Silicon Image Supplies Samsung With HDMI 1.3 Transmitter for Blue-Ray Disc Player and HDMI 1.3 Receiver and Switches for HDTVSs

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 31, 2007 – Silicon Image, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIMG), the leader in semiconductors for the secure storage, distribution and presentation of high-definition content, today announced that Samsung Electronics has selected the VastLane™ SiI9134 High Definition Multimedia Interface™ (HDMI™) transmitter chip for its BD-P1200 Blu-ray Disc player and the VastLane™ SiI9125 HDMI receiver chip for its new plasma, LCD and DLP HDTVs. In addition, Samsung selected the new VastLane HDMI 1.3 switches, SiI9181 and SiI9185, for its new HDTVs. Samsung launched the new HDMI 1.3-enabled Blu-ray player and HDTVs at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Silicon Image was the first to market with the most advanced HDMI 1.3 transmitters and receivers. The VastLane SiI9134 is an advanced HDMI 1.3 transmitter that enables Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD and DVD players and recorders to transmit Deep Color™ content for the highest-quality image for the consumer. The SiI9134 supports up to 1080p resolution at 60Hz and 12-bit color depth, and supports Dolby® True HD and DTS-HD high bit-rate audio formats to deliver a rich digital video and audio experience.

The new Samsung BD-P1200 Blu-ray Disc player adds support for HDMI version 1.3 by using the SiI9134 transmitter. Among other features of HDMI 1.3, the new BD-P1200 player incorporates Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) functionality, which enables a single remote control unit to operate the player, TV and other audio/video (A/V) products. With the BD-PP1200 model’s HDMI connections, consumers will get superior A/V quality, with incredible ease and convenience of use.

The new Samsung plasma, DLP and LCD HDTVs add support for HDMI version 1.3 through the SiI9125 receiver and the SiI9181 and SiI9185 HDMI 1.3 switches. More and more source devices with HDMI 1.3 support are appearing on the market, including Blu-ray players and the PlayStation 3 from Sony. The new Samsung HDMI 1.3-enabled HDTVs allow consumers to enjoy the highest resolution video and audio capabilities enabled by those source devices.

At CES 2007, Silicon Image announced the new VastLane SiI9125 receiver, designed for use in HDTVs. The SiI9125 HDMI receiver enables HDTVs to display Deep Color content transmitted by a new generation of consumer products, such as the Sony PlayStation 3 and high-definition DVD players. It supports HDMI 1.3 functionality and provides HDTV manufacturers with a cost effective means of implementing dual HDMI inputs for simultaneous connection of multiple HDMI source devices, such as a DVD player and a set-top box to an HDTV. This enables HDTVs to display Deep Color content in billions of colors with unprecedented vividness and accuracy. The built-in High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) decryption engine secures the digital link to enable transmission of high-definition video and audio. SiI9125 supports both Super Audio-CD and DVD Audio, including 7.1-surround audio at 192 kilohertz (kHz) and stereo audio at 192 kHz.

Also at CES 2007, Silicon Image unveiled the first generation of its family of VastLane HDMI 1.3 switches. The new HDMI 1.3 switches enable multiple HDMI source devices to connect to HDTVs with frequency of operation up to 225MHz, allowing consumers to enjoy Deep Color content. Based on the HDMI 1.3 specifications, SiI9181 and SiI9185 are advanced HDMI 1.3 switches that enable manufacturers of HDTVs to provide a cost effective method of adding additional HDMI ports to the latest HDTVs. The SiI9181 and SiI9185 provide a low cost method of transmitting high-definition digital audio and video, giving consumers a truly all-digital experience. New integrated features help lower system cost and provide enhanced features, such as built-in support for the Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) functionality and integrated Extended Display Identification Data Random Access Memory (EDID RAM).

The HDMI 1.3 specification more than doubles HDMI’s bandwidth and adds support for Deep Color technology, a broader color space, new digital audio formats and automatic audio/video synching capability (“lip sync”). HDMI 1.3 supports 10-bit, 12-bit and 16-bit (RGB or YCbCr) color depths, up from the 8-bit depths in previous versions of the HDMI specification.

“HDMI 1.3 is gaining traction in the marketplace, with the support of top-tier HD DVD and Blu-ray player manufacturers as well as TV makers,” said Dale Zimmerman, vice president of marketing at Silicon Image. “We are pleased that Samsung has chosen the Silicon Image transmitter, receiver and HDMI 1.3 switches to unleash the full potential of the new Blu-ray Disc standard and latest generation HDTVs. As consumers become more demanding about HDTV performance and image quality, HDMI 1.3 support stands out as a clear market differentiator.”

Silicon Image offers one of the most robust and comprehensively tested technology platforms in the consumer electronics industry. Silicon Image’s experience associated with shipping more than 100 million HDMI/HDCP and DVI/HDCP semiconductor solutions helps to significantly improve cross product interoperability. Silicon Image implements HDCP using its own copyrighted firmware stack, and performs a triple validation process in the programming of its HDCP keys to prevent duplicate key programming, selective authentication problems and corruptions. This validation, complemented by one of the most advanced and thorough testing program through Simplay Labs, allows OEMs to virtually eliminate issues with cross platform compatibility. 

The Simplay HD Testing Program has verified the SiI9134, SiI9125, SiI9181 and the SiI9185 for HDMI 1.3 compatibility. The Simplay Program provides compatibility testing for high definition (HD) consumer electronics devices such as HDTVs, set-top boxes, audio/video (A/V) receivers and DVD players, helping manufacturers to achieve compatibility and deliver the highest-quality HDTV experience to consumers.

The Blu-ray next-generation optical disc format was created by a group of the world’s top consumer electronics companies, including Samsung. The format is intended to meet consumer demand for playing and recording high-definition content, which far surpasses the video quality DVD can handle.

About HDMI
HDMI is the first and only consumer electronics industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. By delivering crystal-clear, all-digital audio and video via a single cable, HDMI dramatically simplifies cabling and helps provide consumers with the highest-quality home theater experience. HDMI provides an interface between any type of audio/video source, such as a set-top box, DVD player, or A/V receiver and an audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV), over a single cable.

About Silicon Image, Inc.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Silicon Image, Inc. is a leader in driving the architecture and semiconductor implementations for the secure storage, distribution and presentation of high-definition content in the consumer electronics and personal computing markets. Silicon Image creates and drives industry standards for digital content delivery such as DVI, HDMI™ and Serial ATA (SATA), leveraging partnerships with global leaders in the consumer electronics and personal computing markets to meet the growing digital content needs of consumers worldwide. With a proven track record of improving cross-product interoperability, Silicon Image has shipped more than 100 million HDMI/HDCP and DVI/HDCP semiconductor solutions and offers one of the most robust and comprehensively tested technology platforms in the consumer electronics industry through the Simplay HD™ Testing Program of Simplay Labs. Simplay Labs, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Silicon Image, is a leading provider of testing technologies, tools and services for high-definition consumer electronics devices such as HDTVs, set-top boxes, audio/video receivers and DVD players, helping manufacturers to achieve compatibility and deliver the highest-quality HDTV experience to consumers. Silicon Image is the leading provider of semiconductor intellectual property solutions for high-definition multimedia and data storage applications. For more information, please visit www.siliconimage.com.