Press Release
QSound's QHD Technology Featured On
Zoran's Vaddis® DVD Processor
Zoran Chip Offers QSound's Enhanced Sound Capabilities to DVD Player Manufacturers
CALGARY, CANADA - January 9, 2002 - QSound Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSND), a
prominent supplier of audio software solutions, today announced that Zoran
Corporation (NASDAQ: ZRAN), a leading provider of digital
solutions-on-a-chip for multimedia applications, has announced
availability of QSound’s QHD™ technology on their Vaddis IV DVD processor
chip. The Vaddis IV is a DVD multimedia processor used by worldwide DVD
manufacturers.
Current DVD players are designed to be a total entertainment system,
rather than just a playback device, through their ability to read not only
DVDs, but CDs and MP3 files as well. QSound's High Definition audio
technology (QHD) represents an industry first for comprehensive audio
enhancements to address the three major sources used for playback in
standard DVD players today.
"Zoran’s programmable digital audio processors are ideal for running Dolby
Digital simultaneously with QSound’s suite of 3D audio enhancements on DVD
players, wireless headphones, and home entertainment systems," said
Michael L. Wood, Vice President and General Manager Home Entertainment
Division at Zoran Corporation. “Zoran’s processors and SiliconSoftware®
provide complete solutions that allow OEM manufacturers to add the latest
high-quality audio technology to their products.”
For DVD audio, QHD uses QMDV™ (QSound Matrix Decoder/Virtualizer) to
effectively create virtual 5.1 surround sound over a two-speaker system.
CD audio is processed using QXpander™, which takes the inherent stereo
sound image information and applies 3D processing proportionately to it,
resulting in two-channel stereo output with a dramatically wider perceived
sound field, free of the annoying acoustic artifacts typical of
lower-grade processes. And MP3 audio is transformed through QXpander,
QBass™, and QSizzle™ to restore both punch and brilliance to the music.
The combination of these technologies presents DVD OEMs with the most
comprehensive, versatile suite of audio enhancements for DVD players
available.
“It's exciting to receive this endorsement from Zoran, with their
prominence in the consumer electronics market,” said David Gallagher,
President, CEO, QSound Labs. “We are looking forward to Zoran's continued
use of QSound technology in their Vaddis product line.”
About Zoran Corporation:
Zoran Corporation, based in Santa Clara, California, is a leading provider
of digital solutions-on-a-chip for applications in the growing multimedia
and consumer electronics markets. With almost two decades of expertise
developing and delivering digital compression technologies, Zoran has
pioneered high-performance processing into various audio, video, and
imaging technologies. Zoran's proficiency in integration delivers major
benefits for OEM customers, including greater capabilities within each
product generation, reduced system costs, and shorter time to market.
Zoran is a leading supplier in the rapidly expanding DVD and digital
camera markets and in related digital audio and video applications. With
headquarters in the U.S. and operations in Canada, China, Hong Kong,
Israel, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, Zoran may be contacted on the World Wide
Web at www.zoran.com or at 408-919-4111.
* Zoran, Vaddis and SiliconSoftware are trademarks of Zoran Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Act of 1995 concerning, among other things, introduction of new
products. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements
involve risk and uncertainties, which could cause actual results,
performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results to differ
materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Such
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated
with consumer acceptance of the Company’s products, the Company’s ability
to carry out its business strategy and marketing plans, including
availability of sufficient resources for the Company to do so timely and
cost effectively, dependence on intellectual property, rapid technological
change and competition, and other risks detailed from time to time in the
Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Forward-looking statements are based on the current
expectations, projections and opinions of the Company’s management, and
the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of
any revisions to such forward-looking statements which may be made, for
example to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.