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Assuming there are 250 mln shares outstanding...
At 1 a share this would estimate this company value @
$250 mln. At .10 a share this company would worth $25 mln which is probably why share price is at these levels since this company did not filed yet and market does not know
true value. There is no information on revenue, no reliable product(s), no news on additional major label contract(s).
When and if any of this information becomes available, market
will set its own valuation and per share price which should be higher depending on what this information shows and how it would stand up to the industry, investors, and general public.
I think maybe he is working for a short seller.
In this case he is doing an excellent job dumping dirt on STEH.
This would be the only reason for him and Kenco to post
such moranic statemets. Market knows better and price has been holding up despite holidays and low volume. There is no other way to go but up.
IMO the most important thing is the PRODUCT.
As with any business, they must have a strong product line which is in high demand. This is core fundamentals of any business.
I hope next relase of MediaMax/Secure Burn (actual copy protection plus copy management software) product will have
much better reception than initial release of MediaMAX.
Does anyone know when this software will be released (Beta and actual)and what exactly it will do?
I think current price of stock between .007 and 8 is the reflection of company current worth without credible
"in demand by major studios" product. Hopefully when new and improved MediaMAX version is released and tested by the public, the price would move up to reflect this. The rest are company administrative maters and will come in time anyway if marketplace accepts their product. I will pose this question to Peter.
From Panasonic DVD recorder manual - FAQ
I recently attempted to copy DVD movies that I rented, but none of them came out well, whether it was the functionality of the menus or the brightness. What am I doing wrong?
Duplicating copyrighted material is illegal. If an attempt to duplicate copy-protected material is made, the DMR-E20 may display an on-screen message: " Copy Guard Applied" and the deck will not go into the record mode. With that established, most DVDs use a technology called Macrovision which prevents DVDs from being copied. The varying brightness is a visible effect of Macrovision doing what it is designed to do. If Macrovision is not used, in theory you can copy the DVD. However, since the copy is only transferring the audio and video portions of the disk, interactive menu features would not be copied.
In addition there is a minimum price per share requirement to be eligible to apply for a listing on any of the mentioned exchanges that must hold for a certain period of time based on the exchange requirements.
Q: Hello Peter.
I´ve noticed a lack of press releases on the part of SunnComm lately regarding its progress with the record companies. How come?
Yours truly,
Arne [Last Name Deleted]
(11/16/2003 3:12:41 PM)
A: Hi Arne,
Thanks for the question. There is a moratorium of sorts on all press releases regarding our relationships with the labels and replicators. Each release that goes out requires the sign-off of the involved customers and partners who are less than excited about accomodating us. The reason is that they don´t believe announcements regarding the incorporation of MediaMax on their releases is in their best interests for the time being.
At SunnComm, we´ve decided to focus instead on signing up more labels and implementing MediaMax on as many releases as possible for the remainder of this year and the coming years.
One could argue that this policy doesn´t do much to shine a light on SunnComm in the short term. Shareholders, though, must understand that our first concern is honoring the wishes of our customers. As much as I sometimes hate to admit it, SunnComm is not the star of the show...the artist is. Our technology is made to be implemented in the background.
When our Form 10 and subsequent 10-Qs are filed, they will indicate revenues and new business. It will be these filings, newspaper and magazine publicity, occasional press releases, and growth into other areas of artist protection, getting onto a major exchange such as the AMEX, and the implementation of SEC Regulation SHO that I expect will be the things that grow value in our small company.
We will continue to keep everyone informed on other issues as required. Arne, I hope this helps answer some of your questions.
Best regards,
Peter
Q: Hi Peter
I own a large number of SunnComm shares and believe strongly in the concept and purpose behind SunnComm´s technology. My concern, though, is that for every article I read about protecting CD´s and DVD´s, I seem to find ten that discuss new music download venues and proprietors. How will CD manufacturers (and thereby SunnComm) differentiate and add value to CD´s to improve revenues? (special inserts, free concert tickets, bonus tracks, bonus music videos, etc.) Do you believe these added value features will sell more CD´s? When will you begin to diversify into the DVD arena and what other areas to do see expanding the bottom line? Are you able to or do you intend to copy protect music downloads (other than with Immediatek...)? This seems to be the real future. How will we be in it? Thanks.
Paul (11/10/2003 5:22:07 PM)
A: Paul, you´re going to have to pay the excess question tax. (-: Briefly, let me try to answer some of your questions.
It may be true that music downloading may be the future, but remember that less than half of the households in the US have computers. While we´re reading much about electronic music distribution, most people still buy their music on compact discs and we expect that CDs will be the music medium of choice for at least the next 5 years.
