PINNACLE SYSTEMS INC
S-3, 1998-09-18
PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
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   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 17, 1998
                                                  Registration No. 333-_________
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                              --------------------

                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                              --------------------

                             PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


         California                                             94-3003809
(State or other jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                           Identification Number)

                             280 North Bernardo Ave.
                         Mountain View, California 94043
                                  (650)526-1600


               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
        including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)

                              --------------------

                               Arthur D. Chadwick
                   Vice President, Finance and Administration,
                             Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
                            280 North Bernardo Avenue
                         Mountain View, California 94043
                                  (650)526-1600
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                              --------------------

                                   Copies to:

                             Chris F. Fennell, Esq.
                        Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
                            Professional corporation
                               650 Page Mill Road
                           Palo Alto, California 94304
                                  (650)493-9300

                              --------------------

Approximate  date of  commencement  of proposed  sale to the public:  As soon as
practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities  being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant
to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [ ]

If any of the  securities  being  registered on this form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the  Securities  Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. [ X ]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list
the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number of the  earlier  effective
registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under
the  Securities  Act,  check  the  following  box and  list the  Securities  Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. [ ]

If delivery  of the  prospectus  is  expected  to be made  pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [ ]



<PAGE>


<TABLE>
                                               CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<CAPTION>
===========================================================================================================================
                                                                       Proposed         Proposed
                  Title of Each Class                  Amount          Maximum           Maximum
                     of Securities                     to be        Offering Price      Aggregate            Amount of
                    to be Registered                 Registered      Per Share(1)   Offering Price(1)     Registration fee
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                               <C>               <C>                 <C>                <C>
Common Stock, no par value(2) .................   293,346 shares        $21.25          $6,233,603             $1,839
===========================================================================================================================

<FN>
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration  fee. The estimate is made pursuant to Rule
457(c) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(2) Includes  Preferred Share Purchase Rights which,  prior to the occurrence of certain events,  will not be exercisable or
evidenced separately from the Common Stock.
</FN>
</TABLE>


                              --------------------


         The Registrant hereby amends this  Registration  Statement on such date
or dates as may be necessary to delay its  effective  date until the  Registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically  states that this Registration
Statement shall  thereafter  become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or until the  Registration  Statement  shall become
effective on such date as the Commission,  acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.

================================================================================


<PAGE>


Information   contained  herein  is  subject  to  completion  or  amendment.   A
registration  statement  relating  to these  securities  has been filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission.  These  securities may not be sold nor may
offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration  statement  becomes
effective.  This  prospectus  shall  not  constitute  an  offer  to  sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these  securities
in any State in which such offer,  solicitation  or sale would be unlawful prior
to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such State.


PROSPECTUS (SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
Issued September 18, 1998


                                 293,346 Shares

                             PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.

                                  COMMON STOCK

                                 (no par value)

                              --------------------

         This Prospectus may be used in connection with the offer and sale, from
time to time, of up to 293,346  shares (the  "Shares") of Common  Stock,  no par
value (the  "Common  Stock"),  of  Pinnacle  Systems,  Inc.  ("Pinnacle"  or the
"Company"),  for the  account  of  Miro  Computer  Products  AG,  a  corporation
organized  under the laws of Germany  (the  "Selling  Shareholder").  All of the
Shares  covered  hereby are to be sold by the Selling  Shareholder.  The Company
will not  receive  any of the  proceeds of sales made  hereunder.  The  expenses
incurred in registering the Shares, including legal and accounting fees, will be
borne by the Company.  None of the shares  offered  pursuant to this  Prospectus
have been registered prior to the filing of the Registration  Statement of which
this Prospectus is a part.

         The Shares offered hereby were acquired by the Selling Shareholder from
the Company in connection with an earnout payment relating to the acquisition by
the  Company of certain of the assets of the  Selling  Shareholder  and  certain
subsidiaries  of the  Selling  Shareholder  in August  1997.  The  Shares may be
offered  and sold  from  time to time by the  Selling  Shareholder  directly  or
through  broker-dealers or underwriters who may act solely as agents, or who may
acquire the Shares as principals. The distribution of the Shares may be effected
in one or more  transactions  that may take place  through  the Nasdaq  National
Market,  including block trades or ordinary  broker's  transactions,  or through
privately negotiated transactions,  or through a combination of any such methods
of sale, at market prices  prevailing at the time of sale, at prices  related to
such prevailing  market prices or at negotiated  prices.  Usual and customary or
specially  negotiated  brokerage fees or commissions  may be paid by the Selling
Shareholder in connection with such sales. See "Plan of Distribution."

         The Common  Stock of Pinnacle is traded on the Nasdaq  National  Market
under the symbol  "PCLE." On  September  15,  1998,  the closing sale price of a
share of Pinnacle's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market was $19.50.

         See "Risk  Factors" on page 5 for a discussion of certain  factors that
should be  considered  by  prospective  purchasers  of the Common Stock  offered
hereby.



<PAGE>


         The Selling  Shareholder  and any broker  executing  selling  orders on
behalf of the Selling  Shareholder may be deemed to be an  "underwriter"  within
the meaning of the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act").
Commissions  received  by any  such  broker  may be  deemed  to be  underwriting
commissions under the Securities Act.

                              --------------------

         No  person  is  authorized  to give  any  information  or to  make  any
representations,  other than those contained in this  Prospectus,  in connection
with the offering  described herein,  and, if given or made, such information or
representations  must  not be  relied  upon as  having  been  authorized  by the
Company. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation
of an offer to buy,  nor  shall  there  be any sale of these  securities  by any
person in any  jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such
offer,  solicitation  or sale.  Neither the delivery of this  Prospectus nor any
sale made hereunder shall under any circumstances create an implication that the
information  contained  herein is correct as of any time  subsequent to the date
hereof.

                              --------------------

         THESE   SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN  APPROVED  OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION NOR HAS
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED
UPON THE  ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS  PROSPECTUS.  ANY  REPRESENTATION  TO THE
CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

                              --------------------

                 The date of this Prospectus is _________, 1998

                                      -2-

<PAGE>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            Page
                                                                            ----
Available Information.......................................................  3
Information Incorporated by Reference.......................................  4
Forward Looking Information.................................................  4
The Company.................................................................  5
Risk Factors................................................................  5
Use of Proceeds............................................................. 11
Selling Shareholder......................................................... 11
Plan of Distribution........................................................ 12
Experts..................................................................... 13
Legal Matters............................................................... 13


                              AVAILABLE INFORMATION

         The  Company  is  subject  to  the  information   requirements  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and  in  accordance
therewith, files reports, proxy and information statements and other information
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission").  Such reports,
statements  and other  information  can be  inspected  and  copied at the public
reference  facilities  maintained by the  Commission at its office at Room 1034,
450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's regional
offices at  Northwestern  Atrium Center,  500 West Madison  Street,  Suite 1400,
Chicago, Illinois 60661 and 7 World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York
10048.  Copies of such  materials  can be  obtained  from the  Public  Reference
Section of the Commission,  450 Fifth Street, N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549, at
prescribed  rates.  The  Commission  also  maintains  a World Wide Web site that
contains  reports,  proxy  and  information  statements  and  other  information
regarding  registrants,  such as the Company,  that file electronically with the
Commission. The address of the site is http://www.sec.gov.  The Company's Common
Stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National  Market.  Reports,  proxy  statements and
other  information  concerning the Company can also be inspected at the National
Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc., 1735 K Street N.W.,  Washington,  D.C.
20002.

         The Company has filed with the Commission a  registration  statement on
Form S-3 (together with all amendments and exhibits  thereto,  the "Registration
Statement")  under the  Securities  Act with respect to the Common Stock offered
hereby. This Prospectus, which constitutes a part of the Registration Statement,
does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement,
certain parts of which are omitted in accordance  with the rules and regulations
of the Commission.  For further  information with respect to the Company and the
Common Stock offered hereby, reference is made to the Registration Statement and
to the exhibits and  schedules  filed  therewith.  Statements  contained in this
Prospectus  as to the  contents  of any  contract  or  other  document  are  not
necessarily complete, and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such
contract or other  document filed as an exhibit to the  Registration  Statement,
each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference.

                                      -3-

<PAGE>


                      INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

         There are hereby  incorporated  by  reference  in this  Prospectus  the
following documents and information heretofore filed with the Commission:

         1. the  Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1998;

         2. the  description  of the  Company's  Common  Stock  contained in its
Registration  Statement on Form 8-A as filed with the Commission on September 9,
1994; and

         3. the  description of the Company's  Preferred  Share Purchase  Rights
contained in its Registration Statement on Form 8-A as filed with the Commission
on December 19, 1996, as amended May 19, 1998.

         All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14
or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this  Prospectus and prior to the
termination of the offering of securities contemplated hereby shall be deemed to
be incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from the
date  of  filing  of such  documents.  Any  statement  contained  in a  document
incorporated  by  reference  or deemed to be  incorporated  by reference in this
Prospectus shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for all purposes of this
Prospectus to the extent that a statement  contained  herein,  therein or in any
subsequently  filed  document  which  also  is  incorporated  or  deemed  to  be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such
statement so modified or superseded  shall not be deemed,  except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.

         The Company hereby  undertakes to provide without charge to each person
to whom a copy of this Prospectus has been  delivered,  upon the written or oral
request of such person, a copy of any and all of the documents referred to above
which have been or may be incorporated  in this  Prospectus by reference  (other
than  exhibits  to  such  documents,   unless  such  exhibits  are  specifically
incorporated by reference therein).  Requests for such copies should be directed
to: Chief Financial Officer,  Pinnacle Systems, Inc., 280 North Bernardo Avenue,
Mountain View, California 94043; telephone number (650) 526-1600.


                           FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

         This  Prospectus,  including the information  incorporated by reference
herein, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of
the  Securities  Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act.  Actual  results could
differ  materially from those projected in the  forward-looking  statements as a
result of the risk factors set forth below.  Reference is made in  particular to
the  discussion  set  forth  under  "Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998,  incorporated  herein by reference.  In
connection with  forward-looking  statements which appear in these  disclosures,
prospective  purchasers  of the Common Stock  offered  hereby  should  carefully
consider the factors set forth in this Prospectus under "Risk Factors."

                                      -4-

<PAGE>


                                   THE COMPANY

         Pinnacle  Systems,   Inc.   ("Pinnacle"  or  the  "Company")   designs,
manufactures,  markets and supports video post-production tools for high quality
real time video  processing.  The Company's  products combine computer based and
specialized  video  processing  technologies  which  perform a variety  of video
post-production  functions such as the addition of special effects, graphics and
titles to multiple  streams of live or previously  recorded video material.  The
Company  has sold  over  10,000  post-production  systems  since  the  company's
inception in 1986 to customers  in more than 60  countries.  In 1994 the Company
introduced  Alladin,  its first PC-based  product that connected  directly to an
external computer and offered  real-time video  manipulation and special effects
capabilities with performance  comparable to traditional video products but at a
substantially  lower price.  The Company has since  introduced  additional video
products  which  address  needs in the  broadcast,  desktop and  consumer  video
post-production markets.

         The  Company  was  incorporated  in  California  in 1986.  The  Company
maintains its executive  offices at 280 North  Bernardo  Avenue,  Mountain View,
California 94043, and its telephone number is (650) 526-1600.


                                  RISK FACTORS

         Significant  Fluctuations in Operating Results. The Company's quarterly
and annual  operating  results  have in the past  varied  significantly  and are
expected to vary significantly in the future as a result of a number of factors,
including  the timing of  significant  orders  from and  shipments  to major OEM
customers,  in particular Avid Technology,  Inc. ("Avid"), the timing and market
acceptance  of new  products  or  technological  advances by the Company and its
competitors,  the Company's success in developing,  introducing and shipping new
products, such as AlladinPRO,  ReelTime,  DV300, DC50 and Studio 400, the mix of
distribution  channels through which the Company's products are sold, changes in
pricing  policies  by the  Company  and its  competitors,  the  accuracy  of the
Company's and resellers'  forecasts of end user demand, the timing and amount of
any  inventory  write  downs,  the ability of the  Company to obtain  sufficient
supplies   of  the  major   subassemblies   used  in  its   products   from  its
subcontractors,  the  ability of the Company  and its  subcontractors  to obtain
sufficient  supplies  of sole or limited  source  components  for the  Company's
products,  the  timing  and  level of  product  returns,  particularly  from the
consumer distribution channels, foreign currency fluctuations,  costs associated
with the acquisition of other companies,  businesses or products, the ability of
the Company to integrate acquired companies, businesses or products, such as the
product lines  acquired in the Company's  acquisition of the Digital Video Group
of Miro  Computer  Products AG (the "Miro  Acquisition"),  and general  economic
conditions,  both  domestically  and  internationally.  The Company's  operating
expense levels are based, in part, on its expectations of future revenue and, as
a result, net income would be disproportionately  affected by a shortfall in net
sales.

