Philips' New 9-Bit Video Decoder Chip Integrates Macrovision Copy Protection Detection to Safeguard Video Programming in Set-Top Boxes and Video Time Shift Systems

SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Philips Semiconductors, an affiliate of Royal Philips Electronics and Macrovision Corporation announced today that Philips' new SAA7118 9-bit video decoder chip is the world's first video decoder device to receive full certification in accordance with Macrovision's newly issued Copy Protection Detect Specification Revision 1.00.

Macrovision's Copy Protection Detect technology, integrated into Philips' new decoder chip, ensures that source programming remains protected throughout the entire analog to digital conversion process, which prevents the permanent recording of copyrighted and copy protected content. The new integrated solution can be designed into set-top boxes, hard disc drive and DVD-recordable based personal TV entertainment systems, PCs and peripherals by manufacturers, and other companies wanting to ensure that their hardware is compliant with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. (Editor's note: Please see today's release entitled: "Philips Semiconductors Introduces New Single-Chip 9-Bit Video Decoder For Advanced PC And Consumer Video Applications.")

"Protecting source programming from illicit copying and piracy during analog to digital conversion is a key factor driving the growth of the digital video broadcast and personal video recording (PVR) markets," said Michael Malloy, product marketing manager for Philips Semiconductors. "Macrovision's leadership in developing copy protection technology has long been a powerful asset in our video encoding platforms and now thanks to this new certification for our decoder chip, we can offer end-to-end content protection capabilities to our customers."

"Macrovision is pleased to have its Copy Protection Detection feature included within Philips Semiconductors' new video decoder products," said Bill Krepick, President and COO of Macrovision Corporation. "Adding Copy Protection Detection into video input devices not only expands Macrovision's copy protection ecosystem, it also makes our technology more valuable to programmers by helping to assure that the long-term value of their content is safeguarded."

About Philips Semiconductors

Philips Semiconductors, which has annual revenues of approximately $5 billion, designs and manufactures semiconductors and silicon systems platforms. Philips Semiconductors is spearheading the emerging field of systems on silicon solutions with the innovative Nexperia(TM) platform and VLSI Velocity(TM) tool set. The company's Sea-of-IP design methodology allows plug and play intellectual property blocks for easily customizable products. The company is a leader in communications, consumer, PC peripherals and automotive semiconductors, which are key applications for convergence in end-user products. Philips Semiconductors is headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, and has operations throughout the world. For more information: www.philips.semiconductors.com.

About Macrovision

Macrovision Corporation develops and markets content copy protection and rights management technologies to prevent the unauthorized duplication, reception or use of video and audio programs and computer software. The Company provides its products and services primarily to the home video, consumer multimedia software, digital pay-per-view, cable, satellite and video security markets. Macrovision has its headquarters in Sunnyvale, California with subsidiaries in London and Tokyo.

All statements contained herein, as well as oral statements that may be made by the Company or by officers, directors or employees of the Company acting on the Company's behalf, that are not statements of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and are made pursuant to the Safe-Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties are outlined in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2000 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

SOURCE: Philips Semiconductors