Humax Licenses Insignia's Jeode Technology to Provide Java Functionality for Digital Set-Top Boxes

Business Wire, August 20, 2001

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 20, 2001

Insignia Solutions(R) (Nasdaq:INSG), the leading provider of accelerated Java(TM) software solutions for information appliances, announced today that Humax Co. of South Korea has licensed Insignia's Jeode(TM) virtual machine technologies to provide the Java functionality for Humax's digital set-top boxes (STBs). Humax is developing a rich multimedia, Digital Video Broadcasting Multimedia Home Platform (DVB-MHP)-compliant digital set-top box platform based on the pnx8525 Nexperia(TM) Home Entertainment Engine from Philips Semiconductors, a division of Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG)(AEX:PHI). Insignia and Philips Semiconductors announced an agreement in December last year to integrate Jeode technology on the Nexperia Home Entertainment Engine.

The Humax design win is Insignia's first in the Korean market. In 2000, Humax generated $113 million in sales and accounted for one-third of the retail set-top boxes sold in Europe. The company shipped 750,000 set-top boxes last year, all of which were exported. Earlier this year, Humax announced $20 million and $2 million contracts, respectively, with Danish electronics vendor Kjaerulff and Swiss broadcaster Valiascom. And recently, Humax and Orbit, one of the major satellite broadcasting operators, announced that they entered into a supply contract valued at approximately $200 million. Humax has also formed a joint venture with Samsung Electronics to produce set-top boxes for the U.S. market.

"Insignia's Jeode technology offers full PersonalJava(TM) functionality and superior performance in a limited memory environment, enabling us to deliver a rich multimedia Java-enabled digital set-top box platform," said Jungyong Kang, chief technology officer of Humax. "Their strong partnership with Philips Semiconductor was a strong factor in our decision to use Insignia's Jeode technology as the foundation for our DVB-MHP-compliant set-top box products."

Humax Licenses Insignia's Jeode Technology

"We're pleased to attain our first design win in Korea," said Richard Noling, chief executive officer of Insignia Solutions. "Humax has been very successful in the set-top box market in Europe and is poised to replicate this success in the U.S. market. Their decision to integrate Jeode technology in their DVB-MHP-compliant products will give them a significant competitive advantage in meeting their market expansion goals."

Jeode Platform

The Jeode(TM) platform enables accelerated and robust Java(TM) functionality on information appliances. A "Sun Authorized Virtual Machine" fully compatible with the PersonalJava and EmbeddedJava(TM) specifications, the Jeode EVM(TM) can execute Java applications 6-10 times faster than interpretive JVMs in roughly the same amount of memory.

Key attributes include:

-- Industry leading accelerated performance and efficient memory utilization
through patent-pending dynamic adaptive compilation (DAC(TM)) and precise,
concurrent garbage collection technologies

-- Configurability and tunability to meet the diverse needs of information
appliance developers

-- A turn-key software solution already ported and tested on popular RTOS/
microprocessor combinations:

-- Operating systems include Windows CE, Windows NT4, VxWorks, Linux, ITRON,
Nucleus, BSDI Unix and pSOS

-- Microprocessors include MIPS, ARM, Intel x86, PowerPC and Hitachi SH-3 and
SH-4

Humax

Humax was founded in 1989 as a manufacturer of industrial vision systems and began development and manufacturing of digital STBs in 1996. Humax established its overseas network in 1997, and now operates subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Germany and Dubai. In June 2000, Humax established a joint venture in Silicon Valley to drive North American marketing efforts and enhance research and development capacity. Humax offers 23 different STB models covering digital satellite, cable, and terrestrial receivers, as well as Web Box and HDD Box devices. For more information about Humax, please visit http://www.humaxdigital.com.

Insignia Solutions

Insignia Solutions is the leading provider of accelerated Java software solutions that dynamically optimize the use of available system resources. Insignia's patent-pending Jeode virtual machine technologies are licensed by such leading companies as BSQUARE Corporation (Nasdaq: BSQR), Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ), Echelon Corporation (Nasdaq: ELON), Fujitsu PC, Gemstar/TV Guide (Nasdaq: GMST), Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC), Motorola (Nasdaq: MOT), NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), Nortel Networks (NYSE: NT), Olivetti, Philips Semiconductor (NYSE: PHG), Phoenix Technologies (Nasdaq: PTEC), Quantum Corporation (NYSE: DSS, HDD), Siemens AG, Toshiba Information Systems, Victor Data Systems (a subsidiary of JVC) and Wind River Systems (Nasdaq: WIND). Insignia Solutions is publicly-held with headquarters in Fremont, Calif., and its main R&D facilities in High Wycombe, England. Sales and marketing departments are located in Fremont and High Wycombe. For additional information on Insignia and its products, call 800/848-7677 in the United States, 44 (0)1628 539 500 in Europe, 81 3 5404 3440 in Japan or visit the company's website at http://www.insignia.com.