C-Cube Delivers Real-Time Digital Video Encoding to Consumer PC Applications with Introduction of Low-Cost Encoder Chip Family; C-Cube's CLM41xx Product Family Transforms Digital Video on the PC Into an Active Data Type for Internet, Desktop Video, and CD-Authoring Applications.

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 21, 1996--C-Cube Microsystems Inc. (NASDAQ: CUBE), the leader in digital video compression technology, introduced its new CLM41xx family of real-time, low-cost MPEG-1 encoders, transforming video on the PC into an active, consumer-friendly data type for mainstream PC users.

C-Cube is applying its core expertise in professional quality digital video encoding chipsets to the computer platform, setting a new price/performance standard for stand-alone MPEG encoding solutions on the PC. By enabling manufacturers and OEMs to develop high-quality, easy-to-use, digital video encoding products, video now becomes a compelling tool for applications such as PC entertainment, Internet, presentations, home video editing, and VideoCD mastering.

Leading PC and multimedia companies, such as Data Translation, Digital Video Systems, IPC, L.A. Vision, Newcom, Optibase and Telemedia have adopted C-Cube's new encoders to develop easy-to-use MPEG encoding board-level solutions. In addition, leading software products such as Astound's Studio M multimedia greeting software and Astound 4.0 multimedia presentation software, Cinax Designs' iFilmEdit MPEG clip editor, InterActual Technologies' VideoSaver Pro MPEG screen saver, and QDesign's i-Media Audio MPEG audio compression software support the CLM41XX family and MPEG as a multimedia data type for PC and Internet users.

C-Cube's CLM41xx family consists of the CLM4111 Consumer PC Video Encoder, the CLM4110 Desktop Editing Encoder and the CLM4120 Professional Authoring Encoder. C-Cube's new encoder chips are based on the company's programmable VideoRISC encoder architecture, the de-facto standard for high-quality MPEG encoding, providing a flexible and expandable platform to address a broad range of PC video applications.

"By driving our proven digital video encoding technology into the consumer PC and pro-sumer space, C-Cube is enabling compelling consumer video applications on the PC," said Alex Daly, vice president of marketing for C-Cube Microsystems. "With MPEG software decode capability standard on most PCs, C-Cube's new low-cost encoders provide a key piece of the puzzle to enable PC users to incorporate full-motion video into Internet websites, presentations and multimedia software applications that can be easily viewed by many PC users. Video can now become an active data type on the PC platform."

"Digital video is ready for prime-time on the PC platform," said Fred Molinari, President of Data Translation. "C-Cube is enabling products such as Data Translations Broadway MPEG encoder board to empower PC users to create, edit and compress professional-looking video for presentations and computer-based training that can now be distributed easily via CD-R, the Internet and Intranet."

CLM4111 Consumer Video Encoder

The CLM4111 is a single chip, real-time, one-pass MPEG IPB encoder that will enable new consumer PC applications such as video-based website authoring, videotape-to-CDR archiving, video e-mail, and MPEG screen savers. The CLM4111 can compress SIF (320/352x240/288) and QCIF (160/176x112/114) resolution video sequences in real-time at controlled bit rates ranging from 100kbps to 3Mbps, depending on the desired picture quality and level of compression. The 80MHz CLM4111 is packaged in a 208-PQFP with power dissipation of less than 1 Watt. The CLM4111 is available immediately and is priced at $75 each in volume.

"Until now, MPEG has been a playback-only data-type on the PC," said Dr. Ash Pahwa, Chief Executive Officer of L.A. Vision. "C-Cube is enabling a new generation of PC products by delivering a high-quality, yet affordable, real-time encoding solution for the consumer market. Our C-Cube based Genie encoder board is one of the first solutions to address this burgeoning market. We believe MPEG encoder boards will penetrate the same retail space that sound cards did several years ago, transforming the utility of video in the PC market."

CLM4110 Desktop Editing Encoder

The CLM4110 Desktop Editing Encoder is a single chip MPEG encoder that combines video editing functionality with CLM4111's MPEG-1 real-time encoding. Developed for video editing on the PC, the CLM4110 contains a special VideoRISC microcode set that captures video into an editable MPEG format before it is re-encoded into a compressed format for distribution on CD-R, the Internet or back out to VHS tape. The CLM4110 captures high quality MPEG I-frame video in real-time, supports AVI editors, and re-encodes it to full IPB format in a second pass for distribution purposes. This two-step process can be achieved in approximately three-times real-time. The 80MHz CLM4110 is available immediately and is priced at $95 each in volume.

CLM4120 Professional Authoring Encoder

The CLM4120 is a professional quality, real-time two-chip encoder solution for professional CD mastering and VideoCD authoring applications. This chipset offers full IBP encoding at 24/25/30 fps, scene fade and change detection, and enhanced filtering and pre-processing that are fundamental requirements for the professional software title developer. The CLM4120 chipset is available immediately at a price of $190 each in volume.

Author Lite Reference Design

C-Cube has also developed Author-Lite, a highly integrated reference based on the company's CLM4111 real-time encoder that is targeted at manufacturers of PC add-in boards. Author Lite is a 3/4 length PCI card that enables users to capture and compress video from analog video sources such as camcorders, VCR decks and laser disk players. Captured video is digitized, compressed and stored into memory as a synchronized MPEG-1 system bitstream. The Author-Lite also supports simultaneous audio capture through a sound card and integrates QDesign's i-Media audio compression library to support real-time audio compression.

The board is equipped with a consumer-friendly recorder applet that uses "VCR-like" control buttons to easily guide the user through the video encoding process. Once captured and encoded, these digital bitstreams can be used as a data format for a variety of software applications that support MPEG video file formats. The Author-Lite reference design kit includes the PCI board, schematics, software evaluation bundles, gerber files, detailed bill of materials and a documentation binder. This reference design kit is available immediately at a price of $5,000.

About C-Cube Microsystems

C-Cube is the leading provider of digital video semiconductor solutions which implement international standards for digital video, including MPEG 1 and MPEG 2. C-Cube's Emmy award-winning encoder chips form the heart of digital video networks worldwide. DiviCom Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of C-Cube Microsystems and is a leading developer of digital video networking systems for broadcast communications applications.

C-Cube Microsystems is headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., and has offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. The company employs 639 people worldwide. Its stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol CUBE. C-Cube can be reached at 408/944-6300 or on the World Wide Web at http://www.c-cube.com. -0-

Note to Editors: The C-Cube logo is a registered trademark of C-Cube Microsystems Inc. C-Cube is a trademark of C-Cube Microsystems Inc.

CONTACT: C-Cube Microsystems

Mary Sharpless-Giani, 408/944-8628

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