News & Events
Pioneer Selects Intersil Laser Diode Driver For New Dual-Format DVD and CD Internal Writer

— Elantec® EL6934 LDD IC enables 8X DVD-R writing speeds, 24X CD-R and CD-RW recording

MILPITAS, CA, March 22, 2004 — Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog solutions, today announced that Pioneer Corporation (NYSE: PIO) is using Intersil’s EL6934 laser diode driver (LDD) in Pioneer’s newly-introduced DVR-A07, a dual format DVD/CD internal writer that delivers the fastest available write speeds along with precision recording technology.

The DVR-A07 is Pioneer's first 8X8 dual format writer, capable of writing at 8X speed on DVD-R and +R discs designed for this recording speed. It also records high speed DVD-RW and +RW discs at up to 4X speed, and CD-R and CD-RW discs at up to 24X speed. Pioneer is helping to eliminate format confusion by supporting the DVD Forum’s DVD-R and DVD-RW disc formats as well as the +R and +RW formats. The EL6834 is a dual-output, four-channel LDD for portable drives that supports all popular formats. It provides the current channels required to read, erase, and write information onto CDs or DVDs in the DVR-A07.

“The DVR-A07 is an impressive new product that saves consumers time by writing DVD and CD discs as fast as recordable DVD technology now permits,” said Ryuichiro Yoshimura, General Manager of Business Planning at Pioneer's Components Business Company. “Intersil’s Elantec Products Group has continued to deliver state-of-the-art laser diode technology to Pioneer as a valuable partner in our program to bring the newest, most innovative DVD/CD drives to the market, by delivering the state-of-the-art laser diode drivers. The company continues to be exceptionally responsive, and delivers unmatched expertise in laser diode driver technology.”

“Pioneer has clearly established itself as a world leader in recordable DVD drives, with its dedication to meeting customer requirements for simplicity and performance,” said Simon Prutton, Intersil’s Director of Marketing for Elantec Products Group. “We at Intersil’s Elantec Products Group remain dedicated to delivering enhanced optical storage ICs, and continuing to work with industry leaders to meet customer demand for high speed technology that is exceptionally reliable and easy to use.”

Intersil’s EL6934 laser driver IC is a highly integrated programmable LDD with built-in waveform generator designed to support different media, DVD or CD standards, and different read/write speeds. It precisely controls the analog voltage applied to the laser diode in Pioneer’s DVR-A07 so the laser accurately reads, erases, or writes information onto a CD or DVD. More information on Intersil’s optical storage offering can be found on the company’s web site at www.intersil.com/optical.

About Pioneer
Pioneer Corporation is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video, computer and cable equipment for the home, car and business markets. The company focuses on four core business domains including DVD, display technologies, Digital Network Entertainment and components. Founded in 1938 in Tokyo, Pioneer Corporation employs more than 35,000 people worldwide. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:PIO), Euronext Amsterdam, Tokyo Stock Exchange and Osaka Securities Exchange. More information on the DVR-A07 can be found on Pioneer’s website. About Intersil
Intersil Corporation, a NASDAQ 100 Index company, is a leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog semiconductors. The company’s products address three of the industry’s fastest growing markets: flat panel displays, optical storage (CD and DVD recordable) and power management. Intersil products include power management devices for battery management, hot-swap and hot-plug controllers, linear regulators, supervisory ICs, switching DC-DC regulators and power MOSFET drivers; optical storage laser diode drivers; DSL line drivers; video and high performance operational amplifiers; data converters; interface ICs; analog switches and multiplexers; crosspoint switches; voice-over-IP devices; and ICs for military, space and rad-hard applications. 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 release may include "forward looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. For information identifying economic, political, climatic, currency, regulatory, technological, competitive and some other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward looking statements, see Intersil’s Safe Harbor Forward Looking Statement disclaimer found at http://www.intersil.com/legal.asp, as well as Intersil’s SEC filings as updated from time to time, found at http://www.sec.gov. Elantec is a registered trademark of Intersil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.