         The Company also  experiences  significant  fluctuations  in orders and
sales due to seasonal fluctuations, the timing of major trade shows and the sale
of consumer  products in anticipation of the holiday season.  Sales usually slow
down during the summer  months of July and  August,  especially  in Europe.  The
Company  attends a number of annual  trade shows which can  influence  the order
pattern  of  products,  including  the NAB  convention  held in  April,  the IBC
convention held in September and the COMDEX exhibition held in November.  Due to
these factors and the potential quarterly fluctuations in operating results, the
Company  believes  that   quarter-to-quarter   comparisons  of  its  results  of
operations  are not  necessarily  meaningful  and should  not be relied  upon as
indicators of future performance.

         Risks  Associated with Potential Future  Acquisitions.  In August 1997,
the Company completed the Miro Acquisition.  In addition,  the Company purchased
the Deko product line and technology  from Digital  GraphiX,  Inc. in April 1997
and the  VideoDirector  product line from Gold Disk,  Inc. in June 1996.  Future
acquisitions

                                      -5-

<PAGE>


by the Company may result in the diversion of  management's  attention  from the
day-to-day  operations of the Company's  business and may include numerous other
risks, including difficulties in the integration of the operations, products and
personnel of the acquired companies. Future acquisitions by the Company have the
potential to result in dilutive issuances of equity  securities,  the incurrence
of debt and  amortization  expenses  related to  goodwill  and other  intangible
assets. The Company management frequently evaluates the strategic  opportunities
available  to it and  may in the  near-  or  long-term  pursue  acquisitions  of
complementary businesses, products or technologies.

         Risks  Associated  with the Consumer  Market.  The Company  entered the
consumer  market with the  purchase of the  VideoDirector  product  line in June
1996.  The  Company  began  shipping  its first  internally  developed  consumer
product,  the  VideoDirector  Studio  200,  in March  1997 and began  shipping a
successor product, the Studio 400 in June 1998. In addition,  in connection with
the Miro  Acquisition  in August 1997,  the Company  acquired  certain of Miro's
consumer products,  as well as Miro's European sales  organization.  The Company
anticipates  expending  considerable  resources  to  develop,  market  and  sell
products into the consumer market. The Company has limited experience  marketing
and  selling  products  through  the  consumer  distribution   channels.  To  be
successful in this market,  the Company must  establish  and maintain  effective
consumer distribution channels including distributors,  electronic retail stores
and  telephone  and  Internet  orders.  Because many of the  Company's  consumer
products must be used with a personal  computer,  a camcorder and a VCR, none of
which is supplied by the Company, consumer acceptance will be adversely affected
to the  extent  end  users  experience  difficulties  installing  the  Company's
products with these other electronic components.  In addition, the Company faces
additional  or  increased  risks  associated  with  inventory  obsolescence  and
inventory  returns as products sold into the consumer channel  typically provide
stock  rotation and price  protection  rights to the  reseller.  There can be no
assurance that the consumer  video market will continue to develop,  or that the
Company can successfully  compete against current and future competitors in this
market. The failure of the Company to successfully  develop,  introduce and sell
products in this market could have a material  adverse  effect on the  Company's
business,  financial  condition and results of operations.  See "--Dependence on
Resellers; Absence of Direct Sales Force; Expansion of Distribution Channels."

         Concentration  of Sales to OEMs. The Company has been highly  dependent
on sales of its Alladin and Genie products to OEMs, in particular Avid. Sales to
Avid  accounted for  approximately  10.7% of net sales in fiscal 1998,  26.4% of
sales in  fiscal  1997,  and  43.3% of net sales in  fiscal  1996.  Though  this
concentration  has lessened  during the last two fiscal years, it still subjects
the  Company to a number of risks,  in  particular  the risk that its  operating
results will vary on a quarter-to-quarter basis as a result of variations in the
ordering patterns of OEM customers, in particular Avid. The Company's results of
operations  have in the past and  could in the  future be  materially  adversely
affected by the failure of anticipated  orders to  materialize,  by deferrals or
cancellations of orders, or if overall OEM demand were to decline.  For example,
since  sales  to Avid  began  in  fiscal  1996,  quarterly  sales  to Avid  have
fluctuated  substantially  from a high of $5.6 million to a low of $1.0 million,
and the Company anticipates that such fluctuations may continue. If sales to OEM
customers,  in  particular  Avid,  were to  decrease,  the  Company's  business,
financial  condition  and results of operations  could be  materially  adversely
affected.

         Technological   Change  and   Obsolescence;   Risks   Associated   with
Development  and  Introduction  of  New  Products.   The  video  post-production
equipment  industry is characterized by rapidly  changing  technology,  evolving
industry standards and frequent new product  introductions.  The introduction of
products  embodying new technologies or the emergence of new industry  standards
can render existing products  obsolete or unmarketable.  The development of new,
technologically   advanced  products  incorporating   proprietary  hardware  and
software is a complex and uncertain process requiring high levels of innovation,
as well as accurate

                                      -6-

<PAGE>


anticipation  of  technological  and market  trends.  The Company is  critically
dependent on the successful  introduction,  market  acceptance,  manufacture and
sale of new products that offer its customers  additional  features and enhanced
performance at competitive prices. These products include those that the Company
has recently introduced, such as DV300 and Reeltime, which began shipping in the
third fiscal  quarter of 1998,  as well as products  that began  shipping in the
fourth  fiscal  quarter of 1998,  such as  AlladinPRO,  Studio 400 and miroVIDEO
DC50. Once a new product is developed,  the Company must rapidly commence volume
production,   a  process  that  requires   accurate   forecasting   of  customer
requirements  and  the  attainment  of  acceptable   manufacturing   costs.  The
introduction of new or enhanced products also requires the Company to manage the
transition  from older,  displaced  products in order to minimize  disruption in
customer ordering patterns,  avoid excessive levels of older product inventories
and ensure that  adequate  supplies of new  products  can be  delivered  to meet
customer  demand.  For example,  the introduction of DVExtreme and Lightning has
resulted in a  significant  decline in sales of Prizm and  Flashfile and a write
down of  inventory.  The Company has  experienced  delays in the shipment of new
products in the past,  and these  delays  adversely  affected  sales of existing
products and results of operations.  Delays in the  introduction  or shipment of
new or enhanced  products,  the  inability of the Company to timely  develop and
introduce  such new products,  the failure of such products to gain  significant
market  acceptance or problems  associated  with new product  transitions  could
adversely  affect the  Company's  business,  financial  condition and results of
operations,  particularly on a quarterly basis. In addition,  as is typical with
any new product introduction, quality and reliability problems may arise and any
such  problems  could result in reduced  bookings,  manufacturing  rework costs,
delays in collecting accounts receivable,  additional service warranty costs and
a limitation on market acceptance of the product.

