SAN JOSE, Calif. – Embedded Processor Forum – June 13, 2000 – Building on its Internet audio leadership, Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS)
today announced its breakthrough system-on-chip (SOC), the Maverick™ EP9312, that will allow consumer electronics companies to create a variety of cost-effective home audio jukeboxes and servers. These feature-rich future systems could convert current CD music collections to digital files (a process known as “ripping”) and store the music using the built-in hard-disk drive. Music could be securely purchased and/or downloaded free from the Internet without a personal computer. Internet radio can be played or stored. Songs can be catalogued, arranged and replayed to different rooms using existing stereo system components or home networking systems. And music files can be transferred to portable Internet audio devices.
“The EP9312 brings unprecedented levels of integration and power focused at the home audio market, resulting in the secure access, creation, storage and playback of Internet audio files at the highest levels of sound quality,” says Matthew Perry, vice president and general manager of Cirrus Logic’s Embedded Processors Division. “We believe this Maverick processor delivers the performance, flexibility, security, and time-to-market features needed to create an entirely new category of Internet home entertainment appliances.”
Will Strauss, president of industry research firm Forward Concepts, said: “Cirrus Logic’s Maverick processor will enable OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to address a critical market need. Music lovers have large libraries of MP3 selections, and they want to be able to play them over their household stereo systems, not just on their PCs. The Maverick processor will enable the design of MP3 jukeboxes for the home so you won’t have to lug the PC outdoors for poolside entertainment.”
Cirrus Logic is already one of the top suppliers of embedded processors for portable Internet audio devices for popular brand names like Diamond Multimedia, Creative Labs and Nike, according to Forward Concepts.
“For the digital audio market to explode, the industry is going to have to sever the ties between music players and personal computers,” said Mike Feibus, a principal analyst at Mercury Research, Inc., a market research firm in Scottsdale, Arizona. “Hardware that can facilitate that separation will be what sparks the next phase in the digital audio revolution.”
The EP9312 is the newest and most powerful entry in Cirrus Logic’s Maverick line of market-specific processor (MSP™) solutions. The EP9312 integrates the latest-generation ARM920T processor core, the new MaverickCrunch™ coprocessor, and patent-pending MaverickLock™ technology that provides on-chip digital rights management and security.
The new MaverickCrunch math co-processor engine is optimized for running high-quality audio algorithms, enabling faster than real-time encoding of MP3 files while allowing playback of multiple music streams into separate rooms in the home.
The on-chip MaverickLock technology offers digital rights management protection and security of songs downloaded from the Internet or compressed from a CD. The security is fully compliant and exceeds digital rights management guidelines of the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI). These key features could help alleviate many of the concerns that artists and music companies have about piracy and payment.
MaverickLock enables hardware-based content security and allows multiple security vendors to co-exist on the same system. The technology provides a secure hardware environment offering industry-grade on-chip security for consumer applications and permanent unique IDs, private keys and passwords.
The Maverick EP9312 supports multiple operating systems including Linux, Windows CE and others. In addition, the most popular Internet audio standards such as MP3, WMA and AAC are supported. Cirrus Logic has partnered with Cygnus to provide a full range of tool support for the Maverick EP9312, and software developers worldwide support the ARM processor architecture.
The new Maverick EP9312 will begin sampling in the fourth quarter with volume shipments expected to begin early next year. The Maverick EP9312 will be priced at $38.50 in quantities of 10,000.
About Cirrus Logic
Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of high-performance analog and DSP chip solutions for Internet entertainment electronics. Building on its global market share leadership in audio integrated circuits and its rich mixed-signal patent portfolio, the company targets high-volume audio, storage and communications applications. Cirrus Logic sells its products under the Crystal®, Maverick™ and 3Ci™ brands as well as its own name. Founded in 1984 in Silicon Valley, Cirrus Logic operates from headquarters in Austin and major sites located in Fremont, Calif. and Broomfield, Colo. as well as offices in Europe, Japan and Asia. More information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com
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Safe Harbor Provision
Any forward looking statements and all other statements that may be made in this news release that are not historical facts are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. Please refer to Cirrus Logic’s current Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more information on the risk factors that could cause actual results to differ.
Note to editors: Cirrus Logic, Maverick, MaverickLock and MaverickCrunch are registered trademarks of Cirrus Logic Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.
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