Toyota and Fujitsu Ten Launch World's First SRS Circle Surround-Enabled Automotive Audio Systems
Fujitsu Ten Sells New Circle Surround Automotive in Entertainment and Navigation Control Systems to Toyota as a Dealer Installed Option and Promotes Circle Surround in Their Aftermarket Eclipse Brand
SANTA ANA, Calif., May 4 -- SRS Labs, Inc. , a leading provider of innovative audio, voice and semiconductor technology solutions, today announced that it has penetrated the automotive market by signing a new licensing agreement with leading automotive electronics manufacturer Fujitsu Ten Limited, who has launched the world's first multichannel car surround A/V system with SRS Labs' Circle Surround II ("CS II") for Automotive. This new system marketed under the Eclipse Brand name features an optimized version of CS II for Automotive developed jointly by the two companies that delivers a DVD quality 5.1-channel surround sound experience perfectly matched to a four-speaker car environment. Fujitsu Ten is marketing this product to the automotive aftermarket under their Eclipse brand name as well as to automotive manufacturers. SRS Labs is also announcing today that Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, is the first OEM customer of this new Fujitsu Ten product and will make it available as a dealer option in Japan starting May 6.
Fujitsu Ten is a leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of automotive entertainment and navigation control systems that often include DVD entertainment as well as radio, speaker selection and other master controls for the car audio environment. Fujitsu Ten's customers, such as Toyota, include these OEM products as factory installs or dealer options. Car buyers in Japan who order the aftermarket dealer option Eclipse model can now enjoy a thrilling 5.1 surround sound experience without incurring the extra expense or time required to install a center speaker or a subwoofer.
"The demand for Circle Surround from manufacturers in Japan is exploding and we are very proud that the world's number one car maker has chosen Circle Surround to deliver car entertainment to their customers," said Hank Kato, sales manager for SRS Labs in Japan. "With the adoption of Circle Surround technology by broadcasting giant TOKYO FM and the use of Circle Surround by our other licensing partners, such as Kenwood, Marantz, Accuphase, Theta Digital and Motorola for home theater products, we are seeing the demand for Circle Surround growing rapidly. Because it creates a thrilling 5.1 surround sound experience from any material in the car over only four speakers, it makes home theater now possible in a car."
Most cars are equipped with four or more speakers and yet are unable to experience surround sound. Circle Surround II solves this problem and delivers a 5.1 surround sound experience over those speakers by creating a "phantom" center channel for cars with no center speaker or subwoofer through patented audio processing techniques. Of course, Circle Surround also delivers surround sound over more than four speakers, if the car is so equipped. When playing a 5.1-channel surround sound DVD or listening to stereo or surround broadcasting content, Circle Surround II provides a home theater experience in any automobile with the addition of SRS FOCUS, which elevates the sound image from a non-optimally located speaker and SRS TruBass, which creates deep bass without requiring a subwoofer.
Top broadcasters in the U.S. and abroad, including HD Radio, which is the standard for digital radio broadcasting in the U.S., are adopting Circle Surround technology as their standard multichannel encode/decode format. TOKYO FM radio station in central Tokyo with a listener base of over 10 million, only needs to broadcast one Circle Surround-encoded signal to satisfy all possible playback environments of their listening audience while Guangdong Radio, a Hong Kong radio conglomerate with an audience of over 100 million, was the first radio station to bring full-bandwidth surround sound broadcasts to China using Circle Surround. Major television broadcasters who have adopted Circle Surround technology include ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN HD, FOX, FX, TNT, PBS and over two dozen programs including the 55th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, X Games, NFL and NBA broadcasts. Some of the fall television shows launched with Circle Surround included "It's All Relative" on ABC, "The Shield" on FX, "Frasier" on NBC, and "The Help" on ABC.
For information on licensing SRS technologies, contact sales@srslabs.com. Additional information is also available from the company's website at www.srslabs.com.
About SRS Labs, Inc.
SRS Labs is a recognized leader in the advancement of audio and voice technology. The company works with the world's top manufacturers to provide a richer entertainment experience through patented sound techniques. SRS Labs' technologies can be heard through products ranging from televisions, flat panel displays, DVD players, mobile phones, car audio systems, headphones and notebook and desktop computers. The company also offers hardware and software tools to professionals and consumers for the creation, production and broadcast of content featuring SRS Labs' technologies. SRS Labs' wholly owned subsidiary, ValenceTech, is a Hong Kong-based semiconductor company that designs and sells custom ASICs and standard ICs to leading manufacturers worldwide. Based in Santa Ana, Calif., the company also has licensing representation in Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, and Korea. For more information about SRS Labs, Inc. please visit www.srslabs.com. The information on the aforementioned website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
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