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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- PlayMedia Systems, Inc. has optimized its popular AMP® MP3 playback technology for the Intel® (Nasdaq: INTC) StrongARM* processor and the Intel® XScale(TM) Microarchitecture. PlayMedia, a global provider of digital audio technologies to companies including Napster, DirecTV Latin America, and AOL's Nullsoft, has simultaneously introduced a new audiovisual framework called NewArk(TM), which is making its embedded system debut on the Intel® StrongARM SA1110 microprocessor and Intel® XScale(TM) Microarchitecture. PlayMedia will be showcasing its AMP® and NewArk(TM) technologies at the Intel Developer's Forum next week.

In development for over two years, the NewArk(TM) Audiovisual Framework enables consumer electronics manufacturers to expand and improve the performance of their products and applications. NewArk(TM) enables developers to easily execute a variety of important audiovisual-related tasks, including MP3 encoding and decoding, video encoding and decoding, and special audio effects such as cross-fades and echo. PlayMedia's AMP® decoder is available both as a NewArk(TM) module and as a stand-alone application. Additionally, NewArk(TM) supports digital rights management technologies from PlayMedia and third-party providers.

Previously, MP3 playback on portable devices required a costly and inflexible dual-chip design: a dedicated digital signal processor was needed to handle decoding functions while a main processor executed other playback tasks. The high performance and low power consumption of the Intel® XScale(TM) Microarchitecture enables NewArk(TM) and AMP® to perform both these tasks on a single processor while helping reduce the amount of battery power required. Developers can also configure how much RAM is allocated to decoding tasks, thus providing manufacturers with the flexibility to reduce costs with a single-chip design and use system resources more efficiently.

``Consumers want the ability to listen to digital music files not only on the PC, but wherever they are,'' said Brian Litman, PlayMedia Systems' chief executive officer. ``This mandate for ubiquity is driving demand for a full spectrum of MP3-enabled consumer electronics devices such as portable digital audio players, handheld computers, GSM phones, car stereos, set-top boxes, home theater systems, and many others -- that can play back the MP3 digital music standard. Our advanced NewArk(TM) framework, optimized for Intel® StrongARM microprocessors and the Intel® XScale(TM) Microarchitecture, enables consumer electronics manufacturers to offer powerful new features and benefits for consumers, while satisfying copyright holders' security demands.''

``Innovative companies like PlayMedia Systems demonstrate the commitment of the industry to the Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel® PCA) in the rapidly growing mobile media marketplace,'' said Mike Iannitti, Director of Marketing for Intel's Handheld Computing Division. ``The optimization of PlayMedia Systems' technologies for the Intel® StrongARM SA-1110 processor and Intel® XScale(TM) Microarchitecture will offer mobile device manufacturers the ability to satisfy consumers' demands for high quality digital audio playback.''

Added Dr. Mario Kovac, PlayMedia Systems' chief technology officer, ``We have been working closely with Intel's engineers to make maximum use of the benefits of Intel® StrongARM microprocessors and the Intel® XScale(TM) Microarchitecture. We're also pleased that Intel® processors are one of the first silicon solutions available to support the NewArk(TM) framework.''

About PlayMedia's NewArk(TM) Audiovisual Framework

PlayMedia's NewArk(TM) Audiovisual Framework consists of a base structure and numerous modules, or ``nodes,'' that handle dedicated audiovisual processing tasks. By grouping different nodes together, developers can add product- differentiating audiovisual effects, file security and rights management methods.

PlayMedia offers a library of pre-programmed nodes that perform data input and output, data processing, special effects and multi-stream functions on the NewArk(TM) framework. The input and output nodes perform tasks such as automatically determining an audio file format and enabling playback to a sound device.

PlayMedia's processing and special-effects nodes enable advanced playback functions such as automatic gain control, cross-fading, audio equalization, reverb and tempo control. NewArk's multi-stream modules can enable multiple audiovisual tracks to be mixed or split to enable complex audiovisual configurations. PlayMedia also provides nodes for its own digital rights management and file security technologies. Customized nodes can also be created to perform other specific audiovisual-related tasks or to support third-party technologies.

The NewArk(TM) framework uses a low memory footprint and single-threaded multi-stream processing, which reduces system resource consumption and allows it to run on simpler system architectures. In addition, the NewArk(TM) kernel requires only a single string of execution commands to perform processing and control functions.

PlayMedia Systems currently offers, or has in development, versions of the NewArk(TM) audiovisual framework for the Microsoft® Windows®, Symbian®, Unix/Linux, Palm® OS and Mac® operating systems.

About PlayMedia Systems' AMP® technology

PlayMedia Systems' AMP® technology was developed four years ago to support the MP3 audio encoding standard. One of the world's most-used technologies for MP3 music playback, AMP® has enabled millions of people to listen to digital music through players such as AOL's Winamp, Napster and Subband's MacAmp(TM). AMP® is also used in other diverse applications such as CD-ROMs, online games, music education applications, digital music jukeboxes and music playback in retail establishments.

PlayMedia's AMP® technology runs on major wireless and handheld operating systems such as Microsoft's Pocket PC, Symbian® OS, Unix/Linux, and Palm OS(TM). AMP® is also supported on common mobile telephony systems, including GSM, GPRS, CDMA, CDPD and WCDMA. This support makes it convenient for consumers to transfer content onto their portable devices.

About PlayMedia Systems, Inc.

PlayMedia Systems Inc. designs, develops and deploys media and security systems that support viable business models for digital content distribution and related e-commerce. The company's media systems and conditional-access technologies enable media, travel and event-marketing companies to maximize the value of their digital assets and inventory by empowering consumers to access these experiences in advanced, yet convenient, ways. PlayMedia's AMP® MP3 playback technology, the namesake ``AMP'' in AOL's Winamp, powers various digital audio players, including Napster's, and is used by tens of millions of people around the world. The company's file format and security systems are also a key component of leading business-to-business music distribution systems such as DMX/AEI Music's ProFusion(TM) and DirecTV® Latin America. PlayMedia Systems was founded in January 1998 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. On the Web: www.playmediasystems.com.

PlayMedia® and AMP® are registered trademarks of PlayMedia Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Intel and Intel XScale are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.