Conexant Launches Family of DVB Decoders for Mass Market, Free-to-Air Set-Top Boxes; Shanghai Design Center Delivers Highly Integrated, Cost-Competitive Chips for Global FTA Market.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT), a worldwide leader in semiconductor solutions for broadband communications, enterprise networks and the digital home, today announced a new family of digital video broadcast (DVB) decoders for mass market free-to-air (FTA) satellite set-top boxes (STBs). The first devices in the new family are the CX24301, which provides basic STB functionality, and the higher-performance CX24302 for cost-sensitive, more advanced STB applications. Both devices can be used with the company's satellite tuners to form a complete front- and back-end system solution. The new system-on-chip (SoC) decoders were developed in Conexant's Shanghai design center, which is focused on developing STB chips for worldwide applications.

"Our new DVB decoders offer higher levels of integration and performance, and include options for both basic and advanced functionality which allow manufacturers and broadcasters to address a wider range of markets and end-user demands," said Jeff Crosby, vice president and general manager of Conexant's Broadband Media Processing business. "In addition, leveraging our design resources in China enabled us to develop a very cost-effective solution which is ideal for the highly competitive, global free-to-air set-top box market."

According to industry analyst firm InStat, the worldwide market for FTA set-top boxes is projected to grow to 45 million units per year in 2008.

The CX24301 and CX24302 include an integrated high-speed data port that easily interfaces to a variety of broadband front-ends, allowing the decoders to serve as a common back-end platform for terrestrial and cable platforms. This flexibility provides manufacturers with economies of scale as they can leverage a single device across multiple product offerings.

The new decoders are based on a powerful 32-bit 150 MHz ARM946 central processing unit (CPU), and include an MPEG decoder and integrated QPSK demodulator with automatic symbol rate detection (Blind Scan) which reduces bill-of-material costs. Additional common features include a 2D graphics accelerator, television encoder, descrambler, and video/graphics display compositing controllers.

The higher-performance CX24302 has six video digital-to-analog converters (DACs), an integrated smartcard interface, and includes support for DVB common interface (DVB-CI). The full-featured decoder also provides an expansion capability through an integrated USB 2.0 interface.

Conexant offers a comprehensive suite of digital STB components and system solutions for worldwide satellite, terrestrial and cable entertainment broadcasting networks. The company's product offering includes silicon tuners, satellite demodulators, MPEG audio and video decoders, and dial-up modems for back-channel applications. Reference designs that help manufacturers reduce cost and speed time to market are also available, bundled with a range of operating systems, middleware, drivers and development tools.

About the Shanghai Design Center

Conexant's Shanghai design center was established in October 2000 and is focused on set-top box chip development. In addition, the Shanghai team provides engineering support to manufacturers who design and develop products for international markets, as well as China's growing domestic marketplace. The company also has a design center in Shenzhen that is focused on DSL customer design support.

Availability, Packaging and Pricing

Samples of the CX24301 and CX24302 are available now, with production quantities scheduled for October. The CX24021 is packaged in a 208-pin quad flat pack (QFP) and is available at $5 in quantities of 10,000. The CX24302 is available in a 256-pin ball grid array (BGA) and is priced at $6 in quantities of 10,000.

About Conexant

Conexant's innovative semiconductor solutions are driving broadband communications, enterprise networks and digital home networks worldwide. The company has leveraged its expertise and leadership position in modem technologies to enable more Internet connections than all of its competitors combined, and continues to develop highly integrated silicon solutions for broadband data and media processing networks.

Key products include client-side xDSL and cable modem solutions, home network processors, broadcast video encoders and decoders, digital set-top box components and systems solutions, and dial-up modems. Conexant's suite of networking components includes a leadership portfolio of IEEE 802.11a/b/g-compliant WLAN chipsets, software and reference designs, as well as solutions for applications based on HomePlug(SM) and HomePNA(TM). The company also offers a complete line of asymmetric and symmetric DSL central office solutions, which are used by service providers worldwide to deliver broadband data, voice, and video over copper telephone lines.

Conexant is a fabless semiconductor company that recorded more than $900 million in revenues in fiscal year 2004. The company has approximately 2,400 employees worldwide, and is headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif. To learn more, please visit us at www.conexant.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Conexant or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements in this release that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

Our future GAAP-based results will be affected by the implementation of new accounting rules related to the expensing of stock options commencing in fiscal 2006. Other risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: general economic and political conditions and conditions in the markets we address; the substantial losses the company has incurred recently; the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and its customers' products; continuing volatility in the technology sector and the semiconductor industry; demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products; successful development of new products; the timing of new product introductions and product quality; the company's ability to anticipate trends and develop products for which there will be market demand; the availability of manufacturing capacity; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in product mix; product obsolescence; the ability of our customers to manage inventory; the ability to develop and implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual property; the uncertainties of litigation and the demands it may place on the time and attention of company management; and possible disruptions in commerce related to terrorist activity or armed conflict, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

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