Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2000/11/13/nvidia_selects_sensaura_for_upcoming/

Nvidia selects Sensaura for upcoming audio chip

Will also materialise in Xbox?

By Tony Smith

Posted in Channel, 13th November 2000 13:55 GMT

Nvidia has licensed UK-based Sensaura's 3D audio technology for a series of "new audio processors" - another sign the chip company is looking to break out of the 3D graphics niche.

We reckon that said "audio processor" - the quote's from Sensaura's terse press statement on the deal - is the upcoming Media Communications Processor (MCP) Nvidia is working on.

MCP is an off-shoot of the development work Nvidia is doing for Microsoft's Xbox. It provides the console with networking, I/O and audio processing functionality, alongside the box's Intel CPU and Nvidia graphics chip. Nvidia will provide a custom version of the MCP for Microsoft and a more generic release for OEMs. The latter is expected to ship early 2001.

The deal will see Nvidia incorporate Sensaura's 3D Positional Audio technology into the MCP. Sensaura claims its technology has been licensed by companies who together hold over 80 per cent of the global PC audio chip market, including Yamaha, ESS Technology, ADI, Crystal Cirrus Logic and C-Media. ®

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