Companies achieve first-pass yield success for DPS 9450 SoC design

Freiburg (Germany), and Hsinchu City (Taiwan), April 2, 2002-- Micronas, the Germany-based IC developer, and UMC (NYSE: UMC), a world leading semiconductor foundry, today announced the first-pass silicon success of the DPS 9450 video controller chip. The DPS 9450, designed in UMC's 0.18 micron mixed-mode CMOS technology, provides a single-chip solution that greatly simplifies integration of video and TV functionality for the fast-growing flat-panel display market that includes LCD and plasma displays.

The DPS 9450 is a true system-on-chip design that includes IP, embedded memories, I/Os and customized high-performance analog macros. The combination of these elements into one IC ensures that the DPS 9450 controller chip is able to deliver higher performance with greater efficiency at lower system costs over traditional multi-chip configurations.

"The short development window in which we have been able to achieve these outstanding results reflects the close cooperation and technological expertise that exists between our two companies' teams," commented Fu Tai Liou, chief officer of worldwide sales and marketing for UMC. "Through our cooperative efforts, Micronas is able to provide their chips for the flat panel market, an area with tremendous growth potential in the coming years."

The DPS 9450 can work in conjunction with Micronas' MDE 9500 TV audio/video decoder systems as well as with the Multi Standard Sound Processors of the MSP-Family, both of which are being produced by UMC. With the latest development, the MDE 9500, a hybrid analog/digital TV decoder IC, Micronas can provide state-of-the-art system solutions for digital broadcast decoding and advanced display performance. The MSP chips integrate demodulator and baseband functions for use in TV sets and have become the industry愀 most successful chips in its class, working together with all major TV standards world wide. Also part of Micronas TV frontend system solutions are the members of the VSP 94xy family of scan rate converter chips enabling 100 Hz and progressive scan television designs at very competitive prices.

"This single-chip solution will give the flat-panel display market a boost in time to market and an edge in performance over traditional solutions", said Nik Kaeppeler, vice president of operations at Micronas, "Upcoming video products will profit from this first-pass success."

About Micronas
Micronas (SWX: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN), a semiconductor company group with worldwide operations, is a leading supplier of cutting-edge IC and sensor system solutions for consumer electronics, multimedia and automotive electronics. The holding is headquartered in Zurich (Switzerland). Currently, the Micronas group employs about 1500 people. In 2001, it generated over CHF 566 Million in sales. For more information on Micronas and its products, please visit www.micronas.com.