Zarlink Unveils Industry's First Single-Chip Processors for Terrestrial Digital TV "Personal Video Recorders"

PVRs, also known as DVRs (digital video recorders), are a category of digital set-top boxes that allow viewers to simultaneously receive, record to hard disk, and manipulate two digital TV channels. Popular PVR features include multi-channel record and replay, live-broadcast pause and resume, and advanced channel programming.

Zarlink's ZL10320 chip is the first digital TV processor to combine all the core PVR processing functions into one device. Using its new processor, Zarlink has produced the industry's smallest PVR reference design, which includes a hard disk drive, memory, RF (radio frequency) tuners, power regulators, and other components. Measuring just 24.2 cm (centimeters) x 14.2 cm x 20 mm (millimeters), Zarlink's ZLE10302 PVR reference board is very power efficient, consuming just 10 W (watts).

"With our compact, dual-channel PVR processors and reference board, we've set the industry benchmark for integration, and delivered technology that helps our customers succeed with compelling DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting- Terrestrial) products," said Paul Fellows, DTV system-on-a-chip product line director, Zarlink Semiconductor. "These dual-channel PVR devices complement the ZL10310/311 single-channel DVB-T processors we unveiled in late 2002, and clearly demonstrate Zarlink's technology roadmap for the DVB-T marketplace."

Expanding markets for DVB-T consumer electronics

DVB-T is an ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) standard for broadcasting digital TV channels that are received via rooftop antennae. Consumer demand for PVRs and other DVB-T consumer electronics products is being fuelled by global adoption of the standard, and growing numbers of "free-to-air" digital TV channels, particularly in Europe. These channels - such as Britain's popular new Freeview service - are being rolled out, in part, to support the European Union's 2006 start date for switching off analog TV transmissions.

Zarlink's ZL10320 delivers, on one piece of silicon, all the core processing functions for DVB-T-compliant PVRs. It integrates two COFDM (coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex) channel demodulators with a PVR controller, MPEG-2 (Moving Picture Experts Group, Standard #2) demultiplexer, audio and video decompression, on-screen display graphics, a high-performance RISC (reduced instruction set computing) central processing unit, and peripheral interfaces.

Robust Linux software development kit

A robust software development kit based on the industry's open-source, royalty-free Linux platform supports the ZL10320 processor. The kit, which includes runtime and development environments, speeds time-to-market by enabling fast development cycles. Software developed with the kit can also be used in applications for other Linux-based consumer products, saving electronics companies time and money.

Sister chip for Dolby and Pay TV

The ZL10321 dual-channel processor is a pin-compatible enhanced version of the ZL10320 chip. The ZL10321 processor offers Dolby(R) Digital multi- channel audio decoding and Macrovision(R) Copy Protection for applications requiring Dolby Audio and Pay TV services.

Availability, packaging, and pricing

The ZL10320/21 processors are in volume production. The devices are packaged in a 388-ball PBGA (plastic ball grid array) measuring 27 mm x 27 mm x 2.56 mm. In 1K quantities, the ZL10320 processor is priced at US$44.00, and the ZL10321 chip at US$47.00. The ZLE10302 reference board is available from Zarlink as an evaluation tool, or as a full design database with schematics, bill of materials, and layout files. For more information please visit http://products.zarlink.com/profiles/ZL10320.

For information on Zarlink's single-channel ZL10310/311 DVB-T processors, visit http://products.zarlink.com/profiles/ZL10310.

About Zarlink Semiconductor

For almost 30 years, Zarlink Semiconductor has delivered semiconductor solutions that drive the capabilities of voice, enterprise, broadband and wireless communications. The company's success is built on its technology strengths, including voice and data networks, consumer and ultra low-power communications, and high-performance analog. For more information, visit http://www.zarlink.com/.

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among others, the risks discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are encouraged to consider the risks detailed in those filings.

A high-resolution photograph is available at http://news.zarlink.com/visual_center/. Zarlink, ZL, and the Zarlink Semiconductor logo are trademarks of Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. Macrovision is a registered trademark of Macrovision Corp.

CONTACT: Zarlink, Michael Salter, Media Relations,
613 270-7115, michael.salter@zarlink.com; United States, Natalie Sauve,
High Road Communications, 613 236-0909, nsauve@highroad.com; Europe, June
Stokes, Pinnacle Marketing Communications, 44 208-938-4665,
june@pinnacle-marketing.com