Quadrant and ATI. Connect the dots -- Quadrant has licensed it's CUBE-ZiVA based circuit design and software to ATI. This is big..........
Quadrant International and ATI Partner to Deliver Industry Leading DVD Solutions to PC OEMs; Licensing Agreement Enables ATI to Provide Complete DVD Solutions
MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 1998--A partnership between Quadrant International (QI), an expert provider of software and hardware digital video solutions, and ATI Technologies Inc., the world's largest supplier of 3D graphics and multimedia technology, now enables ATI to provide complete DVD decoding solutions to PC original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). ATI is licensing QI's Software CineMaster 98 to provide software DVD playback capabilities for its video graphics array (VGA) chips, as well as QI's Hardware CineMaster 98 reference design and drivers. [Which contains CUBE circuitry.]
"QI's strengths in digital video decoding technology are a powerful counterpoint to our graphics chip design expertise," said Adrian Hartog, vice president of engineering at ATI. "This synergy enables both our companies to establish leadership positions in the DVD industry."
"We are pleased to work closely with ATI to create a range of complete, industry-leading DVD solutions for ATI's customers," said Leonard Sharp. "This partnership enables QI to expand its market reach, capitalizing on ATI's reputation for high-quality, high-performance multimedia products. It's a win-win situation."
ATI had previously integrated QI's Software CineMaster into the ATI DVD Player(TM). Running on a system with a 333 MHz Intel Pentium II with MMX, 32 MB of RAM and the ATI RAGE Pro, the DVD Player achieved Microsoft's Windows Quality Hardware Labs (WQHL) qualification, enabling manufacturers integrating the DVD solution to use Microsoft's(TM) Designed for Windows 98 and Designed for Windows 95 logos. The DVD Player is fully compatible with Windows 98, which provides native support for DVD drives, and with the Windows 98 DirectShow multimedia API, which offers the highest level of compatibility for multimedia applications.
Software CineMaster 98 delivers premium quality video playback with no frame drops, along with vibrant, Dolby Digital audio. Its highly optimized video decoding algorithms enable the application to play DVD content even on 233MHz CPUs. Because the software is meticulously built to take advantage of both the CPU and the operating system, this DVD solution uses fewer CPU cycles than other software-only DVD solutions. Software CineMaster 98 is based on QI's unique modular software architecture, giving it the same look and feel as QI's hardware-based DVD solutions.
Hardware CineMaster 98 is a premium-quality DVD decoder board that meets all Microsoft PC 98 requirements, provides unmatched DVD playback, and is built on the highly integrated ZiVA-PC DVD decoder chip from C-Cube. The board enables PC manufacturers to produce entry-level PCs with state-of-the-art support for digital video and audio streams. Hardware CineMaster 98 utilizes the QI DVD Player, Navigator and driver software based on QI's modular architecture.
QI's CineMaster products have been recognized by prominent industry organizations, including acknowledgement in PC Magazine's Editor's Choice award to Dell Computer for its Dimension XPS D300. They have also earned mentions in PC Gamer's "Editor's Choice" list and C/Net's "Buy It" rating.
About ATI
ATI Technologies Inc., the world's largest supplier of 3D graphics and multimedia technology, designs, manufactures and markets innovative and award-winning multimedia solutions and graphics components for personal computers. An ISO 9002 company, ATI is the world's leading supplier of video and 2D/3D graphics accelerators to OEM and retail customers. Founded in 1985, ATI employs more than 1,300 people at headquarters in Thornhill, Ontario and in offices in the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan and Malaysia. ATI is a public company whose shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
About Quadrant International
Quadrant International (QI) is an expert provider of digital video and audio solutions to manufacturers of PCs, consumer electronics appliances and convergence devices. QI addresses the convergence of business and consumer markets through a full line of software and hardware products designed around a unique, modular, software architecture that provides a consistent look and feel across technology platforms. Combining the best on-screen quality with the best overall system performance and integration, QI provides flexible and cost-effective solutions to a spectrum of partners in the PC-OEM and semiconductor markets, including Dell Computer, Packard Bell/NEC, ATI Technologies, C-Cube and ST Microelectronics. Founded in 1994, QI is headquartered near Philadelphia, Pa., and has offices in Silicon Valley, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Germany; and Japan.
CONTACT:
McGrath/Power Public Relations
Louie Yan or Scott VanSickle, 408/727-0351
Louie_Yan@mcgrathpowerpr.com
Scott_VanSickle@mcgrathpowerpr.com
or
ATI Technologies Inc.
Brian Hentschel, 905/882-2600, ext. 8130
bhentsch@atitech.ca |
