Montbonnot, France­-(Jan. 16, 2001 ) Digigram, an innovator in digital audio networking solutions, announced today that it has licensed MPEG Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) and will integrate the premium codec into its complete suite of professional audio tools.

"We think AAC is the heir apparent to MP3 in the next generation of digital audio technology and we are committed to offering products at the forefront of digital audio research," said Digigram president Philippe Girard-Buttoz. "Compared to MPEG-1 Layer 3 (MP3) audio, AAC provides higher quality audio reproduction, yet it requires approximately 30 percent less data."

AAC is the latest technology co-developed by experts in the art and science of audio compression, and standardized as part of the MPEG-2 specification. AAC is a product of the combined efforts of several organizations including AT&T, Dolby Laboratories, Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, and Sony Corporation. In order to streamline the licensing process, the foregoing companies have appointed Dolby Laboratories to administer an AAC licensing program.

"AAC has gained momentum as exciting new hardware players from major consumer electronics manufacturers are appearing on retail shelves, and record companies such as BMG, Universal, and Warner Music have begun to distribute online music in AAC format", said Ramzi Haidamus, Dolby's director of business development. "Digigram is one of the first AAC licensees to target the professional tools market. We expect the availability of Digigram's upcoming products to provide important support for content owners, service providers, and broadcasters seeking next-generation hardware and software tools for preparing material for delivery in AAC format."

Digigram's partners are software and hardware developers, system integrators, and specialized resellers. Inside the PC, Digigram presents software tools that can be used with the full range of Digigram sound cards, generic sound cards, or no sound card at all. Digigram's hardware solutions include PC cards and network audio terminals, as well as custom modules and products in a number of configurations.

"As a leader in digital audio networking solutions, Digigram will move aggressively to incorporate this strategic technology to our development partners for their end user products," adds Digigram's Girard-Buttoz.

About Digigram:
Digigram (www.digigram.com) networking solutions for digital audio and remote management are key to the success of media, communications and industrial companies worldwide. Their innovations are implemented on computer sound cards, multimedia devices, Internet applications, and other host platforms. They unlock the potential of networks by delivering advanced communications solutions for data and digital audio management and transmission. Digigram Powered products are installed in thousands of radio and television stations; audio recording and video post production facilities; corporate and commercial sound installations; telecommunications centers; and industrial plants around the globe.
Founded in 1985, Digigram is headquartered in Montbonnot, France and is publicly traded on the Paris stock exchange. Headquarters for North America are located near Washington, DC with field offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington. Latin America is served from an office in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Digigram Asia is based in Singapore with additional offices in Beijing, China and Tokyo, Japan.

About AAC:
AAC is high-quality audio coding technology and the solution of choice for many broadcast and electronic music-distribution applications. AAC is compatible with all digital rights management, encryption, and watermarking solutions available today. In independent tests, the coding efficiency of AAC proved to be superior to MP3, providing higher-quality audio reproduction at lower bit rates. AAC provides up to 48 channels of audio,sample rates of up to 96 kHz, and can achieve ITU-R broadcast quality at 320 kbps for a 5.1-channel audio program. Developed and standardized as an ISO/IEC specification by four industry leaders (AT&T, Dolby Laboratories,Fraunhofer IIS, and Sony Corporation), AAC is supported by a growing number of hardware and software manufacturers. For more information about AAC, please visit the AAC website, www.aac-audio.com, or send email to aacla@dolby.com.

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