IndependentFilm.com

CAMARILLO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 26, 2006--

Thomson (NYSE:TMS) today announced that the next-generation DVD manufacturing and distribution capabilities of its Technicolor Home Entertainment Services business are in place and operational. The company's replication lines for HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc have been in operation since September, 2005 and early November, 2005, respectively.

Technicolor Home Entertainment Services' next-generation DVD replication lines are installed at the company's worldwide headquarters in Camarillo, Calif. The company has three HD DVD replication lines, and three Blu-ray Disc replication lines, in place to meet early studio and consumer requirements. In addition, Technicolor Home Entertainment Services has installed dedicated, state-of-the-art mastering and testing equipment for both of these new formats in its Advanced Media Development Center in Camarillo. This facility also houses complete printing, custom packaging, and distribution facilities to support North American retail operations. The company plans to add future capacity for both formats in different geographies to meet projected demand, and to satisfy the ongoing needs of studio and independent right holder customers.

"As the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of DVDs, we are pleased to support all of our studio clients with the industry's most comprehensive portfolio of mastering, replicating, printing, custom packaging, anti-piracy, and supply chain management services for both next-generation DVD formats," said Quentin Lilly, president of Technicolor Home Entertainment Services. "As a trusted partner of the media and entertainment industries for more than 90 years now, Technicolor is proud to be at the forefront of this important industry transition, and we are committed to delivering the same high-quality products, services, and technologies for both HD DVD and Blu-ray as we have for years with standard-definition DVDs."

Technicolor Home Entertainment Services manufactured and shipped the first titles for the retail launch of HD DVD, including the first shipment of Universal Studios Home Entertainment's "Serenity," on April 12, 2006. For the launch of HD DVD, Technicolor manufactured and distributed numerous Universal Studios Home Entertainment titles, including "Doom," "Apollo 13," "Jarhead," "Cinderella Man," "Assault on Precinct 13," "The Chronicles of Riddick," "Van Helsing," "U-571," and "The Bourne Supremacy." Since the consumer introduction of HD DVD, the company has also replicated and distributed other HD DVD titles for Universal, including "Happy Gilmore," "The Rundown," "Friday Night Lights," and "Pitch Black."

The company's Blu-ray Disc replication equipment has been fully operational since early November 2005, and was subsequently optimized prior to the retail launch of the format in June 2006. Thomson, through its Technicolor Home Entertainment Services business, is an active member of the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group of over 170 of the world's leading film studio, consumer electronics, personal computer, personal computer, recording media, video game, and music companies. The company has also been integrally involved with the association since its inception in 2002. Technicolor Home Entertainment Services expects to replicate and distribute Blu-ray Disc products for various Blu-ray-supporting studio customers during the third and fourth quarters of 2006.

In addition to its replication and distribution capabilities, Technicolor, through its Content Services unit, also provides a full array of compression, authoring, mastering, and game development services specifically for HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc. The company has supported next-generation format titles with such resources since December 2005. This end-to-end service offering for advanced optical disc technologies reinforces Thomson's position as a worldwide leader in supporting the entertainment industry's transition to high-definition formats.

About Thomson - Leader In Digital Video Technologies

Thomson (Euronext:18453) (NYSE:TMS) provides technology, services, and systems and equipment to help its Media & Entertainment clients - content creators, content distributors, and users of its technology - realize their business goals and optimize their performance in a rapidly-changing technology environment. The Group is the preferred partner to the Media & Entertainment Industries through its Technicolor, Grass Valley, RCA, and Thomson brands. For more information: http://www.thomson.net.

About Technicolor Home Entertainment Services

Technicolor Home Entertainment Services, part of the Services division of Thomson, provides complete DVD and CD manufacturing and distribution services, ranging from compression and authoring through to packaging, shipping, and returns processing for leading Hollywood studios, video game publishers and manufacturers, independent rights holders, software developers, OEMs, record labels, promotional agencies, direct marketers and more. Recognized as an optical industry pioneer, and the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of DVDs and CDs, Technicolor Home Entertainment Services has the high-volume replication capabilities and superior technologies to produce all major DVD formats, including HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, quickly and efficiently. A leader in the development and implementation of DVD anti-piracy technologies designed to protect content for customers, Technicolor Home Entertainment Services has the worldwide capacity to produce 1.7 billion DVDs and 175 million CDs on an annual basis. Major Hollywood studio clients include DreamWorks SKG, MGM, Paramount Home Entertainment, The Walt Disney Co., Warner Home Video, and Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Major software publishing customers include Atari, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, THQ, and Vivendi Games. For more information: http://www.technicolor.com.