Corporate | 10 March 2005 08:01

Singulus Technologies Introduces Blu-ray and HD-DVD Replication Systems

Corporate-news announcement sent by DGAP. The sender is solely responsible for the contents of this announcement. —————————————————————————— SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Introduces Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD Replication Systems During the First Half of 2005! Kahl am Main, 10.03.2005 – As world market leader in the optical disc sector, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES now also spearheads the development of replication lines for the emerging 3rd generation formats. SINGULUS excellent starting position for HD-DVD and Blu-ray is an outgrowth of the company`s collaboration with the drivers of these new platforms, Memory-Tech for HD-DVD and Sony for Blu- ray. Modeled on the SPACELINE II, the first HD-DVD replication systems will be operational by Spring 2005. These machines answer the call by major customers for dual use systems i.e., replication systems able to produce both DVD 9 and the new HD-DVD. To hasten this development, a strategic partnership was forged with our long-term customer Memory-Tech, Japan. Together with the HD-DVD format developer Toshiba, Memory-Tech has built-up a comprehensive base of HD- DVD manufacturing technology know-how. The first single-layer Blu-ray Disc replication system will be completed by mid-2005 with the dual-layer format scheduled to follow by the end of 2005. A cooperation agreement was signed with Sony as the format developer for this new platform. By forging these important strategic alliances, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES has established itself early and optimally as a first mover for the emerging systems business that will be generated by the third generation of optical discs. This was done irrespective of the still undetermined short- and long- term consumer format preference. Consequently, SINGULUS has every option available with which to successfully sustain its market leadership for the foreseeable future. Machines for both formats are expected to generate initial revenues and earnings during the current fiscal year. Background: Blu-ray Disc / HD-DVD and HDTV Well-proven in Germany, the PAL television system with its 576 visible lines will have served its usefulness and will be replaced by the new high definition television (HDTV). The high-resolution images broadcast by HDTV will be of impressive quality. While the new technology is already quite advanced in Japan, Korea, and the U.S., the transition is slowly progressing in Europe. In order to offer viewers the full HDTV experience, the new television sets must satisfy specific requirements, one of which is a minimum of 720 lines. A 1920×1080-pixel resolution is required for optimal HD display. Saving high definition images onto data storage media calls for five times the storage capacity provided by DVD. For this reason, the development of a successor to the DVD has already begun. Two formats are available to become the next standard for optical storage discs: Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD. Both are suitable for recording HDTV broadcasts: the 25 or 50 Gigabyte storage capacity Blu-ray Disc, and the 15 or 30 Gigabyte HD-DVD disc. A 25-gigabyte disc has enough space to store a two-hour, high definition quality movie. Unlike the red laser used for DVD, both new formats will employ a blue laser. The blue lasers shorter wavelength allows it to record much finer signal markings onto optical storage media. It is expected that only one of the two possible formats will survive in the market in medium-term. The decision in favor of one of these formats will be taken not just by the consumer or disc producer but rather by Hollywood. Major film studios, including Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures and New Line Cinema have announced in the U.S. to release 80 film titles on prerecorded HD-DVDs by the end of 2005. Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Columbia Tristar and MGM, however, are backing the Blu-ray Disc and it is expected that these studios will follow suit soon. By the turn of the year 2005/2006, the requisite recorders and home entertainment equipment for both formats should be available for 500 Euro. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstrasse 103, D-63796 Kahl/Main ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890 For more information please contact: Maren Schuster, Head of Investor Relations, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6188 440 612 Bernhard Krause, Company Spokesperson, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6181 98280 20 end of message, (c)DGAP 10.03.2005 —————————————————————————— WKN: 723890; ISIN: DE0007238909; Index: TecDAX Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin- Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart 100759 Mär 05