Altec Lansing Technologies and Zoran Corporation Announce Alliance Applied to New Line of Products
Affordable Multi-Channel Digital Audio for Computers, DVD, Home Entertainment
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. today
announced a strategic alliance with Zoran Corporation (Nasdaq: ZORAN)
combining their resources to develop audio products incorporating the Zoran
ZR38600 Digital Audio Signal Processor. Altec Lansing will apply this
technology in the development of a new family of products featuring affordable
Dolby(R) Digital AC3 surround sound audio reproduction systems. As a result,
people will have greater access to high quality, multi-channel digital audio
from computers, DVD players, digital television receivers and set-top boxes.
This includes the application of the Zoran ZR38600 Digital Audio Signal
Processor combined with Altec Lansing's unique proprietary architecture to
current and future Altec Lansing products, including those using USB
controlled audio operating under Windows(R) 95 and full digital streaming
audio via USB, scheduled to be supported with Windows(R) 98.
Altec Lansing is showing audio peripheral devices, based on this new
alliance, to its customers at the International Winter Consumer Electronics
Show opening today in Las Vegas, NV.
"New technology, including DVD, USB and AC3 means people can enjoy the
best quality digital audio with their computers and home entertainment
devices," commented Edward Anchel, chairman and CEO of Altec Lansing
Technologies, in making this announcement. "The alliance with Zoran means our
audio products will deliver true multi-channel digital audio at prices
affordable to both OEM manufacturers and consumers."
"It is very exciting to be working with Altec Lansing on their new family
of audio products that will have such a large impact on home entertainment,"
said Paul Goldberg, vice president of systems solutions and audio products for
Zoran Corporation. "Digital multi-channel audio is driving this revolution,
whether it emanates from computers, DVD players, digital television receivers
or set-top boxes used with cable, satellite or terrestrial broadcast sources.
The Zoran ZR38600 Digital Audio Signal Processor provides Altec Lansing audio
devices with the power to handle all of the processing required to make
multi-channel audio the dynamic experience that it is intended to be and, by
being a programmable device with processing power to spare, to serve as the
engine for future sophisticated signal processing."
Side-Firing Speaker Design And Dolby Digital AC3 Decoding
The patented side-firing design of Altec Lansing speakers is being
combined with the Zoran Digital Audio Signal Processor. The multi-channel
digital decoder provides simultaneous decoding of Dolby Digital AC3 and
Dolby(R) Surround/Pro-Logic data streams. Audio, video and multimedia
computer and home entertainment content will deliver true multi-channel
surround sound when played through Altec Lansing audio devices equipped with
Zoran processors.
The Zoran ZR38600 is a high performance programmable digital audio signal
processor capable of real-time single-chip decoding of Dolby Digital AC3 5.1
channel and MPEG2 digital algorithms.
"This new combination of our technology, including patented side-firing
speaker design, and Zoran's high performance with Altec Lansing integration
will mean unusually flexible methods for meeting a wide range of multi-channel
digital system requirements at the lowest possible system cost," added Tommy
Freadman, executive vice president of engineering of Altec Lansing.
Altec Lansing Will Ship First Product Resulting From Improved Technology
The first product resulting from this new technology is the Altec Lansing
ADA310 DVD Speaker System with Dolby Digital AC3 Surround Sound. This system
delivers multi-channel surround sound from DVD sources with both on-speaker
and on-screen controls using the power of the PC to enhance the audio
experience.
The ADA310 feature Altec Lansing's patented side-firing speaker technology
and unique algorithms to provide Dolby Digital AC3 (5.1 discrete channels of
surround sound) without the need for rear speakers.
The system includes S/PDIF input on the subwoofer for Dolby Digital AC3
streaming audio output from either a DVD card or DVD player without the need
for a decoder or receiver. The ADA310 includes the Zoran ZR38600 decoder and
digital to analog (D/A) converters, thus providing complete audio conversion
from compressed AC3 digital audio to high quality 5.1 channel analog audio.
The digital audio data streaming via S/PDIF is processed in the subwoofer with
the D/A conversion taking place away from any PC or receiver generated
interference. The ADA310 is bundled with Altec Lansing Audio Management
Software designed to maximize True Digital Audio. A Graphical User Interface
(GUI) allows on-screen adjustment of individual audio channels while the
digital audio technology integrates the speakers, mixer and sound card volume
controls thus virtually eliminating inadvertent volume distortion.
Additional products will be announced later this year.
Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc.
Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc., based in Milford, PA, is a leading
designer, developer and manufacturer of high quality multimedia personal
computer and home entertainment sound systems and is developing a series of
solutions for emerging technologies.
The company employs about 550 people worldwide. In addition to the
company's headquarters, Altec Lansing has offices in Walnut Creek, CA, Austin,
TX, Seattle, WA, Royston Herts, England, Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo, a
manufacturing facility in the People's Republic of China and an Advanced
Research and Development Center in Kfar Saba, Israel.
Consumers interested in additional information about the company and its
products can call 800-ALTEC88 (258-3288) or visit the company on the World
Wide Web at www.altecmm.com
Zoran Corporation
Zoran Corporation (Nasdaq: ZORAN) develops and markets integrated
circuits, integrated circuit "cores" and software for digital video and audio
applications enabled by compression for the consumer audio, multimedia and PC
markets. Zoran's product line includes JPEG codecs, MPEG and DVD decoders,
advanced digital audio signal processors, real-time Video CD and DVD software
for the PC and VLSI cores. Zoran IC's are used in professional and consumer
digital audio systems, video editing systems, filmless digital cameras,
PC-based or stand alone Video CD systems and DVD players.
Zoran's Digital Audio Signal Processors have been adopted by many of the
world's largest manufacturers of audio equipment and were recently selected
for use in Dolby Laboratory's Dolby Digital and Prologic reference standard.
Established in 1983, the company headquarters are in Santa Clara, CA, with
additional operations in Haifa, Israel, Toronto, Canada and Tokyo, Japan.
More information is available about Zoran by calling 408-919-4111 or
visiting the company on the World Wide Web at www.zoran.com
Dolby Digital and Dolby Surround/Pro-Logic are registered trademarks of
Dolby Laboratories. Windows 95 and Windows 98 are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation
SOURCE Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc.
/CONTACT: Andrew Bergstein, 814-234-1230, or e-mail,
110124.741@compuserve.com, or Sharon Entenberg, 717-296-1319, or e-mail,
ntenberg@altecmm.com, both of Altec Lansing Technologies; or Tanya Del Vecchio
of Zoran, 408-919-4229, or e-mail, tanya@zoran.com, or Carey Mitchell of
Virtual Public Relations, 650-369-7833, or e-mail, carey@virtualpr.com/
/Web site: altecmm.com zoran.com
(ZORAN)
In PHTH006, Altec Lansing Technologies and Zoran Corporation Announce
Alliance Applied to New Line of Products, moved earlier today, the ticker for
Zoran Corporation should read "(Nasdaq: ZRAN)" rather than "(Nasdaq: ZORAN)"
as incorrectly transmitted by PR Newswire.
/PRNewswire -- Jan. 8/
(ZRAN) |