Regarding value-added features, SunnComm was the one of the first companies in the world to incorporate a second session (called a Yellow Book session) on a CD. Over the next year, you should see features added to MediaMax CDs that will include major artist-related give-aways, special videos, bonus tracks, liner notes and thoughts penned by the artist, show schedules, and much more. Without exception, the record companies with whom we currently work, both large and independent, recognize that real additional value added to their CD releases will create both greater demand and greater customer satisfaction.
SunnComm plans to begin beta testing its MediaMax DVD Management technology in the first quarter of 2004. DVDs are showing incredible growth and should eventually eclipse CDs in popularity.
SunnComm has proprietary technology that is over interest to companies who sell music downloads to online customers. It´s called SecureBurn and will signficantly reduce the ability of a customer to burn a copy from a copy.
That´s it for now. Thanks for writing, Paul.
Best regards,
Peter
IMO a great deal of High Expectations were built in by speculators in regard to STEH technology on the Hamilton's CD release. Lot of non "technical" people taught that this WAS a "holy grail" that will prevent CD copying. The fact is that this was a first very limited step in the implementation of copy management technology with a subsequent future releases of copy prevention via gradual implementation of software upgrades. The other fact is that this was the First release ever in the US of ANY sort of technology that adresses CD copy/sharing problem. I guess when report came out, as misleading as it was, made lot of speculators dumped STEH without realising that this is very gradual process that will take some time to implement.
As a matter of fact I think it will be a perpetual process where new upgrades released as new copy technics are discovered.
This is very good point.
As with any new complex software implementation that goes out to million of users it would be necessary to break it down into many steps. This way you can increasingly implement various modules such as copy management, copy protection (secure burn), and finally original cd copy protection. At the same time make sure sound quality, playability, user acceptance is there for each module. IMO
it looks to me like some of these steps are still being in the "development" stage since Secure Burn release is scheduled "before end of the year" according to the STEH news release. We just have to be patient and let company pursue this gradual implementation especially that at this share price it makes sence just wait. The other huge reason is
that record companies MUST do something about copy managemnt and protection (besides law suites) ASAP since none of this exists yet and this translates into support for what STEH is doing as is case in point with BMG, which is probably most progressive of the lot.
SunnComm Prepares Secure-Burn Product for Market
October 08, 2003 1:25:00 PM ET
Secure-Burn(TM) permits buyers using MediaMax CD-3 to "burn" copies of their purchased CDs for their car, portable device, etc., but restricts "copying the copy" B6 SunnComm Technologies Inc. (OTC: STEH), a leader in digital content security and enhancement for optical media, announced today that it began testing Secure-Burn -- a MediaMax feature which permits their record company customers to cut down the number of "casual" copies made from an original CD. Casual copying is the term used to describe CD copies that are made of an original CD -- then copies are made from those copies, and so on. Together with file-sharing, casual copying is one of the most prolific forms of CD piracy. According to SunnComm President Bill Whitmore, "When friends make copies of their purchased CDs to give to friends and then those receiving the copies copy them for other friends, it has the potential to propagate thousands of illicit copies from one original CD. When our record company customers permit consumers to burn a controlled number of copies from a particular CD for their personal use utilizing MediaMax technology, we will be able to reduce the number of copies made from copies." B6 SunnComm CEO Peter H. Jacobs said, "Casual copying can rival file-sharing piracy in some instances, especially when looking at "hot" new releases. When one CD buyer makes three copies of a new CD for friends who each make another three copies from their copy for additional friends who then make three copies for their friends, you can end up with thousands of pirated copies floating around before you know it. It's like a chain letter of music piracy and theft. SunnComm MediaMax is the first anti-piracy solution to target "casual theft" of copyrighted music originating from audio CDs. We expect to be putting Secure-Burn as a component of MediaMax CD-3 to work for the record companies by the end the year." B6 Today's news comes on the heels of BMG's successful release last month of the music giant's first commercial MediaMax in the United States -- "Comin' From Where I'm From," by singer-songwriter Anthony Hamilton, released on Arista Records. B6 MediaMax CD-3 is a collection of technologies that provides copy management for CDs and DVDs while simultaneously enhancing and expanding the consumer's experience. MediaMax CD-3 is tightly integrated with Microsoft's MSFT Windows Media Platform and the Digital Rights Management capabilities associated with the latest Windows Media Platforms. The company licenses and uses Windows Media Audio DRM capabilities from Microsoft Corp. as the security feature for music files which end up residing on the consumer's computer. B6 About SunnComm B6 SunnComm Technologies Inc. became the first company to commercially release a content-protected audio CD utilizing an early version of the Windows Media Data Session Toolkit. SunnComm's copy-management technology was commercially released by Music City records in 2001, which became America's first copy-protected audio CD. It has become a leader in digital content enhancement and security technology for optical media with its MediaMax CD-3 suite of products. B6 SunnComm's MediaMax CD-3 Suite of Digital Content Enhancement technologies are built using Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series but operate on both Apple AAPL and Windows-based systems. For more detailed information about the company, its vision or philosophy, personnel, partners and customers, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.sunncomm.com, or call the company directly at 602-267-7500, and ask for shareholder relations. B6 MediaMax Digital Content Cloaking Technology, DC2, PromoPlay, Secure-Burn and SunnComm are registered and/or trademarks of SunnComm Technologies Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. B6 Notes about Forward-Looking Statements B6 Statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, may be considered "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and the current economic environment. B6 We caution the reader that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Unknown risk, uncertainties as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors could cause actual results to materially differ from the results, performance or expectations expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
IMO the report that was posted by a Princeton graduate is completely off base since there never WAS copy protection software released with this MediaMAX software on Hamilton's CD.
