Products from MSI, Shuttle and Others Already Approved and Available for Purchase

For further information, contact:

Bryan Del Rizzo
NVIDIA Corporation
(408) 486-2772
bdelrizzo@nvidia.com

Jim Arnold
Dolby Laboratories
(415) 645-5116
jja@dolby.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SANTA CLARA, CA—MARCH 27, 2003—NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in visual processing solutions, and Dolby Laboratories, the world leader in multichannel sound innovation, today unveiled details of a comprehensive validation program for motherboards and PC systems that offer a higher level of audio functionality, fidelity, and performance.  The new SoundStorm™ Program ensures NVIDIA nForce™2-based motherboards and turnkey PC systems are designed and produced to the high quality standards defined by NVIDIA, and must pass a rigorous testing process conducted by Dolby Laboratories before they will be validated as being Dolby® Digital 5.1 and NVIDIA SoundStorm compliant. 

Motherboard companies and PC OEMs that introduce approved products will be afforded full marketing support and materials, and be allowed to use NVIDIA and the Dolby Digital logos and case badges for their product packaging, advertising and other promotional items.  The following products have already passed the validation process; more product approvals are pending.

• Abit NF7-S motherboard
• MSI K7N2G-ILSR motherboard
• Shuttle SN41G2 small form-factor PC

“Every day, more and more Dolby Digital encoded audio content is available to the consumer—from interactive video games to DVDs,” said Greg Rodehau, Director of PC and Gaming Technology Marketing, Dolby Laboratories.  “NVIDIA SoundStorm helps deliver the Dolby Digital multichannel audio capabilities that consumers demand.”

The NVIDIA nForce2 platform is the only core-logic solution available today to include the real-time Dolby Digital 5.1encoder technology in silicon, allowing end users to enjoy a rich, vibrant audio experience for games, DVD movies and digital music.  This feature enables any audio source to be encoded as a true Dolby Digital 5.1 signal and output to high quality PC speakers or traditional home theater systems over a single digital cable.  This ensures the highest quality audio output while dramatically simplifying the hookup of multiple speaker systems to the PC.

Motherboards and PCs will only be approved if they offer the following features and specifications:

• NVIDIA nForce2-based motherboards must use the NVIDIA nForce2 MCP-T platform processor and include support for Dolby Digital 5.1 real-time encoding
• Discrete (non-shared) front left and right analog outputs
• Discrete (non-shared) rear left and right analog outputs
• Discrete (non-shared) center and subwoofer analog outputs
• Discrete (non-shared) S/PDIF digital output (coaxial recommended, but optical acceptable)
• Discrete (non-shared) line-in analog inputs
• Discrete (non-shared) microphone analog input
• Minimum 85db signal-to-noise ratio on all analog outputs
• Minimum 80db signal-to-noise ratio on all analog inputs
• Dolby Digital testing and approval from Dolby and NVIDIA

“The NVIDIA nForce2 innovations, including real-time Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding, enhanced broadband connectivity, and leading system performance make it the premier platform for the digital home,” said Drew Henry, senior director of platform products at NVIDIA.  “NVIDIA SoundStorm enhances this digital platform further by enabling a ‘home theater experience’ using a PC as the technology foundation to drive cinematic audio and 3D content.”

About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories creates technologies that intensify and enhance the entertainment experience, making it richer, fuller, and more involving.  For nearly four decades, Dolby has been instrumental in 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 privately held company has entertainment industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles, and licensing liaison offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, and Tokyo.  For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com.

About NVIDIA
NVIDIA Corporation is a market leader in visual computing technology dedicated to creating products that enhance the interactive experience on consumer and professional computing platforms.  Its graphics and communications processors have broad market reach and are incorporated into a wide variety of computing platforms, including consumer digital-media PCs, enterprise PCs, professional workstations, digital content creation systems, notebook PCs, military navigation systems and video game consoles.  NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and employs more than 1,500 people worldwide.  For more information, visit the Company’s Web site at www.nvidia.com.

Certain statements in this press release, including any statements relating to the Company's performance expectations for NVIDIA's family of products and expectations of continued revenue growth, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations.  Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, manufacturing and other delays relating to new products, difficulties in the fabrication process and dependence of the Company on third-party manufacturers, general industry trends including cyclical trends in the PC and semiconductor industries, the impact of competitive products and pricing alternatives, market acceptance of the Company's new products, and the Company's dependence on third-party developers and publishers.  Investors are advised to read the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly those sections entitled "Certain Business Risks," for a fuller discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.

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Copyright © 2003 NVIDIA Corporation.  All rights reserved.  All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated.  Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice. 
Dolby, Pro Logic, and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. © Dolby Laboratories, Inc. S03/14659.  All rights reserved. 03/14659

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