Embedded BIOS Support for Bus Master IDE Announced by Symphony Laboratories and Phoenix...

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 1995--Symphony Laboratories, a maker of core logic chip sets and I/O products for personal computers, and Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PTEC), the world's leading supplier of system-level software for PC manufacturers

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"The Symphony Sonata Bus Master IDE controller meets today's increasing system performance requirements, particularly in the demanding area of multimedia applications," said Clay Clatur, vice president of Phoenix Technologies' Desktop Division. "By embedding support for Symphony's Sonata into PhoenixBIOS 4.0, we can increase overall system performance without sacrificing the limited base memory of the PC."

The integration of bus mastering technology increases system performance of the PC to the end user by increasing data transfer rates and decreasing local bus bottlenecks. To take advantage of the bus master IDE enhanced capabilities, an additional device driver is added to the system. Normally, this requires the system OEM or end user to use drivers in a configuration file, adding overhead to base memory. Modifying the system BIOS eliminates this requirement. This enhanced functionality is currently available in PhoenixBIOS 4.0 Release 5.

"Integrating support of our Sonata bus master controller into system firmware is an important step in the evolution of this new enhanced IDE interface," said John Monti, Director of Marketing for Symphony Laboratories. "By working with Phoenix, we were able to enhance our product, integrating technology to enhance PC features and functionality for the widest range of OEM manufacturers and end users."

The new SL82C105 supports up to four disk drives, new faster data transfer modes (PIO mode 3,4 and 5 and DMA modes 0,1 and 2), and supports Logical Block Addressing (LBA), allowing hard drive capacity of up to 8 gigabytes. The chip also supports the ATA Packet Interface, for support of CD-ROM devices. The SL82C105 is geared toward high-performance PCI-based systems running DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT, NetWare, and OS/2.

Symphony Laboratories designs and markets core logic chip sets and peripheral ICs for the manufacturers of desktop and notebook personal computers, workstations, intelligent terminals, servers, and other high-volume computer architectures. Symphony Laboratories is located at 4000 Burton Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Telephone: (408) 986-1701; fax: (408) 986-1771

Phoenix Technologies Ltd. is the leading supplier of system-level software to PC manufacturers worldwide, and is an emerging supplier of Phoenix-brand software to PC users. The company's system-level software products, such as PhoenixBIOS, NoteBIOS, PhoenixVIEW, MultiKey and PCM+, allow PC manufacturers to increase product differentiation, reduce product cycle time to market as well as cut internal engineering costs. Capitalizing on its unique industry position and resources, Phoenix is developing an expanding family of software products for consumers such as Phoenix Eclipse FAX, Phoenix CD Essentials and Phoenix HomeOffice Environment, that increase personal computer functionality and make PCs easier to use. Information on all Phoenix Technologies products is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ptltd.com. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Phoenix logo is a registered trademark and PhoenixBIOS*, NoteBIOS*, PhoenixVIEW, PCM+*, Phoenix HomeOffice Environment, Phoenix Eclipse FAX*, and Phoenix CD Essentials* are trademarks of Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Phoenix Technologies Ltd.

Tom Benoit, 408/452-6507

or

The Benjamin Group, Inc.

Gary Quackenbush, 408/559-6090