New iSCANô Pro From Silicon Image Takes Standard TV To Cinema Quality For Videophiles Worldwide

25-Jan-01

Silicon Image, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIMG), a leading provider of high bandwidth semiconductor solutions for mass markets, unveiled the iScanô Pro, a multi-system line doubler/upconverter for the home videophile, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Utilizing Silicon Image's world-class video processing technology, the iScan Pro supports a wide array of TVs and monitors and all major international video standards - bringing extremely affordable, near-high definition TV (HDTV) quality images to the worldwide home theatre market. Building on the success of the company's NTSC-compatible iScan Plus V2 in North America, the iScan Pro dramatically increases video image resolution for PAL2 and SECAM3 formatted video as well - enabling consumers in Europe, Australia and Asia to also benefit from its ability to convert standard interlaced video input from DVD, videotape, LaserDisc and satellite broadcast television into a near high definition, progressive scan signal for less than $1,000. This price point is more than 50 percent less than competitive offerings with similar capabilities, enabling the iScan to uniquely fill a growing market need. Commenting on the introduction, Michael Kelley, Silicon Image's Vice President of Marketing and Business Development noted, ""We're excited to bring the iScan's award-winning capabilities to the worldwide home theatre market with the introduction of the iScan Pro. Because the iScan Pro is compatible with all major worldwide video standards, we are able to offer consumers around the world incredible image clarity and color fidelity - creating a truly memorable viewing experience for even the most action-packed movies. Continuing the iScan tradition of unparalleled price/performance, consumers can optimize their DVD movies or other video sources without spending a small fortune."" Featuring Silicon Image's SiIô 503ô digital video processor, the iScan Pro provides a compelling, user-friendly alternative for consumers seeking to cost-effectively maximize video performance on standard definition TVs and HDTVs that are compatible with 480p inputs. The iScan Pro upconverts any NTSC, PAL or SECAM input video signal to a high quality progressive signal, offering twice the vertical resolution while eliminating motion and time-based artifacts, such as jagged edges and flicker. The iScan Pro offers new picture controls that are unavailable on the iScan Plus V2. Brightness, contrast, saturation, hue and sharpness adjustments have been added, allowing the user the option of adjusting the video output for optimum picture quality on their particular display. The addition of component video input to the existing S-Video and composite video inputs enables the iScan Pro to accept the highest quality interlaced video signal from a DVD player. Outputs include selectable progressive RGB and component (Y/Pb/Pr). As with the iScan Plus, the engine driving the iScan Pro's upconversion consists of advanced motion-adaptive and source-adaptive processors that convert the incoming video stream from 50 or 60 interlaced fields per second to the same number of progressively-scanned frames per second. In addition to offering the fastest and most accurate film detection available, the iScan Pro is also able to recognize video sequences that were originally created as computer graphics or 30 frame-per-second animation. Advanced Source Transition Management technology delivers the best picture quality for broadcast TV material. The iScan Pro can also horizontally compress a 4:3 image into a 16:9 frame, allowing it to be used with HDTV sets that are unable to perform this aspect ratio conversion on their own. For the North American market, the iScan Pro is Silicon Image's high end line doubler offering, while it is the primary offering for Europe, Australia and Asia. The iScan Pro is currently available through home theatre and professional A/V distribution channels at a suggested retail price of $899. For more information about Silicon Image, visit www.siimage.com. 

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