ZiLOG's Crimzon(TM) Infrared Microcontroller Family Powers New Record Setting 'TV-B-Gone(TM)' Electronic Gizmo

ZiLOG's Crimzon(TM) Infrared Microcontroller Family Powers New Record Setting 'TV-B-Gone(TM)' Electronic Gizmo

Handheld Device Turns Off Most TV Sets Says Inventor Mitch Altman; Product Sold Out in Two Days!

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ZiLOG, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZILG), a leading innovator of integrated 8-bit microcontroller chips, further reinforced its leadership in the universal infrared (IR) remote control market by announcing that its Crimzon(TM) IR Family of 8-bit solutions is powering one of the latest electronic gadgets to reach consumers

-- 'TV-B-Gone(TM).' Created by renowned inventor Mitch Altman and his firm Cornfield Electronics, TV-B-Gone is a keychain-sized device that looks like most car remote control products, but with the unique power to switch off most makes and models of television sets with the push of a button.

One of the hottest new gizmos to hit the streets in a while, TV-B-Gone (www.tvbgone.com) has caught on fast with consumers in Asia, Europe and North America. It has proved so popular with consumers that Altman says his company sold out of the product in the first two days following its introduction.

When TV-B-Gone is activated, it can flash more than 200 codes to most TVs in an instant, including the most popular brands worldwide. To be commercially viable, Altman's company needed to depend on a company with the technology and the code database to support TV-B-Gone on a global scale. Altman noted that manufacturers periodically add new codes, so partnering with a company whose leadership in IR is unquestionable was very important to the success of the product. "ZiLOG has long provided leadership in the universal IR business," remarked Altman. "Its code database is the most comprehensive, and its microcontrollers are proven. These differentiators proved instrumental in our decision and our ability to launch TV-B-Gone."

Commenting on ZiLOG's involvement with the TV-B-Gone project, Ramesh Ramchandani, executive vice president of sales and marketing at ZiLOG, said: "This is just another application example of how our leadership in the IR business continues to grab attention in the marketplace. Using ZiLOG's Crimzon IR MCUs, and our IR database which houses the most comprehensive library of codes available in the marketplace, TV-B-Gone can enjoy maximum device coverage around the world."

"I consider TV-B-Gone a personal safety device," commented Altman. "The idea for TV-B-Gone was born at a restaurant in the early 1990s, when I and a group of friends kept paying attention to a TV in the corner rather than each other. We chatted about how to turn off all televisions, and I wondered if it would be possible to string together a series of 'power' commands. After that, the project would have disappeared, but my friends insisted that we commercialize a solution. Thereafter, about 50 people volunteered to help design, package and even name the TV-B-Gone!"

More than 140 million universal IR remote controllers are shipped each year to manufacturers of remotes for the TV, VCR, cable, DSS and audio markets worldwide. ZiLOG offers a complete line of efficient low-voltage Z8(R) microcontrollers customized for use in IR remotes, IR keyboards and IR blaster applications. Application support is provided to help customers implement its extensive database libraries. In this instance, TV-B-Gone uses ZiLOG's critically-acclaimed Crimzon ZLP32300 and ZLR32300 Infrared microcontrollers, its 500,000+ strong universal IR code database and ZiLOG's renowned engineering design services for customer code development.

About ZiLOG, Inc.

ZiLOG, Inc. founded in 1974, won international acclaim for designing one of the first architectures in the microprocessors and microcontrollers industry. Today, ZiLOG is a leading global supplier of 8-bit micro-logic devices. ZiLOG designs, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of devices for embedded control and communication applications used in consumer electronics, home appliances, security systems, point of sales terminals, personal computer peripherals, as well as industrial and automotive applications. ZiLOG is headquartered in San Jose, California, and employs approximately 520 people worldwide with sales offices and design centers throughout Asia, Europe and North America. For more information about ZiLOG and its products, visit the Company's website at: www.ZiLOG.com.

NOTE: ZiLOG, Z8, Z80, Z8Encore! and Crimzon are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZiLOG, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. Other product and or service names mentioned herein may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.


Source: ZiLOG, Inc.

CONTACT: Stew Chalmers of Positio Public Relations, +1-408-453-2400, or
stew@positio.com, for ZiLOG, Inc.

Web site: http://www.tvbgone.com/

Web site: http://www.zilog.com/


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