Ravisent Announces HDTV Licensing Agreement with ATI

RAVISENT Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: RVST), a leading supplier of software solutions to the personal computer and consumer electronics markets, today announced a licensing agreement with ATI Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: ATYT) to deliver software-based HDTV products for personal computer manufacturers and retail customers.Under the terms of the agreement, ATI is licensing RAVISENTís CineMasterÆ HDTV software to provide the digital audio/video decoding and broadcast stream management functions for a cost-effective digital television reception and display solution for personal computer users. ATIís DTV solution works in tandem with ATIís RAGE 128 Pro chips and RAGE 128 Pro 2D, 3D and video accelerator add-in boards. RAVISENTís CineMaster HDTV is optimized to take advantage of the integrated iDCT and motion compensation technologies available in the ATI Rage 128 Pro chip. The combination of CineMaster HDTV and the ATI Rage 128 Pro results in a solution that delivers full HDTV visual quality with highly efficient use of IntelÆ PentiumÆ III CPU resources. The ATI DTV solution is designed to be attractively priced and easy to use. ATI is demonstrating their digital television (DTV) solution based on RAVISENTís software at the Intel Developer Forum in Palm Springs, Calif.Also at the Intel Developer Forum, RAVISENT is demonstrating the industryís first all-software-based playback of DTV programming - enhanced with data based on the ATVEF standard for interactive digital television. Using a commercially available Intel Pentium III processor-based PC with a TV receiver card based on the Conexant Systems (NASDAQ: CNXT) DStreamATSCô design co-developed by RAVISENT, and ATI RAGE 128 Pro graphics, Pat Gelsinger, Vice President and General Manager for the Desktop Products Group of Intel Corporation, is using RAVISENTís unique CineMaster HDTV as part of the Intel Developer Forum keynote address. RAVISENT is also using CineMaster HDTV to demonstrate playback of the ATVEF-enhanced version of the PBS program ""The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization.""""The successful demonstration of software-based interactive DTV playback on commercially-available PCs is yet another industry first for RAVISENT,"" commented Mike Harris, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer for RAVISENT. ""The cooperation of industry leaders like Intel, Conexant and ATI is enabling RAVISENT to offer OEMs and consumers cutting-edge digital television software solutions for the PC far sooner than industry experts previously expected.""""This early agreement with ATI represents validation of our strategy of providing OEMs and end users with a fully integrated suite of playback solutions that support the interactive experience made possible by digital video,"" stated Alan McCann, Senior Vice President and PC Division General Manager for RAVISENT. ""It demonstrates that RAVISENT software is critical to enabling the cost-effective, high quality PC solutions that will drive the digital television revolution.""About CineMaster HDTVBased on RAVISENTís award-winning CineMaster MPEG-2 decoder technology, CineMaster HDTV 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 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 buffer management.The eighteen ATSC formats were adopted in 1996 by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as the standards for digital television in the USA. A number of television stations throughout the US already broadcast digital broadcast signals. All FCC-licensed stations are required to completely convert to digital television broadcasting by 2006.About ATVEFThe Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) is a cross-industry alliance of companies representing the broadcast and cable networks, television transports, consumer electronics, and PC industries. This alliance of companies, led by Intel Corporation and Microsoft Corporation, has defined protocols for Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)-based enhanced television, which allow content creators such as major television broadcast networks to deliver enhanced programming over all forms of transport (analog, digital, cable, and satellite) to any intelligent receiver. The ATVEF standard for video-plus-data (V+D) services and interactive television is being rapidly adopted by major broadcasters in the United States, as well as by broadcasters in other countries. Specifically, U.S. broadcast networks are adopting the ATVEF standard to complement the move to digital television in the USA, including high definition television (HDTV) based on the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) specification adopted by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1996.About RAVISENT Technologies, Inc.RAVISENT is driving the digital entertainment revolution with an integrated suite of digital video and audio products for PC and CE manufacturers. RAVISENT 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 Compaq, Dell Computer, Gateway, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, Packard Bell/NEC, Yamaha, Sanyo, ATI Technologies, Intel and ST Microelectronics. Founded in 1994, RAVISENT completed an initial public offering in July 1999. The company is headquartered in Pennsylvania and has offices in the Silicon Valley, Seattle, Germany and Japan. More information about RAVISENT can be found on the World Wide Web at www.ravisent.com.About ATI Technologies, Inc.ATI Technologies Inc., the worldís largest supplier of 3D graphics and multimedia technology, designs, manufactures and markets innovative and award-winning multimedia solutions and graphics components for the personal computer, set-top box and consumer electronics appliance markets. An ISO 9002 company, ATI is the worlds leading supplier of video and 2D/3D graphics accelerators to OEM and retail customers. Founded in l985, ATI employs more than 1,800 people at headquarters in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, and in offices in the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Barbados, Malaysia, Japan and Hong Kong. ATI is a public company whose shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. More information about ATI can be found on the World Wide Web at www.ati.com.About Conexant Systems, Inc.With revenues of approximately .5 billion, Conexant is the worldís largest independent company focused exclusively on providing semiconductor solutions for communications electronics. With more than 30 years of experience in developing communications technology, the company draws upon its expertise in mixed-signal processing to deliver integrated systems and semiconductor products for a broad range of communications applications. These products facilitate communications worldwide through wireline voice and data communications networks, cordless and cellular wireless telephony systems, personal imaging devices and equipment, and emerging cable and wireless broadband communications networks. The company aligns its business into five product platforms: Network Access, Wireless Communications, Digital Infotainment, Personal Imaging, and Personal Computing. Conexant is a member of the S&P 500 and NASDAQ-100 Indexes. For more information about Conexant , visit the Web site at www.conexant.com.