SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : ESST-the new beginning. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: SemiBull who wrote (3487)1/4/2004 2:43:28 PM
From: SemiBull  Respond to of 3493
 
ESS's VibrattoII MX DivX Certified DVD Chip Powers Samsung's New Line of DVD-VHS Combo Players

Wednesday December 3, 8:03 am ET

Samsung's DivX Certified Players Enhance Digital Entertainment

FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ESS Technology (Nasdaq: ESST - News) a leading provider of silicon solutions for digital imaging, digital video and digital audio consumer electronics, today announced that its Vibratto(TM)II MX system-on-chip (SOC) DivX Certified(TM) DVD chip is shipping in volume in Samsung Electronics' latest line of DivX Certified DVD-VHS combo players. The market acceptance of the ESS DivX Certified solution is bringing consumers to a new level of entertainment, with the highly enhanced sound and video quality of DivX® and MPEG-4 movie playback.

ADVERTISEMENT
ESS's VibrattoII MX chip incorporates a servo DSP, reducing the overall system cost, and integrates progressive-scan video processing to provide sharp, brilliant, and flicker-free images on high resolution television displays. The VibrattoII MX DivX Certified DVD processor decodes and plays MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and DivX movies, as well as MP3 and Microsoft® WMA audio.

All types of media are compatible with the ESS VibrattoII MX, including DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-ROM, CD-R/RW, and VCD. The built-in VHS unit in the Samsung combo player offers cassette tape record and playback, thus satisfying both the digital-video enthusiast as well as the legacy analog video devotee. The Samsung system also supports digital photo viewing and digital audio decoding such as Dolby® Digital as well as DTS(TM) Surround, offering realistic theater-like 3-D audio and sound effects.

"The ESS VibrattoII MX DivX Certified DVD processor's versatility provides Samsung with new market opportunities beyond traditional DVD players. With DivX and MPEG-4 video playback, Samsung can now fulfill the growing demand from consumers that want to view Internet-acquired videos on their televisions rather than on a PC monitor. ESS has tremendous digital video technologies, and we look forward to developing more products using ESS's technologies," stated In-Rok Do, vice president of the Digital Video System Division at Samsung Electronics.

Patrick Ang, executive vice president and chief operating officer at ESS Technology added, "We are pleased to play a part in Samsung's continuing success in the global consumer entertainment market. With the DivX certification, Samsung customers can rest assured they have total playability of MPEG-4 and DivX movies available on the Internet. We are also very pleased to be selected for this long-term relationship with Samsung, demonstrating ESS's continuing commitment to offer leading-edge products in the digital entertainment market."

About ESS Technology

ESS Technology, Inc., designs and markets high-performance digital video processor and imaging sensor semiconductors for the consumer digital entertainment, digital photography, cellular phone and digital home markets. ESS products include highly integrated chips for DVD players, DVD recorders, VCD players, digital media players, digital audio systems, digital still cameras and camcorders, and camera-enabled cellular phones.

ESS, headquartered in Fremont, California, has approximately 400 employees in North America and over 100 employees in the Asia providing R&D, sales, and technical support worldwide. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.esstech.com.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunications, flat panel display and digital convergence technology. Samsung Electronics employs approximately 75,000 people in 89 offices across 47 countries. Samsung Electronic is the world's largest producer of memory chips, TFT-LCDs, CDMA mobile phones, monitors and VCRs. Samsung Electronics consists of four main business units: Digital Media Network, Device Solution Network, Telecommunications Network and Digital Appliance Network Businesses. The Samsung Electronics web site is: samsung.com .

About DivXNetworks

DivXNetworks is a consumer-focused video technology company positioned at the center of multimedia convergence. DivXNetworks's core offering is the DivX® video codec, the world's most popular MPEG-4 compatible video compression technology with over 100 million users worldwide. Often called "the MP3 of video," the patent-pending DivX video technology offers DVD-quality at 10 times greater compression than MPEG-2 files, enabling full length films to easily fit on a CD or be delivered over broadband connections. DivX video technology powers a range of applications that span the convergence value chain, from a secure IP-based video-on-demand solution to next-generation consumer electronics products and video software applications. DivXNetworks is headquartered in San Diego, California, with satellite offices in Los Angeles and San Jose California, Taipei Taiwan, and Dortmund Germany. For more information, visit www.divxnetworks.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 ESS's new products, the possible reduction of consumer spending occasioned by general economic conditions, the dependence on continued growth in demand for consumer multimedia products, the possible reduction of consumer spending occasioned by terrorist activity and armed conflict, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the SEC reports of ESS, including the reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

NOTE: DivX and DivX Certified are trademarks of DivXNetworks, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this news release are owned by their respective holders and are used in this news release for identification purposes only.

