate it with Sonics Qflix team. Qflix technology enables users to burn copyright-protected movies to DVD discs, so long as they’re using QFlix-enabled drives and players, which are now available from Dell, Pioneer, and Plextor.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“With broadband-connected consumer electronics hitting the market in ever greater numbers, there is a growing need for a service that gives consumers one-click access to premium entertainment on any device in the digital home,” said CinemaNow president and COO David Cook, in a statement. “The combination of CinemaNow’s content and embedded device strategy with Sonic’s technical prowess and broad PC and CE distribution promises to fulfill CinemaNow’s original mission.”

The acquisition means Sonic gets CinemaNow’s content distribution agreements with the major Hollywood studios, and means consumers with Qflix drives to download and burn major studio films.

Sonic bought digital media software developer Roxio in 2004.