This was merely a first "baby step" in the "legal" copy management inclusion with a CD. Although this was a misstep by the small and not very public relations savvy company not to communicate this clearly to general public, in this day and age people do not take time to read and understand what this relase meant. It is enough for someone (in his early twenties) to post a statement on his website to wip news hungry media into frenzy and pick this up on every news wire. I am sure in days to come there will be a joint statement by BMG and STEH explaining what was the goal to begin with, what was accomplished, and what we can expect in a future in terms of CD copy management and protection. I think in some wierd way this might be good for STEH as this focuses attention on the company and that this is first ever commercial release
of any COPY management software in the US.
PS
I also like the fact that MediaMAX includes some links to the artist's website and some other "extra material" in regard to
a particular CD, as you would find on a DVD "extras" This would be a tremendous plus for the artist and label. I hope they will be able to bundle these three components - Copy management, copy protection, and extras into one neat package.
IMO this would have tremndous potential in terms of sales/revenue.
I do not know how many times this can be repeated Media Max is NOT a copy prevention but a copy MANAGEMENT software.
I just called Sunncomm and talked to Bill.
I have expressed my concern with the misconception of general public of Media/Max released on Hamilton CD being
a "copy protection" software VS "copy management" software and recent Share Price slide, etc.
Here are highlights of his response:
1. They are working with BMG public relations/communications to
come up with the appropriate response.
2. There is a strong possibility that John Halderman from Princeton is in violation of Copy Millenium (I am not sure if this is proper term) Act for posting his copy circuimvention technic on his website.
3. All major labels such as Universal and Sony called STEH management and offered their support on Media Max concept/product.
4. New Media Max release will include some sort of "copy protection" module in addition to copy management.
5. Share price stabilized at 12-12.5 from the morning low.
6. BMG is still on board and is continuing working very closely with STEH.
All in all this is clearly a miscommunication with general public in terms of this first Media Max release being "legal copy and license MANAGEMENT" software versus copy PROTECTION
software. This might even be good for STEH as it has focused attention on their company doing something about providing
general public with a legal copy management software.
As they say all publicity is good publicity.
Global music sales tumble ... again
Data puts pressure on industry to cut costs, pursue mergers
LONDON, Oct 1 — The battle-weary music industry surveyed the wreckage of another dismal six months on Wednesday as global data showed music sales tumbled 10.9 percent, piling more pressure on music companies to do deals to survive.
DESPITE BIG HITS from pop queen Christina Aguilera and rapper 50 Cent, Internet downloading and CD-burning continued to ravage the industry, dragging music sales down to $12.7 billion in the first half of this year, a leading industry body said.
The figures are likely to turn the heat up on a series of negotiations between top music companies as they scramble to cut costs after three years of declines.
EMI Group, the world’s third biggest music company, announced last week that it was in talks about taking over AOL Time Warner’s recorded music arm in a deal that sources familiar with the situation say could be worth more than $1.5 billion.
AOL Time Warner’s Warner Music has also been exploring a joint venture with German media rival Bertelsmann’s music arm BMG. However, those talks have got bogged down and Bertelsmann is now courting Sony Music, other sources said.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said in its interim report that global recorded music sales fell 10.9 percent in value terms and 10.7 percent in unit terms, outstripping a 7.2 percent fall in 2002.
Global sales of CDs, which make up almost 90 percent of total sales, fell 11.7 percent in the first six months. However, the IFPI said it expected a stronger second half to limit the full-year decline to between seven and eight percent.
“It’s a very difficult landscape to fight back against but we are. We have gone through the worst period and we have enough positive signs about how online business models can go forward,” IFPI Chairman Jay Berman told Reuters.
Berman said the United States, Japan, France and Germany —the world’s biggest music markets — showed dramatic declines.
There have been bright spots however, the IFPI said.
A string of hits in a traditionally thin release period included Aguilera’s “Stripped,” 50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin,”’ Coldplay’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” Celine Dion’s “One Heart” and Avril Lavigne’s “Let Go.”
Sales in Austria, Finland and Russia rose while UK album sales posted gains and Hong Kong and Australia made a recovery.
