NVIDIA Works with Microsoft to Deploy Hardware Bundles to System Builders Planning to Introduce New PCs Based on Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition

NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in visual processing solutions, today announced availability of its comprehensive Media Center product suite to system builders planning to introduce new PCs based on Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) this holiday season. NVIDIA’s MCE product suite, established with input from Microsoft, gives system builders worldwide the opportunity to take advantage of competitively-priced hardware bundles. These bundles include NVIDIA’s cutting-edge graphics processing units (GPUs), TV tuners and multimedia software technologies, each designed to meet the needs of PC manufacturers looking to deliver the best media center experience on desktop and notebook PCs.

“Microsoft’s announcement that it will license Windows XP Media Center Edition to PC system builders is great news for the industry,” said David Roman, vice president of corporate marketing at NVIDIA. “System builders now have the opportunity to broaden their product portfolios and deliver PCs geared for home entertainment. NVIDIA’s high-performance MCE product suite includes the most compatible and reliable hardware and software components to help system builders bring to market new media center PCs that deliver a stunning user experience.”

Already the technology provider of choice for the majority of PCs based on the Windows XP Media Center Edition shipping today, NVIDIA has updated its MCE product suite of hardware and software technologies to include:

• NVIDIA GeForce™ 6 series and GeForce FX GPUs for desktop and notebook PCs. Top-to-bottom product families that enable superior high-definition video playback and high-performance 3D gaming. NVIDIA’s video processing engine (VPE), a built in feature on select GPUs, delivers a cost-effective solution for enhanced viewing of all video content.
• NVIDIA nForce™2 and nForce3 media and communications processors (MCPs). The ultimate foundation for Media Center PCs, NVIDIA MCPs feature integrated USB and Firewire ports for connecting a broad range of digital media devices, as well as advanced audio technologies with Dolby™ Digital surround sound.
• Media Center-ready software. NVIDIA decoder drivers power crisp DVD playback, while integrated menu extensions give users full control of display and audio settings from the Windows XP Media Center Edition interface and remote control.
• NVIDIA NVTV analog and digital TV tuner cards. Low-cost, low-profile hardware solution with MPEG-2 encoding delivers high-quality TV viewing over analog and digital signals.

“NVIDIA’s comprehensive approach to delivering a broad range of products will be invaluable to the growth of Media Center Edition and our channel partners,” said Kurt Kolb, general manager, Worldwide System Builder Channel and License Compliance at Microsoft Corp. “By focusing the key components needed to deliver a top-notch Media Center experience, such as optimized video and TV playback and end-user controls, NVIDIA is empowering System Builders to deliver customized solutions with the latest hardware and software technologies – helping take the Media Center experience to the next level.”

Jordan Malkin, operations manager of MicroStandard, one of the system builders showcasing a new series of PCs based on Windows XP Media Center Edition at this week’s Microsoft Worldwide Channel Partner Conference added, “MicroStandard is delighted to work with NVIDIA on our Microsoft Media Center Edition PCs. NVIDIA's awesome GeForce 6800 Ultra and GeForce FX 5700LE graphics cards provide credibility to our target market of PC enthusiasts. The company's unified drivers work seamlessly with MCE, enabling us to meet our customers' demands for a true powerhouse PC."

In additional news, NVIDIA also announced that its graphics and TV tuner cards will be considered for the “Designed for Windows XP Media Center Edition” logo, a new certification program announced today by Microsoft to identify third-party products and technologies that have met a high-quality bar and are capable of delivering a great computing experience on PCs featuring Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition. Details around this extension of the Designed for Windows XP logo program will be available later this fall.