         Competition.   The  market  for  the   Company's   products  is  highly
competitive.  The  Company  anticipates  increased  competition  in  each of the
broadcast, desktop and consumer video production markets, particularly since the
industry is undergoing a period of consolidation.  Competition for the Company's
broadcast products is generally based on product performance, breadth of product
line, service and support,  market presence and price. The Company's competitors
in the broadcast market include companies with substantially  greater financial,
technical,  marketing,  sales  and  customer  support  resources,  greater  name
recognition and larger installed  customer bases than the Company.  In addition,
these  competitors  have  established  relationships  with current and potential
customers of the Company and some offer a wide variety of video  equipment which
can be bundled in certain large system sales. In the desktop market, the Company
faces competition from traditional video suppliers, providers of desktop editing
solutions,  video software applications,  and others. In addition,  suppliers of
video  manipulation  software may develop  products which compete  directly with
those of the Company.  The consumer  market in which  VideoDirector  Studio 200,
Studio 400 and certain miroVideo  products compete is an emerging market and the
sources of competition are not yet well defined.  There are several  established
video companies that are currently  offering  products or solutions that compete
directly or indirectly with the Company's consumer products by providing some or
all of the same  features  and video  editing  capabilities.  In  addition,  the
Company expects that existing manufacturers and new market entrants will develop
new,  higher  performance,  lower cost consumer  video products that may compete
directly  with  the  Company's  consumer  products.  The  Company  expects  that
potential  competition  in this  market is likely  to come from  existing  video
editing  companies,  software  application  companies,  or new entrants into the
market,  many of which have the  financial  resources,  marketing  and technical
ability to develop products for the consumer video market. Increased competition
in any of these markets could result in price  reductions,  reduced  margins and
loss of market share,  any of which could  materially  and adversely  affect the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.


         Dependence  on  Contract  Manufacturers  and Single or  Limited  Source
Suppliers.  The Company relies on  subcontractors  to  manufacture  its consumer
products and the major subassemblies of its broadcast and desktop

                                      -7-

<PAGE>


products.  The Company and its manufacturing  subcontractors  are dependent upon
single or limited source  suppliers for a number of components and parts used in
the Company's products, including certain key integrated circuits. The Company's
strategy  to rely on  subcontractors  and  single or  limited  source  suppliers
involves a number of significant  risks,  including the loss of control over the
manufacturing  process,  the potential absence of adequate  capacity,  potential
delays in lead times,  the  unavailability  of certain process  technologies and
reduced  control over  delivery  schedules,  manufacturing  yields,  quality and
costs. The Company and its subcontractors have in the past experienced delays in
receiving  adequate  supplies of sole source  components.  In the event that any
significant  subcontractor  or single or limited source suppliers were to become
unable or unwilling to continue to manufacture  these  subassemblies  or provide
critical components in required volumes,  the Company would have to identify and
qualify  acceptable   replacements  or  redesign  its  products  with  different
components.  No  assurance  can be given that any  additional  sources  would be
available to the Company or that product  redesign would be feasible on a timely
basis.  Also,  because  of the  reliance  on  these  single  or  limited  source
components,  the Company may be subject to increases in component  costs,  which
could have an adverse effect on the Company's business  financial  condition and
results of operations. Any extended interruption in the supply of or increase in
the cost of the  products,  subassemblies  or components  manufactured  by third
party  subcontractors  or suppliers  could  materially and adversely  affect the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

         Dependence  on Resellers;  Absence of Direct Sales Force;  Expansion of
Distribution  Channels. The Company distributes its products primarily through a
network of  dealers,  OEMs,  retailers  and other  resellers.  Accordingly,  the
Company  is  dependent  upon  these  resellers  to  assist in  promoting  market
acceptance of its products.  There can be no assurance that these dealers,  OEMs
and retailers will devote the resources necessary to provide effective sales and
marketing  support to the  Company.  The  Company's  dealers and  retailers  are
generally not contractually  committed to make future purchases of the Company's
products and therefore  could  discontinue  carrying the  Company's  products in
favor of a  competitor's  product or for any other  reason.  Because the Company
sells a significant portion of its products through dealers and retailers, it is
difficult to ascertain  current  demand for  existing  products and  anticipated
demand for newly introduced products such as DV300, ReelTime,  AlladinPro,  DC50
and Studio 400,  regardless  of the level of dealer  inventory for the Company's
products.  Moreover,  initial  orders  for a new  product  may be  caused by the
interest of dealers in having the latest  product on hand for  potential  future
sale to end users. As a result,  initial stocking orders for a new product, such
as DV300,  ReelTime,  AlladinPro,  DC50 and Studio 400 may not be  indicative of
long-term  end user  demand.  In  addition,  the Company is  dependent  upon the
continued viability and financial stability of these dealers and retailers, some
of which are small organizations with limited capital. The Company believes that
its future  growth and  success  will  continue to depend in large part upon its
dealer and retail channels.  Accordingly, if a significant number of its dealers
and/or retailers were to experience financial difficulties,  or otherwise become
unable or  unwilling to promote,  sell or pay for the  Company's  products,  the
Company's results of operations could be adversely affected.

         Recently, as the Company has increased its consumer products offerings,
the Company has expanded its  distribution  network to include several  consumer
channels,  including  large  distributors  of products to computer  software and
hardware  retailers,  which in turn sell products to end users. The Company also
sells its consumer products directly to some retailers. The Company's agreements
with retailers and distributors  generally obligate the Company to provide price
protection to such retailers and  distributors  and, while the agreements  limit
the conditions under which product can be returned to the Company,  there can be
no assurance that the Company will not be faced with significant product returns
or  price  protection   obligations.   In  the  event  the  Company  experiences
significant  product  returns or price  protection  obligations,  the  Company's
business,  financial  condition  and results of  operations  could be materially
adversely affected. There can be no assurance

                                      -8-

<PAGE>


that the distributors or retailers will continue to stock and sell the Company's
consumer products. Moreover,  distribution channels for consumer retail products
have  been   characterized  by  rapid  change  and  financial   difficulties  of
distributors. The termination of one or more of the Company's relationships with
retailers or retail  distributors  could have a material  adverse  effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations. To the extent
that the Company  successfully  establishes and expands its retail  distribution
channels,  its  agreements  or  arrangements  are unlikely to be  exclusive  and
retailers and retail distributors are likely to carry competing products. Any of
the  foregoing  events  could have a material  adverse  effect on the  Company's
business, financial condition and results of operations.

