Cirmaker Announces Entry Into The Taiwan Digital Set Top Box Market
24 November 2004 - 12:57AM
PR Newswire (US)
Cirmaker Announces Entry Into The Taiwan Digital Set Top Box Market
Approximately Ten Million Televisions Will Have To Be Converted To
Digital Television Between 2006 And 2008 NEW YORK, Nov. 23
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cirmaker Technology Corp. (OTC Bulletin
Board: CRKT.OB), which manufactures set top boxes (STB's) for
digital TV signal reception, LCD flat screens for televisions and
PC's, CPU coolers for computers and electronic components, today
announced that it's entry into the Taiwan digital set top box (STB)
market. Bill Liao, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Cirmaker Technology commented, "We are extremely pleased to
announce Cirmaker's entry into the Taiwanese Digital Set Top Box
marketplace. We have already conducted several tests with a few
thousand of our set top boxes within the Taiwan market for two of
our new STB product offerings, Direct T and Direct S, and have
received positive feedback and results from consumers." He
continued, "The Taiwanese government is fully committed to
supporting DTV and to facilitate the switch over approximately ten
million analog televisions to digital television via its STB. The
old Analog TV transmission network is expected to be terminated
between 2006 and 2008, when all TV productions and programming
transmissions will be digital." Cirmaker developed a new STB for
Taiwan called "Direct T." "Direct T" has superior picture quality,
free reception capability and mobility (it is easy to hook and
unhook the device for different TV sets), as well as a removable
antenna, which is an exclusive technology that will allow viewers
to receive 14 free new specialty channels and up to 40 new channels
by the end of 2005. The removable antenna will allow the user to
use the STB with ease on other televisions at home, at the office,
hotel, inside vehicles, or anywhere else a consumer would use a
television. "Direct T" STB is highly competitive in terms of
versatility and capabilities, and the pricing is also 20-50% less
than the competition. Cirmaker also offers another satellite STB
product called "Direct S" which provides viewers within the Taiwan
region with up to 200 channels. Cirmaker attended the Taipei
Electronic Show at the World Trade Center Taipei on October 16-20,
2004 and received the following statistics about the future of the
digital television and opportunity in the Set Top Box market in
Taiwan: * Taiwan's switch over to a completely digitally based
television system is a significant development in the television
broadcasting industry, because digital television will replace the
last 50 years of traditional analog TV transmission in Taiwan. *
Going forward, each analog TV will require a digital STB to receive
high quality, and free digital TV programs. It will have higher
picture quality than DVD and HDTV, higher sound quality and more
channels for viewers to choose. * By January 2006, the estimated
saturation of digital TV in the population will be 85%. This is the
opportunity for the 8 million STBs to enter the market, when analog
TV broadcast becomes obsolete. * By 2005, the estimated number
frequencies will be 30 or more and this will allow mobile phones,
personal computers and PDA users to receive digital TV signals
wirelessly. * 80% of Taiwan households currently have cable TV
services, and monthly payment for the service is around $600 TWD.
Recently, Cirmaker announced an order from Mainland China for two
hundred and forty thousand digital set top boxes worth $6,669,600
million. The Company is in the process of preparing the first
shipment of the STB order. About Cirmaker Technology Corp.
Headquartered in Taiwan with offices in New York City, Beijing, and
Guangdong province, Cirmaker Technology manufactures 3G MHP (3rd
generation multimedia home platform) digital set top boxes for
television sets, LCD flat screens for televisions and PC's, cooling
systems for laptop and personal computers, electrical and
electronic components. Cirmaker has developed set top boxes that
convert digital television broadcast signals into analog formats so
that analog TV sets can receive digital programming. The system
also receives, processes, stores and broadcasts analog, digital and
streaming media signals, and supports pay-per- view and
video-on-demand functions. Cirmaker believes it is the only 3G MHP
STB manufacturer operating in China able to produce in volume a
device that meets all the required standards of Chinese
broadcasting authorities. It also complies with all international
HDTV standards for high definition television. The Company's newly
acquired subsidiary, Shaanxi New Century Electronic Co., produces a
new generation satellite set top box that converts digital
television broadcast signals into analog formats so that analog TV
sets can receive digital programming. This device meets all the
required standards of Chinese broadcasting authorities. Because the
Chinese government plans to change all TV broadcast signals from
analog to digital, there is a significant demand in Mainland China
for this product. For further information on Cirmaker Technology
Corp., please visit http://www.cirmaker.com.tw/ Forward Looking
Statements The matters discussed in this news release contain
forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the
demand for set top box satellite receivers in China, future sales
made by Cirmaker in China, and the potential success of the
strategic alliance between Shaanxi Ruyi Electric Co. and Cirmaker.
These statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially
from the results anticipated in such forward-looking statements.
Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include Cirmaker's
potential inability to raise additional capital, the potential
breach by the counterparty to the sales agreement of its
obligations to buy satellite receivers thereunder, Cirmaker's
potential inability to compete with other companies that may be
more experienced and better capitalized than Cirmaker, changes in
domestic and foreign laws, regulations and taxes, changes in
economic conditions, uncertainties related to the legal systems in
Cirmaker's target markets, including, China's legal system and
economic, political and social events in China and other target
markets, foreign relations between Taiwan, China and Cirmaker's
other potential target markets, a general economic downturn, a
downturn in the securities markets, Securities and Exchange
Commission regulations which affect trading in the securities of
"penny stocks," and other risks and uncertainties detailed from
time to time in Cirmaker's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These forward-looking statements represent management's
judgment as of the date of this release. Cirmaker disclaims any
intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
You may register to receive Cirmaker's future press releases and to
be added to the company's distribution list by visiting:
http://www.roiny.com/form.php. DATASOURCE: Cirmaker Technology
Corp. CONTACT: Company - Charles R. Skeele, General Manager of
Cirmaker Technology Corporation, +1-917-639-4098, ; or Investor
Relations - Charles A. Nelson, Vice President, +1-212-495-0200,
ext. 15, , or Sarah Shepard, Vice President, +1-212-495-0200, ext.
17, , both of ROI Group Associates, Inc. Web site:
http://www.cirmaker.com.tw/ http://www.roiny.com/form.php
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