Diamond Multimedia Takes 3D Gaming to the Next Level with Retail Launch of New "Monster Sound" Audio Accelerator; Diamond Multimedia Delivers the First PCI-Based Audio Solution Featuring Immersive Positional 3D Audio.SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 21, 1997--Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc., (Nasdaq: DIMD DIMD Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary ), a leader in Internet Multimedia, today announced that it has begun shipping its highly-anticipated Monster Sound PCI-based audio accelerator to retail stores for an estimated retail price of $199.95. With Monster Sound, dedicated gamers, multimedia enthusiasts and Internet surfers can greatly improve their PC sound capability using A3D (hardware) A3D - (Aureal 3-Dimensional?) A technology developed by Aureal that delivers sound with a three-dimensional effect through two speakers. Many modern sound cards and PC games now support this feature. Interactive audio from Aureal Semiconductor Aureal Semiconductor was an American electronics manufacturer, best known throughout the mid-late 1990s for their PC sound card technologies including A3D and the Vortex line of audio ASICs. that was initially developed for NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. virtual reality simulators. Designed with the newest advancements in PC audio technology, Diamond's Monster Sound provides multi-stream positional 3D audio for truly immersive, true-to-life 3D sound. Diamond Multimedia's audio accelerator also enables quad-speaker output allowing users to turn their computer into a thundering PC sound machine that is similar to home theater An audio/video entertainment center that has a large-screen TV and hi-fi system with three speakers in the front (left, right and center) and left and right speakers in the rear. Starting in the early 1990s, video inputs were added to stereo receivers and preamplifiers. surround sound systems. Together, these features transform gameplay into a more compelling interactive experience where gamers can actually hear hidden enemies creeping up from behind, helicopters swarming down from above and race cars zooming past. For hours of entertainment, Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound comes bundled with complete versions of the hottest new computer games and works with leading VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) A 3D graphics language used on the Web. After downloading a VRML page, its contents can be viewed, rotated and manipulated. Simulated rooms can be "walked into." The VRML viewer is launched from within the Web browser. Internet audio software. Designed specifically as a DirectSound and DirectSound 3D enhanced audio accelerator for Windows 95, Monster Sound lets consumers fully experience the growing selection of game titles being developed using Microsoft's audio APIs. Diamond's Monster Sound features Windows 95 plug and play installation and co-exists with legacy-based ISA-bus or motherboard audio components that already exist in the user's PC for support of DOS titles. Now, users can play all the latest PC games and continue to enjoy their favorite DOS titles without removing their older sound card. "After two years of research and development by Diamond Multimedia's dedicated advanced audio engineering team, Monster Sound sets a new precedent for the next generation of PC sound," said Bill Schroeder, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Diamond Multimedia Systems. "Since the introduction of Sound Blaster, no other audio technology has had the potential to impact developers' and PC users' experiences like Monster Sound." PC Audio's Most Advanced Technologies Packed Into One Solution Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound accelerator offers numerous advanced audio features and benefits. -- Diamond's own Freedom 5600 multimedia data management ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) Pronounced "a-sick." A chip that is custom designed for a specific application rather than a general-purpose chip such as a microprocessor. manages audio by offloading processing from the host computer to Monster Sound's DSP (1) (Digital Signal Processor) A special-purpose CPU used for digital signal processing applications (see definition #2 below). It provides ultra-fast instruction sequences, such as shift and add, and multiply and add, which are commonly used in math-intensive and audio CODEC engines. -- Patented A3D technology from Aureal Semiconductor provides psycho-acoustically correct sound imaging that positions sound streams around the listeners head on X, Y and Z axes (front/back, up/down, left/right) in real-time for true, positional 3D audio. -- Multi-stream positional 3D audio capability allows for up to 24 independent streams (23 audio streams and one data stream) with each stream providing 16-bits of full-bodied sound and up to 32-wavetable voices. ISA-based sound cards limit audio output to a single stream. -- An impressive signal-to-noise ratio The ratio of the power or volume (amplitude) of a signal to the amount of unwanted interference (the noise) that has mixed in with it. Measured in decibels, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR or S/N) measures the clarity of the signal in a circuit or a wired or wireless transmission channel. of greater than 