Four Leading PC Motherboard Suppliers License Dolby PC Entertainment E

    Business Editors/Entertainment Editors/High-Tech Editors

    HANNOVER, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 2005--

    Next-Generation Retail Motherboards Provide "Designed for Dolby" Audio Quality and Surround Sound Capabilities --
    Until Now Only Available for CE Devices

    Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) today announced that four leading motherboard manufacturers have become licensees for the Dolby(R) PC Entertainment Experience. They have designed motherboards which meet Dolby's rigorous testing and audio specifications, and can now develop and market PC motherboards that bring high-quality surround sound features to the PC experience. By selecting motherboards featuring the Designed for Dolby(R) Master Studio(TM) or Designed for Dolby(R) Home Theater(TM) logos, PC enthusiasts can build a home PC with the Dolby audio capabilities and performance standards that best meet their needs.
    "As consumers spend more time enjoying various forms of digital media on PCs, the ability to build dramatic audio effects into the PC platform will become increasingly desirable," said Roger Kay, Vice President of Client Computing at IDC.
    ABIT, ASUSTeK, Gigabyte and MSI have all signed licensing agreements to use the Dolby PC Entertainment Experience on their motherboards.
    "The Dolby PC Entertainment Experience delivers sound capabilities never before heard on a motherboard," said Michael Chen, Product Marketing Manager, ABIT Computer Corporation. "By utilizing Dolby technology with our new AudioMAX sound solution, ABIT motherboards will be equipped with audio that makes games, movies and music come alive."
    The Dolby PC Entertainment Experience features a licensing and quality assurance program that enables motherboard manufacturers to combine the power of the PC with Dolby audio technologies and expertise to deliver solutions with richer, more engaging audio quality and surround sound capabilities. Retail motherboards, developed in conjunction with the Dolby PC Entertainment Experience, will feature the Designed for Dolby Master Studio or Designed for Dolby Home Theater logo, making it easy for consumers to select a motherboard with the audio features and surround sound capabilities most appropriate for their entertainment needs.
    "The Dolby PC Entertainment Experience brings CE-quality audio and home theater capabilities to the PC platform," said Greg Rodehau, Director PC Technology Marketing, Dolby Laboratories. "With Dolby, PC enthusiasts can enjoy all of their PC entertainment in surround sound from nearly any audio source in virtually any listening environment."

    Designed for Dolby Master Studio:

    PCs built with Designed for Dolby Master Studio motherboards are capable of delivering the ultimate set of Dolby audio presentation capabilities, designed to bring your entertainment to life. Amaze your family and friends with 7.1 channels of surround sound, delivering the most natural and engrossing Dolby entertainment experience possible from DVD movies, music, games and TV. Dolby Master Studio merges advanced audio rendering with flexible controls and powerful digital signal processing to give you the power to tailor the listening experience to your media, mood, listening environment and audience. Designed for Dolby Master Studio motherboards feature support for Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic(R) IIx, Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker technologies.

    Designed for Dolby Home Theater:

    PCs built with Designed for Dolby Home Theater motherboards are capable of delivering a true home theater surround sound experience that places you, your family and friends right in the middle of the action. Dolby Home Theater PCs can also immerse you in music or game play. Powerful and advanced digital signal processing technologies provide the flexibility to recreate the experience that best fits your media, mood, listening environment and audience. Users can transform the playback of all stereo content into vivid surround sound. It supports up to seven speakers for a more natural and realistic listening experience. Dolby Home Theater technologies also support Dolby personal surround sound, so you can experience all of your entertainment in surround sound over two speakers or any set of headphones. Designed for Dolby Home Theater motherboards feature support for Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker technologies.

    About Dolby Laboratories

    Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For nearly four decades, Dolby has been at the forefront of defining high-quality audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars, DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers. Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the company has entertainment industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles, and licensing liaison offices in London, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com.

    Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the performance and capabilities of Dolby's Master Studio and Home Theater technologies, the potential benefits that consumers may derive from incorporating these technologies into PCs, and the anticipated market acceptance of these technologies, are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements to differ materially from anticipated results, include, without limitation, risks associated with building customer and consumer acceptance of and demand for PCs with high-quality sound capabilities; risks associated with successfully incorporating Dolby technologies into PCs; rapid changes in technical requirements for the PC market and for high-quality audio technologies; and other risks detailed in Dolby's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, its registration statement on Form S-1, as amended, filed in connection with its initial public offering. Dolby disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Dolby, Pro Logic and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Dolby Master Studio and Dolby Home Theater are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

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CONTACT: Dolby Laboratories Adam Anderson, 415-645-5176 aja@dolby.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA GERMANY INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS ENTERTAINMENT MUSIC PRODUCT MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: Dolby Laboratories

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