Micronas Semiconductor Holding AG
Micronas Semiconductor: Micronas to acquire WISchip International
Ad hoc announcement §15 WpHG
Acquisition
Micronas Semiconductor: Micronas to acquire WISchip International
Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
——————————————————————————
Micronas to acquire WISchip International, a leader in video compression and
streaming technology
Combination of Micronas and WISchip technologies enables a broad range of
HDTV solutions
Zurich, Switzerland, October 26, 2005 – Micronas Semiconductor Holding AG
(SWX Swiss Exchange: MASN, Frankfurt: MNSN, Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX)
today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire all shares
of privately held fabless semiconductor company WISchip International Ltd.
with operational headquarters in Santa Clara, CA. WISchip is focused on the
development of advanced audio and video system-on-chip IC and software
solutions, implementing the latest generation MPEG1/2/4, H.264 and VC-1 HDTV
standards. These are the key technologies for a variety of emerging markets
utilizing broadband networks and mass storage for next generation
entertainment and communications applications.
Founded in 1998, WISchip will complement Micronas’ team by adding the in-
depth expertise of 104 additional staff members, including 78 experienced
video and computer engineers, 32 of which are based in the company’s Shanghai
R&D facility. Micronas will pay around USD 80 million in cash for the entire
share capital of WISchip. The transaction is expected to close prior to the
end of this year.
Micronas Semiconductor Holding AG
Technoparkstrasse 1
8005 Zürich
Switzerland
ISIN: CH0012337421 (TecDAX)
WKN: 910354
Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin-
Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart; Zürich
End of ad hoc announcement (c)DGAP 26.10.2005
Issuer’s information/explanatory remarks concerning this ad hoc announcement:
WISchip’s technology supports not only the existing MPEG-1/2/4 compression
standards, but also the most advanced new compression standards such as H.264
and Microsoft’s Windows Media(R) 9/VC-1 at full high definition resolutions.
This is crucial to support all the latest HDTV standards and related consumer
applications like BluRay/HD DVD devices, Internet Protocol (IP) set-top boxes
and DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting). The next generation of TV signals
regardless if being distributed via satellite, cable, terrestrial or
Internet, will all be based on advanced codecs, such as the H.264 standard
(also known as MPEG-4 part 10/AVC (Advanced Video Coding)) and/or Microsoft’s
WM9/VC-1. These new codecs dramatically reduce the required bandwidth for the
transmission of audio and video content. EICTA, the European Industry
Association for Information Systems, Communication Technologies and Consumer
Electronics recently adopted H.264/MPEG-4 AVC as the European DVB HDTV
standard. WISchip’s latest decoder is already fully compliant with H.264 HD
and Microsoft’s WM9/VC-1 HD.
“WISchip’s exciting portfolio of products and important IP for HDTV from
whatever source, be it broadcast, IPTV or delivered from storage media, makes
the company the perfect complement for Micronas’ state-of-the-art HD display
products,” said Wolfgang Kalsbach, CEO of the Micronas Group. “WISchip has
assembled a great team of industry experts in the field of advanced
algorithms and SOC architectures. Its activities significantly strengthen our
worldwide R&D efforts.”
“The combination of technologies and products from Micronas and WISchip will
enable Micronas’ customers to quickly bring to market next-generation
audio/video solutions for a broad range of products, including Integrated
Digital HDTVs, enhanced cable, satellite and terrestrial TV set-top boxes,
personal video recorders (PVRs), next generation high definition DVD
recorders (HD DVD and BluRay) and players, Internet Protocol (IP) set-top
boxes, IP AV streaming systems as well as IP surveillance cameras”, said Hans-
Jürgen Désor, VP Consumer Products of Micronas. “Together with WISchip’s
world-leading multi-standard compression IC products, Micronas will be
uniquely positioned to provide these emerging markets with complete cost- and
time efficient turn-key solutions.”
“Micronas’ comprehensive, complementary TV product portfolio, strong market
penetration and broad installed customer base make the company a perfect
partner to leverage our innovative digital media technologies into exciting
new markets,” said James L. Mannos, CEO of WISchip. “Micronas offers
unmatched IC design expertise and global reach. WISchip delivers leading
encode and decode engineering capabilities. The combined company will be
excellently positioned to successfully bring the most innovative video and
consumer electronic products to customers worldwide. Our team is eager to
join with the leader in the TV industry.”
WISchip products
The company’s latest product, the DeCypher(TM) 8100, is a breakthrough multi-
stream, high-definition, audio/video system-on-chip (SoC) decoder with
integrated digital rights management and networking support, compliant with
the H.264 HD standard and Microsoft’s WM9/VC-1.The DeCypher 8100 is a
flexible and scalable single-chip solution that will enable OEM consumer
electronics customers to develop next-generation IP set-top boxes, high-
definition television sets and BluRay (BD)/HD-DVD products.
WISchip’s Cypher(TM) 7108 system-on-chip (SoC) is a highly integrated
video/audio encoding solution designed to address the increasingly demanding
multimedia data storage and transmission requirements of next-generation home
entertainment systems, PC and Mac “media centers” and commercial/home
surveillance systems. Based on advanced hardware compression technology, the
Cypher 7108 supports a broad range of audio and video encoding formats
including MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile (without GMC), MPEG-2/1, Motion
JPEG, and H.263.
WISchip’s GO7007SB is a broadly applicable video encoder chip that provides
superior image quality. The WISchip GO7007SB is designed for devices, such as
DVRs, PVRs, or STBs, and for streaming IP solutions over Ethernet, such as
video conferencing or surveillance.
WISchip’s System-on-Chip products include processors based on the MIPS32(R)
architecture offering customers a wide breadth of industry standard tools and
applications including support for both the Linux and MS Windows(TM) CE
operating systems.
About Micronas: http://www.micronas.com
About WISchip: http://www.wischip.com
Investor Relations/Corporate Contact:
Susy Krucker, Phone: +41 44 445 39 60, investor@micronas.com
End of message (c)DGAP
261746 Okt 05
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