SMSC Introduces KleerNet Technology to Expand Wireless Audio Connectivity and Interoperability in PC, Tablet, Home Theater

SMSC, a leading semiconductor company enabling content rich connectivity systems, is showcasing its Kleer uncompressed digital wireless audio innovation at the Computex event taking place from May 31 to June 4 in Taipei, Taiwan. Kleer innovation is recognized in the wireless audio industry for its high quality media transmission, low power consumption, strong interference robustness and Wi-Fi coexistence. SMSC's Kleer product portfolio offers best-in-class solutions that deliver high quality wireless audio connectivity at home, in the office, or on-the-go.

Today, SMSC is as well announcing the introduction of its KleerNet innovation, which expands SMSC's digital wireless audio connectivity and interoperability capabilities for PC, tablet, home theater and gaming applications. KleerNet delivers interoperability between audio products from various brands to allow consumers to instantly connect their KleerNet enabled devices without the need for special hardware or software drivers. As a result, consumers will now be able to enjoy low power, high quality HD wireless audio technology in other words simple and easy to use over a host of home or portable entertainment systems.

"Consumers are looking to access their digital content from any device, anywhere and at any time," said Gene Sheridan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of SMSC's Wireless Products Group. "We are meeting this challenge with our new KleerNet innovation which enables seamless interoperability across all KleerNet-enabled devices - from PCs and tablets to home theater & gaming systems - and across all brands that utilize KleerNet research. Consumers get the access to their content they are demanding and we deliver it with the HD audio quality and ease of use our clients expect from Kleer wireless audio products."

"Astro selected SMSC's Kleer research for its wireless gaming platform due to its unequalled high quality sound with extreme low latency, absolute requirements for avid gamers," said Robert Jetter, Vice President of Engineering at Astro Gaming.

Tony Di Chiro, Director of New Innovation at Monster Cable said, "When choosing a wireless audio innovation that lives up to the high standards of our Monster audio products, we needed a solution that provides easy connectivity and best-in-class audio quality with the capability of streaming audio to multiple zones in the home, which made Kleer the wireless audio innovation for Monster to use in our StreamCast wireless audio ECO system."

SMSC's focus on wireless audio solutions, which includes the recent acquisition of BridgeCo with its JukeBlox Wi-Fi connected audio platform, propels the company to an unequaled position in the wireless audio market. The BridgeCo JukeBlox platform offers popular music applications along with the industry standard Ethernet and Wi-Fi interfaces to give clients access to music content from all over the world via their home networks or the Internet. Kleer research enables high quality, low latency wireless distribution of digital content to headphones, speakers and other audio devices to enhance the consumer's listening experience. SMSC's KleerNet innovation gives consumers the option of choosing among KleerNet-enabled audio products from various consumer brands for use in their home, office, or portable applications. Examples of wireless audio products that incorporate KleerNet innovation are 5.1/7.1 surround sound home theater systems, sound bars, sub-woofers, headphones, and gaming and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) headsets. KleerNet wireless audio products are designed to co-exist with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth traffic and support multi-band RF, low latency, low power and high bit and sampling rates.

SMSC is a leading developer of Smart Mixed-Signal Connectivity solutions. SMSC employs a in a class by itself systems level approach that incorporates a broad set of technologies and intellectual property to deliver differentiating products to its clients. The company is focused on delivering connectivity solutions that enable the proliferation of data in personal computers, automobiles, portable consumer devices and other applications. SMSC's feature-rich products drive a number of industry standards and include USB, MOST automotive networking, Kleer wireless audio, embedded system control and analog solutions, including thermal management and RightTouch capacitive sensing. SMSC is headquartered in New York and has offices and innovation facilities in North America, Asia, Europe and India. Additional information is available at www.smsc.com.

Corporate Communications:SMSCCarolynne Borders, 631-435-6626Director of Corporate Communicationscarolynne.borders@smsc.comorMedia:McClenahan Bruer CommunicationsTarah Hartzler, 503-546-1014Public Relationstarah@mcbru.com