         Dependence on Key Personnel. The Company's success depends in part upon
the continued service of its senior management and key technical personnel. Only
one of the Company's senior management or key technical personnel is bound by an
employment  agreement  and none are the subject of key man life  insurance.  The
Company's  success is also  dependent  upon its  ability  to attract  and retain
qualified technical and managerial personnel. Significant competition exists for
such personnel and there can be no assurance that the Company can retain its key
technical  and  managerial  employees  or that  it  will  be  able  to  attract,
assimilate  and retain  such other  highly-qualified  technical  and  managerial
personnel  as may be  required  in the future.  There can be no  assurance  that
employees  will not leave the  Company  and  subsequently  compete  against  the
Company,  or that  contractors  will not perform services for competitors of the
Company.  If the  Company  is unable  to retain  key  personnel,  its  business,
financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

         Dependence on Proprietary Technology.  The Company's ability to compete
successfully  and achieve  future  revenue  growth will depend,  in part, on its
ability to protect its proprietary technology and operate without infringing the
intellectual  property rights of others.  The Company relies on a combination of
patent,  copyright,  trademark  and trade  secret  laws and  other  intellectual
property protection methods to protect its proprietary technology.  In addition,
the Company generally enters into  confidentiality and nondisclosure  agreements
with its employees and OEM  customers and limits access to and  distribution  of
its  proprietary  technology.  The  Company  currently  holds two United  States
patents  covering  certain aspects of its technologies for digital video effects
and has an  application  pending for a third  patent.  There can be no assurance
that the Company's pending patent application or any future patent  applications
will be  allowed  or  that  issued  patents  will  provide  the  Company  with a
competitive advantage.  In addition,  there can be no assurance that others will
not independently  develop  substantially  equivalent  intellectual  property or
otherwise gain access to the Company's trade secrets or  intellectual  property,
or disclose such intellectual property or trade secrets, or that the Company can
meaningfully  protect  its  intellectual  property.  A failure by the Company to
meaningfully  protect its  intellectual  property could have a material  adverse
effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

         Risks of Third-Party Claims of Infringement. There has been substantial
litigation  regarding patent,  trademark and other intellectual  property rights
involving technology  companies.  In the future,  litigation may be necessary to
enforce  any  patents  issued to the  Company,  to  protect  its trade  secrets,
trademarks and other  intellectual  property rights owned by the Company,  or to
defend the Company against claimed  infringement.  Any such litigation  could be
costly and may result in a diversion of management's attention,  either of which
could  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,  financial
condition and results of operations.  Adverse  determination  in such litigation
could  result  in the loss of the  Company's  proprietary  rights,  subject  the
Company to  significant  liabilities,  require the Company to seek licenses from
third parties or prevent the Company from manufacturing or selling its products,
any of which could have a material  adverse  effect on the  Company's  business,
financial  condition and results of  operations.  In the course of its business,
the  Company  has in the  past  and  may in the  future  receive  communications
asserting that the Company's  products  infringe

                                      -9-

<PAGE>


patents or other  intellectual  property rights of third parties.  The Company's
policy  is to  investigate  the  factual  basis  of such  communications  and to
negotiate licenses where appropriate.  While it may be necessary or desirable in
the  future to  obtain  licenses  relating  to one or more of its  products,  or
relating to current or future  technologies,  there can be no assurance that the
Company will be able to do so on commercially  reasonable terms or at all. There
can be no  assurance  that such  communications  can be settled on  commercially
reasonable  terms  or that  they  will  not  result  in  protracted  and  costly
litigation.

         International  Sales Risks.  Sales of the Company's products outside of
North America represented  approximately 57.6%, 39.7% and 38.7% of the Company's
net sales in fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively.  The Company expects that
international  sales will continue to represent a significant portion of its net
sales, particularly in light of it's increased European sales as a result of the
Miro  Acquisition  and the  addition of the Miro  European  sales  channel.  The
Company makes foreign currency  denominated sales in many,  primarily  European,
countries,   exposing  itself  to  risks   associated  with  currency   exchange
fluctuations.  Although the dollar amount of such foreign  currency  denominated
sales was nominal during fiscal 1997, it increased  substantially  during fiscal
1998,  especially  for sales of consumer and desktop  products  into Europe.  In
fiscal 1999 any  beyond,  the Company  expects  that a majority of its  European
sales will be denominated  in local foreign  currency.  International  sales and
operations may also be subject to risks such as the  imposition of  governmental
controls,  export license  requirements,  restrictions on the export of critical
technology,   generally  longer   receivable   collection   periods,   political
instability,  trade restrictions,  changes in tariffs,  difficulties in staffing
and managing  international  operations,  potential  insolvency of international
dealers  and  difficulty  in  collecting  accounts  receivable.  There can be no
assurance  that these  factors will not have an adverse  effect on the Company's
future  international  sales  and,  consequently,  on  the  Company's  business,
financial condition and results of operations.

         Year 2000 Compliance. Like many other companies, the Year 2000 computer
issue creates risks for Pinnacle  Systems.  If internal systems do not correctly
recognize and process date  information  beyond the Year 1999, there could be an
adverse impact on the Company's  operations.  There are two other related issues
which could also lead to incorrect  calculations  or failures,  i) some systems'
programming  assigns special meaning to certain dates,  such as 9/9/99,  and ii)
the Year  2000 is a leap  year.  To  address  these  Year 2000  issues  with its
internal systems,  the Company has initiated a program designed to deal with the
Company's internal management  information  systems.  Assessment and remediation
are  proceeding in parallel and the Company  currently  plans to have changes to
those  management and critical systems  completed and tested by mid-1999.  These
activities are intended to encompass all major categories of systems used by the
Company,  including  manufacturing,  sales and financial systems. The Company is
also working with key suppliers of products and services to determine that their
operations  and products are Year 2000  capable,  or to monitor  their  progress
toward  Year 2000  capability.  In  addition,  the  Company  has begun  internal
discussions  concerning  contingency planning to address potential problem areas
with internal systems and with suppliers and other third parties. It is expected
that  assessment,  remediation  and  contingency  planning  activities  will  be
on-going  throughout 1998 and 1999 with the goal of appropriately  resolving all
material  internal systems and third party issues.  The Company also has begun a
program to assess the  capability  of its  products to handle the Year 2000.  To
assist customers in evaluating their Year 2000 issues,  the Company is currently
assessing the  capability  of its current  products and products no longer being
produced,  to handle the Year 2000,  and expects to complete that  assessment by
early 1999.  Products will be assigned to one of the four following  categories:
"Year 2000  Compliant",  "Year 2000  Compliant  with  minor  issues"  "Year 2000
non-compliant",  "No evaluation done - will not test".  Testing has not yet been
completed, but based on preliminary tests, the Company believes that all current
products  shipping,  which run under Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 95, will be
"Year 2000  compliant".  Testing of older products which are no longer  shipping
has only recently been  initiated and the Company  considers it likely that some
older products may not be Year 2000 Compliant.

