SNIC now bundled in MIPS Devices doing Dolby Audio, More Royalty Revenue.
Sonic Introduces Dolby Digital AC-3 Encoder for MIPS Processors Stereo Audio Encoder for Consumer Electronics Chip Makers Significantly Cuts System Design Times
NOVATO, Calif., Jun 16, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq: SNIC)
today introduced the Sonic Dolby(R) Digital AC-3 Encoder for MIPS(R)
Technologies' (Nasdaq: MIPS) new Consumer Audio Platform The first software
component designed specifically for microprocessors based on the
industry-standard MIPS32(R) architecture, Sonic's AC-3 Encoder dramatically cuts
chip design cycles by providing MIPS licensees with a high-quality Dolby Digital
stereo encoder that can be quickly and easily integrated into microprocessors
for consumer electronics products.
"We chose to work with Sonic because of their solid reputation for providing key
audio and video technology components to a wide variety of consumer
applications," said Russ Bell, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies,
Inc. "The Sonic Dolby Digital AC-3 Encoder for our MIPS Consumer Audio Platform
is a powerful audio encoding implementation, and by collaborating with Sonic,
our licensees are able to quickly obtain DVD-ready audio encoding with the
performance our customers expect."
The Sonic Dolby Digital AC-3 Encoder is an ideal solution for ASIC and SoC
(System-on-a-Chip) developers looking for a plug-in consumer audio encoder
solution. Optimized for the MIPS32 4Kc(TM) processor core, Sonic's proven
encoder implementation has a small footprint and minimal bandwidth requirements
for use in cost-effective microprocessor designs for consumer electronics
products. The encoder directly supports the Linux operating system, can be
ported to other operating systems, and can work in highly embedded systems with
no operating system at all, thereby enabling it to be integrated into a wide
range of consumer devices. By porting the AC-3 Encoder to the MIPS architecture,
Sonic can save chip makers up to 12 weeks or more of design and testing time.
"Sonic sees significant potential for MIPS Technologies' single architecture
approach to audio design," said Jim Taylor, general manager of Sonic's Advanced
Technology Group. "And as the leader in DVD/CD creation, we have the engineering
expertise to provide an AC-3 encoder optimized for the MIPS Consumer Audio
Platform, ready to be integrated into almost any system to provide high-quality,
DVD-ready audio."
The Sonic Dolby AC-3 Encoder for the MIPS Consumer Audio Platform converts raw
audio PCM streams to an AC-3 elementary stream. Stereo, mono, and dual-mono
outputs are supported with bit rates from 64 kbps to 448 kbps. The encoder,
targeted to work on consumer devices, uses a small memory footprint and low
processing resources.
Key features of the Sonic Dolby Digital AC3 Encoder include:
-- Simple API for easy integration
-- Supports bit rates of 16 kbps to 488 kbps
-- Supports sample rates of 48 kHz, 44.1 kHz, and 32 kHz
-- No floating point hardware required; no floating point
emulation needed
-- Typical CPU utilization: Less than 100MHz
Availability
The MIPS Consumer Audio Platform offering optimized Sonic Solutions technology
is available today for licensing by semiconductor companies worldwide. Please
contact Sonic Solutions or MIPS Technologies for more information.
About MIPS Technologies
MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of industry-standard processor
architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications. The
company drives the broadest architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and
64-bit embedded RISC solutions. The company licenses its intellectual property
to semiconductor companies, ASIC developers and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies
and its licensees offer the widest range of robust, scalable processors in
standard, custom, semi-custom and application-specific products. The company is
based in Mountain View, California, and can be reached at 650-567-5000 or
www.mips.com. |
