OPTi Announces New PCI Audio Chipset at WinHEC; Single Chip Sound Blaster Compatible PCI Audio Solutions

Business Wire, April 7, 1997

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 1997--OPTi Inc. announced at WinHEC conference today that it is expanding its line of multimedia products with the introduction of a new OPTiSound chipset, the 82C935.

The OptiSound 935 is a high-performance single chip, Sound Blaster-compatible PCI audio system for multimedia PCs. It provides full SoundBlaster Pro support, distributed DMA, virtual DMA, integrated FM syntheses, integrated 16-bit stereo CODEC, full duplex stereo, and integrated Qxpander 3D Surround Sound. The 935 offers compatibility with industrial PC audio standards, and delivers the most advanced PC audio solutions for business, education, entertainment, and other multimedia applications. Sampling will begin in June 1997.

"This is the first Sound Blaster-compatible PCI chip leveraging our 82C825 ISA-to-PCI bridge logic, developed originally and proven for notebook docking applications," said Patrick Ang, vice president, Multimedia Products. "OEMs now have access to a proven silicon architecture."

The OPTiSound 935 is an integrated sound controller for PC sound applications on the PCI bus. The 935 accelerates Direct Sound features in addition to being backward compatible with Sound Blaster, Ad Lib, MPU-401, and Microsoft Windows Sound System standards. The 935 Controller provides all of the functions and interfaces for the Sound Blaster-compatible and Microsoft Windows Sound System-compatible card.

The 935 includes the functions of PCI Bus interface, Sound Blaster-compatible Digital Audio Processor, MIDI interface, Windows Sound System interface, OPTiFM synthesizer, 16-bit Codec/Mixer, as well as Game Port timer. It provides enough driving capabilities for all of the interfaces without an external buffer, and there is also a power down mode for power conscious system designers. The 935 offers a compact ISA interface to permit bridging ISA modem solutions to PCI through the 935 on a single PCI-based audio telephony card.

OPTi, Inc., founded in 1989, is a leading independent volume supplier of core logic and multimedia silicon solutions to the personal computer market. OPTi is headquartered in Milpitas, Calif. and the Company's customers include many of the major PC OEMs in the world. OPTi stock is traded on the National Market System under NASDAQ symbol OPTI. For more information about OPTi's products, contact 408/486-8000, or world wide Web Home Page at http://www.opti.com .

CONTACT: OPTi Corporate Communications

Janet L. Courtenay, 408/486-8216