Genesis Announces Its First Video Decoder Chip: The gmD2000; Company Also Reports $1.1 Million Equity Investment in Techwell, Inc.TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 5, 1999-- Genesis Microchip Genesis Microchip Inc. is a leading edge world wide supplier of integrated circuits (ICs) for video processors in flat panel LCD TVs and Monitors. Founded in 1987 by Paul Russo [9] in Markham, Ontario, Canada and it became a public company in 1998 [10] and now Inc. (Nasdaq:GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) The European term for a global satellite-based radio navigation system. See Galileo. ), a leading provider of digital display and video/graphic chip products, today announced an innovative new video decoder chip, the gmD2000, designed to improve the image quality of decoded NTSC/PAL video. The company also reported a $1.1-million (US) minority equity investment in privately held fabless chipmaker chip·mak·er n. A manufacturer of electronic and integrated circuit chips. Techwell, Inc. The new gmD2000 NTSC/PAL video decoder chip will be sampling shortly and shipping in volume before year end. Video decoders convert the standard analog composite video signals which feed televisions, VCRs, etc. into component digital video. Consumer video applications such as proscan televisions, set-top boxes, PC-TV adapter boards, home theater systems and high-end televisions all use video decoder chips. The Genesis gmD2000 video decoder will also target digital television and other TV-related applications. "We're pleased with this partnership with Techwell," said Genesis Chairman 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. Paul M. Russo. "The gmD2000 will broaden our product line and in addition, Techwell's technology will give Genesis new visibility in the consumer video electronics and television markets." Russo added the investment in Techwell reaffirms the company's commitment to the consumer video space. "We believe this is the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship," said Techwell President Hiro Kozato. "Genesis is a leader in flat-panel display technologies. Working together, we can strengthen our positions in the consumer video and display interface markets." The gmD2000 uses 10-bit A/D converters to digitize and decode the NTSC/PAL composite/YC analog video inputs. The decoded digital video output is available in CCIR See ITU. 656 or CCIR 601 YUV The color encoding system used for analog television worldwide (NTSC, PAL and SECAM). The YUV color space (color model) differs from RGB, which is what the camera captures and what humans view. 4:2:2 formats. The chip connects directly to Genesis products with YUV interfaces (including the gmZ1, gmZ2, gmZ3, gmVLX1A, gmB135 and gmZX1) for high-performance video input. "This chip fits well within our plans to provide the highest quality video display technology for many applications," said Peter Mandl, Genesis Microchip's Marketing Director of Consumer Products. "Customers will notice an improvement in sharpness over many current video decoders on the market." An adaptive comb filter maintains horizontal and vertical detail, while proprietary features allow the enhancement of luma and chroma Short for "chrominance." The attributes of a color, which include its hue (frequency) and saturation (amount of black). See hue and saturation. channels beyond normal video bandwidths with minimal ringing. With the usual complement of brightness, contrast, saturation and hue controls, the gmD2000 also has the capability to perform flesh-tone matrix color modifications. This matrix feature allows manufacturers to adjust skin tones for various display types. The gmD2000 is available in a 100-pin PQFP (Plastic Quad Flat Package) Refers to many varieties of QFP chip packages, which are molded in plastic. See QFP. package. Samples and evaluation boards will be available later this month. The gmD2000 will sell for $9 (US) in volume quantities. Founded in 1997, privately held Techwell, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., designs inventive video decoder integrated circuit products. Parts of this release contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the United States securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the growth rate of the markets into which the company sells its products; market acceptance of and demand for the products of the company and those of the company's customers; unanticipated delays or problems in the introduction of the company's products; the company's ability to introduce new products in accordance with 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 design requirements and design cycles; new product announcements or product introductions by the company and the company's competitors; availability and cost of manufacturing sources for the company's products; supply constraints for components incorporated into the company's customers' products; changes in the mix of sales to OEMs and distributors; incorrect forecasting of future revenues; the volume of orders that are received and can be filled in a quarter; the rescheduling or cancellation of orders by customers; costs associated with protecting the company's intellectual property; changes in product mix; changes in product costs and pricing; and currency exchange rate fluctuations. These and other important risk factors are more fully detailed in the company's SEC filings. Statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof and the company assumes no responsibility for updating such information. Genesis Microchip Inc. (Nasdaq:GNSS) -- an ISO (1) See ISO speed. (2) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.ch) An organization that sets international standards, founded in 1946. The U.S. member body is ANSI. 9001-registered company -- designs, produces and markets highly integrated semiconductors for flat panel displays, home theater equipment, projection systems, video workstation gear and dozens of other applications. LCD monitor customers include Acer, Apple Computer, Dell, Fujitsu, 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) , Hitachi, LG Electronics, NEC (NEC Corporation, Tokyo, www.nec.com, www.necus.com) An electronics conglomerate known in the U.S. for its monitors. In Japan, it had the lion's share of the PC market until the late 1990s (see PC 98). NEC was founded in Tokyo in 1899 as Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. , Philips, Samsung, Sony, Tatung and ViewSonic. Other customers include, CTX CTX Context (Management; Tandem) CTX Centex Corporation (stock symbol) CTX Centrex CTX Cyclophosphamide CTX Corporate Trade Exchange CTX Cytoxan CTX Cholera Toxin CTX Clinical Trial Exemption Opto-Electronics, Daewoo Electronics, In Focus Systems, Mitsubishi, Philips Multimedia, SGI (SGI, Sunnyvale, CA, www.sgi.com) A manufacturer of workstations and servers, founded in 1982 by Jim Clark. The company was founded as Silicon Graphics, Inc., but changed to its acronym in 1999. , Sharp, Tektronix, Texas Instruments and more than 200 other companies. In May 1999, Genesis Microchip merged with Paradise Electronics to broaden its flat-panel enabling technology with Paradise's mixed-signal integrated circuits. Genesis is headquartered in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, while its U.S. subsidiaries are located in San Jose and Mountain View, Calif. Further information is available at: http://www.genesis-microchip.com. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion