Santa Barbara, CA. January 31, 2000. Green Hills Software, Inc. today announced that ESS Technology has selected its optimizing C compiler for use in developing embedded software for its Internet TV set-top-box platforms. The software, which includes a graphical web browser, home-grown real-time operating system, and drivers, runs on a custom MIPS-X microcontroller with integrated DSP functionality developed by ESS.

ESS Technology is a leading supplier of highly-integrated mixed signal semiconductors, software and systems for Internet, PC and multimedia applications. The company's set-top box platform, which utilizes a 56K modem developed by ESS to access the Internet, doubles as a DVD or SVCD player for home entertainment.

"The ability to produce fast, compact code is essential for cost-constrained embedded applications like set-top boxes," said John Carbone, vice president of marketing at Green Hills Software. "We're extremely pleased to have been selected by ESS Technology for this project, and regard it as confirmation of the superiority of our compilers."

"We considered using the GNU compiler for this project," said Ben Tsai, director of web browsers for ESS, "but we needed an efficient compiler that could also support sophisticated programs. Green Hills' optimizing C compiler was a perfect fit."

Green Hills Software's family of C, C++, Embedded C++, Ada95, and FORTRAN optimizing compilers, which are tightly integrated with the company's MULTI development environment, produce the fastest and most compact code of any in the industry. Leveraging optimizations originally developed for mainframe computers, the compilers support most major 32- and 64-bit RISC and CISC processors, as well as a growing number of DSPs and hybrid CPU/DSPs. Green Hills' C compiler recently took top honors in the first published results of the EDN Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium (EEMBC).

More on Green Hills Software

Incorporated in 1982, Green Hills Software, Inc., is a leading supplier of software development tools for 32- and 64-bit embedded systems. Green Hills offers a family of optimizing C, C++, Embedded C++, Ada 95, and FORTRAN compilers. The company's unique MULTI® software development environment automates the compile-edit-build-debug cycle by integrating advanced facilities such as an RTOS-aware source-level debugger, performance profiler, program builder and version control system.

Green Hills Software's tools support all major 32-bit and 64-bit advanced microprocessor families and target environments, including instruction set simulators, ROM Monitors, commercial and home grown real-time operating systems (RTOS) and in-circuit emulators (ICE).

Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA., and has US offices in California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, and Florida. International headquarters are located in the United Kingdom, with offices in France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. For sales information on Green Hills Software products, please call 1-805-965-6044 or email inquiries to sales@ghs.com. http://www.ghs.com.