Source: ESS Technology



To: SemiBull who wrote (3487)1/4/2004 2:44:03 PM
From: SemiBull  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 3493
 
ESS Technology Increases 4th Quarter Guidance

Wednesday December 10, 7:30 am ET

Company Now Expects 64% -70% Sequential Revenue Growth

FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ESS Technology (Nasdaq: ESST - News), a leading supplier of silicon solutions for digital audio, video and imaging consumer electronics, today provided an update regarding its fourth quarter guidance. Both revenues and profits are expected to be higher than the company's earlier guidance due to growth in all market segments.

ADVERTISEMENT
ESS Technology expects that fourth quarter revenues will be between $79 and $82 million compared to the company's earlier guidance of $65 to $68 million. This represents an increase of 64% to 70% over the $48.2 million revenue of the third quarter of 2003.

Net income per diluted share is also expected to increase by approximately $0.09-$0.10 compared to the company's previous guidance. On a GAAP basis, the company expects net income of between $0.15 and $0.19 per diluted share, compared to earlier guidance of $0.06 to $0.09 per diluted share. Pro forma, or non-GAAP net income is anticipated to be between $0.19 and $0.23 per diluted share, compared to the Company's previous guidance of $0.10 to $0.13 per diluted share.

Non-GAAP per-share results exclude the effects of amortization of intangible assets, investment gains or losses, in-process research and development expenses, and related tax effects.

Commenting on the quarter's increased guidance, Robert Blair, president and CEO of ESS Technology said, "ESS Technology is experiencing strong worldwide demand for its digital entertainment products. This quarter, market share gains of our new integrated Vibratto-II family of DVD products have grown faster than expected, and this new product family has now become our largest selling DVD product. Also in the DVD market, we are experiencing strong demand for our new MPEG4/DivX enabled products. And significantly, we have improved the yield and ramped the manufacturing capacity and shipments of our camera phone image sensors faster than anticipated."

Mr. Blair continued, "ESS acquired Pictos earlier this year as we believed their digital imaging technology was the best in the market. Today, by combining ESS's strong customer support and manufacturing resources with Pictos's advanced imaging technology and with our customers' acceptance of our products, ESS is already seeing significant growth in this exciting new product line. We have increased capacities and yields while reducing costs and cycle times faster than previously expected. We are extremely excited by the growth opportunities for this new segment of our business."

"Overall, we are seeing growth in all our product segments, including VCD, DVD, DVD recordables, and especially in our new camera phone and digital still camera products. The growth is coming from the introduction of our new digital video and new digital imaging products and our market share gains in the growing digital entertainment market. We believe ESS is well-positioned to continue to grow revenues and profits in the future," Mr. Blair concluded.

ESS Technology will report its fourth quarter 2003 results on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 after the close of market. At that time, the company will provide guidance for the first quarter of 2004.

About ESS Technology

ESS Technology, Inc., designs and markets high-performance digital video processor and imaging sensor semiconductors for the consumer digital entertainment, digital photography, camera phones and digital home markets. ESS products include highly integrated chips for DVD players, DVD recorders, VCD players, digital media players, digital audio systems, digital still cameras and camcorders, and camera-enabled cellular phones.

ESS, headquartered in Fremont, California, has approximately 400 employees in North America and over 100 employees in Asia providing R&D, sales, and technical support worldwide. For more information, please visit the company's web site at: esstech.com .

The matters discussed in this news release include certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, difficulties inherent in integrating acquired businesses with ESS, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the possible reduction of consumer spending occasioned by general economic conditions, the timely availability and acceptance of ESS's new products, the dependence on continued growth in demand for consumer multimedia products, the possible reduction of consumer spending occasioned by terrorist activity and armed conflict, and the other risks detailed from time to time in the SEC reports of ESS, including the reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K (if any) which we incorporate by reference. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Source: ESS Technology