ZiLOG Sampling New OTP Microcontrollers Optimized for Universal Remote Control Applications.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 15, 2003

Z8 Crimzon ZLP32300 Offers Comprehensive Solution with Global Code

Database, Application Firmware and Multiple Memory Sizes

ZiLOG, Inc. (OTCBB:ZILG), the creator of the Z80 microprocessor and a leading innovator of integrated 8-bit microcontrollers and Infra Red (IR) solutions, today announced that it has begun shipping engineering samples of its new Z8 one-time programmable (OTP) IR microcontrollers targeted at the universal remote control market. The ZLP32300 microcontrollers will ship in production volume in January 2004 and are 100 percent software compatible with ZiLOG's current Crimzon family of ROM-based IR microcontrollers. The Crimzon ZLP32300 provides a base platform that allows for rapid development, small-volume production, and a migration path to mask ROM for high volume production of remote controls.

"ZiLOG has a proven track record as a market leader in universal remote control solutions with over 200 million units in the market," said Adam Silver, vice president of Product Marketing -- IR, at ZiLOG. "By offering a comprehensive system solution that includes silicon, global code database, firmware and engineering services, ZiLOG lets customers focus on capturing as many lucrative business opportunities in the universal remote control market as possible by allowing rapid time to market."

Crimzon ZLP32300 microcontrollers offer a choice of 4, 8, 16 or 32 KB of OTP memory, allowing remote control designers to choose a solution that offers the right combination of memory space and affordability. The included robust database provides coding for multiple devices and geographies to provide the highest level of design flexibility. The devices also feature embedded remote control firmware to allow designers to enable features on their remote control devices quickly and easily.

"Our primary objective in the product design process is to get our remote control products to market quickly while keeping both the development process and the resulting product affordable," said Manuch Dizechi, vice president of Engineering at SMK. "The robust features and competitive price of ZiLOG's Crimzon ZLP32300 help us to readily achieve those goals."

"We are dedicated to continually improving our competitive edge in the universal remote control market space," said Philippe Gorget, Business Manager, Remote Controls, at Thomson Multimedia. "We are confident that ZiLOG's ZLP32300 will help increase our solution's flexibility, speed and time to market."

ZiLOG's low and high voltage detection flag feature (patent pending) lets OEMs add a low-battery warning capability to their universal remote controls, to warn consumers to change the batteries in their remote before program settings are lost due to power failure. Current solutions only allow low-voltage detection where the system does not know if the battery has been replaced or not.

Other features include 237 bytes of general purpose RAM, six priority interrupts (three external, two counters and timers, and one low-voltage detection interrupt) and two independent comparators with programmable interrupt polarity.

The ZLP32300 will be available in a wide range of package styles and pin-outs, including a 20-pin or 28-pin DIP, SOIC or SSOP; a 40-pin PDIP; or a 48-pin SSOP. The ZLP32300 is 100 percent backward compatible to ZiLOG's L88/L81/L98 microcontrollers. The devices are priced at $1.50 in 10,000 unit volumes for the 32K device.

About ZiLOG, Inc.

ZiLOG, Inc. (OTCBB:ZILG) is world renowned for its Z8 and Z80 8-bit microcontroller architectures. ZiLOG has shipped over 1.4BN units of its core microcontroller products across the world since their introduction. ZiLOG continues to innovate across these award-winning architectures and is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of integrated microcontroller solutions for embedded control markets, including consumer, commercial and industrial control markets. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., ZiLOG employs approximately 700 people worldwide and has sales offices throughout Asia, Europe and North America. For more information about ZiLOG and its award winning products such as the eZ80Acclaim! and the Z8Encore!(R) Flash microcontroller families, visit the company's Web site at: http://www.zilog.com.