Information about Ravisent can be found on the World Wide Web at www.ravisent.com.
Ravisent To Work With Intel, Conexant, Philips And Other Industry Leaders On Digital TV
Ravisent Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: RVST), a world leader in the development, licensing and management of digital video/audio technology solutions, has announced it is working with Intel, Conexant, Philips, Nvidia, SkyTune and other industry leaders to provide high-quality, low cost digital TV (DTV) solutions to PC OEMís. These cooperative efforts are based on Ravisentís Software CineMasterÆ HDTV decoder, the industryís first all-software, HDTV decoder, that provides full quality playback of all formats of HDTV on commercially available PCs. Ravisent demonstrated its CineMasterÆ HDTV technology at last yearís COMDEX. At that time, Ravisent formally introduced its first-ever PC Digital Video Recorder (DVR) offering simultaneous encode/decode capabilities. DVR technology is expected to become an integral part of PC and consumer electronics devices as the convergence of electronics and computer devices continues over the next several years. The company also introduced a new upgradeable Internet TV appliance device incorporating DVD technology and provided its first public showing of CineMaster 2000Æ, the all-software DVD solution that is expected to become the default DVD MPEG-2 decoder software in video playback of DVD to PC. ""Since its founding, Ravisent has been a leader in developing and bringing to market software and hardware solutions for PC and CE OEMs to enable them to offer consumer digital audio and video streaming content at significantly lower cost,"" said Mike Harris, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer. ""With current decoder technology prohibitively expensive and half of all US households owning a PC, our HDTV-to-PC software solution will stimulate consumer acceptance of HDTV and greatly expand corresponding content offerings, by enabling PC OEMs to bring these products to market, faster, and at far less cost. CineMasterÆ HDTV Based on Ravisentís award-winning CineMaster MPEG-2 decoder technology, CineMaster HDTV is the only software that incorporates newly-developed, advanced proprietary algorithms enabling the decoding and playback of all eighteen (18) digital television formats specified by the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC), including all the so-called high definition television (HDTV) formats. CineMaster HDTV also incorporates proprietary software technology for full transport de-multiplexing with enhanced stream management for audio/video pacing and buffers management. CineMasterÆ Digital Video Recorder (DVR) Identifying one of the most important developments for video technology, Ravisent has created a PC Digital Video Recorder software architecture offering simultaneous encoding/decoding. The easily integrated technology will allow PC and consumer electronics manufacturers to quickly and inexpensively incorporate an MPEG-2 hard drive-based DVR capability into virtually any PC and CE device, enabling the ability to time-shift, pause, rewind and replay live television broadcasts. With this technology, mainstream computer users will now have all the benefits of a traditional VCR on their computer, as well as the new hard-drive based digital video recorders now becoming popular. Internet Appliance Ravisent also has introduced its first Internet TV DVD solution, solidifying its commitment to combining Internet connectivity with entertainment devices. The web-enabled DVD player transforms ordinary television into both a home theatre system and a true Internet appliance. Based on CineMasterÆ CEÆ, Ravisentís industry-leading modular DVD software for consumer electronics manufacturers, the Internet TV DVD solution will incorporate an easy-to-navigate, web browser and e-mail capabilities. Ravisent plans to enable its customers to incorporate this Internet TV technology into a variety of consumer electronics appliances including TVís, DVD Players, Digital Video Recorders and broadband set-top device. About Ravisent Technologies, Inc. Ravisent is driving the digital entertainment revolution with an integrated suite of innovative digital video and audio products for PC and consumer electronics manufacturers. RAVLISENT enables the convergence of personal computer and consumer electronics devices through software and hardware products designed around a unique, modular software architecture that provides a consistent look and feel across technology platforms. Combining outstanding on-screen quality with high overall system performance and integration, Ravisent provides flexible and cost-effective solutions to a spectrum of partners in the PC-OEM, CE-OEM and semiconductor markets, including Acer, Compaq, Dell Computer, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Micron, Fujitsu, Packard Bell/NEC, Quantex, Sony, Tottori-Sanyo, Vestel, Yamaha, Ati Technologies, C-Cube, and ST Microelectronics. Founded in 1994, Ravisent is headquartered in Pennsylvania and has offices in the Silicon Valley, Seattle, German and Japan.