Pioneer Electronics Embraces Motorola 24-Bit Audio DSP; Introduces A/V Receiver Featuring Dolby Digital and DTS Capabilities.

First Consumer Product to Utilize Motorola's 56362

Digital Audio Chip Setting New Level of Greater

Price/Performance for Digital Audio Consumers

On Oct. 13, 1998, Pioneer Electronics Corp. announced the introduction of the "VSX-D608" audio/video receiver, which is the company's first to support both Dolby Digital and Digital Theater Surround (DTS) technologies.

At a price attractive to consumers, Pioneer attributes much of the product's attractive pricing and audio capabilities to Motorola's DSP56362 Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for audio applications.

In 1986, Pioneer introduced the concept of Home Theater to consumers by being the first to integrate Dolby surround sound into their premium audio/video receivers. These products were quickly followed by the integration of Dolby ProLogic and later Dolby Digital technologies. It only seems logical that Pioneer rises to the occasion and meets the increasing demand for quality audio/video receivers.

Pioneer's receiver line-up boasts a superior selection of audio/video receivers that deliver the perfect blend of convenience and technology. The VSX-D608 has a built-in DTS/Dolby Digital decoder and equal high power for all five channels (front-L/R, rear-L/R, center) to allow movie viewing through the same powerful DTS/Dolby Digital Surround experienced at movie theaters. It even has a number of input/output terminals for future audio/video expansion.

The VSX-D608 features a variety of DSP modes. Not only basic modes, such as Theater 1, Theater 2, Hall 1, Hall 2, Hall 3, Jazz and Dance, but also four newly developed "Advanced Theater" functions, for precise control of dozens of possible digitally simulated sound fields using various combinations of delay and effect levels. This improves discrete multi-channel sound, such as that of DTS and Dolby Digital, for more realistic theater-quality sound.

Basic sound fields of the "Advanced Theater Function" include Musical, Drama, Action and 5-D theater, which are all optimal for sources encoded with Dolby Digital, Dolby ProLogic or DTS.

Musical mode simulates the acoustics of a large European-influenced concert hall. Drama simulates the sound of a mid-sized movie theater. Action simulates the dynamics of a big theater showing the latest action blockbuster. 5-D theater mode enhances Dolby Surround by simulating stereo rear speakers with use of mono rear information.

"Our new AV amplifier is applied with a newly developed high-speed single DSP chip that decodes DTS and Dolby Digital/Dolby ProLogic technologies and also reproduces Pioneer's original Advanced Home Theater DSP functions by itself," said Kiyofumi Hirai, engineering department manager, Home Entertainment Co.

"The new Motorola DSP56362 audio chip enables our receivers to allow consumers to reproduce the latest surround sound effects experienced at movie theaters, to enjoy an even better and convenient AV life in their own homes. Pioneer will continue to develop new Home Theater related products full of state-of-the-art technologies."

About Pioneer

Pioneer Electronics Corp., with headquarters in Tokyo, is a world leader in supplying audio and visual products for home, car and industrial use to global customers. It employs more than 19,000 people in more than 25 countries and has more than 75 subsidiaries, including more than 20 manufacturing companies worldwide.

Further information is available at Pioneer's Website, http://www.pioneer.co.jp.

Note to Editors: Dolby and ProLogic are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.