ZiVA-5 First With Full DVD-Audio, Audio Codec, and Progressive-Scan Video Support

MILPITAS, Calif., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- C-Cube Microsystems Inc. already the acknowledged leader in the DVD chip market, today further distanced itself from the competition by introducing the ZiVA-5 DVD system processor. The industry's most advanced DVD solution, ZiVA-5, builds on the company's proven ZiVA architecture -- C-Cube has sold more than 10 million DVD ICs worldwide -- and integrates a number of new features, including the industry's only full DVD-Audio solution, an MP3 audio codec, progressive-scan output, 2D-multiplane graphics engine, Internet applications, and more.

"The DVD market is experiencing explosive growth, and new sub-segments of the DVD market are starting to emerge," said C-Cube's Timothy Vehling, director of marketing for consumer products. "We designed ZiVA-5 to be the most highly integrated, full-featured DVD solution available today, and have included unique, innovative features, such as our MP3 audio codec technology, that will empower our customers to quickly bring new and exciting DVD products to the market."

ZiVA-5 -- Unsurpassed Feature Set

Building on the market-proven ZiVA-4 DVD decoder, ZiVA-5 integrates a new high-performance 150MHz 32-bit SPARC CPU that features the ability to simultaneously issue both integer and DSP instructions. With this high-performance CPU, ZiVA-5 provides an ideal platform for software applications, such as DVD-Video navigation, DVD-Audio navigation, intuitive user interfaces, and the Planetweb(TM) Internet browser.

The ZiVA-5 processor also contains a powerful 32-bit, 2-D multi-plane graphics engine, TrueScan(TM) high-quality field-adaptive de-interlacer, a programmable NTSC/PAL/480P video encoder with interlaced and progressive scan support including Macrovision AGC version 1.03 for 480P, and a flexible bus interface.

"With its high-performance CPU and graphics architecture, C-Cube's new ZiVA-5 is an ideal Internet and hybrid DVD platform for Planetweb's browser software," said Ken Soohoo, CEO of Planetweb. "As a leading developer of Internet software, we are excited to be partnering with C-Cube in bringing compelling Internet capabilities to the consumer DVD market."

ZiVA-5 is the only fully integrated DVD-Audio solution on the market, including multi-channel Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP) audio decode, LPCM audio decode, Copy Protection for Pre-recorded Media (CPPM), audio watermark detection, Real-time Text Insertion (RTI), high-resolution stills, and DVD-audio disk navigation.

Robert Stuart, chairman and technical director of Meridian Audio, developers of the MLP algorithm selected by the DVD Forum as the standard compression technology for DVD-Audio said: "Meridian has always chosen the C-Cube ZiVA family for use in our DVD Home Theatre systems. With the introduction of ZiVA-5, C-Cube now provides the industry's most highly integrated DVD-Audio solution. Meridian and C-Cube co-developed the DVD-Audio implementation on ZiVA-5, which we believe will offer consumers an unparalleled opportunity to experience all the benefits of the DVD-Audio format."

ZiVA-5 features a new 225 MIPs dual-audio-DSP architecture that enables a number of new and exciting audio-codec-enabled features on next-generation DVD players. In addition to decoding MPEG-1 Layers 1 and 2, MP3, MPEG-2 5.1, Dolby Digital(TM), Dolby ProLogic(TM), DTS, HDCD, and MLP, ZiVA-5 has the ability to encode a variety of audio algorithms, including the popular MP3 format. ZiVA-5 audio post-processing features include the Spatializer N-2-2(TM) 3D audio algorithm, professional karaoke, and C-Cube's RealSonic(TM) technology.

ZiVA-5 contains added peripheral I/O capability including two UARTs, a multi-mode IR remote control device interface, numerous programmable I/O, ATAPI/IDE interfaces, and direct support for most DVD drives. ZiVA-5 is Macrovision 7.1L1 compliant, and supports full disc-playback compatibility with DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, DVD-VR, Chaoji VCD, SVCD, VCD, CD-ROM, and CD-DA formats.

"LG has worked closely with C-Cube to bring advanced, high-quality DVD products to market since the days of the first ZiVA decoder," said Mr. Kwang-Soo Jeong, executive vice president of LG's Digital AV Division. "The level of features integrated into ZiVA-5 are unsurpassed, and allow LG to rapidly develop and bring to market a family of cost-effective, feature-rich DVD-Video and DVD-Audio products."

C-Cube C-Ware(TM) Software Development Platform and API

ZiVA-5 is fully compatible with C-Cube's C-Ware software API. C-Ware provides customers with a common development and execution environment across all C-Cube SPARC-based products, enabling the ready use of industry-standard development tools, and ensuring the reuse of existing software.

Price/Availability

ZiVA-5 is packaged in a 208-pin PQFP and will be available in two versions: ZiVA-5X for full-featured DVD, and ZiVA-5M for mainstream DVD products. Samples will be available Q4, 2000, with volume shipments commencing in the first half of 2001. In volume quantities, ZiVA-5X is priced at $22.50 and ZiVA-5M is priced at $16.50.

About C-Cube

The company is a worldwide leader in digital media processing and is leading the way with new communication processors and networked consumer products. With a focus on DVD, set-top boxes and codec-enabled products, C-Cube is driving the technology for the "networked digital home."

C-Cube is headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., and has offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.c-cube.com.

NOTE: C-Cube and the C-Cube logo are registered trademarks of C-Cube Microsystems Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE: C-Cube Microsystems Inc.