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Zoran Announces New Digital Audio Processors and Solves Multi-standard Challenge
01/04/99
Business Wire
(Copyright (c) 1999, Business Wire)
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 1999--
New ZR38650 Integrated Circuit Handles Practically All Existing
and Emerging Digital Audio Formats
Zoran Corporation (Nasdaq:ZRAN), a leading provider of integrated circuits (ICs) and software for digital audio processing and digital video compression applications, today announced the immediate availability of the ZR38650 and ZR38601 digital audio processor ICs.
These powerful, fourth generation, programmable audio platforms are based on the pioneering digital audio processor work performed by Zoran, in conjunction with Dolby Laboratories(R), in bringing the Dolby Digital(R) technology to the consumer market. The first of these ICs, the new ZR38650, is capable of decoding practically all of today's audio standards. This enables it to address a wide range of applications such as A/V receivers, digital speaker systems, DVD Audio players, Digital TVs and Internet Audio appliances. The second IC being announced, the ZR38601, is a pin for pin replacement for Zoran's popular ZR38600 digital audio processor, and is designed to address more defined and price-sensitive markets/applications.
Zoran's digital audio processors have been adopted by major forces in the digital audio and DVD market places, such as Altec Lansing, Boston Acoustics (Nasdaq:BOSA), Creative Technologies (Nasdaq:CREAF), Denon, Lexicon, Sony (NYSE:SNE) and Toshiba, as well as others.
The new ZR38650 is microcode compatible with the ZR38600, so that the user's investment in Zoran platform software is preserved. With the use of inexpensive external SRAM, it is capable of decoding practically every digital audio standard including AAC (Advanced Audio Code), Dolby Digital(R), Dolby Pro Logic(R), DTS(R)(1), MLP(tm) (Meridian Lossless Packing), MPEG5.1, MP3 (MPEG1 Level 3), and HDCD (High Definition Compact Disc). It also has the distinction of being able to provide full DTS decoding, including base management and time alignment, in a single chip. These features make the ZR38650 the industry's most versatile and flexible digital audio processor, representing the most economical way of handling the uncertainty and complexity of today's multi-standard digital audio market.
The ZR38601 has 100% more on-chip program memory and provides 25% more processing power, as compared to its predecessor, the ZR38600. Like the ZR38650, the ZR38601 is fully microcode compatible with the ZR38600. Thus the ZR38601, with the use of internal resources alone, can very economically provide Dolby Digital decoding simultaneously with virtual surround processing, base management, audio format detection and amplitude control.
Paul Goldberg, Zoran's vice president for audio products, said, "The choice of the new ZR38650 or ZR38601, brings with it Zoran's Silicon Software(tm) library, a collection of the most popular digital audio processing functions, such as DTS, THX(R), MPEG5.1, HDCD(R), digital virtual surround, and 3D headphone processing, in ready to use form. Combining this with Zoran's reference designs enables system designers to develop cost effective state-of-the-art products, in the shortest possible time. This, plus Zoran's unparalleled 'Total System Solution' support, makes the ZR38650 and ZR38601 the best choices for next generation digital audio consumer products."
About the ZR38650 and ZR38601
Zoran's ZR38650 and ZR38601 are programmable digital signal processors that have been tailored for digital audio applications. The ZR38650 comes in a 144 pin package and has a full 32 bit external memory interface, with a 20 bit address bus, thus allowing it to easily connect to inexpensive SRAM. This provides the ZR38650 the ability to execute new digital audio algorithms as they become important to the consumer audio market. When using the ZR38650, there is no need to change platforms to take advantage of the latest digital audio technology. The ZR38601 comes in a 100 pin package with a 16 bit external memory interface and 20 bit address bus. Both the ZR38650 and ZR38601 have Dolby Digital, Pro Logic, MPEG 2 two channel, and base management built into their 20K on-chip program ROMs and provide 2K of on-chip program RAM and 10K of on-chip data RAM. This means that both ICs can execute many widely used digital audio algorithms, such as virtual surround (six virtual surround algorithms are currently available) and 3D headphone, without the need for external memory.
From a hardware standpoint, both the ZR38650 and ZR38601 come with built-in S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format) receivers and transmitters, 3 serial data input ports, 4 serial data output ports, a very flexible serial host interface, 6 general purpose I/O (Input/Output) ports, separate systems and audio PLL (phase lock loop) circuits, built in system timer and an ICE (In Circuit Emulator) interface. In short, they are the perfect platforms for digital audio signal processing.
ZR38650 and ZR38601 are now available in production quantities at very affordable prices. In volume, the ZR38650 is less than $12 and the ZR38601 is less than $10.
About Zoran
Zoran Corporation develops and markets software, integrated circuits (ICs) and IC Intellectual Property (IP) cores for digital audio and video applications enabled by compression. Zoran also provides complete reference designs based on Zoran's technology. Zoran's product lines and IP include JPEG codecs, MPEG and DVD decoders, digital audio processors and real-time DVD software for PC's. All these standard-based products benefit from Zoran's StandardPlus(tm) technology. Zoran's software is bundled by PC and graphics-card manufacturers for software and software assisted DVD playback on PCs. The company's ICs are used in numerous digital audio and video products. Leading applications incorporating Zoran's products and IP include professional and consumer video editing systems, filmless digital cameras, stand alone DVD players, SuperVCD players and PC-based systems, digital speakers and audio systems.
Zoran is headquartered in Santa Clara with additional operations in Haifa, Israel, Toronto, Canada and offices in Tokyo, Japan and Shenzhen, China. For more information about Zoran call 408/919-4111, or visit our website: www.zoran.com.
StandardPlus, and Silicon Software are trademarks of Zoran Corporation. Dolby Digital and Pro Logic are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. HDCD is a trademark of Pacific Microsonics, Inc. MLP and "Meridian Lossless Packing" are trademarks of Meridian Audio Limited. THX is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. All other terms and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners, and are hereby acknowledged.
(1) Zoran's DTS implementation is currently undergoing certification
by DTS.
CONTACT: Zoran Corporation Yizhar Ganor, 408/919-4286 ir@zoran.com www.zoran.com or The Financial Relations Board Cathy Kawakami (investors), 415/986-1591 Alicia Nieva-Woodgate (media), 415/986-1591
07:01 EST JANUARY 4, 1999
Contact: CONTACT: Zoran Corporation Yizhar Ganor, 408/919-4286 ir@zoran.com www.zoran.com or The Financial Relations Board Cathy Kawakami (investors), 415/986-1591 Alicia Nieva-Woodgate (media), 415/986-1591
07:01 EST JANUARY 4, 1999
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