Hi-Val To Use Sigma Designs' REALmagic DVD Decoder
in New DVD Kits Business Editors, Hi-Tech Writers
FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 1998--
Sigma Designs, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIGM), a leader in digital video solutions for personal computers,
today announced that Hi-Val, Inc., a leading supplier of DVD-ROM upgrade solutions, has
selected the Sigma REALmagic DVD/MPEG-2 playback card based on Sigma's silicon for DVD
decoding in its latest DVD upgrade kits. The kits include Hi-Val's new DVD-RAM upgrade kit and
high performance DVD-ROM kit. In addition, Hi-Val will market the card to the retail channel for
combination with any DVD drive.
The groundbreaking DVD-RAM kit, known as the "Entertainment Solution Kit," is expected to be
the industry's first DVD-RAM upgrade kit. In addition to playing DVD-ROMs, CD-ROMs, CD-R
and CD-RW disks at 20X speed, the DVD-RAM kit will permit recording and playing up to 5.2
GB of data on DVD-RAM discs. Consumers will be able to use the DVD-RAM kit to back up
copies of DVD and CD-ROM titles, to create home movies, and archive family information.
Computer users will be able to use the kit to back up their hard disks and even create high-capacity
removable disks. [NOTE: The DVD-RAM kit does not include an encoder. I wonder whose silicon Hi-Val will use for MPEG-2 encoding?]
The selection of the REALmagic Hollywood Plus card by Hi-Val is the latest in a series of design
wins for Sigma's Hollywood DVD upgrade technology. Based on Sigma's feature-packed EM8300
decoder IC, the card turns a PC into a full-featured DVD player that fully exploits all of the
spectacular digital video and Dolby digital surround-sound capabilities of the DVD format. The
Hollywood Plus card plays DVD movies at high resolution without burdening the computer's
processor.
"Sigma's Hollywood Plus offers many more features than other comparable DVD playback cards,
enabling Hi-Val to maintain its position on the industry's leading edge," commented Mark Vakili,
CEO of Hi-Val. "Hi-Val has built its success by partnering with industry leaders such as Sigma
Designs for its cutting edge products."
"Hi-Val is a clearly established leader as a retail supplier for DVD and other multimedia solutions,"
added William K. Wong, Vice President, Marketing for Sigma Designs. "Hi-Val's selection of our
silicon for DVD decoding is an endorsement of Sigma's technology and market presence. Hi-Val's
strong retail relationships will help us continue our expansion into the computer retail channel. The
Company believes that this relationship with Hi-Val, along with our DVD upgrade business with
Sony, Phillips, Panasonic, and Guillemot gives us a foothold in the upgrade market, as we target the
installed base of 100 million Pentium PCs."
Sigma's solution works with any standard 133 MHz system without requiring a specialized graphic
adapter and fully complies with DVD specifications. This makes it the ideal choice for PC
manufacturers and DVD upgrade kit providers. The REALmagic Hollywood Plus DVD card
includes device drivers and Sigma Designs' DVD Station, an easy to use program for DVD
navigation and control. With DVD Station, PC users can take full advantage of every interactive
DVD feature, using simple VCR-like controls to choose sound track and subtitle language, select
viewing aspect ratios, and change viewing angles. The user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate.
Users can also interact with DVD Station menus to exercise parental control and execute search
commands.
About Hi-Val: Hi-Val, Inc. is one of the fastest growing high-tech companies in the USA. Hi-Val is
located in Santa Ana, California and offers a wide range of multimedia solutions. By working with
multiple manufacturers, Hi-Val combines the latest quality 24X, 32X, 36X and 40X CD-ROM
drives with the highest quality soundcards and top selling CD software. A variety of CD-recorders,
CD changers, DVD-ROM drives, graphics accelerators and wireless products, and business
software applications are also part of Hi-Val's expanding product line. For more information,
contact Hi-Val at (714) 953-3000. For press information, please contact Kristin Nerup at Imagio
Public Relations at (206) 625-0252 or kristin@imagio.com.
About Sigma Designs: Sigma Designs entered the multimedia market in 1993 with products based
on the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standard for compressing and decompressing digital
audio and video signals. Since then, Sigma has been a driving force behind advancement of the
MPEG technology used in most multimedia products on the market today. Sigma Designs' products
include affordable MPEG video and audio decoding hardware. All Sigma Designs' products are
sold worldwide through a network of dealers, distributors, and original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs). For additional information, call 800/845-8086 or 510/770-0100, fax 510/770-2640, or
visit Sigma's web site at sigmadesigns.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the PC-DVD
market and the features and potential growth prospects of certain DVD/MPEG-2 products offered
by the Company in this market, that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results of Sigma Designs
may vary materially due to a number of factors including, but not limited to, the levels of orders from
and the risk of cancellation of orders by significant customers, the ability of the Company's
REALmagic EM8300 DVD/MPEG-2 decoder to compete with other technologies in these
emerging markets, the risk that such product will not gain widespread acceptance or will be
rendered obsolete by product offerings of competitors or by alternative technologies, and the risk
that the Company will not meet price or time-to-market estimates due to production, manufacturing,
or other delays.
Editors and Analysts: For further information, photographs and interviews please contact S&S
Public Relations, Inc.
CONTACT: S&S Public Relations, Inc.
Lauren Finkelman/Emily Armanetti
Tel: 800/287-2279
Fax: 312/266-8247
lauren@sspr.com/emily@sspr.com
or
Sigma Designs, Inc.
Carol Kaplan
Tel: 510/770-2991
Fax: 510/770-2640
carol_kaplan@sdesigns.com
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