Hauppauge Launches Network Media Decoder, Bridging TV Sets and PCs Via Home LANS

    HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hauppauge Digital, Inc.
 (Nasdaq:   HAUP), a leading developer and manufacturer of digital video, TV, and
 data broadcast receiver products for personal computers, today announced its
 first in a line of network media receiver products.  Network media decoders
 are designed to receive digital media from PCs via local area networks, and to
 decode and display the media onto TV sets.
     The first model in this line, MediaMVP, is an Ethernet set-top decoder
 device which will have a retail price of $99.  It will enable TV sets to
 access PC-based Music, Video and Pictures ("MVP") via Ethernet home local area
 networks.  It will provide PC users greater convenience and versatility with
 their audio/visual entertainment systems, by allowing them to view media
 stored on a PC at their TV set or through their home entertainment systems.
     "Our MediaMVP will turn any TV set or home entertainment system into a
 media playback device via the home network," said Ken Plotkin, Hauppauge's
 Chief Executive Officer.  "Now, from the comfort of the living room sofa,
 anyone can access and enjoy videos, MP3 music, family photos or other
 multimedia files on their TV set, without physically going to their PC.
 MediaMVP will also be great for setting up music and picture slideshows for
 parties."
     Using MediaMVP, for example, individuals can play a video on their bedroom
 TV that's actually stored on a PC in the basement, or show JPEG photos of a
 recent vacation -- accompanied by MP3 music -- on the family room big screen
 TV with the MP3 music played through their living room audio system.  Any hard
 drive that's available on the network is eligible for access to media stored
 there.
     MediaMVP is suitable for home theater systems as well as plasma screens,
 TV monitors, and conventional TV sets.  It supports MPEG-1/MPEG-2 videos, JPEG
 and GIF digital pictures, and MP3 music files.  The initial model of MediaMVP
 supports wired 10- and 100-Mbit/sec Ethernet local area networks; other
 versions to be introduced in Q4 will support wireless WiFi (IEEE 802.11b)
 network connections.
 
     Onscreen Menu
     Navigating multimedia files from the TV is easy using MediaMVP's remote
 control and TV onscreen menu.  Music titles can be accessed individually for
 random or organized playback; specific songs can also be grouped into
 playlists by date, artist, or style.
     Pictures are a snap to select using the thumbnails displayed in MediaMVP's
 photo directories.  Simply click on the "Play" or "OK" buttons on the remote
 control, and the selected photo will appear on the TV screen.  With MediaMVP's
 slideshow function, it's easy to view holiday digital pictures on a TV set
 while listening to digital music played from the PC through the TV.
     Videos are played in the same way, with stop, pause, and fast
 forward/reverse controls available on the remote.
     Continuous pictures and music shows can be set up for family parties on
 the PC, and then played through the TV or home entertainment system via the
 home network.  MediaMVP will play M3U, B4S, PLS and ASX music playlists from
 Music Match, Windows Media Player and Winamp.
 
     Powerful Expansion Capabilities
     In addition to its other features, MediaMVP is designed to accommodate a
 wide variety of add-ons and user enhancements.  By installing a Hauppauge
 WinTV-PVR a PC, for example, users can create a complete home TV and digital
 media distribution system.  TV shows, sporting events, movies and more can be
 recorded or time shifted; viewers can even see their own custom instant
 replays without missing any of the remaining program.
     MediaMVP also runs on the Linux open-source operating system, enabling it
 to support numerous upgrades.  Future options planned for the MediaMVP include
 smart card security access, On TV instant messaging and Internet games.
     Current A/V connection options include S-video, composite video and RGB,
 plus stereo audio output.  The MediaMVP is compatible with any PC running
 Windows XP or XP Professional.
 
     Pricing and Availability
     Hauppauge's MediaMVP set-top decoder device is priced at just $99.00 for
 the wired version.  Units will be appearing in major consumer electronics,
 computer, and specialty retailers in September.  For more information about
 the MediaMVP, or any of Hauppauge's other digital video TV and data broadcast
 receiver products, visit www.hauppauge.com .
 
     About Hauppauge Digital:
     Hauppauge Digital, Inc. (Nasdaq:   HAUP) is a leading developer and
 manufacturer of digital TV and data broadcast receiver products for personal
 computers.  Through its Hauppauge Computer Works, Inc. and Hauppauge Digital
 Europe subsidiaries, the Company designs and develops digital video boards for
 TV-in-a-window, digital video editing and video conferencing.  The Company is
 headquartered in Hauppauge, New York, with administrative offices in New York,
 Singapore, Ireland and Luxembourg and sales offices in Germany, London, Paris,
 The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Singapore and California.  The
 Company's Internet web site can be found at http://www.hauppauge.com .
 
     Certain statements in this Release constitute "forward-looking statements"
 within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform act of 1995.
 Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties
 and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or
 achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different
 from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
 such forward-looking statements.  Such factors include, among other things,
 those described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
 Commission, including, but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on form
 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2002.
 
 

SOURCE  Hauppauge Digital, Inc.