80 dB, plus support for 48 KHz playback, means that users can enjoy crystal-clear, CD-quality PC sound. -- Gold-tipped audio cable by Monster Cable, the world-leading supplier of professional audio cable, allows high-quality data communication between Monster Sound and legacy-audio components when playing DOS-based legacy games. -- A programmable DSP gives Diamond the flexibility to offer users future audio upgrades via a simple download from Diamond's BBS (1) (Bulletin Board System) A computer system used as an information source and forum for a particular interest group. They were widely used in the U.S. and web site (www.diamondmm.com). -- "The Diamond Channel" client software, based on Internet technology from BackWeb Technology Inc., offers customers automatic product news updates and download service for the latest Monster Sound driver releases. "By including Aureal's A3D positional 3D audio with other industry-first technologies and advanced audio capabilities, Diamond has developed an extremely powerful PC sound solution," said Toni Schneider, vice president of strategic alliances for Aureal. "With Monster Sound, Diamond is advancing the level of quality and capabilities for PC sound cards to the next level." Diamond Monster Sound Pushes the Envelope of PC Entertainment Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound enables advanced audio entertainment functions. -- Dedicated DirectSound and DirectSound 3D API support allows Windows 95 users to take full advantage of the hottest new games and multimedia titles from the industry's top PC entertainment developers. -- Quad-speaker output lets users surround themselves with mind-blowing sound. Users can choose from two or four speakers or headphones Head-mounted speakers. Headphones have a strap that rests on top of the head, positioning a pair of speakers over both ears. For listening to music or monitoring live performances and audio tracks, both left and right channels are required. to suit their own PC sound needs. -- High-quality 32-voice hardware wavetable synthesis with 2MB ROM on-board delivers powerful support for game soundtracks and music applications. -- An accelerated Windows 95 joystick port improves gameplay and offloads joystick overhead processing from the host CPU CPU in full central processing unit Principal component of a digital computer, composed of a control unit, an instruction-decoding unit, and an arithmetic-logic unit. for better overall system performance. "An all-purpose Windows 95 PCI (1) (Payment Card Industry) See PCI DSS. (2) (Peripheral Component Interconnect) The most widely used I/O bus (peripheral bus). audio solution is finally here with Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound," said David Watkins, vice president and general manager of Diamond Multimedia s Audio-Visual Systems Division. "Now, PC audio is again at the forefront of advanced multimedia subsystems." Monster Sound Software Bundle Delivers Awesome Audio Entertainment Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound comes stocked with exciting new computer games that were developed with Microsoft's DirectX and Aureal's A3D APIs, including Outlaws by LucasArts Entertainment Company, SimCopter by Maxisa and Tiger Shark by GT Interactive. Outlaws, developed by LucasArts Entertainment Company, puts gamers into a gun-slinging wild west showdown where the only thing that matters is how well you aim, who draws first and if your wit is as quick as your trigger finger trigger finger - overuse strain injury . "By offering Outlaws with Diamond's Monster Sound, players are able to immerse themselves more fully in the game experience through enriched audio provided by Diamond's audio accelerator," said Mary Bihr, director of sales and marketing for LucasArts Entertainment Company. SimCopter by Maxis is an amazing flight simulation title that lets gamers explore a ready-made city from a helicopter and battle everything from fires to rooftop rescues. Players can also import their own customized cities from SimCity 2000. Tigershark by GT Interactive submerges gamers in an ultra-fast, highly-sophisticated submarine/sea vessel for radar-intensive torpedo-infested battles in the deep blue sea. For VRML computer users who want to immerse themselves in "true 3D" Internet streaming audio while surfing the web, Diamond's Monster Sound works with Intervista's WorldView world·view n. In both senses also called Weltanschauung. 1. The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. 2. A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group. 