DVD music took off, accounting for more than five percent of sales, and legitimate online music broadened its reach.
Warner, BMG Step Up Music Merger Talks
By Merissa Marr, European Media Correspondent
LONDON (Reuters) - Warner Music and BMG, the music companies behind pop queens Madonna (news - web sites) and Christina Aguilera, are making a final stab at a merger after months of secret negotiations, sources familiar with the talks said.
After a decisive meeting in London, top executives from Warner Music, BMG and their parent companies have decided to step up negotiations to hammer out final terms of a recorded music joint venture, the sources said on Wednesday.
A Warner-BMG combination would create the world's second biggest music company behind industry giant Universal Music, bringing together artists ranging from Britney Spears and Alanis Morissette to REM and Santana.
"Both sides still want to do the deal and are moving ahead with talks," said one source familiar with the negotiations.
BMG's privately-owned German parent Bertelsmann and Warner Music's parent AOL Time Warner both declined to comment. BMG and Warner Music were not immediately available to comment.
By joining forces, Warner Music and BMG hope to keep a global industry downturn at bay by reaping cost savings of $250-$300 million between them each year, in a deal analysts say could be valued in the low single-digit billions of dollars.
The chairman of AOL Time Warner's entertainment and networks group, Jeff Bewkes, Bertelsmann finance chief Siegfried Luther and other key executives met in London on Tuesday to decide whether to continue talks over a deal, the sources said.
Sticking points remain but both sides agreed they had progressed far enough to push on with final negotiations.
DEAL THIS MONTH?
If there is a deal to be done, it will be done by the end of this month, other sources said earlier this week.
But fundamental issues such as valuation still need to be resolved, the sources said.
Putting a price on the two companies' recorded music arms to reach a 50-50 joint venture has proved far from easy.
A source familiar with the talks said last month that one side would have to put in cash or assets to reach an equal split. But negotiations have been complicated by the need to separate out music publishing operations and other businesses.
In terms of market share, Warner Music is the larger of the two, ranking just ahead of BMG as number four in the world.
However, industry data on Tuesday showed that BMG is catching up, lifting its global market share to 11.1 percent last year compared to Warner Music's 11.9 percent.
Even if the two sides reach an agreement, regulators could yet scupper a deal.
Two previous deals fell foul of regulators: one between Warner and EMI Group and another between BMG and EMI.
In both instances, anti-trust authorities made clear they would not accept further consolidation among the world's five biggest music companies.
The music industry has since been mauled by Internet downloaders and CD-burning. The two companies also hope that by excluding their music publishing operations, they may have a better shot at getting clearance.
However, they are prepared for regulatory investigations to last a good eight months, one source said last month.
It simply is that Big Record Labels have no choice but to implement some kind of technology to protect their CD from being copying otherwise all this investment is going to waste.
Even naysayers and pundits agree with that. The big question is what technology and how soon. It looks like to me that STEH has a leg up on competition in regard to quality of sound of the protected CD, which was proved by the recent news relase from STEH. IMO it just a matter of time now until a major studio makes a first step to actualy implement this in a commercial relase of a major artist's CD. The sooner this will happen, the better it is for STEH since they are at this time ahead of competition. I think it is not a question of IF, I think the question is simply WHEN. And this is what will affect Stock price
WHEN first copy protected (STEH tchnology) CD is released.
New Version of Movielink Aims to Speed Downloading
The revision also will make it easier to watch films on laptops, the company says.
By Jon Healey
Times Staff Writer
Published September 3, 2003
Santa Monica-based Movielink launched a version of its downloadable movie service Tuesday that aims to fix two crucial flaws: long download times and portability problems.
Movielink, a joint venture of the studios owned by Sony Corp., Vivendi Universal, AOL Time Warner Inc., Viacom Inc. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., offers about 450 movies on its Web site that can be rented for $3 to $5. But it can take more than an hour to download a movie, even with a high-speed Internet connection and compression technology. And once a movie is on a computer, it cannot be transferred to another device.
In its new version, Movielink enables renters to play a movie while it is still downloading instead of having to wait until the transmission is finished. That should give the service more of the instant-gratification quality offered by video-on-demand services on cable TV, said Chief Executive Jim Ramo.
Movielink used to require renters to download movies and the electronic keys needed to unlock them in separate steps, making it inconvenient for people to watch movies on their laptop computers while traveling. Now renters can get the movies and keys all at once.
The improvements will be a small help, said Forrester Research analyst Josh Bernoff, but the service won't really succeed until it can deliver movies to television sets.
Few Internet users are able to connect their TVs to their PCs in a way that would let them watch Movielink films.
Ramo said the security and networking technology needed to do that probably won't be available this year, but a number of companies are working on it.
"We are seeing the move from talking the talk to walking the walk," he said.