Tuesday February 10, 11:49 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Diamond Multimedia Sets a New Pace for PC DVD With Its New Full-featured Diamond DVD Kit
Diamond DVD/2D/3D Adapter, Next-Generation DVD-ROM Drive and Software Bundle for Only $299
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 1998-- Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIMD - news), a leader in interactive multimedia acceleration, today set a new pace for DVD on the PC with the announcement of its full-featured Diamond DVD(TM) Kit, Model MC20.
This integrated kit features an advanced Diamond DVD, 2D and 3D adapter, a state-of-the-art next generation 2X DVD-ROM drive and an exciting bundle of interactive DVD titles. Priced at only $299.95 in the U.S., the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 is expected to hit North American retail shelves in the second quarter of this year.
''The Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 is an integrated solution that offers advanced multimedia functionality in a single package,'' said David Watkins, vice president and general manager of the multimedia division at Diamond Multimedia. ''In comparison, most other DVD solutions are more expensive and have fewer features. Consumers will be able to purchase our Diamond DVD Kit and enjoy the latest multimedia PC features, including high-performance graphics acceleration as well as home theater-quality DVD video and Dolby Digital audio, for a truly groundbreaking price.''
For example, in comparison to Creative Labs' PC-DVD Encore Kit, the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 carries an $80 lower estimated retail price and offers 2D and 3D graphics acceleration in addition to DVD. Creative's solution only includes DVD functionality (see attached chart).
Best-of-Class DVD Performance plus 2D/3D Graphics
The Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 features an integrated DVD and 2D/3D graphics ''single-chip'' solution for high-performance multimedia PCs. Powered by Chromatic Research's Mpact 2 3DVD media processor, Diamond's PCI-based accelerator provides outstanding 3D gameplay, high-quality 2D graphics and hardware acceleration for the enhanced playback of interactive DVD content. This accelerator features an advanced 3D rendering engine and a dedicated texture cache to enable a faster and more realistic gaming experience for Microsoft Direct3D and DOS-based games. Additional 3D features include trilinear filtering, specular highlighting, full transparency and alpha blending support.
The Diamond accelerator also features high-powered processing for 2D applications including presentations, spreadsheets, desktop publishing and more. Populated with 4MB of RDRAM, it is capable of displaying resolutions up to 1600X1200 and flicker-free refresh rates of up to 200Hz.
''Given Diamond Multimedia's success in providing advanced multimedia subsystem solutions, we are pleased that Diamond has chosen the Mpact 2 media processor as part of their overall DVD offering,'' said John Monti, vice president of marketing at Chromatic Research. ''Diamond has tremendous manufacturing, marketing, sales and support resources that will take Mpact 2 media processor technology into all areas of the PC business.''
Establishing a new benchmark for PC DVD performance, the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 provides home theater-quality video playback of the latest DVD content. In comparison to specialized graphics chips that provide limited DVD capabilities such as motion compensation, the Chromatic Mpact 3DVD processor is a comprehensive DVD video and audio solution that offers full-screen, 30 frames-per-second MPEG-2 video decoding, MPEG-1 decoding, full six-channel Dolby Digital surround sound audio decoding and more.
Second-Generation DVD-ROM Technology
The new Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 features a second-generation DVD-ROM drive, providing high-quality digital video playback for the latest DVD games, movies and music. The drives deliver improved performance with up to a 2X read rate and an average random access speed of 160ms for DVD-ROM media and provide up to a 24X read rate and an average random access speed of 105ms for CD-ROM media. The second-generation drives also provide read compatibility with CD-R and CD-RW media. Additionally, they are designed to accommodate future DVD formats by reading data recorded by write-once DVD-ROM drives.
Exciting Bundle of DVD Titles
Providing immediate out-of-the box enjoyment, the Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 will include a variety of interactive DVD titles. Specific details about the software bundle will be announced at a later date.
System Requirements
The Diamond DVD Kit, Model MC20 requires a minimum system configuration of a Pentium-166 MHz processor or compatible CPU with 16MB of memory.
Diamond Multimedia
Diamond Multimedia is driving the interactive multimedia market by providing advanced solutions for home, business and professional desktop computer users, enabling them to create, access and experience compelling new media content from their desktops and through the Internet. Diamond accelerates multimedia from the Internet to the hard drive with products that include the Stealth and Viper(R) series of media accelerators, the Monster series of entertainment 3D and sound accelerators, the Fire series of professional 3D and SCSI accelerators, and the Supra(R) series of modems. Diamond also markets DVD and video phone kits. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol DIMD, and its web site address is www.diamondmm.com.
How to Contact Diamond Multimedia
There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information:
Internet Web Site: diamondmm.com Diamond Multimedia's Headquarters and Multimedia Division: 408/325-7000; Fax: 408/325-7070 Communications Division (Supra brand modems) Main Phone Number: 360/604-1400; Fax: 360/604-1401 European Division (Germany): +49-8151-266-0; (UK): +44-1189-444400; (France) +33-1-47561157 Korean Office (Seoul): +82-2-551-2700; Fax: +82-2-551-2710 Japanese Office (Tokyo): +81-3-5695-8401; Fax: +81-3-5695-8403 ASEAN Office (Singapore): +65-353-9511; Fax: +65-353-9510 Hong Kong Office: +852-2375-9023; Fax: +852-2375-9021 Australian Office (Sydney): +61-2-9460-2355; Fax: +61-2-9460-2360 Product Support (Voice), United States: 541/967-2450; Europe (Germany) +49-8151-266-330; Europe (UK) +44-1189-444444; TDD/TTY Support 541/967-2451 Product Support (Fax), United States: 541/967-2401; Europe (Germany) +49-8151-266-331; Europe (UK): +44-1189-444445; (France) +33-1-47561139 Pre-sales Information: 1-800/468-5846 Investor Relations: 408/325-7476; 1-888/474-3463 (U.S. and Canada) 24-Hour Fax-On-Demand Service: 1-800/380-0030 FTP site: ftp.diamondmm.com BBS: 541/967-2444 (to 33.6 Kbps) or 408/383-0551 (ISDN); Europe (Germany) BBS at +49-8151-266333 (to 28.8 Kbps) or +49-8151-266334 (ISDN); Europe (UK) at +44-1189-444415 (to 33.6 Kbps)
NOTE TO EDITORS: Monster 3D and Supra are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. Diamond DVD is a trademark of Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. Viper* is a Registered Trademark of Directed Electronics, Inc., Used under License. All other trademarks referenced are the service mark, trademark or registered trademark of their respective manufacturers. This announcement relates to products whose introduction are in the United States of America. The product name contents, prices and availability may differ elsewhere in the world according to local factors and requirements.
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, such as statements relating to the Company's ability to successfully exploit technological and market developments, the timing and success of new product introductions by the Company and its competitors, and the Company's ability to invest in new technologies and to enhance its existing systems are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the impact of competitive products and pricing and alternative technological advances, the timely and successful development and market acceptance of new products and upgrades to existing products, and other risks as detailed from time to time in Diamond Multimedia's SEC filings, including its most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q.
Diamond DVD Kit, MC20 Creative Labs PC-DVD
Encore DXR2
2X DVD-ROM drive X X
Dolby AC3 audio X X
2D graphics acceleration X
3D graphics acceleration X
Estimated retail price (ERP) $299.95 $379.95
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Contact:
Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.
Mary Medeiros, 408/325-7350
maryme@diamondmm.com
or
Lorraine Comstock, 408/325-7346
lorraine@diamondmm.com
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