Protocom's GoldenREEL Video Chip Powers Samsung's Miniket Mega 4-in-1 Memory-Based Camcorder; GoldenREEL PR818 Chip Produces Highest Video Quality for Samsung's New Class of Digital Memory-Based Camcorders.

CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Protocom Technology Corp., an innovator in digital compression semiconductor devices, announced today that its GoldenREEL PR818S MPEG4-ASP device is the digital camcorder processor powering Samsung's new Miniket Mega(TM) 4-in-1 memory-based camcorder. The Miniket Mega offers an innovative variety of new features including PC/Internet and MP3 capabilities, creating a new class of video camcorder in an ultra-small form factor.

The Miniket Mega records MPEG-4 ASP (Advanced Simple Profile) movies with 720 x 480 resolution at 30 frames per second (fps). It offers enhanced performance with a 2.1-megapixel CCD for 1600 x 1200-pixel resolution digital photos and a built-in flash bulb. With its embedded 1GB memory, it can record 30 minutes in MPEG-4 superfine quality or up to 240 minutes (4 hours) in standard mode. The Miniket(TM) Mega comes with a 2-inch rotating LCD monitor/viewfinder, electronic image stabilizer, 10X optical zoom and a range of special effects.

Besides the twin digital imaging functions (still and video), the MP3 player lets music be transferred from a PC to the internal memory or on a 4-in-1 removable memory (MS, MSPRO, SD, MMC) media for playback through earphones or built-in speaker. There is also a built-in microphone for voice recording. A USB2.0 terminal allows it to double as a portable data storage unit for PCs for carrying and retrieving files on the go. The Miniket(TM) Mega can also serve as a PC camera for live-chat sessions anywhere.

"To continue Samsung's history of bringing to market true innovations, we seek technological advancements such as the GoldenREEL PR818S to power these exciting new digital products," said Mr. Masaki Oguro Vice President Digital Video Division, Digital Media Business. "The Miniket(TM) line up represents one of Samsung's top ten strategic product directions and we have chosen Protocom's GoldenREEL PR818S as the primary ingredient for our new class of product because of its impressive video quality, integration and hardwired implementation."

The new GoldenREEL PR818S is the industry's first single-chip, full duplex, hardwired MPEG-4 audio/video silicon CODEC with Advanced Simple Profile (ASP) and is ideal for these markets. The low-power PR818S supports full-duplex performance at frame rates of 30 frames-per-second with up to D1 resolution and full transcoding capabilities (to and from MPEG-4 and MPEG-2), ADPCM audio and other popular music audio formats.

"The memory based camcorder market represents the beginning of tape replacement similar to the recent transition from film to digital still cameras," said Isaac E. van Kempen, vice president of marketing at Protocom Technology Corp. "Samsung is pioneering a new direction in video camcorders and we are excited that Protocom's video technology has been selected as a key part of this new class of product.

About Protocom Technology

Protocom Technology is an innovator in digital compression semiconductor devices. The company offers the industry's only full-duplex, hard-wired MPEG-4 ASP (Advanced Simple Profile) system-on-a-chip solution for the highest quality video for portable devices. Protocom's GoldenREEL(TM) family of silicon CODECs optimizes full-range Quality Motion Video, while overcoming the low-bit rate and low power constraints required by such ultra-small-form-factor products as digital camcorders, IP cameras, handheld personal video recorders (PVRs) and personal media players. The product also has applications in the consumer electronics and the industrial security/surveillance markets. The company is currently developing hard-wired products that include H.264/MPEG-4 AVC and SMPTE-VC1 (WMV9) compression technologies.

Protocom is located in Cupertino, Calif. For further information please visit www.protocomtech.com or call 408-343-0976.