ESS Technology Introduces "All-In-One" 16-Bit Stereo Multimedia Audio Chip, With ESFM Music Synthesis.FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 1995--ESS Technology, Inc. introduced today the first "all-in-one" 16-bit stereo audio chip, the ES1688, the first complete audio solution integrating music synthesis on a single chip. The ES1688 supports PC audio and games in Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster Pro modes, with additional enhancements from ESS-developed ESFM ESFM Escuela Superior de Fisica y Matematicas (Spanish) ESFM European Society of Feline Medicine music synthesis. Using the ES1688, system designers can eliminate costly sound cards and place the entire stereo audio circuitry in an area smaller than 1.5" x 2.0", freeing up one ISA (1) (Instruction Set Architecture) See instruction set. (2) (Interactive Services Association) See Internet Alliance. (3) (Internet Security and Acceleration) See .NET. slot within Multimedia PCs or adding audio capability to notebook PCs. Fred Chan, President of ESS Technology, stated, "The ES1688 AudioDrive product reflects ESS' commitment to deliver PC OEMs and add-in card suppliers the total PC audio solution at superior price-performance. OEMs now have a single-chip solution for high-quality 16-bit stereo CD-quality audio, with additional richness from ESS' ESFM technology." The ES1688 provides all required circuitry for adding 16-bit stereo audio and 20-voice music synthesis to personal computers. The ES1688 provides 16-bit stereo record and playback at sample rates of up to 44.1 KHz with CD-quality sound. The ES1688 includes a 6-channel mixer with three 16-bit stereo inputs (typically LINE, CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). , and TV), plus one mono input for microphone. 16-bit stereo output mixes two independent channels of ESFM music synthesis and game audio, with independently selectable sample rates. External interfaces include three serial ports which interface to music composition and control devices, including an MPU-401 interface for MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface (music, hardware, protocol, file format) Musical Instrument Digital Interface - (MIDI /mi'-dee/, /mee'-dee/) A hardware specification and protocol used to communicate note and effect information between synthesisers, computers, music keyboards, controllers, and other electronic ) music synthesizers, a serial port to a 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 enabling DSP-software audio effects, and serial interface to an external wavetable music synthesizer. The ES1688 includes a broadside ISA bus interface, advanced power management modes for notebook PCs, and two software address selection modes for motherboard Plug and Play configuration. "The ES1688 includes a significant new method of music synthesis, ESS' ESFM music synthesis technology," stated Albert Mak, ESS Vice President of Marketing. "ESFM is backward-compatible to FM synthesis, and provides superior sound quality with 72-operator ESFM music synthesis, versus 36 for traditional FM synthesis. ESFM improves the depth and timbre of instrument sounds and enables chorusing of instruments and voices. PC users with the ES1688 will immediately notice the difference in the depth and richness of computer music." "The ESFM software driver running under Windows automatically produces the richer sound," explained Bill Windsor, ESS Strategic Marketing Manager. "With PCs that use the ES1688 AudioDrive, the PC configures the Windows MIDI Mapper to send MIDI music files to the AudioDrive, which immediately invokes ESFM 72-operator audio synthesis. The result is an immediate improvement to the depth of instrument sound. DOS games can utilize ESFM quality when they enable ESFM music synthesis mode." ESS has worked with ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) in developing AudioDrive as a superset A group of commands or functions that exceed the capabilities of the original specification. Software or hardware components designed for the original specification will also operate with the superset product. However, components designed for the superset will not work with the original. standard to Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster Pro audio, enabling software developers to take advantage of 16-bit stereo for new applications, but maintaining backward compatibility with pre-existing audio standards. The ES1688 chip comes with driver software that supports PC stereo audio under Microsoft Windows, Windows 95, Windows for Workgroups A version of Windows 3.1 introduced in 1992 that added peer-to-peer networking. See Windows. (operating system) Windows for Workgroups - (WFW, WFWG) A version of Windows 3.1 which works with a network. Although stand-alone 3. , Windows NT, and Windows Sound System A sound card from Microsoft for Windows PCs. The card was not widely used, but certain characteristics of the card are built into Sound Blaster and other sound cards for compatibility with the Windows 3.1 drivers that were created at that time. 2.0, in addition to IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) OS/2 Warp operating systems. The ES1688 comes in a 100-pin PQFP (Plastic Quad Flat Package) Refers to many varieties of QFP chip packages, which are molded in plastic. See QFP. and is in production now. The ES1688 is an extension of ESS' AudioDrive family of audio chips, which includes the ES488, ES1488, and ES688. The ES1688 is socket-compatible to the ES688. List pricing for the ES1688 at OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and quantities is $24.00. An ES1688 AudioDrive Evaluation Kit is available now, which includes an ES1688 evaluation board, sound library, application programs and documentation. ESS Technology, Inc., designs, develops and markets mixed-signal integrated circuits for speech, sound, and multimedia solutions for applications that range from PCs and instrumentation to consumer products. The company was founded in 1984, and holds 14 worldwide patents in time-domain audio compression and resconstruction technology. Since 1989, ESS has shipped over 70 million audio ICs. AudioDrive is a registered trademark of ESS Technology, Inc. ESFM and ESPCM ESPCM Electronic Speech Systems Pulse Code Modulation are trademarks of ESS Technology, Inc. ESFM technology is ESS Technology Inc. patent pending. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. For more information, please contact ESS Technology Sales Department, phone 510/226-1088, fax 510/226-8868. CONTACT: ESS Technology, Inc., 510/226-8868 |
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