Don't know if this was already posted, but...
(COMTEX) B: WESTERN DIGITAL: C-Cube and Western Digital partner to dr
B: WESTERN DIGITAL: C-Cube and Western Digital partner to drive emerging
digital video recorder market
SEP 22, 1999, M2 Communications - Irvine, Calif. -- C-Cube
Microsystems (Nasdaq: CUBE) and Western Digital Corporation (NYSE: WDC)
today announced the industry's first Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
reference platform. The new C-Cube/Western Digital DVR platform allows
consumer electronics manufacturers to rapidly develop MPEG-2 hard
drive-based DVR products with the ability to timeshift, pause, rewind
and replay live television broadcasts. The platform is the first
visible example of a newly-established partnership between C-Cube and
Western Digital. The companies are working together to speed
time-to-market of DVR products. In addition to this first platform,
C-Cube and Western Digital plan to leverage future advances in C-Cube
MPEG-2 silicon and Western Digital hard drives to offer platforms for
next-generation products.
"The tremendous consumer value of DVRs and near ubiquity of TVs will
propel this category into the mainstream over the next few years," said
Kevin Hause, manager of Consumer Devices Research at IDC. "With broad
vendor support and potential for DVR functionality in a variety of
consumer electronics products, we believe this market will top 10
million unit shipments by 2004."
"Digital video recording is on the verge of revolutionizing home
entertainment," said Fermi Wang, vice president and general manager of
C-Cube's PC/CODEC Division. "C-Cube is pleased to be partnering with
Western Digital in speeding the development of products that allow
consumer electronics manufacturers to effectively penetrate the DVR
market." Using the new platform, consumer electronics manufacturers are
assured interoperability between the two most critical devices in DVR
products -- the MPEG-2 CODEC and the hard drive storage component. The
platform employs an open architecture, giving manufacturers the
flexibility to customize solutions to meet their design requirements.
Based on C-Cube's DVxploreTM MPEG-2 CODEC, this platform will enable
products that personalize television viewing by allowing consumers to
record, pause and timeshift live television broadcasts on demand. The
platform also uses Western Digital's new WD Performer line of hard
drives featuring WhisperDriveTM acoustics for quiet operation. When
coupled with an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) service, consumers
can, for example, tailor their television viewing experience by
creating virtual channels consisting of their favorite shows. "New
features, such as Western Digital's WhisperDrive acoustics for quiet
operation in a home environment enable new products that change the way
consumers use home entertainment," said Russell Krapf, vice president
and general manager for Western Digital's Audio/Video Solutions line of
business. "This partnership combines Western Digital's leadership in
storage and electronics technology with C-Cube's expertise and
leadership in digital video technology, to offer a powerful platform
for this exciting new category of consumer products."
About DVxplore:
C-Cube's DVxplore is the industry's first single-chip MPEG-2 and DV
CODEC, delivering the highest-quality MPEG-2 video recording and
playback at consumer price points.
About WD Performer:
Western Digital's new line of hard drives balance speed, acoustics,
power and data integrity for today's mainstream home entertainment
applications. Available this month, the first generation of WD
Performer hard drives is designed to provide the features most
important to the home entertainment user -- a steady flow of data,
quiet operation, and the ability to handle multiple streams of data for
simultaneous viewing and recording.
Availability:
The C-Cube/Western Digital MPEG-2 DVR reference platform is currently
available to consumer electronics manufacturers.
About Western Digital:
Western Digital Corporation is a leading manufacturer of hard drives
used for information storage in desktop computers, servers,
workstations and home entertainment electronic products. Through its
Connex subsidiary, the company serves users of network-attached storage
systems and enterprise-wide storage area networks. Western Digital was
founded in 1970 and has long been noted for its storage and end-market
systems-level design knowledge, The company's products are marketed to
leading systems manufacturers and selected resellers under the Western
Digital brand name. Its home page can be found at
westerndigital.com.
About C-Cube:
C-Cube Microsystems Inc. is the industry leader in the development
and delivery of highly integrated digital video silicon and systems
solutions. C-Cube's Semiconductor Division delivers highly integrated
digital video silicon and systems solutions for the communications and
consumer electronics markets, including digital set-top boxes, VCD, and
DVD. C-Cube's DiviCom Division is a leader in the deployment of digital
video networks. C-Cube is headquartered in Milpitas, California with
offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. Its stock is traded on the
Nasdaq under the symbol CUBE. C-Cube can be reached at +1.408.490.8000
or at c-cube.com. C-Cube's DiviCom Division is based in
Milpitas, Calif. and can be reached at +1.408.944.6700 or at
divi.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include the
expected result of the prior-mentioned partnership, anticipated timing
of product releases, expected performance of and customer demand for
the new products, and growth of the market for the products. Actual
results could differ materially from those anticipated as a result of
several factors, including: rapid technological changes in the
industry; increased competition; failure of timely introduction of new
products; customer acceptance of products; and other factors discussed
in Western Digital's recent SEC filings. Western Digital undertakes no
obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances occurring after the date of such statements.
C-Cube and the C-Cube logo are registered trademarks of C-Cube
Microsystems Inc. DiviCom is a registered trademark of DiviCom, Inc.
Western Digital is a registered trademark and WD Performer, and
WhisperDrive, are trademarks of Western Digital Corporation. All other
brand and product names mentioned herein are the property of their
respective companies.
Editors Note: Product photography of the C-Cube/Western Digital DVR
Platform is available at
westerndigital.com -wd-dvr.html
*M2 COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR INFORMATION PROVIDED
WITHIN M2 PRESSWIRE. DATA SUPPLIED BY NAMED PARTY/PARTIES.*
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(C)1994-99 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
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