Hitachi and Texas Instruments Announce Agreement to

27.04.1999, 11:25

Jointly Develop HDTV Digital Light Processing Technology Chosenas Basis For New All-Digital Multimedia Display TOKYO, and DALLAS (PROTEXT) - Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT; Tokyo:6501) and Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) (TI) announced today thatthey have signed an agreement under the terms of which Hitachiwill use Digital Light Processing(TM) (DLP(TM)) technology todevelop the world's first new all-digital, large screen highdefinition (HD) rear projection television. Hitachi plans torelease the new television in Japan and the U.S. market in thesecond half of 2000. The agreement also calls for TI to further develop DLPtechnology in support of HDTV applications with 16:9 aspectratio, and for the two companies to collaborate in thedevelopment of new, higher brightness projection optics, HDTVsignal receiving technology and an image processing LSI (LargeScale Integrated Circuit). The two companies will also consider extending futurecollaboration beyond the areas announced today. "We have been extremely impressed with the significantadvances in DLP technology aimed at serving the HomeEntertainment market," said Masao Kato, Executive Vice Presidentof Digital Media operations at Hitachi. "While DLP technology hasserved the data projection market with many leading products,recent breakthroughs - focused on improving video performance -have elevated DLP to a new level. It's this outstanding videoperformance that is required to satisfy the demands of HomeEntertainment enthusiasts. This new project represents anexciting opportunity for Hitachi to bring innovative, premiumperformance products to the market: we're delighted to havesigned this agreement with TI today." "Signing this agreement with Hitachi is an extremely excitingmilestone in the development of DLP technology," said BobEngland, Senior Vice President and Manager of TI's DigitalImaging division. "Hitachi's choice of DLP for this new HighDefinition product speaks volumes about not only how much thetechnology has progressed, but also its extraordinary potentialfor the future. We're excited that DLP technology will deliverthe first-ever all- digital display to the home entertainmentmarket." Demand for home theater systems is increasing worldwide:digital terrestrial broadcasting will begin this spring in tenmajor cities in the U.S, with satellite high definitionbroadcasting starting during the summer. In Japan, BS digitalbroadcasting will begin in 2000, bringing high resolution, highimage quality, movie programming to every home. "Texas Instruments demonstrated a prototype of this technologyat CES in January and it was truly awe-inspiring," said David E.Mentley, Vice President of Stanford Resources, Inc. "It clearlyhas the potential to raise the performance bar forrear-projection HDTV displays." Hitachi has built a substantial business in the projectiondisplay market and now has a broad product line which includesCRT monitors for TV and PC applications, LCD-based projectors anddisplays and plasma display panels (PDPs). In the United States,Hitachi has a significant share of the market for projectiontelevisions under the UltraVision(TM) brand name. Hitachi'sin-house optics technology development enables all its projectionand display products to feature outstanding image quality. DLP is an enormously attractive technology for the developmentof next generation HDTV systems, based on its digital nature, itshigh resolution, its high contrast and the fact that it enablesthe development of uniquely small and lightweight productpackaging. Today, TI supplies DLP subsystems to more than twenty-five ofthe world's top projector manufacturers, who then design,manufacture and market DLP-based projectors. Over the past threeyears, DLP-based projectors have consistently won some of theaudio-visual industry's most prestigious awards, including, inJune 1998, an Emmy Award from the American Academy of TelevisionArts & Sciences. Since shipments began in early 1996, TI hasdelivered over 150,000 DLP subsystems to its customers. There arenow over fifty DLP-based products in the market. At the heart of TI's Digital Light Processing technology isthe Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), an optical semiconductorchip that has an array of microscopic mirrors mounted on astandard logic device. These tiny mirrors operate as opticalswitches to create a high resolution, full color image. Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of theworld's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 1997(ended March 31, 1998) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen($63.8 billion*). The company manufactures and markets a widerange of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumerproducts and power and industrial equipment. For more informationon Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web site athttp://www.hitachi.co.jp. * At an exchange rate of 132 yen to the U.S. dollar. Texas Instruments Incorporated is a global semiconductorcompany and the world's leading designer and supplier of digitalsignal processing and analog technologies, the engines drivingthe digitization of electronics. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas,the company's businesses also include materials and controls,educational and productivity solutions, and digital imaging. Thecompany has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchangeunder the symbol TXN. More information on TI's DLP technology canbe found on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com/dlp. Digital Light Processing, DLP, Digital Micromirror Device andDMD are all trademarks of Texas Instruments. UltraVision is atrademark of Hitachi, Ltd. in the United States. All otherproducts and names may or may not be trademarks or registeredtrademarks of their respective companies. ots Original TextService: Hitachi, Ltd. Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.deContact: Emi Takase of Hitachi, Ltd. Japan, +81-3-3258-2055,emi@cm.head.co.jp, or Terry Kubo, +1-650-244-7900,tatsuya.kubo@hal.hitachi.com, or Gerry Corbett +1-650-244-7900,gerard.corbett@hal.hitachi.com, both of Hitachi America, Ltd.USA, or Masao Takebayashi of Hitachi Europe Ltd.,+44-1628-585000, mtake@hitachi-eu.com, or Kuniko Muramatsu,+81-3-376-98795, kuniko@ti.com, or Masa Hayashida,+81-3-340-97064, m-hayashida@ti.com, both of Texas InstrumentsJapan, or Ian McMurray of Texas Instruments, +44-1604-663075,i-mcmurray@ti.com, or David Smith of Rainier Corporation,+1-978-464-5302, x121, dave@rainierco.com, both for TexasInstruments USA, or Ian McMurray of Texas Instruments,+44-1604-663075, i-mcmurray@ti.com, for Texas Instruments EuropeWeb site: http://www.ti.com/dlp

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