Leading OEM Selects Trident for New Cinemascope, Internet Connected 3DTV for US Market
January 16 2012 - 8:00AM
Trident Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRID), a leading provider of TV
and Set-Top Box semiconductor solutions, announced that its 3D
Cinemascope technology and a complete suite of connected solutions
offered in TV550 system-on-a-chip (SoC) and PNX5120/30 frame rate
converter (FRC) have been designed into a leading OEM's new 58-inch
3D Cinemascope TVs scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 2012.
The new 58-inch 3D Cinemascope TVs deliver a true cinematic
experience by providing crystal clear 3D images in a 21:9 aspect
ratio displaying 2.35:1 (CinemaScope) movies without any black
bars. In addition, the TV supports all the major online services
including Internet Applications in Cinemascope mode. Users can
simultaneously browse smart applications while watching 16:9 Full
HD content without a compromise in resolution or change in aspect
ratio.
"At Trident, we are focused on driving the technology underlying
a stunning user experience with the new generation of Smart TVs,"
said Bami Bastani, CEO and President of Trident. "The new 3D
Cinemascope TV delivers an exceptional multimedia experience for
consumers and demonstrates the growing momentum of Trident's
innovations in the connected home market."
"Trident's SoC solutions are the first to deliver 21:9 decoding
and scaling technology for native 21:9 content streaming over the
internet, or from Blu-Ray or DVD media. Trident offers a
significant advantage and differentiation in a highly competitive
TV market," said Dirk Wieberneit, Senior VP and GM of Trident TV
Business Unit. "This technology excellence combined with Trident's
well known picture quality and 3D conversion technology enabled us
to deliver the ultimate cinematic viewing experience. We look
forward to transforming the consumer experience throughout
America."
The Evolution WideScreen DTVs
TVs have transitioned from 4:3 to 16:9 formats and larger
screens. In the North American market, 15% of TVs are 50 inches or
larger. Cinemascope or 21:9 TVs are the next big step in the
growing multimedia revolution in the home and they solve the
limitations of 16:9 formats with connectivity and applications that
are increasingly more popular. TVs evolved from CRT with an
aspect ratio of 4:3 and 480i/576i resolution to an aspect ratio of
16:9, or 1.78:1, and a resolution of 1080p, which is often referred
to as Full HD. This aspect ratio was a compromise between the more
square formatting of older televisions (4:3 or 1.33:1) and the
wider 1.85:1 aspect of many movies. A 1.85:1 movie on a 16:9 HDTV
will still show some black bars at the top and bottom of the
screen. Most Hollywood blockbusters, however, are usually filmed in
the much wider 2.35:1 or 2.39:1 aspect ratio.
About Trident's DTV SoC platforms
Trident has developed a complete platform around its DTV SoCs
and Frame Rate Converter (FRCs) that includes integrated hardware,
software and the most popular online services such as Yahoo!,
Pandora, Rovi, Flingo, VUDU, RoxioNow, as well as many
more.
These platforms combine Trident's industry-leading digital TV
processing and picture quality technology innovations into one
fully integrated single-chip to deliver a production-ready
reference design that speeds manufacturers' development and can
dramatically reduce bill-of-materials.
Trident's FRCs are high-performance, best in class solutions for
video post processing that address 120/240 Hz TVs with (local)
dimmable LED backlights and 2D to 3D-TV conversion capabilities.
These FRCs are widely recognized for outstanding motion-compensated
frame rate converter (MEMC) performance and the next-generation
Motion Accurate Picture Processing (MAPP) technology. The flexible
architecture supports all popular 3D-TV formats including the
latest passive glass technology for line interleaved displays. The
PNX5130's powerful media processors are used to support advanced 2D
to 3D conversion.
About Trident Microsystems, Inc.
Trident Microsystems, Inc., with headquarters in Sunnyvale,
California, is a leading force in the digital home entertainment
market, delivering an extensive range of platform solutions that
enhance the consumer experience in the Connected Home. As one
of the top-three semiconductor providers to both the TV and set-top
box markets, Trident's solutions can be found in the products of
leading OEMs and channel partners worldwide. The company's
extensive IP portfolio has been driving key innovations in image
quality, 3D TV, low power consumption, and 45nm designs. For
further information about Trident and its products, please consult
the Company's web site: www.tridentmicro.com.
Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject
to the safe harbor created by those sections. These forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, statements about
Trident's SoC solutions for 21:9 format TVs and its FRC products.
Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements
are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and
uncertainties, and there are important factors that could cause
Trident's actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements. These risks include, without
limitation, potential changes in Vizio's product delivery schedule,
uncertainty as to product volume and uncertainties relating to the
Trident's recently announced reorganization. The forward-looking
statements included in this press release are made only as of the
date of this press release; Trident does not undertake any
obligation to publicly revise or update any such forward-looking
statement to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after
the statement was made. Investors are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information
concerning factors that could cause results to differ can be found
in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including the Company's most recently filed Reports on
Form 8-K, Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which are available at
http://www.sec.gov.
NOTE: Trident, Trident logo, TV550 and PNX5130/20 FRC are either
trademarks or registered trademarks of Trident Microsystems in the
United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are
properties of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Trident Microsystems, Inc.
www.tridentmicro.com