                                      -10-

<PAGE>


         Except as implied in any Limited Product Warranty, the Company does not
believe it is legally  responsible  for costs  incurred by customers  related to
ensuring  their Year 2000  capability.  Nevertheless,  the Company is  incurring
various costs to provide  customer  support and customer  satisfaction  services
regarding Year 2000 issues and it is anticipated  that these  expenditures  will
continue through 1999 and thereafter.  As used by Pinnacle  Systems,  "Year 2000
Compliant"  means that when used  properly  and in  conformity  with the product
information  provided by the Company,  and when used with "Year 2000  Compliant"
computer systems, the product will accurately store, display,  process, provide,
and/or  receive data from,  into,  and between the  twentieth  and  twenty-first
centuries, including leap year calculations,  provided that all other technology
used in combination with the Pinnacle  Systems product  properly  exchanges date
data with the Pinnacle  Systems  product.  The costs incurred to date related to
these  programs have not been  material.  The cost which will be incurred by the
Company regarding the implementation of Year 2000 compliant internal information
systems,  testing of current or older  products  for Year 2000  compliance,  and
answering  and  responding  to customer  requests  related to Year 2000  issues,
including both incremental spending and redeployed  resources,  is currently not
expected to exceed $500,000.  The total cost estimate does not include potential
costs  related to any customer or other claims or the cost of internal  software
and hardware replaced in the normal course of business.  In some instances,  the
installation  schedule of new  software  and  hardware  in the normal  course of
business is being  accelerated to also afford a solution to Year 2000 capability
issues.  The total  cost  estimate  is based on the  current  assessment  of the
projects  and is subject to change as the project  progress.  Based on currently
available  information,  management  does not believe that the Year 2000 matters
discussed  above related to internal  systems or products sold to customers will
have a material adverse impact on the Company's  financial  condition or overall
trends in results of  operations;  however,  it is  uncertain to what extent the
Company may be affected by such matters. In addition,  there can be no assurance
that the failure to ensure Year 2000  capability  by a supplier or another third
party would not have a material adverse effect on the Company.

         No  Assurance  that Company Can Manage  Growth.  The Company has in the
past experienced rapid growth. For example, net sales in fiscal 1998 were $105.3
million compared to $37.5 million and fiscal 1997. The Company  anticipates that
it may grow at a rapid pace in the future.  Such growth could cause  significant
strain on management and other  resources.  The Company's  ability to manage its
growth  effectively  will  require  it to  continue  to  improve  and expand its
management,  operational  and  financial  systems and  controls.  As a result of
recent  acquisitions,  the Company  has  increased  the number of its  employees
substantially,   which   increases  the  difficulty  in  managing  the  Company,
particularly as employees are now geographically  dispersed in North America and
Europe. If the Company's management is unable to manage growth effectively,  the
Company's ability to retain key personnel and its business,  financial condition
and results of operations could be adversely affected.


                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

         The Company will not receive any  proceeds  from the sale of the Shares
by the Selling Shareholder.


                               SELLING SHAREHOLDER

         Miro  Computer  Products AG (the  "Selling  Shareholder")  acquired the
Shares in connection  with an earnout payment  relating to the acquisition  (the
"Acquisition")  by  the  Company  of  certain  of  the  assets  of  the  Selling
Shareholder and certain of its  subsidiaries  effective  August 31, 1997. All of
the Shares offered hereby are being sold by the Selling Shareholder.  The Shares
held by the Selling  Shareholder  represent  approximately 3% of the outstanding
shares  of the  Company's  Common  Stock  as of  September  15,  1998  and  upon
completion  of this  offering,  the  Selling  Shareholder  will  own none of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock of Pinnacle.

                                      -11-

<PAGE>


         Pursuant to the terms of the Registration  Rights Agreement dated as of
August 29, 1997 (the "Registration  Rights Agreement"),  between the Company and
the Selling  Shareholder,  the Company undertook to use commercially  reasonable
efforts to register the Shares held by the Selling  Shareholder  within fourteen
days of the date of  issuance  of shares in  connection  with the closing of the
Acquisition.   The   Registration   Rights   Agreement  also  includes   certain
indemnification arrangements with the Selling Shareholder. Pursuant to the terms
of the  Registration  Rights  Agreement,  the Selling  Shareholder has agreed to
effect any sale of shares covered by the Registration  Rights Agreement  through
the offices of Hambrecht & Quist.


                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

         The Shares may be sold from time to time by the Selling  Shareholder or
by pledgees, donees, transferees or other successors in interest. Such sales may
be made in any one or more transactions  (which may involve block  transactions)
on the Nasdaq  National  Market,  or any  exchange on which the Common Stock may
then be  listed,  in the  over-the-counter  market or  otherwise  in  negotiated
transactions  or a  combination  of such  methods  of  sale,  at  market  prices
prevailing  at the time of sale,  at prices  related to such  prevailing  market
prices  or at  negotiated  prices.  The  Selling  Shareholder  may  effect  such
transactions  by  selling  shares  to  or  through   broker-dealers,   and  such
broker-dealers  may sell the  Shares  as agent or may  purchase  such  Shares as
principal  and resell  them for their own account  pursuant to this  Prospectus.
Such  broker-dealers  may  receive  compensation  in the  form  of  underwriting
discounts,  concessions  or  commissions  from the  Selling  Shareholder  and/or
purchasers the Shares, for whom they may act as agent (which compensation may be
in excess of customary commissions).  In connection with such sales, the Selling
Shareholder  and any  participating  brokers  or  dealers  may be  deemed  to be
"underwriters" as defined in the Securities Act.

         The  Registration  Rights  Agreement  provides  that the  Company  will
indemnify  the  Selling  Shareholder  against  certain  liabilities,   including
liabilities under the Securities Act.

