Dolby Laboratories and MIPS Technologies Poised to Deliver Next-Generation Audio Technology for Set-Top Box, HD DVD, and Blu-ra

MIPS Becomes First Processor IP Company to Support Dolby Digital Plus; Provides SoC Designers With Quick, Low-Risk Approach for Advanced Format in Home Entertainment Audio Applications 


MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 14  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:MIPS) and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) today announced that the companies will deliver next-generation audio technology across all segments of home entertainment, including the set-top box, HD DVD, and Blu-ray Disc(TM) markets. MIPS Technologies is the first processor IP company to support the new Dolby(R) Digital Plus technology. The newly optimized codec from Dolby Laboratories has been approved for use with all MIPS32(R) processor cores.

Dolby Digital Plus is Dolby's next-generation home entertainment audio technology designed for high-definition programming and media. Providing the same high quality available today with Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus requires less bandwidth and maintains compatibility with millions of existing Dolby Digital receivers. Additionally, Dolby Digital Plus has the power and flexibility to maximize the full audio potential of the newest HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats -- so listeners get even higher-quality audio, more channels, and superior multichannel audio performance.

The MIPS(R)-optimized Dolby Digital Plus audio codec provides system-on-a-chip (SoC) designers a more rapid and low-risk methodology for deploying the latest audio technology. The codec is an essential component of SoCs designed for HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players as well as set-top box applications -- markets where MIPS Technologies has significant market dominance.

"With the increased levels of sophistication in the Dolby Digital Plus format, chip design is more intricate and requires a considerable amount of time to implement, optimize, and approve for consumer SoCs," said Page Haun, worldwide director, broadcast segment, Dolby Laboratories. "We're pleased that our joint efforts with MIPS Technologies will result in a process that will reduce months of engineering time, decrease risk, and dramatically accelerate time-to-market for silicon designers using industry-standard MIPS cores."

"We're delighted to continue working with one of the long-time industry leaders in advanced audio technology," said Jack Browne, vice president of marketing for MIPS Technologies. "The availability of Dolby Digital Plus for our MIPS cores helps our customers gain an essential time-to-market advantage and provides both companies with market opportunities in home entertainment applications where MIPS Technologies already enjoys a dominant presence."

Availability

Dolby Digital Plus technology optimized for all MIPS32 processor cores is available immediately as part of MIPS Technologies' comprehensive Soft Audio Suite. SoC designers with a Dolby license for Dolby Digital Plus can now replace their Dolby software with a pre-tested MIPS-optimized version that has been approved by Dolby. For more information, contact MIPS Technologies at 650-567-5000, or visit http://www.mips.com/content/Products/SystemIP/SoftAudio/DDPlus

About Dolby Laboratories

Dolby Laboratories develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For four decades Dolby has been at the forefront of defining high-quality audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars, DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers. Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the company has entertainment industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles, and licensing liaison offices in London, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit http://www.dolby.com/ .

About MIPS Technologies

MIPS Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer and business applications. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance that is delivering 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions. The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor companies, ASIC developers, and system OEMs. MIPS Technologies and its licensees offer the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom, semi-custom, and application-specific products. The company is based in Mountain View, Calif., and can be reached at 650-567-5000 or http://www.mips.com/ .

Safe Harbor Statement by MIPS Technologies, Inc. Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Statements made in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking statements," including, for example, statements regarding the performance and capabilities of Dolby Digital Plus and the MIPS-optimized Dolby Digital Plus audio codec; the anticipated or potential benefits that artists, directors, producers, other content creators, broadcasters, SoC designers, and other distributors and consumers may derive from these technologies; statements relating to trends, products, and customer experiences. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which might cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include MIPS Technologies' ability to forecast product acceptance and adoption of technologies by semiconductor companies; to overcome the challenges associated with establishing licensing relationships with semiconductor companies; to anticipate business and economic conditions generally and in the semiconductor industry in particular; to compete in the market for semiconductor IP platforms; risks associated with building market acceptance of and demand for Dolby Digital Plus and the MIPS-optimized Dolby Digital Plus audio codec; competition in the market for high-quality audio technologies, and other risks. For a further discussion of these risk factors, refer to the documents MIPS Technologies files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2005 and subsequent Forms 10-Q and 8-K. MIPS Technologies, Inc. disclaims any intention or duty to update any forward- looking statements made in this news release.

Safe Harbor Statement by Dolby Laboratories Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the performance and capabilities of Dolby Digital Plus and the MIPS-optimized Dolby Digital Plus audio codec; the anticipated or potential benefits that artists, directors, producers, other content creators, broadcasters, SoC designers, and other distributors and consumers may derive from these technologies; the anticipated market acceptance of these technologies; and potential future uses for these technologies are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements to differ materially from anticipated results, include, without limitation, risks associated with building market acceptance of and demand for Dolby Digital Plus and the MIPS-optimized Dolby Digital Plus audio codec; competition in the market for high-quality audio technologies; rapid changes in technical requirements for high-definition technologies and packaged media; risks associated with introducing new technologies to consumers; and other risks detailed in Dolby's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006. Dolby disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

NOTE:  Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. MIPS and MIPS32 are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and other countries of MIPS Technologies, Inc. S06/17438 DLB-G 

DATASOURCE: MIPS Technologies, Inc.



CONTACT:  media, Cathy Browne of MIPS Technologies, Inc.,

[phone], or ; or Sean Durkin of Dolby Laboratories,

[phone], or 



Web site:  http://www.dolby.com/

Web site:  http://www.mips.com/

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