CALIBRE POWERS NEXT VIDEO PROCESSOR SCALER WITH THE REALTA HQV™ VIDEO ENGINE

San Jose , CA —(Sept 2, 2005)—Calibre launches its Vantage-HD Home Theater video scaler and switcher at CEDIA 2005 in Indianapolis , Sept 9-11. Vantage-HD is powered by the Realta HQV™ video processing engine.

“We selected the Realta HQV for the Vantage-HD because it delivers spectacular image quality.  Not only does it convert NTSC or PAL standard definition (SD) material to superb high definition (HD) images, but it is the only processor to correctly process HD video for maximum image quality,“ said Tim Brooksbank, CEO of Calibre.

Realta HQV processing originates from Teranex’s $60k broadcast and postproduction platforms. Teranex’s software algorithms run on Realta’s trillion-operations-per-second video engine to deliver a new standard for video quality called Hollywood Quality Video, or HQV.

For HD material Realta HQV features true 10-bit processing, automatic multi cadence detection, and four-field per-pixel de-interlacing--the highest quality HD de-interlacing processing available today.  Instead of discarding half the resolution, and just doubling the lines (a shortcut that many video processors take today).  HQV processes all 2 million+ pixels in both odd and even fields of a 1080i signal preserving all the rich details in an HD scene.  Also, HQV per-pixel, motion adaptive noise reduction cleans the random noise that can plague HD broadcasts. 

Currently, given the scarcity of HD content, most of the HD broadcast programs are SD material up-converted to HD, often with Teranex equipment.  Also, for years to come, much of the TV programming will continue to be delivered as standard-definition (SD) 480-line interlaced video.  Going from 480i video to 1080p involves resizing an image up to six times. 

Realta HQV employs for 480i to 1080p conversion the same algorithms used in Teranex up-conversion equipment.  The processing relies on a combination of powerful features, such as multiple fields pixel-by-pixel analysis, 1024-tap scaler, HQV detail enhancement, HQV random, block and mosquito noise reduction, to deliver standard-definition broadcast TV and DVDs that approach HD quality.

Unlike any other video processor, Realta HQV is also fully software programmable and upgradeable.  The Realta HQV processor executes its video algorithms entirely in software. As new video processing software is developed, consumers can simply download the upgrades. 

The Realta HQV video engine has received numerous awards and accolades, including the  “Best of Innovations” award for the Embedded Technologies category at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show, “Most Promising New Technology” and “Most Exciting New Company” from The Perfect Vision, “Best Buzz of CEDIA” from Insight Media, AVGuide Monthly’s “Best Product Overall,” Red Herring’s “Top 100 Innovators” award, Fred Kahn’s “Silver Best of CES” award, and most recently “Best Picture of the Show” at the Home Entertainment 2005 Show in New York City, from Tom Norton of UltimateAVmag.com.

Shipping & Availability

Calibre’s Vantage-HD Home Theater video scaler and switcher has MSRP of $2,900 and will be available Q4 2005.  See www.calibreuk.com for further information.

About Silicon Optix

Silicon Optix Inc., a privately held fabless semiconductor company, is the leading supplier of advanced programmable video/image digital processing integrated circuits (ICs). The company’s products are driving three unique technologies into a broad range of markets: a patented, powerful, array-based programmable DSP for digital video that can perform one trillion operations/second enabling real-time pixel-by-pixel processing of HDTV; industry-leading and Hollywood proven software algorithms from Teranex; and proprietary eWARP™ geometry processing. Its mission is to leverage these innovative technologies into ICs that will enable the next generation of digital video/image capture, transmission, distribution, editing, storage, and display solutions, with an initial focus on large-area digital displays including front and rear projection. Silicon Optix is headquartered in San Jose , California , with operations in Hanover , Germany ; Orlando , Florida ; Taipei , Taiwan ; Shanghai , China ; and Toronto , Canada . For more information about Silicon Optix, please visit the company’s website at www.siliconoptix.com.