New Cirrus Logic DVD Processor Enables Digital TV Ready DVD Players For Less Than $150; New Processor Offers Progressive Scan Capabilities At Mass Market Price Points.Business Editors & Technology Writers Macworld San Francisco 2002 Booth No. 3439 LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2002 Manufacturers of DVD players can now offer progressive scan video capabilities and other high-end digital television (DTV (Digital TeleVision) Transmitting TV using digital signals. The major DTV standards are ATSC (North America), DVB (Europe) and ISDB (Japan). All three use MPEG-2 video compression and Dolby Digital audio compression. DVB and ISDB also include MPEG audio compression. ) features at mass market price points with the launch today of Cirrus Logic's (Nasdaq:CRUS crus (krus) pl. cru´ra [L.] 1. leg (1). 2. a leglike part. crus ce´rebri ) new CS98100 DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. processor. An extension of Cirrus' CS98000 DVD product line, the CS98100 integrates three 10-bit video digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and TV encoding with progressive scan functionality. The processor allows DVD player manufacturers to offer retail units featuring superior DTV performance and broad DVD audio standards support for less than $150 retail. When used with digital television sets, progressive scan video provides higher resolution and eliminates the flickering effect present in traditional video playback. The processor's design anticipates growing consumer adoption rates for DTV technology. Analyst firm Cahners In-Stat predicts that annual unit shipments of DTV sets will reach more than 7 million by 2005. "The release of the Cirrus Logic CS98100 DVD processor is an impressive demonstration of Cirrus's ability to deliver on their vision of semiconductor solutions for next generation consumer entertainment devices. We are seeing the DVD market become increasingly competitive as new chips are introduced that bring high-end features such as progressive scan DVD A DVD player that can convert interlaced content to progressive scan (non-interlaced) to reduce flicker and provide a better picture. Most DVD content is encoded for interlaced TV such as NTSC. See progressive scan, progressive scan TV and deinterlace. to the mainstream market," said Kathleen Maher, vice president of analyst group Jon Peddie Research. "DVD players are already the fastest growing consumer electronics devices of all time. The availability of low-priced DVD players with a variety of new and advanced features will help fuel continued growth." "Cirrus is pushing the rapid growth dynamic of DTV by delivering DVD processors with the leading edge features that will allow our 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 customers to maximize their sales opportunities," said Lew Paceley, vice president, Crystal Division, Cirrus Logic. "As sales of DTV sets rise, consumers are recognizing progressive scan as a `must have' feature when considering which DVD player to purchase." With a customer programmable 32-bit RISC RISC in full Reduced Instruction Set Computing Computer architecture that uses a limited number of instructions. RISC became popular in microprocessors in the 1980s. core running at 90 MIPs, the Cirrus CS98100 processor accomplishes all necessary decoding/processing functions in home theater systems including DVD navigation, disk control, MPEG-2 video decoding, and multi-standard audio decoding. The processor also supports KODAK Picture CD media. For audio processing specifically, the CS98100 is designed with a 32-bit audio 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 running at 90 MIPs that supports all audio standards of Dolby Digital(R), DTS (1) (Digital Theatre Sound) A digital audio encoding system used in movie and home theaters. Popularized by the movie Jurassic Park, the six-channel (5. (R), MP3, WMA (Windows Media Audio) An audio compression method from Microsoft. Known originally as MSAudio, this proprietary format competes with the MP3 and AAC methods. WMA encodes rapidly and is known to be especially effective at low bit rates. , and MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). along with virtual speaker output capability. The highly integrated CS98100 reflects Cirrus' Total-E(TM) approach to DVD, which provides the framework and tools to allow manufacturers to more easily customize their product offerings and bring them to market quicker. Cirrus' Total-E support for DVD technologies includes DVD encoding and decoding technology, DACs, interface chips, analog-to-digital converters, and Class D amplifier An audio amplifier that works in the digital domain. It generates the equivalent analog output for the speakers by using pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse density modulation (PDM) rather than the traditional digital-to-analog conversion. See PWM and PDM. controllers. Cirrus Logic is the only company that provides a front-end DVD optical controller, a back-end DVD video processor and next-generation Class D power amplifiers for DVD. Pricing and Availability The Cirrus Logic CS98100 processor is sampling now and is priced at $20.63 in OEM quantities of 10,000. Cirrus Logic Inc. Cirrus Logic is the 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 and major sites located in Fremont and El Dorado Hills, Calif.; Broomfield and Boulder, Colo.; as well as offices in Europe, Japan and Asia. More information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com. Safe Harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. 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 Cirrus CS98100 processor to perform as expected, the risk factors listed in the company's Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. for the year ended March 31, 2001, 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. Cirrus Logic(R)and Total-E(TM) are registered trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders. |
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