2.0 VRML software, available for download from Intervista's web site at www.intervista.com . WorldView 2.0 provides intensive 3D positional audio for Internet gaming and VRML environment exploration without requiring the user to download additional plug-in applications. Pricing and Availability Diamond Multimedia's Monster Sound audio accelerator, including software bundle, is now beginning to ship to the company's network of retailers and authorized distributors, and will be available at retail for an estimated retail price of $199.95. Diamond Multimedia Diamond Multimedia is driving the Internet multimedia market by providing interactivity and connectivity solutions for home, business and professional desktop computer users, enabling them to create, access and experience compelling new media content from their desktops and through the Internet. Diamond accelerates multimedia from the Internet to the hard drive with products that include the Stealth series of media accelerators, the Monster series of entertainment 3D and sound accelerators, the Fire series of professional 3D and SCSI SCSI in full Small Computer System Interface Once common standard for connecting peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, etc.) to small and medium-sized computers. SCSI has given way to faster standards, such as Firewire and USB. accelerators, and the Supra A relational DBMS from Cincom Systems, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (www.cincom.com) that runs on IBM mainframes and VAXs. It includes a query language and a program that automates the database design process. series of modems and ISDN adapters. Diamond also markets multimedia and video phone upgrade kits. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market Nasdaq stock market The first electronic stock market listing over 5000 companies. The Nasdaq stock market comprises two separate markets, namely the Nasdaq National Market, which trades large, active securities and the Nasdaq Smallcap Market that trades emerging growth companies. under the symbol DIMD, and its web site address is www.diamondmm.com . How to Contact Diamond Multimedia There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information: Internet Web Site: http://www.diamondmm.com Diamond Multimedia's Headquarters and Audio-Visual Systems Division: 408-325-7000; Fax: 408-325-7070 Communications Division (Supra brand modems) Main Phone Number: 360-604-1400; Fax: 360-604-1401 European Division (Germany): +49-8151-266-0; (UK): +44-1189-444400; (France) +33-1-47561157 Korean Office (Seoul): +82-2-551-2700; Fax: +82-2-551-2710 Japanese Office (Tokyo): +81-3-5695-8401; Fax: +81-3-5695-8403 ASEAN ASEAN: see Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ASEAN in full Association of Southeast Asian Nations International organization established by the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand in Office (Singapore): +65-353-9511; Fax: +65-353-9510 Hong Kong Office: +852-2375-9023; Fax: +852-2375-9021 Support Information Line for Communications: 1-800-774-4965 Product Support (Voice), Audio-Visual Systems: 408-325-7100; Communications: 541-967-2450; Europe (Germany) +49-8151-266-330; Europe (UK) +44-1189-444444; ISDN ISDN in full Integrated Services Digital Network Digital telecommunications network that operates over standard copper telephone wires or other media. Support Center 408-325-7110; Fire GL Support Center 408-325-7120; TDD/TTY Support 541-967-2451 Product Support (Fax), Audio-Visual Systems: 408-325-7171; Communications: 541-967-2401; Europe (Germany) +49-8151-266-331; Europe (UK): +44-1189-444445; (France) +33-1-47561139 Pre-sales Information, Audio-Visual Systems: 1-800-468-5846; Communications: 1-800-727-8772 Investor Relations Investor relations The process by which the corporation communicates with its investors. : 408-325-7476 24-Hour Fax-On-Demand Service, Audio-Visual Systems: 1-800-380-0030; Communications: 541-967-0072 FTP sites: ftp FTP in full file transfer protocol Internet protocol that allows a computer to send files to or receive files from another computer. Like many Internet resources, FTP works by means of a client-server architecture; the user runs client software to connect to .diamondmm.com; or Supra: ftp.supra.com BBS for Audio-Visual Systems 408-325-7080 (to 14.4 Kbps) or 408-325-7175 (to 28.8 Kbps) or 408-383-0551 (ISDN); Communications BBS: 541-967-2444; Europe (Germany) BBS at +49-8151-266333 (to 28.8 Kbps) or +49-8151-266334 (ISDN); Europe (UK) at +44-1189-444415 (to 33.6 Kbps) -0- NOTE TO EDITORS: Monster 3D and Supra are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the service mark, trademark or registered trademark of their respective manufacturers. This announcement relates to products whose launch are in the United States of America UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The name of this country. The United States, now thirty-one in number, are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, . The product names contents, prices and availability may differ elsewhere in the world according to local factors and requirements. Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, such as statements relating to the Company's ability to successfully exploit technological and market developments, the timing and success of new product introductions by the Company and its competitors, and the Company's ability to invest in new technologies and to enhance its existing systems are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the impact of competitive products and pricing and alternative technological advances, the timely and successful development and market acceptance of new products and upgrades to existing products, and other risks as detailed from time to time in Diamond Multimedia's SEC filings, including its most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q. CONTACT: Faiola Davis Public Relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most Andrea Sausedo/Heidi Davis, 213/933-4959 fdpr2@aol.com or Diamond Multimedia Joan Huang, 408/325-7236 joan@diamondmm.com |
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