Cirrus Takes Aim at Digital Video Recording Leadership; Platform Solution Enables Sub-$500 DVD +RW Recorder Products For Widespread Consumer Adoption.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

2003 International CES

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2003

Focusing on early leadership in the fast-growing digital video recording market, Cirrus Logic, Inc. (Nasdaq:CRUS) today revealed the semiconductor industry's most comprehensive, feature-rich and cost-effective DVD +RW recording platform solution. This fully functional reference platform - which is based upon Cirrus Logic's flagship DVD processor, the CS98200, and its leadership video encoding solution, the CS92288 MPEG A/V codec - is designed to help consumer electronics manufacturers accelerate widespread adoption of DVD +RW recording products.

"To win in the early stages of a new market, two things are required - a robust, working solution and cost competitiveness to make device prices affordable for the volume consumer market," said Terry Leeder, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Cirrus. "Customers are coming to us because we have both, and that's why we will capture an early market lead in digital video recording."

Devices that offer the capability to record digital content, whether through DVD recorders that record to DVD disc media or Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) that record content onto hard disk drives - or units that combine both capabilities - are expected to become the fastest growing segment in digital entertainment during the next several years, with many analysts predicting possible unit sales ranging from 14 to 18 million by 2005. These devices will allow consumers to upgrade more than 30 years of VCR technology and begin to store and view content in the digital domain.

"DVD recording will be the big story in consumer electronics in 2003, and semiconductor companies that can provide manufacturers with comprehensive silicon and software platforms and help them get to market quickly stand to benefit," said Michelle Abraham, senior analyst, In-Stat/MDR. "Cirrus Logic's DVD recording platform gives manufactures a ready-made, cost effective solution that will help them stimulate consumer demand by making possible sub-$500 DVD recorders by spring 2003."

Current generation DVD recorders are expensive, with retail prices ranging from U.S. $699 to more than $2,000; however, Cirrus' DVD +R/W platform is expected to enable the industry's first sub-$500 DVD +RW recording device by spring 2003. The DVD+RW format offers a consumer-friendly operation and is emerging as a leading standard in the DVD recording market, due in large part to its compatibility with existing DVD standards.

The showpiece of Cirrus' DVD +R/W recording platform is the CS98200, which is the industry's highest performance DVD processor. DVD recording devices featuring the CS98200 can utilize its support of a wide-range of enhanced consumer features, such as DVD-Audio, MPEG-4 simple profile support, and Enhanced DVD technology - which provides access to Web-based interactive content through a broadband-enabled DVD device. Cirrus' CS92288 encoding solution provides high-quality video recording over a very wide range of bitrates, enabling consumers to enjoy up to six hours of high-quality content on DVD recordable media while retaining compatibility with the installed base of DVD players. Companion Cirrus audio codecs complete the reference platform.

To further accelerate manufacturer's time to market, Cirrus Logic is cooperating with major DVD recording drive manufacturers to integrate their drives into the Cirrus platform. Cirrus has achieved significant market acceptance with its DVD player and receiver platforms in Asia, where much of the production of the next-generation of DVD products will occur.

Cirrus' advancements in digital entertainment technology help manufacturers give consumers greater options than ever before to access, archive and experience digital content through affordable consumer electronics. Already, Cirrus Logic-based solutions are driving early leadership in the recording market, with customers such as Samsung adopting Cirrus' CS92288 encoding solution as the basis for its digital video recording devices.

DVD player devices have formed the foundation for digital entertainment, and Cirrus' semiconductor solutions, combined with the proliferation of digital content, are driving new market segments within digital entertainment, giving rise to such devices as DVD receivers, portable DVD players and digital video recorders. Cirrus' DVD market strategy incorporates reference platforms ideally suited for each market segment, positioning Cirrus to leverage its audio market leadership and digital video expertise to grow market share in each DVD segment.

According to Leeder, Cirrus' DVD platform solutions are attracting customers because of the overall cost savings and speed-to-market advantages Cirrus provides. "By utilizing Cirrus' platform solutions, customers can deploy our semiconductor solutions across multiple product lines with reusable software. This minimizes their development time and expenditures while accelerating their time to market in these new high-growth DVD growth segments such as recording," Leeder said.

Cirrus Logic, Inc.

Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of high-performance analog and DSP chip solutions for consumer entertainment electronics that allow people to see, hear, connect, and enjoy digital entertainment. Building on its global market share leadership in audio integrated circuits and its rich mixed-signal patent portfolio, the company targets mainstream audio, video and Internet entertainment applications in the consumer entertainment market. Cirrus Logic operates from headquarters in Austin, Texas, with offices in California, Colorado, Europe, Japan and Asia. More information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com

Safe Harbor Provision

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements that are dependent on certain risks and uncertainties including such factors, among others, as the ability of the CS98200 processor and the DVD +RW recording platform solution to perform as expected, the risk factors listed in the company's Form 10-K for the year ended March 30, 2002, and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The foregoing information concerning Cirrus Logic's business outlook represents our outlook as of the date of this news release, and Cirrus Logic undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

Cirrus Logic is a registered trademark of Cirrus Logic, Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.