VividLogic Selected to Develop Key IEEE 1394 and 5C Compliance Software for CableLabs.

Business/Technology Editors

LOUISVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 2001

VividLogic, Inc., a leading provider of Digital Home Entertainment Infrastructure based on IEEE 1394 (a standard high-speed digital interface), has been selected by Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. (CableLabs(R)) to develop a comprehensive test suite to verify IEEE 1394 and 5C compliance of devices. These compliance test suites will be used to test OpenCable(TM) set-top boxes with IEEE 1394 high-speed digital interface for compliance before the devices are released to cable customers. It is anticipated that the specification and development will be completed in the second and third quarters of this year.

"Collaborating with VividLogic significantly advances our industry's efforts to deliver IEEE 1394 and 5C compliant devices to cable customers, facilitating manufacture of retail-ready boxes by a number of manufacturers," said Don Dulchinos, Vice President of Advanced Platforms and Services at CableLabs. "This joint effort is a major milestone in our industry's continued pursuit of delivering high quality digital services to cable consumers. It also represents further cable industry support of accelerating the transition to digital television."

The IEEE 1394 and 5C compliance test suites are a comprehensive set of test cases that are designed to verify compliance of not only OpenCable set-top boxes but also digital DTVs, VCRs, audio/video (AV) HDD, printers or any IEEE 1394 based AV device that connects in the home entertainment network.

"VividLogic was founded on the belief that interoperability and compliance to open standards will drive digitally networked devices forward," said Shiva Patibanda, Chief Executive Officer, VividLogic Inc. "We are honored that CableLabs selected us to help drive IEEE 1394 and 5C compliance test suites. VividLogic's FireBus(TM) products provide the industry a comprehensive stable of protocols, compliance software and device simulators needed to build digital TVs and digital set-top boxes."

The compliance test suite covers the following major interfaces: IEEE 1394 high-speed digital interface, IEC 61883 Stream & Connection Management, IEEE 1212r, EIA 799 and DVS 194 for on screen display, 5C content protection, and EIA 775. VividLogic's development is based upon significant work already completed in developing industrial strength IEEE 1394 infrastructure, including IEC 61883, EIA 775, 5C and Home Audio Video interoperability (HAVi).

"As the market leader in IEEE 1394 chipsets, TI is proud to provide the 1394 silicon solution for the OpenCable Compliant Test Station. TI is very pleased to see VividLogic and CableLabs develop IEEE 1394 and 5C Compliance test suites that ensure interoperability between OpenCable set-top boxes and the recently announced DTVs from Mitsubishi and Sony. This effort will further validate the use of IEEE 1394 as the digital interface between the set-top box and the digital TV," said Belal Ahmad, Connectivity Solutions Consumer Business Manager, Texas Instruments.

According to the agreement, VividLogic is free to market the compliance suites to consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers. Testing other CE devices against the same compliance test suites used by all OpenCable set-top boxes would significantly improve interoperability between the set-top boxes and digital AV devices that interconnect.

"We are impressed with VividLogic's ability to rapidly supply leading edge software solutions using the TeraLogic Cougar Digital TV Development Platform with the TI 1394 chip set," said Mark O'Brien, Director of Platforms Marketing at TeraLogic. "We are very pleased that CableLabs has once again made the Cougar their platform of choice."

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics of America recently announced their fall 2001 HDTV models that employ VividLogic's FireBus(TM) IEEE 1394 and FireBus(TM) HAVi software. "CableLabs' decision sends a resounding message that IEEE 1394 High Speed Digital Interface & 5C content protection is here. We are working closely with CableLabs and VividLogic to facilitate the creation of these compliance test suites that help the cable and consumer electronics industry at large," said Bob Perry, Vice President, Marketing, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics of America.

About CableLabs

CableLabs is a research and development consortium of cable television system operators representing the continents of North America and South America. CableLabs plans and funds research and development projects that will help cable companies take advantage of future opportunities and meet future challenges in the cable television industry.

It also transfers relevant technologies to member companies and to the industry. In addition, CableLabs acts as a clearinghouse to provide information on current and prospective technological developments that are of interest to the cable industry. CableLabs maintains web sites at www.cablelabs.com; www.cablemodem.com; www.cablenet.org; www.opencable.com; and www.packetcable.com.

About VividLogic

VividLogic Inc. is a leading provider of Digital Entertainment Infrastructure for Digital CE devices based on IEEE 1394, 5C and HAVi software. The company's innovative FireBus stack powers the next generation of CE devices in the digital home.

FireBus is a comprehensive, off-the-shelf solution designed specifically to build Digital Products such as Digital TVs, Set-top Boxes, Printers, DVDs, Digital Video Recorders, Residential Gateway, etc. The software comes complete with a highly portable HAVi (Full, Intermediate and Base Audio Video) software stack (including Java based org.havi.ui), On Screen Display using EIA 775, Copy Protection based on 5C, AVC Commands, IEC 61883 protocol, SBP2 protocol, Portable IEEE 1394 device drivers that support different IEEE 1394 chip sets and Operating Systems. For additional information about VividLogic, visit www.vividlogic.com.