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Tuesday December 23, 6:59 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
First Consumer DVD Player Incorporating Zoran/FFM
Vaddis DVD Decoder Shipping in Japan
Sharp Corporation's New DVD Player Available Now in Japan, Provides
Advanced Features, Compact Size
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--December 23, 1997--Zoran Corporation
(NASDAQ:ZRAN - news), the leading supplier of hardware and software solutions for audio and
video applications enabled by compression, announced today that the first DVD player based
upon its Vaddis integrated DVD decoder, Sharp Corporation [OTC BB:SHCAY - news]'s
DV-S100, has begun shipping in Japan.
Zoran's highly integrated Vaddis decoder offers the advanced feature set and flexibility which
enabled Sharp Corporation to develop the industry's most robust and powerful DVD player.
Zoran developed the Vaddis decoder in close cooperation with its alliance in Japan, FujiFilm
Microdevices (FFM), a subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film Co. The collaboration between FFM and
Zoran dates back to 1987 and has spanned ICs in applications ranging from digital still cameras,
Dolby Digital audio decoders through MPEG 1 decoders and now DVD.
''We are very excited to see the Sharp DVD player based on the Vaddis decoder in the market,''
said Dr. Levy Gerzberg, President and CEO, Zoran Corporation. ''For Zoran, supporting our
customers until their products are in production and beyond is an integral part of our development
and productization efforts.''
Sharp Corporation's DV-S100
Sharp Corporation's DV-S100 implements a full consumer product with full DVD, VideoCD and
Audio CD playback. In addition, the player uses two new proprietary digital circuit technologies
developed by Sharp to reproduce subtle video images which had previously been difficult to render
clearly. It also takes full advantage of the high-quality of the digital audio available from DVDs via
the Vaddis decoder to allow users to enjoy the advantages of advanced sound reproduction
brought by three types of three-dimensional digital sound: full decoding of Dolby Digital audio
(reproduces the full sound field by outputting 5.1-channel Dolby Digital sound in analog format),
Dolby Pro Logic decoding (reproduces a theater-like sound field by outputting five Dolby Pro
Logic analog channels) and Virtual Surround (creates a full-perimeter QSurround sound field using
only right and left speakers). The DV-S100's compact size of just 270 mm (10.6'') (W) and 80
mm (3.1'') (H) allows it to form a smart-looking combo when combined with mini-component
stereo systems, making it ideal for personal use.
Zoran Corporation's Vaddis DVD Decoder
The Vaddis decoder is the world's most advanced DVD solution targeted at second generation
consumer stand-alone DVD/VideoCD/CD-DA players and PC-based DVD systems. Based on
Zoran's proprietary MPEG 2 video and Dolby Digital audio technology, the Vaddis decoder
integrates the decoding and presentation functionality required for full implementation of the DVD
standard in a single chip. This includes DVD content protection (CSS), Program stream
demultiplexing, MPEG 2 video, MPEG 1 video, Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio, MPEG audio, audio
and video synchronization, Linear PCM audio, Subpicture, OSD, Letterbox, Pan-Scan and more.
The first member of the Vaddis family, the ZR36700 (in Japan called the MD36700), integrates
many of the different components required in first generation DVD systems and interfaces
efficiently to the remaining components in the system. Using a Zoran-proprietary implementation,
the Vaddis decoder requires only a single 16 Mbit SDRAM for full operation. The Vaddis
decoder dramatically reduces the number of chips and the size of the required memory thereby
lowering the power consumption and overall cost of a DVD system.
Addressing the needs of today's competitive market, the Vaddis decoder implements Zoran's
Silicon Software architecture, based on a high-performance DSP technology for enhanced
flexibility and programmability. This architecture enables DVD player manufacturers to add
features enabling them to differentiate their products. For example, 3D sound can be implemented
on the Vaddis decoder as a Silicon Software application simultaneously with the required DVD
audio decoding functions. 3D sound brings the movie theater experience of multi-channel audio to
a DVD player or PC with just two speakers without requiring any additional equipment or
circuitry.
The Vaddis ZR36700 DVD decoder is in volume production now and is priced at under $30 U.S.
in volume quantities.
About Zoran
Zoran Corporation develops and markets integrated circuits, integrated circuit ''cores'' and
software for digital video and audio applications enabled by compression for the PC and consumer
multimedia markets. Zoran's product lines include JPEG codecs, MPEG and DVD decoders,
Dolby Digital and MPEG audio decoders, real-time Video CD and DVD software for the PC, and
VLSI cores. The company's SoftDVD and SoftPEG software for software-only and hardware
assisted decoding of DVD and VideoCD on the PC is bundled by leading PC and graphic system
manufacturers. Current applications for Zoran IC products include professional and consumer
video editing systems, filmless digital cameras, PC-based or stand-alone VideoCD systems and
DVD players, and digital audio systems. Zoran is headquartered in Santa Clara, California with
additional operations in Haifa, Israel, Toronto, Canada, and Tokyo, Japan.
Zoran's products and technologies have been adopted by many of the world's largest
manufacturers including Acer, ATI, Avid Technology, Cirrus Logic, Compaq, Denon, Diamond
Multimedia, Dolby, FujiFilm, Fujitsu, Harman Kardon, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi, IBM, Iomega,
Kenwood, Marantz, Matrox, Matsushita, miro/Pinnacle, NEC, Packard Bell, Pioneer, Samsung,
Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Truevision, Yamaha and many others. For more information about Zoran
call (408) 919-4111 or visit our web site at www.zoran.com .
About FujiFilm Microdevices
FUJIFILM Microdevices is a subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. with headquarters in Sendai
Industrial Park, Japan. It is dedicated to the design, manufacture and marketing of multimedia
products including: CCD image sensors, JPEG codecs, MPEG, Audio and DVD decoders,
high-speed serial bus interfaces (IEEE 1394) and others.
-0-
Note to Editors:
Vaddis, ZR367000 and Silicon Software are trademarks of Zoran Corporation.
MD36700 is a trademark of FujiFilm Microdevices.
Dolby Digital is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories.
Contact:
Zoran Contact:
David Anisman, 408/919-4274
Director of Marketing - MPEG
davida@zoran.com
Tanya Del Vecchio, 408/919-4229
tanya@zoran.com
or
Zoran Media Contact
Carey Mitchell, 650/369-7833
Virtual Public Relations
carey@virtualpr.com
or
Investor Contact:
Hannah Bruce, 415/986-1591
Financial Relations Board
hbb@sf.frbd.com
World Wide Web Site:
www.zoran.com |
