Diamond Multimedia Debuts its First Ultra/Ultra-Wide SCSI Host Adapter for Power Desktop PC Users; The FirePort 40 PCI Ultra SCSI Host Adapter Gives Users High-Bandwidth and Performance for Multimedia and Internet Applications

Business Wire, Jan 27, 1997

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 27, 1997--Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc., (NASDAQ: DIMD), a leader in the Internet multimedia market, today announced the company's first PCI Ultra/Ultra-wide SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) Host Adapter kit for PC users operating a Pentium or Pentium Pro system under the Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 operating environments.

Diamond's entrance into the multimedia I/O accelerator market is believed to further solidify its position as a leading provider of high-performance PC solutions, offering a wide range of add-in subsystems for customers who demand state-of-the-art multimedia PCs. "The increasing availability of multimedia content on the Internet and the use of advanced desktop multimedia applications are rapidly driving the need for increased PC performance, whether its fast 2D/3D graphics, high-speed communications devices or high-bandwidth I/O connections. Diamond's goal is to provide a complete range of leading-edge multimedia solutions to enable the ultimate, integrated multimedia PC," said Bill Schroeder, president and CEO of Diamond Multimedia.

Diamond's new Ultra SCSI kit is designed specifically for I/O intensive multimedia applications and is compatible with existing Fast SCSI (SCSI-2) peripherals such as large hard drives, CD-R drives and scanners while offering up to three times the performance of an IDE bus. The FirePort 40 is also compatible with the newest Ultra and Ultra-wide SCSI (SCSI-3) devices offering support for up to fifteen Ultra SCSI devices with transfer rates up to 40MB/sec.

Diamond's FirePort 40 PCI UltraSCSI Host Adapter Kit includes a PCI Ultra/Ultra-wide SCSI host adapter; Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0 and ASPI compliant drivers; a 4-position SCSI cable; an extensive installation and user's guide; and a complete CD-R mastering software bundle from Elektroson with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of over $300. The FirePort 40 will be available in early February for an estimated retail price of $199.99 through Diamond Multimedia's VARs, distributors and retail resellers in the US, and in March worldwide.

"The use of SCSI peripherals and, therefore, the need for high-bandwidth SCSI host adapters is expected to grow steadily as PCI Pentium systems and multitasking operating environments such as Windows NT take-off among power-users," said Ken Comstock, director of marketing for multimedia I/O products at Diamond Multimedia. "SCSI adapters benefit users in much the same way our graphics accelerators do: improving overall PC performance by off-loading tasks from the system's CPU."

Designed for Compatibility, Performance and Affordability

The FirePort 40 uses Symbios Logic's advanced SYM53C875 SCSI RISC script engine, which was selected by Diamond Multimedia because of Symbios Logic's extensive experience in designing highly compatible, high-performance SCSI controllers. "The goal in designing the FirePort 40 was to give multimedia users what they need: a flexible SCSI host adapter with excellent compatibility, great performance and an affordable price," said Jim Gifford, vice president of engineering for multimedia I/O products at Diamond Multimedia.

Tom Lagatta, vice president of corporate marketing and business development for Symbios Logic Inc., said, "The fact that SCSI is entering the consumer multimedia market, backed up by Diamond's expertise and worldwide marketing and support network, is very gratifying. The market potential for PC-based Internet multimedia applications, which Diamond is pursuing, is immense and we are certain that multimedia users will quickly see the advantages of SCSI performance. Diamond is uniquely positioned to be successful and we are delighted to partner with them to address this market."

The FirePort 40 kit is compatible with SCSI-1, SCSI-2, SCSI-3 and UltraSCSI device protocols and supports not only the most popular FastSCSI and UltraSCSI devices, including hard drives, CD-ROM drives, removable drives and scanners, but also supports the newest internal Ultra-wide, high-capacity hard drives with transfer rates up to 40Mbytes/sec.

Advanced features include a full, 32-bit PCI DMA bus master interface with support for both 5.5V and 3.3V only slots, flash BIOS for upgradeability, active termination with auto-resetting circuit breaker, ASPI compliance, a four-position SCSI cable, and support for up to 15 UltraSCSI devices.

Diamond's UltraEasy Software: Installation, Diagnostics and Management

The FirePort 40 Kit includes Diamond's UltraEasy software suite, a simple to use installation program and advanced SCSI diagnostic utility.

UltraEasy Diagnostics allow users to easily see, test and manage the SCSI devices installed in their system. Ideal for both the network administrator and desktop user, UltraEasy Diagnostics scan the SCSI bus and give users complete, graphical feedback on the features and capabilities of the SCSI devices installed in the system (including other host adapters), and allow users to run a series of diagnostic tests to insure proper connection and functionality.