ZRAN NEWS - QSound likes our chip...
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Thursday January 8, 7:00 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Zoran and QSound Labs Announce the Immediate
Availability of QSurround 3D Audio on the Vaddis
DVD Decoder
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 8, 1998--QSound Labs, Inc.
(NASDAQ:QSNDF - news) and Zoran Corporation (NASDAQ:ZRAN - news)
announced today the immediate availability of QSound's QSurround 3D Audio
implementation on Zoran's Vaddis single-chip DVD decoder IC. This makes Vaddis the
world's first DVD decoder available with integrated 3D audio capability. The QSurround
implementation running on the Vaddis decoder is currently shipping in Sharp Corporation's
[OTC BB:SHCAY - news] new DVD player, model DV-S100. The Vaddis QSurround
implementation is now available for licensing to DVD player and PC DVD manufacturers
and OEMs.
The Vaddis QSurround implementation will be demonstrated at the CES show in Las
Vegas, January 8 through 11, in the Zoran booth, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall
2, Booth no. 3838. Visit QSound's Booth no. 6032D for demonstrations of the company's
3D audio technology.
''We are very excited to offer the capabilities of the QSurround implementation on the
Vaddis decoder,'' said Dr. Isaac Shenberg, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Zoran
Corporation. ''The implementation of QSurround on the Vaddis decoder is proof of the
power and flexibility of the Vaddis architecture. By performing 3D audio together with DVD
decoding on the same chip, significant cost savings result. Our close cooperation with
QSound to offer this solution to our customers is yielding impressive results as demonstrated
in the new DVD player from Sharp Corporation.''
''We value our continued partnership with Zoran,'' said David Gallagher, President of
QSound Labs. ''This latest collaboration is yet another demonstration of the leading edge
technology available from both companies in the DVD market.''
On the 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 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.
Zoran's highly integrated Vaddis decoder offers the advanced feature set and flexibility which
enables the development of robust, powerful second generation DVD player solutions.
Addressing the needs of today's competitive market, the Vaddis decoder implements
Zoran's SiliconSoftware 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, a
3D sound feature such as QSurround can be implemented on the Vaddis decoder as a
SiliconSoftware application and executed simultaneously with all the other 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 in volume quantities.
On QSurround
QSurround is a patented, key enabling technology for playback of DVD multi-channel audio
providing accurate audio positioning from two speakers. It effectively meets the challenge of
new multi-channel audio delivery formats and enables decoded Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby
Pro Logic or MPEG 2 information to be reproduced across the entire range of playback
systems. By creating ''virtual speakers'', QSurround reproduces the full surround sound
effect of multi-channel audio so that surround sound encoded movies and music can be
enjoyed with only two speakers. QSurround is certified by Dolby Laboratories Licensing
Corporation for both the Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital processes.
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, Digital Audio Signal Processors, 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 QSound Labs, Inc.
Founded in 1988, QSound Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:QSNDF - news) is an advanced audio
technology company specializing in 3D sound placement and audio image enhancement.
Based in Calgary, Alberta, the company uses patented 3D audio technologies to serve the
home entertainment, PC/Multimedia, consumer electronics and professional audio industries.
The technologies provide immersive, realistic environments that include positional audio,
stereo enhancement and virtual surround sound.
PC OEMs and manufacturers and consumer electronic manufacturers who have licensed
QSound include Acer, AIWA, Crystal Semiconductor, IBM, Sharp and Yamaha. Electronic
Arts, Microsoft, Mindscape and Sega have all employed QSound technologies in developing
video games. Musical artists Sting, Madonna and Janet Jackson have recorded music using
the system, and television shows such as The X-Files and Ally McBeal utilize QSound
technologies during post-production.
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Note to Editors:
Vaddis, ZR36700 and SiliconSoftware are trademarks of Zoran Corporation. Dolby Digital
is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories. QSurround is a trademark of QSound Labs. |
