News & Events
Intersil Provides Innovative Laser Drivers for Hitachi's DVD Camcorders

-- Intersil's new Elantec laser drivers enable DVD recording in Emmy award-winning Hitachi Camcorder products

IRVINE, CA, October 24, 2002 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions, today announced that its industry-leading laser diode drivers have been selected for use in Hitachi’s DVD camcorder products. Intersil’s Elantec™ laser driver integrated circuits (ICs) are used to control the laser diode within Hitachi’s camcorders in order to provide precise video recording and playback on digital video disks (DVDs). Hitachi America, Ltd., which received a Technology/Engineering Emmy award for its pioneering development of consumer camcorders, will use Intersil’s laser driver ICs in its DZ-MV200A, 230A and 270A model DVD camcorders.

“We believe that Hitachi’s selection of Intersil laser drivers for use in their DVD camcorder family is affirmation of our industry-leading optical storage technology and outstanding customer support,” said Stephen P. Sacarisen, director of Strategic Marketing for Intersil’s Elantec Optical Storage Products. “The EL629XC programmable write strategy laser drivers made this application possible and resulted from a joint development between Intersil‘s Elantec Product Group and the Digital Media Division of Hitachi, Ltd., Japan. Hitachi is a pioneer in developing the DVD camcorders and we will continue to develop our working relationship with Hitachi as DVD camcorders continue to gain widespread consumer adoption.”

“Intersil is the industry leader and a pioneer in laser driver technology,” said H. Sugiyama, a Senior Engineer for DVD camcorders of the Digital Media Division, Hitachi, Ltd. “Intersil’s expertise in laser drivers has allowed us to concentrate on optical recording applications that offer ease of use and value-added consumer features such as our DVD camcorder family, ultimately changing the way people record and share home video.”

Intersil’s Elantec laser diode driver family provides improved waveform fidelity, increased output current, lower power dissipation and reduced noise to enable higher speed CD-Read and Read/Write and DVD-Recordable designs. To learn more about Intersil’s optical storage (CD and DVD recordable) devices and solutions, visit the Intersil Web site at http://www.intersil.com/cda/application_e/0,1293,36,00.html

About Hitachi
Hitachi America, Ltd., Home Electronics Division, markets a variety of consumer electronics including high-definition TVs (HDTV), projection TVs (PTV), plasma monitors, color TVs, DVD players, a DVD camcorder, VCRs and standard camcorders, as well as security and observation system products. The company's premium products are sold under the Hitachi UltraVision and UltraVision Digital brand names. Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, consumer electronics and semiconductors, and provides industrial equipment and services throughout North America. For more information, visit www.hitachi.com

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company, with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2001 (ended March 31, 2002) consolidated sales totaled 7,994 billion yen ($60.1 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors, including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's Web site at http://global.hitachi.com

Intersil + Elantec Means More for Our Customers
Intersil Corporation is a global semiconductor leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions. The acquisition of Elantec Semiconductor, Inc., expanded Intersil’s product portfolios to address four fast growing markets – flat panel displays, optical storage (CD and DVD recordable), power management and wireless networking. Intersil brings added customer value in providing complete silicon, software and reference design solutions to new products that enhance the computing experience for people wherever they live, work or travel. For more information about Intersil or to find out how to become a member of our winning team, visit the company's web site and career page at: www.intersil.com This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are based upon Intersil Corporation’s (“Intersil”) management’s current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, and projections about Intersil’s, and its Elantec Product Group’s (“Elantec”), business and industry. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “potential,” “continue,” and variations of these words (or negatives of these words) or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors. Important risk factors that may cause such material differences for Intersil in the DVD market include, but are not limited to: the slowdown in the technology sector; the rate at which consumers purchase camcorders, and other products with DVD; the rate at which consumers adopt Elantec’s optical storage (CD and DVD recordable), video and communications technologies and products; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the ability of our customers to manage inventory; the loss of a key customer; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; silicon wafer pricing and the availability and quality of our foundry capacity and raw materials; availability, pricing, and quality of third party foundry and assembly and test capacity and raw materials; fluctuations in the manufacturing yields of our third party foundries and assembly and test facilities, and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of our products; the risks of producing products with new suppliers and at new fabrication and assembly and test facilities; problems or delays that we may face in shifting our products to smaller geometry process technologies; the effectiveness of Intersil’s expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; the risks inherent in acquisitions, including the acquisition of Elantec Semiconductor, Inc. (including integration issues; costs and unanticipated expenditures; changing relationships with customers, suppliers, and strategic partners; potential contractual, employment, and intellectual property issues; and risks that the anticipated benefits of the acquisition are not realized); intellectual property disputes, customer indemnification claims, and other litigation risks; Intersil’s ability to develop, market, and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a timely manner; the quality of Intersil’s products and any repair or replacement costs; the risks and uncertainties associated with Intersil’s global operations, particularly in light of the war on terrorism; the effects of natural disasters, international conflicts and other events beyond our control; the level of orders received and the ability to fill those orders in a given fiscal quarter; and other factors. Intersil’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Intersil filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov) discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this communication and Intersil undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements. Elantec is a trademark of Intersil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.
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