         The  Company  may  suspend  the use of this  Prospectus  for a discrete
period of time,  not exceeding 30 days, if, in the good faith  determination  of
its Board of  Directors,  a  development  has occurred or condition  exists as a
result  of which  the  Registration  Statement  or the  Prospectus  contains  or
incorporates by reference a material misstatement or omission, the correction of
which would require the premature  disclosure of confidential  information  that
would, in the good faith determination of the Board of Directors, materially and
adversely affect the Company. The Company may not exercise this delay right more
than once in any twelve-month  period.  The Company is obligated in the event of
such  suspension  to use its  reasonable  efforts to ensure  that the use of the
Prospectus may be resumed as soon as  practicable.  This offering will terminate
on the  earliest of (a) two years from the date of issuance of the Shares or (b)
the date on which all  Shares  offered  hereby  have  been  sold by the  Selling
Shareholder  or (c) such time as all of the  shares  can be sold by the  Selling
Shareholder within a three-month period without compliance with the registration
requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Rule 144 thereunder.

         Any  securities  covered  by this  Prospectus  which  qualify  for sale
pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under that Rule rather
than pursuant to this Prospectus.

         There can be no assurance that the Selling Shareholder will sell any or
all of the shares of Common Stock offered by it hereunder.

                                      -12-

<PAGE>


                                     EXPERTS

         The consolidated financial statements and schedule of the Company as of
June 30, 1998 and 1997 and for each of the years in the three-year  period ended
June 30, 1998 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the Registration
Statement in reliance  upon the reports of KPMG Peat  Marwick  LLP,  independent
auditors,  and are  incorporated  by  reference  herein  in  reliance  upon  the
authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.


                                  LEGAL MATTERS

         The  validity  of the shares of Common  Stock  offered  hereby has been
passed upon for the Company by Wilson  Sonsini  Goodrich & Rosati,  Professional
Corporation, Palo Alto, California.

                                      -13-

<PAGE>


                                     PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

         The following  table sets forth the costs and expenses,  payable by the
Company  in  connection  with the sale of Common  Stock  being  registered.  All
amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee and Nasdaq National Market
listing fee.


                                                          Amount to be
                                                              Paid
                                                          -----------

SEC registration fee....................................  $     1,839
Nasdaq National market listing fee......................        5,867
Printing expenses.......................................       10,000
Legal fees and expenses.................................       10,000
Accounting fees and expenses............................        7,500
Miscellaneous expenses..................................        4,794
                                                          -----------
     Total..............................................  $    40,000
                                                          ===========


Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

         As permitted by Section  204(a) of the California  General  Corporation
Law, the Registrant's Articles of Incorporation  eliminate a director's personal
liability for monetary  damages to the Registrant and its  shareholders  arising
from a breach or alleged breach of the  director's  fiduciary  duty,  except for
liability  arising  under  Sections  310  and  316  of  the  California  General
Corporation Law or liability for (i) acts or omissions that involve  intentional
misconduct or knowing and culpable violation of law, (ii) acts or omissions that
a director  believes to be contrary to the best  interests of the  Registrant or
its  shareholders  or that  involve the absence of good faith on the part of the
director,  (iii) any  transaction  from  which a director  derived  an  improper
personal benefit,  (iv) acts or omissions that show a reckless disregard for the
director's duty to the Registrant or its  shareholders in circumstances in which
the director  was aware,  or should have been aware,  in the ordinary  course of
performing a director's duties, of a risk of serious injury to the Registrant or
its shareholders,  (v) acts or omissions that constitute an unexcused pattern of
inattention  that  amounts  to an  abdication  of  the  director's  duty  to the
Registrant  or  its  shareholders,  (vi)  interested  transactions  between  the
corporation  and a  director  in  which  a  director  has a  material  financial
interest, and (vii) liability for improper  distributions,  loans or guarantees.
This  provision  does  not  eliminate  the  directors'  duty  of  care,  and  in
appropriate  circumstances  equitable  remedies  such as an  injunction or other
forms of non-monetary relief would remain available under California law.

         Sections  204(a)  and 317 of the  California  General  Corporation  Law
authorize a corporation  to indemnify  its  directors,  officers,  employees and
other agents in terms  sufficiently broad to permit  indemnification  (including
reimbursement for expenses) under certain  circumstances for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act. The Registrant's  Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
contain provisions  covering  indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by
the California  General  Corporation  Law of corporate  directors,  officers and
other agents against certain  liabilities  and expenses  incurred as a result of
proceedings  involving such persons in their  capacities as directors,  officers
employees  or agents,  including  proceedings  under the  Securities  Act or the
Exchange Act. The Company has entered into  Indemnification  Agreements with its
directors and executive officers.

         The  Registration  Rights Agreement dated as of August 29, 1997, by and
between the Registrant  and Miro Computer  Products AG provides that the Company
will  indemnify  the Selling  Shareholder  identified  therein  against  certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

                                      II-1

<PAGE>


         At present,  there is no pending  litigation or proceeding  involving a
director,   officer,  employee  or  other  agent  of  the  Registrant  in  which
indemnification  is being sought,  nor is the Registrant aware of any threatened
litigation  that may  result in a claim  for  indemnification  by any  director,
officer, employee or other agent of the Registrant.

Item 16. Exhibits

Exhibit No.    Description
- -----------    -----------
   4.2*        Registration  Rights  Agreement  dated  August  29,  1997  by and
               between the Registrant and Miro Computer Products AG.
   5.1         Opinion  of  Wilson  Sonsini  Goodrich  &  Rosati,   Professional
               Corporation.
   23.1        Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  certified  public
               accountants.
   23.2        Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1).
   24.1        Power of Attorney (See II-5).
- ----------------
*Incorporated by reference to the exhibits to the Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (File No. 333-35601) filed by the Registrant on September 15, 1997.

Item 17. Undertakings

         The Registrant hereby undertakes:

         1. To file,  during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

            (a) To include any  prospectus  required by Section  10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act;

            (b) To reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events arising after
the  effective  date  of  the   Registration   Statement  (or  the  most  recent
post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or in the  aggregate,
represent a fundamental  change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement;

            (c) To include any material  information with respect to the plan of
distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in the  Registration  Statement or any
material change to such  information in the  Registration  Statement;  provided,
however,  that  paragraphs  (a) and (b)  above do not  apply if the  information
required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs  is
contained  in periodic  reports  filed by the Company  pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act") that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

         2.  That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         3. To remove from  registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         The undersigned  registrant  hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of
determining  any liability  under the Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  each
filing of the  Registrant's  annual report  pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act, (and,  where  applicable,  each filing of an employee
benefit plan's annual

                                      II-2

<PAGE>


report  pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is  incorporated  by
reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities  offered therein,  and the offering of such
securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the  initial  bona fide  offering
thereof.

