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Tensilica and Virtual IP Group Announce MP3 Decoder for the Xtensa Processor
SUNNYVALE, Calif.----Oct. 9, 2000--Tensilica®,
Inc., a Santa Clara-based provider of application-specific processors
and development tools for System-on-Chip (SOC) designs and Virtual IP
Group Inc., a design foundry providing intellectual property (IP)
cores and design services to the embedded systems market, announced
today the availability of an MP3 audio decoder for Tensilica's
Xtensa(TM) configurable microprocessor architecture.
The decoder, compliant to ISO MPEG-1/2 Audio Layer III, offers an
optimized hardware and software solution for creating SOC-based MP3
players.
The emergence of Internet-fueled MP3 digital audio has ignited an
explosion of product development based on the new standard, and is
revolutionizing the distribution and playback of music content. This
has given rise to a new category of products capable of playing MP3
encoded files providing anytime, anywhere entertainment. Examples
include PDA's, next generation set-top boxes, cell phones and digital
cameras that have common low cost and power requirements. Virtual IP
Group and Tensilica have addressed these demands with an MP3 package
that provides hardware extensions and optimized code that will
accelerate the decoding algorithm, resulting in an ideal solution for
embedded applications where power and memory efficiencies are
critical.
``MP3 playback is a key enabler for an ever increasing number of
consumer products,'' stated Bernie Rosenthal, Tensilica's vice
president of marketing and business development. ``With very narrow
market windows in consumer electronics time to market is everything.
The MP3 package we've developed with Virtual IP Group ensures our
customers will be able to hit their targets with a low cost and power
solution.''
``Using the Xtensa platform and tools, we have created an optimized
MP3 decoder with a combination of hardware extensions and software
that results in a very compact and power efficient solution,'' said
Joseph Hong, Virtual IP Group's vice president of marketing. ``With the
convergence of demand for configurable processors and MP3 playback we
see a bright future for both companies''
Availability and Pricing
The MP3 decoder object code is available now for license from
Virtual IP Group. License fees start at $30,000 for a single instance
use.
About Virtual IP Group, Inc.
Virtual IP Group was established in 1994. It is a leading design
foundry providing intellectual property (IP) development, licensing
and integration services as well as front end and back end design
services. The company offers a comprehensive library of
silicon-proven, synthesizable, intellectual property cores for
implementation in FPGA, ASIC and COT design platforms. In March 2000,
ZiLOG Inc. purchased a 20-percent equity stake in Virtual IP Group and
QualCore Logic Ltd., an affiliate of Virtual IP Group located in
Hyderabad, India. For additional information, visit
www.virtualipgroup.com or call 408-733-3344.
About Tensilica
Tensilica was founded in July 1997 to address the fast-growing
market for configurable microprocessor cores and software development
tools for high volume, embedded systems. Using the company's
proprietary Xtensa Processor Generator, system-on-a-chip (SOC)
designers can develop a processor subsystem hardware design and a
complete software development tool environment tailored to their
specific requirements in hours.
Tensilica's solutions provide a proven, easy-to-use, methodology
that enables designers to achieve optimum application performance in
minimum design time. The Company has over 100 engineers engaged in
research, development, and customer support from its offices in Santa
Clara, California, Waltham, Massachusetts, Princeton, N.J., Houston,
Texas, Oxford, U.K. and Yokohama, Japan.Tensilica is headquartered in
Santa Clara, California (95054) at 3255-6 Scott Boulevard, and can be
reached at (408) 986-8000 or via www.tensilica.com on the World Wide
Web.
``Tensilica'' is a registered trademark and ``Xtensa'' is a trademark
belonging to Tensilica, Inc.
Contact:
Virtual IP Group
Joseph Hong, 408/733-3344
jhong@virtualipgroup.com
or
Tensilica Inc.
Bernie Rosenthal, 408/327-7302
bernier@tensilica.com
or
The Leapfrog Group
Kim Alfaro, 415/563-4769
kimpr@holonet.net
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