ESS Technology Announces Dolby Pro Logic II Products
Transforms Stereo Music Into 5.1 Channel Surround Sound
FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ESS Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ESST - News), the world's leading provider of DVD and VCD decoder chips announced today the integration of Dolby Pro Logic® II in its Vibratto(TM) DVD chip family.
Since its introduction in 1987, Dolby Pro Logic has established the basis for surround sound formats. Dolby Pro Logic II, the latest step in the evolution of Dolby Pro Logic, enhances its original Pro Logic technology with improvements in surround decoding and audio expansion to deliver a "5.1-like" surround experience when listening to conventional stereo audio recordings. Discrete 5.1 channel audio, such as Dolby® Digital, is becoming a de-facto standard for DVDs, however, music CDs, VCDs, and some DVDs still contain only simple stereo recordings. With Dolby Pro Logic II, the ESS Vibratto DVD solutions enable viewers to elevate their stereo audio listening pleasure to a higher level by immersing the audience in a three-dimensional theater-like audio experience. The stereo content of music CDs, VCDs, and DVDs is decoded to output to 5.1 speakers, to give a listening experience similar to what can be perceived with discrete 5.1 channel digital sound source.
Pro Logic II is backward compatible with existing Dolby Surround encoded material. It offers a variety of decoding modes, which have been included in the ESS Vibratto DVD solutions. The Movie mode presets decoding parameters that are appropriate for movie soundtracks and TV programs; the Movie mode provides an authentic reproduction of Dolby Surround encoded material. The Music mode include the Center Width control to distribute the center channel sound into the front left and right speakers to achieve a higher spatial effect, the Panorama control to envelope the listener with the sound of the front left and right speakers, and the Dimension control to adjust the front/back balance to meet the listener's preference.
Ron Vitale, director of consumer marketing at Dolby Laboratories stated, "We are very pleased to announce that ESS Technology will incorporate our Dolby Pro Logic II technology in their Vibratto DVD chips. We have had a long and successful relationship with ESS in providing audiophiles with the latest, greatest audio decoding technologies to enhance their listening enjoyment. Our mutual goal is to deliver the highest quality surround sound experience possible to our customers around the world."
Patrick Ang, executive vice president and chief operating officer at ESS Technology stated, "By incorporating Dolby Pro Logic II to ESS's Vibratto DVD products, we have made our DVD a true media center for family entertainment. Consumers will now be able to enjoy the superior 5.1 surround sound quality of their DVDs and music CDs no matter what type of audio format the disks are recorded in. Once again, ESS has demonstrated its market leadership by being the first to introduce Dolby Pro Logic II in video and audio players utilizing DVD processing chips."
About ESS Technology
ESS Technology, Inc., is a leading supplier of high-performance feature- packed chips for the rapidly expanding DVD and digital entertainment markets. ESS's advanced products deliver and manage entertainment and information in the home.
ESS, headquartered in Fremont, California, has R&D, sales, and technical support offices worldwide. ESS Technology's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol ESST. ESS Technology's web site address is: esstech.com .
The matters discussed in this news release include certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the timely availability and acceptance of the Company's new products, the dependence on continued growth in demand for consumer multimedia products, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the SEC reports of ESS, including the reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
NOTE: Vibratto is a trademark of ESS Technology. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders and are used in this news release for identification purposes only.
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Source: ESS Technology, Inc |