         The undersigned  registrant hereby undertakes to deliver or cause to be
delivered with the prospectus,  to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or
given,  the latest annual  report to security  holders that is  incorporated  by
reference  in  the  prospectus  and  furnished   pursuant  to  and  meeting  the
requirements  of Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3 under the  Exchange  Act;  and,  where
interim  financial  information  required  to  be  presented  by  Article  3  of
Regulation S-X are not set forth in the prospectus,  to deliver,  or cause to be
delivered  to each person to whom the  prospectus  is sent or given,  the latest
quarterly  report  that  is  specifically   incorporated  by  reference  in  the
prospectus to provide such interim financial information.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be  permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,  the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such  indemnification  is
against  public  policy as expressed in the  Securities  Act and is,  therefore,
unenforceable.  In the  event  that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such
liabilities  (other than the payment by the  Registrant of expenses  incurred or
paid by a  director,  officer or  controlling  person of the  Registrant  in the
successful  defense of any  action,  suit or  proceeding)  is  asserted  by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as  expressed  in the  Securities  Act and will be  governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

         The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from
the form of Prospectus filed as part of this Registration  Statement in reliance
upon Rule 430A and  contained in a form of  prospectus  filed by the  Registrant
pursuant to Rule  424(b)(1) or (4), or 497(h) under the  Securities Act shall be
deemed to be part of this Registration  Statement as of the time it was declared
effective.

                                      II-3

<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-3 and has  duly  caused  this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized,  in the City of Mountain View, State of California, on the 18th
day of September, 1998.


                                             PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.


                                             By: /s/ Arthur D. Chadwick
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                 Arthur D. Chadwick
                                                 Vice President, Finance and
                                                 Administration, Chief Financial
                                                 Officer

                                      II-4

<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL  PERSONS  BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that  each  such  person  whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints, jointly and severally, Mark L.
Sanders and Arthur D.  Chadwick  his  attorneys-in-fact,  each with the power of
substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this

         Registration   Statement   on  Form   S-3   (including   post-effective
amendments), to sign any registration statement for the same offering covered by
this Registration Statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule
462(b)  promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file the same, with
all exhibits  thereto and other  documents  in  connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission,  thereby  ratifying and confirming all that
each of said  attorneys-in-fact,  or his substitute or substitutions,  may do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

<TABLE>
         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this  Registration  Statement  has been signed by the  following  persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:

<CAPTION>
Signature                                Title                                                Date
- ---------                                -----                                                ----
<S>                                      <C>                                                  <C>
  /s/ MARK L. SANDERS                    President, Chief Executive Officer and Director      September 18, 1998
- ---------------------------              (Principal Executive Officer)
Mark L. Sanders


  /s/ ARTHUR D. CHADWICK                 Vice President, Finance and Administration and       September 18, 1998
- ---------------------------              Chief Financial Officer (Principal  Financial
Arthur D. Chadwick                       and Accounting Officer)


    /s/ AJAY CHOPRA                      Chairman of the Board, Vice President, Desktop       September 18, 1998
- ---------------------------              Products
Ajay Chopra


  /s/ JOHN LEWIS                         Director                                             September 18, 1998
- ---------------------------
John Lewis


  /s/ CHARLES J. VAUGHAN                 Director                                             September 18, 1998
- ---------------------------
Charles J. Vaughan


                                         Director
- ---------------------------
Nyal D. McMullin


  /s/ GLENN E. PENISTEN                  Director                                             September 18, 1998
- ---------------------------
Glenn E. Penisten


  /s/ L. GREGORY BALLARD                 Director                                             September 18, 1998
- ---------------------------
L. Gregory Ballard
</TABLE>

                                                       II-5

<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.    Description
- -----------    -----------
    4.2*       Registration  Rights  Agreement  dated  August  29,  1997  by and
               between the Registrant and Miro Computer Products AG.
    5.1        Opinion  of  Wilson  Sonsini  Goodrich  &  Rosati,   Professional
               Corporation.
   23.1        Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP,  independent  certified  public
               accountants.
   23.2        Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1).
   24.1        Power of Attorney (See II-5).

- -----------------
*Incorporated by reference to the exhibits to the Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (File No. 333-35601) filed by the Registrant on September 15, 1997.

                                      II-6




                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                [LETTERHEAD OF WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI]

                               September 18, 1998


Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
280 North Bernardo Avenue
Mountain View, California 94043

         RE:      Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have examined the Registration  Statement on Form S-3 to be filed by
you with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  on  September  18, 1998 (the
"Registration  Statement"),  in  connection  with  the  registration  under  the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  of 293,346 shares of your Common Stock,  no
par value (the  "Shares"),  all of which are authorized and have been previously
issued  to  the  Selling  Shareholder  named  therein  in  connection  with  the
acquisition  by the Company of certain of the assets and  assumption  of certain
liabilities of the Selling Shareholder and certain wholly-owned  subsidiaries of
the Selling Shareholder. The Shares are to be offered by the Selling Shareholder
for sale to the  public as  described  in the  Registration  Statement.  As your
counsel in connection  with this  transaction,  we have examined the proceedings
taken and proposed to be taken in connection with the sale of the Shares.

         It is our opinion that, upon completion of the proceedings  being taken
or contemplated to be taken prior to the  registration of the Shares,  including
such proceedings to be carried out in accordance with the securities laws of the
various states, where required,  the Shares, when sold in the manner referred to
in the Registration  Statement,  will be legally and validly issued,  fully paid
and nonassessable.

         We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement,  and further consent to the use of our name wherever appearing in the
Registration  Statement,  including the Prospectus  constituting a part thereof,
and any amendment thereto.


                                            Very truly yours,

                                            /s/ WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI

                                            WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI
                                            Professional Corporation





                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1

The Board of Directors
Pinnacle Systems, Inc.:

We consent to  incorporation  by  reference  herein of our report dated July 21,
1998, relating to the consolidated balance sheets of Pinnacle Systems,  Inc. and
subsidiaries  as of  June  30,  1998  and  1997,  and the  related  consolidated
statements of operations,  comprehensive income,  stockholders' equity, and cash
flows for each of the years in the  three-year  period ended June 30, 1998,  and
the related financial statement  schedule,  which reports appear in the June 30,
1998,  annual report on Form 10-K of Pinnacle  Systems,  Inc. We also consent to
the  reference  to our firm  under the  heading  "Experts"  in the  registration
statement.


/s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP


Mountain View, California
September 16, 1998




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