Conexant Introduces World's Smallest PCI Express Broadcast Decoder for PC-Based Multimedia Applications; Company Sets New Record with Broadcast Decoder and Encoder Shipments Exceeding 50 Million

Business Wire, Jan 3, 2006

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT), a worldwide leader in semiconductor solutions for broadband communications and the digital home, today introduced the industry's smallest-form-factor, PCI Express(TM) 1.0a-compliant and 1.1-ready audio/video (A/V) broadcast decoder. The CX23885 is targeted at multimedia applications such as watching television or listening to the radio on a personal computer (PC). PCI Express is a serial bus technology that enables cost-effective and scalable video capture on PCs and other consumer electronics devices. The company also announced that it set a new industry milestone, with cumulative shipments of broadcast decoders and encoders exceeding 50 million units.

The CX23885 is the first in a family of planned devices. The versatile new device captures and decodes both analog and digital television broadcasts, and supports worldwide audio and video standards. In addition, the single-chip solution integrates all of the functions required to perform television and external A/V capture. This flexibility provides manufacturers with economies of scale, allowing them to develop a broad range of products that support both analog and digital broadcasts in standard or high-definition formats.

"New technologies such as PCI Express are required to support higher-quality multimedia applications on consumer electronics devices," said Al Servati, division director of Convergence Video products for Conexant. "Our new A/V decoder provides manufacturers with a single-chip solution that speeds and simplifies the transition to PCI Express, allowing them to bring products to market more quickly and economically."

Conexant's fourth-generation device represents another landmark in the company's video innovation timeline. Additional pioneering developments include creating the PCI video decoder category. The company also introduced the industry's first single-chip MPEG audio/video codec, delivered the world's most widely deployed MPEG audio/video encoder, and launched the first single-chip video encoder and digital video interface (DVI) transmitter.

The high level of audio and video integration in the CX23885 eliminates the need for additional broadcast audio decoding and processing chips, or external sound demodulation chips. This allows developers to reduce bill-of-material (BOM) costs without compromising audio and video quality. The chip is optimized for regional broadcast requirements, and is backward-compatible with the company's CX25843 A/V decoder. Additional planned devices will also be offered in pin-compatible configurations, enabling manufacturers to develop multiple products with a variety of features and price points using a single integrated device.

To enable faster time to market, Conexant offers multiple CX23885 PCI Express and ExpressCard(TM) reference designs. All of the reference designs include schematics, layout files, and evaluation boards with production-ready device drivers.

Availability, Packaging and Pricing

The CX23885 is sampling now with volume production scheduled for the second quarter of 2006. The chip is packaged in a 14mm x 14mm lead-free 128-pin exposed thin quad flat pack (ETQFP), and is priced at $10 each in production quantities.

About Conexant

Conexant's innovative semiconductor solutions are driving broadband communications and digital home networks worldwide. The company has leveraged its expertise and leadership position in modem technologies to enable more Internet connections than all of its competitors combined, and continues to develop highly integrated silicon solutions for broadband data and media processing networks.

Key products include client-side xDSL and cable modem solutions, home network processors, broadcast video encoders and decoders, digital set-top box components and systems solutions, and dial-up modems. Conexant's suite of networking components includes a leadership portfolio of IEEE 802.11a/b/g-compliant WLAN chipsets, software and reference designs, as well as solutions for applications based on HomePlug(TM) and HomePNA(TM). The company also offers a complete line of asymmetric and symmetric DSL central office solutions, which are used by service providers worldwide to deliver broadband data, voice, and video over copper telephone lines.

Conexant is a fabless semiconductor company that recorded more than $720 million in revenues in fiscal year 2005. The company has approximately 2,400 employees worldwide, and is headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif. To learn more, please visit us at www.conexant.com.

Safe Harbor

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Conexant or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements in this release that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.