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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Click to see the D-Box image
XILINX'S PRICE/PERFROMANCE BENEFITS ENABLE UNIQUE
KINETIC HOME THEATER EXPERIENCE FROM D-BOX TECHNOLOGY
Xilinx® Spartan® family facilitates DSP-FPGA combination
in innovative
synchronized and updateable motion simulation systems
LAS VEGAS, Nev., January 8, 2004 At the Consumer Electronics Show
(CES) today,
D-BOX Technology, Inc. (CDNX: DBO.A) and Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX),
announced a collaboration that enables D-BOX's unique motion simulation
system to enhance home theatre systems by adding synchronized movement
to the traditional audio-video experience. D-BOX uses Xilinx and
its programmable chip technology to power its Odyssee Simulation
System, a product that includes a controller component device, four
motor-driven actuators that mount under the corners of a sofa or
other seating, and a wireless remote control. The D-BOX system,
which can be updated with new content remotely, has won high praise
and awards from the home entertainment press and is on display January
8 - 11 in D-Box/Runco booth number 16877.
The Odyssee system works by lifting home theatre seating and occupants
on a four-point suspension, in perfect synchronization with the
onscreen action and sound, creating a virtual reality experience.
The viewer is drawn into the action through experiencing the same
motional forces as the actors and players on screen. The underlying
technology - consisting of Xilinx's programmable chips and proprietary
algorithms -- translate cues from any high quality audio soundtracks
(DVD, cable, VHS, satellite, CD-ROM or broadcast) from movies, sporting
events and video games into exhilarating, spectacular representations
of onscreen motion.
The system contains a CD-ROM drive which can be used with special
discs (each containing codes for about 50 movies) programmed with
eMotion F/X information for specific movies and games, precisely
synchronized to the DVD or CD-ROM program source to deliver even
more accurate and expressive motion. Xilinx programmable technology
is critical as new Odyssee F/X codes can be downloaded to the system
to expand the library of content.
Price and Programmability Benefits Appeal to Consumer Electronics
Developers
D-BOX's innovative product required a processing solution that was
both flexible and able to meet the stringent price requirements
of the consumer market. The company chose Xilinx's Spartan Series
FPGAs over a traditional ASIC approach based on cost as well as
adaptability, an increasing trend in the consumer electronics industry.
"Xilinx FPGA technology is an ideal way to meet the combination
of challenges consumer electronic developers face - price, complexity,
functionality and flexibility - all in the context of unforgiving
time-to-market pressures," said Clay Johnson, vice president
and general manager of the General Products division at Xilinx.
"The Odyssee system from D-BOX is a perfect example: They needed
a solution that would allow them to implement a very complex and
innovative design but do so in a way that met specific price requirements
and still be adaptable to changes and updates even when the product
was in the field."
FPGA the ideal implementation option
D-BOX used the Spartan Series' capabilities to combine the flexibility
of an FPGA with the performance and functions of a traditional DSP.
This allowed developers to integrate the variety of capabilities
necessary to make the Odyssee System perform as desired, including
full-range of motion and precise synchronization with audio-video
inputs.
"The development of an ASIC would have required too high an
investment, and the risk would have been too large," said Bruno
Paillard, director of Research and Development at D-Box. "We
also considered using a DSP specialized for motor drives -- however
to be able to drive three motors in parallel, which is what our
system requires, the cost would have been higher and we would have
had less flexibility."
Field programmability was the final critical element since the Odyssee
System allows new content to be downloaded and incorporated into
the system by the user.
About Xilinx Low Cost FPGAs
Xilinx first shipped the Spartan-3 family in March 2003 as the world's
first and only FPGA utilizing 90nm process technology. The Spartan-3
platform is the world's lowest cost FPGA with unrivaled price points,
starting at under $2.95*. Already, the Spartan Series is the world's
most successful low-cost FPGA family in its class with over 11,000
customers worldwide. Since the introduction of the Spartan Series
in 1998, the company has shipped more than 60 million devices. By
continuing to set new price-density standards for the FPGA industry,
Xilinx has dramatically narrowed the price-performance gap between
programmable and fixed logic. This has driven Spartan-3 device adoption
further into higher volume consumer applications and hastened the
decline of ASIC designs.
About D-BOX Technology
D-BOX Technology Inc. (CDNX: DBO.A), established in 1992, designs
and manufactures motion simulators for the home entertainment industry.
The Odyssee product adds a new dimension (movement) to home theatre
viewing and video games. The company is based in Longueuil, Quebec,
Canada, and its products are marketed primarily in North and South
America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. For further
information regarding D-BOX Technology Inc. and its products, please
visit its Website at www.d-box.com
.
About Xilinx
Xilinx is the worldwide leader in complete programmable logic
solutions. For more information, visit www.xilinx.com.
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#0404
*250K units, end of 2004
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