In 1997, C-Media was one of the first organisations that licensed CRL3D audio as developed by Central Research Laboratories, the company from which Sensaura eventually evolved. The new licensing agreement will give C-Media access to the many exclusive Sensaura innovations that have occurred since the initial agreement, giving greater competitive strength to their specialised product range.

"We are proud to announce our partnership with Sensaura, who we feel offer the most complete 3D audio solution for the PC industry. We have always taken great pride in offering the best price/performance ratio products in the PC market and will continue to do so with this new Sensaura option", said Eric Cheng, CEO C-Media.

 Sensaura technology is specifically engineered to enhance the industry standard Microsoft DirectSound3D (DS3D) API. It is also compatible with all A3D 1.0 games, thus supporting the format even though the company is no longer in existence.

The C-Media chip will offer the following specific Sensaura features:

• Sensaura MacroFX™ creates 'near-field proximity effects' as experienced in real-life when objects move very close to the listener, such as bees buzzing around your head or bullets flying past your ear.

• Sensaura EnvironmentFX™ acoustically renders 3D audio environments. Up to 26 different pre-set environments are provided such as underwater effects, sewer-pipe and so on. This technology fully supports Creative Labs EAX 1.0, EAX 2.0 and also I3DL2 as prescribed by IA-SIG.

• Sensaura MultiDriveä integrates front and rear sound hemispheres with such precision that you will start looking over your shoulder for reassurance that there isn’t anyone or anything behind you!

"We are confident that we offer the leading 3D audio solution available. As a result we are keen to make our technology available to as many end-consumers as possible. We are not in the chip manufacturing business and as a result can work with a wider variety of companies in the industry compared to most of our competitors." Commented Doug Balfour, Sensaura, VP of Sales.

The C-Media, Sensaura based solution is available in both a two-speaker and four-speaker option, the four speaker option implements Sensaura MultiDrive technology.

-Sensaura, the Sensaura double crescent logo, Sensaura3D, Sensaura MultiDrive, Sensaura MacroFX, Sensaura EnvironmentFX, Sensaura ZoomFX and Sensaura Virtual Ear are all trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Sensaura Ltd or Central Research Laboratories Ltd.

-Microsoft, Directsound3D and DirectX are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation.

-Cmedia and the Cmedia logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Cmedia Electronics Inc, Taiwan.

- All other brands and names are the property of their respective owners.

-Sensaura Limited is a Scipher Company.

-Research papers on many different elements of Sensaura technology are available on request.

About Sensaura

Based in the United Kingdom with its parent company, Scipher plc, Sensaura is at the forefront of audio research both in the PC and the consumer electronics market. Presently holding technology licensing agreements with vendors such as Yamaha, ESS Technology, ADI, Crystal Cirrus Logic and C-Media, Sensaura’s technology licensees control over 80% of the PC audio chip market world-wide. In addition to Sensaura 3D Positional Audio, the company has developed other technologies, most notably Sensaura Virtual Surround Technology. The Sensaura portfolio of intellectual property at present has an increasing number of world-wide patent filings. Although now an independent organisation, Sensaura retains strong links with it’s sister company, Central Research Laboratories (CRL), EMI’s former research centre, of which it was previously a business unit. Sensaura is a wholly owned subsidiary of the technology development and licensing company, Scipher plc.

 About C-Media

Established in 1991, C-Media Electronics Inc. is a dedicated IC design house headquartered in Taiwan, which specialises in analog/digital mixed-mode IC design. Alongside products such as audio chips and clock generators (PLL), C-Media provides customers with technical support services, including chip design, manufacture, and sales/marketing.

C-Media comprises five major operations: R&D, Sales and Marketing, Auditing, Manufacturing Management, Administration and Logistics.

About Scipher

Scipher's large and expanding portfolio of advanced technology products and know-how mainly derives from our own R&D resources, investment and expertise. This distinctive characteristic of Scipher in today's intellectual property (IP) management sphere, stems from a distinguished tradition of advanced R&D that dates back more than 70 years. It includes inventions and developments of historic importance, among them stereo recording, television broadcasting and the CT brain scanner, for which one of Scipher's present staff won a Nobel Prize.

Today, Scipher focuses on the key technology areas of Electronics, Optics, and Magnetics and targets opportunities in technology-driven, high growth markets. These are pursued through a number of product streams that exploit our existing technologies and new developments, mainly generated in-house, and are supported by Scipher's continual investment in R&D.

Currently, around two-thirds of Scipher's revenues are earned outside the UK, with products sold or licensed in over 30 countries.

Sales Contact:

Doug Balfour
VP of Sales
Tel: +44 (0)20 8848 6648
Fax: +44 (0)20 8848 6565
Dbalfour@sensaura.com
www.sensaura.com

Media contact:

Farhaan Mirza
Global Brand & Marcom Manager
Sensaura Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)20 8848 6508
Fax: +44 (0)20 8848 6565
Fmirza@sensaura.com
www.sensaura.com