CSR Licenses aptX Low Latency Codec to Mad Catz for New Family of Bluetooth Wireless Gaming Headsets

Innovative Headsets to Deliver High-Performance Audio for Games, Music, Movies and More

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, Barcelona, Spain -- Feb 25, 2013 -- CSR plc (LSE: CSR; NASDAQ: CSRE) today announced that Mad Catz Interactive (NYSE MKT: MCZ) has signed a multi-year licensing agreement to use the CSR aptX® Low Latency audio codec, expected to feature in a new family of ‘GameSmart’ headsets that Mad Catz plans to introduce in the coming months. The new headsets are expected to break the barrier between the wireless audio and gaming worlds, enabling consumers to use one headset that works equally well whether using their tablets, smartphones, laptops and other Bluetooth-equipped devices to play action games, listening to their favourite music or watching movies and videos.

“This breakthrough CSR aptX technology is enabling us to create a new category of high-performance GameSmart wireless headsets that we know will deliver audiophile sound for games and audio alike,” said Darren Richardson, Mad Catz CEO and President. “The aptX technology allows us to deliver realistic interactive action-synchronised sound when gaming by eliminating the audio sync issue, while providing high-quality stereo audio over Bluetooth.”

High-quality Bluetooth audio has an inherent latency of more than 150 ms. While this can be compensated for in various ways to ensure that the lips match the speech when watching a movie, where this delay is constant, the gun shots, bomb blasts and other intermittent and unpredictable sound effects in gaming environments make this kind of compensation unfeasible. For action-synchronised sound when gaming, this delay must be less than the 40 ms recommended for audio-video (AV) applications. CSR aptX Low Latency for Bluetooth reduces the latency to just 32 ms, which is well under this limit.

“We welcome Mad Catz into the aptX ecosystem, and congratulate them for their vision and innovation in being first to recognise and fulfill the need for this new breed of wireless headsets,” said Jonny McClintock, Director of aptX Sales and Marketing at CSR. “With more and more people using their smartphones and tablets to play games, in addition to other more traditional audiovisual entertainment, many of them will be turning to high-performance wireless headsets, like those Mad Catz will be introducing, that can work equally well for high-fidelity stereo audio and gaming applications.”

Although standard Bluetooth technology can be used to stream stereo audio wirelessly from mobile handsets, tablets and other audio entertainment devices to headphones, headsets and speakers, its inherent delay is not suitable for video or gaming applications.  CSR aptX Low Latency technology is designed to solve this problem as well as delivering superior CD-quality audio, enabling Bluetooth to be used for a variety of audio-visual (AV) and gaming applications.

Visit CSR at Mobile World Congress 2013

CSR is exhibiting an exciting range of platform solutions for Voice & Music, Bluetooth Smart and Indoor Location on the CSR booth [Hall 6, Stand 6D35] at Mobile World Congress 2013. To book a meeting or demonstration with CSR at Mobile World Congress please e-mail external.communications@csr.com

About Mad Catz

Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz”) (NYSE MKT: MCZ) is a global provider of innovative interactive entertainment products marketed under its Mad Catz® (gaming), Tritton® (audio), and Saitek® (simulation) brands. Mad Catz also develops flight simulation software through its internal ThunderHawk Studios™; operates flight simulation centers under its Saitek brand; publishes games under its Mad Catz brand; and distributes games and videogame products for third parties. For additional information please go to http://www.madcatz.com

About CSR

CSR is a global provider of innovative silicon and software solutions for the location-aware, media-rich, cloud-connected world. Our platforms are optimised for the automotive navigation and infotainment, digital cameras and imaging, connected home infotainment and wireless audio markets. We provide solutions to complex problems in the audio-visual, connectivity and location technology domains across a broad range of markets, with a technology portfolio that includes GPS/GNSS systems, Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, FM, NFC, aptX® and CVC™ audio codecs, JPEG, MPEG, H.264 imaging, PDL printing, microcontrollers, DSPs and broadband receivers. CSR's technology solutions and market platforms enable its customers to deliver a superior user experience and are adopted by leaders in the auto, computer, home and mobile markets. More information can be found at www.csr.com.