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Panasonic DVD-RAM Drive Supports MPEG-2 Files Produced With Ligos Technology's Software-Only, Real-Time Encoding Technology

GoMotion Delivers High-Quality MPEG-2 Files to Rewritable DVD Drive for Storage, Backup and Low-Cost Distribution

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 1999-- Officials at Panasonic Industrial Company and Ligos Technology jointly announced today that the Panasonic LF-D101 DVD-RAM drive supports MPEG-2 video and multimedia files encoded by Ligos' GoMotion(TM) software-only, real-time MPEG-2 encoding technology.

GoMotion provides corporate in-house developers, OEMs, ISVs and IHVs with a cost-effective means of delivering high-quality, full-motion video without the additional cost of hardware encoders. With support for GoMotion MPEG-2 encoded files, businesses and individuals will be able to take advantage of the Panasonic LF-D101 drive's high capacity and low-cost media for reliable storage of home videos, corporate training and marketing films, and entertainment videos.

Recently enhanced with the ability to provide single-pass variable bitrate (VBR) encoding in real-time, GoMotion's new capabilities have been described as a major breakthrough in MPEG-2 encoding technology. VBR encoding raises the overall efficiency of the codec and eliminates some of the quality problems that are otherwise unavoidable when using VBR, including low quality in the highly active segments of the video.

The GoMotion codec is scalable for all MMX(TM) and SSIMD-enabled Pentium processors. It performs real-time, 30 frames-per-second, with full IPB frame compression at D1 (720x480) pixel resolution on a 500 MHz Pentium III processor, Half D1 (352x480) pixel resolution on a 350 MHz Pentium II, and SIF (352x240) resolution on the 266MHz Pentium II processor. Based on Ligos Technology's patent-pending LightSpeed(TM) motion estimation algorithm, GoMotion technology is being incorporated in products as diverse as ATI's All-in-Wonder 128 multimedia graphics boards and ICTV's ISX 2000 interactive television system.

"GoMotion has made recording MPEG-2 digital video in real-time affordable for millions of users," said Jeff Saake, Group General Manager, Panasonic Industrial Co., Computer Technology Group. "Initially, the cost of creating full-motion, full-screen digital video images and using a DVD-ROM or DVD-R drive to store them was very expensive; but with Ligos' technology and the Panasonic DVD-RAM drive, businesses and even home users have a low-cost solution that doesn't compromise quality or reliability."

Panasonic's DVD-RAM drive provides 2.6GB of rewritable capacity on a single-sided disc (5.2GB on the double-sided disc) for about $.008/MB, making it ideal for meeting the enormous storage requirements of digital audio signals, 3-D graphics, animation, and high-resolution videos. Designed for high performance, the drive has a data transfer rate of up to 10.5Mbps and a 120ms average seek time. To further enhance performance, the drive includes a 2MB cache buffer.

"Panasonic's DVD-RAM drive offers users a solution for storing large audio and video files, and for archiving or transporting media to other computers," said Peter Forman, president and chief executive officer of Ligos Technology. "GoMotion is the technology of choice for companies seeking real-time, high-quality, MPEG-2 encoding, with all of the benefits and flexibility that only software can provide."

Based on the rewritable DVD standards approved by DVD Forum, the Panasonic DVD-RAM drive provides a single solution for reading data, video clips and audio files from both CDs and DVDs. The drive can read from discs currently accepted by CD-ROM, CD Audio, CD-R, CD-RW and video CD drives, as well as DVD video, DVD-ROM and DVD-R drives. Files recorded to DVD-RAM media can also be played back on Panasonic's current 5X and 6X DVD-ROM drives and future higher-speed DVD-ROM drives.

Prices, Availability

The Panasonic LF-D101 DVD-RAM drive is available as an internal drive with a SCSI-2 interface. OEMs can purchase the drive from Panasonic Industrial Company. Panasonic Document Imaging Company (PDIC) is also marketing Panasonic brand DVD-RAM drives for an MSRP of $699. DVD-RAM media, which is marketed under the Panasonic brand name, is also available from several other leading manufacturers. The removable double-sided 5.2GB disc has an MSRP of $39.95. The 2.6GB single-sided media has an MSRP of $24.95 and is sold with a removable cartridge for playback on the latest Panasonic 5X and 6X DVD-ROM drives.

The GoMotion codec is available for licensing as a Microsoft DirectShow filter and as a Video For Windows solution. Interested parties can register for Ligos' online software developers' kit at http://www.ligos.com/about_us/partners/. For more information on licensing GoMotion or LightSpeed, please contact [email protected] or call (415) 437-6137.

Corporate Profiles

Headquartered in San Francisco, Ligos Technology is the leading worldwide provider of real-time software-only MPEG encoding and decoding technology. Ligos is an award-winning developer of multimedia software, dedicated to delivering the highest-quality MPEG solutions to enable the future of digital video on the desktop. Ligos' breakthrough MPEG encoding technology is currently used by industry leaders, including ATI Technologies Inc., MGI Software Corp., ICTV, Dazzle Multimedia and Cinax Designs Inc., among others. Ligos is a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrated Data Systems of Savannah, Ga., developers of the first software multimedia codec for standard PCs. For more information on Ligos Technology, MPEG products, or licensing, access the company Web site at http://www.ligos.com or call toll-free (888) 464-8765.

The Panasonic DVD-RAM OEM drive is manufactured by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (MEI), one of the world's leading producers of CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives and other digital electronic products. The drives are marketed by the company's principal North American subsidiary, Matsushita Electric Corp. of America. For more information on the Panasonic DVD-RAM drive and media, contact Panasonic Industrial Company, 1600 McCandless Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035; (408) 945-5600, FAX (408) 262-4214, E-mail [email protected]. Or, visit the company's Web site at www.panasonic.com/oemdvd-ram. In Canada, contact Panasonic Canada, 5770 Ambler Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2T3, Canada; (905) 238-2254, FAX (905) 238-2414, E-mail [email protected].

Ligos Technology, Inc. is not a part or in any way legally affiliated with Panasonic Industrial Company. Panasonic Industrial Company assumes no responsibility for the performance of or customer satisfaction with Ligos products. All company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.


Contact:
     Marken Communications
     Andy Marken
     [email protected]
     (408) 986-0100


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