ARC Introduces the New VRaptor(TM) Media Archit...

ARC International
                  

          70x More Efficient than Legacy "Fixed Architecture" Offerings

ARC International (LSE:ARK) today introduced a new architecture that will meet
the high definition (HD) media processing requirements in a wide array of
consumer devices. The ARC(R) VRaptor(TM) Media Architecture will scale from
simple MP3 decode to complex HD H.264 encode using an architecture that
efficiently exploits parallelism in advanced media applications. ARC's VRaptor
Media Architecture will support multiple ARC 750D CPUs with media extensions,
multiple vectorized 128-bit SIMD processors, high performance streaming I/O, and
domain specific accelerators. All can be connected by ARC's new active
communication channels technology. The ARC VRaptor Media Architecture will be
the foundation of ARC's next-generation Media Subsystems, the first of which
will be available to system-on-chip (SoC) designers globally in early 2007.

Legacy "fixed architectures" aren't well suited to meet the requirements of
highly complex -- yet power sensitive -- media-oriented processing tasks. As an
example, a generic 32-bit RISC processor could require as much as 18 GHz for
standard definition (SD) H.264 encode or 5 GHz for MPEG-4 encode. ARC's VRaptor
Media Architecture leverages the power of its patented configurable technology
to deliver an elegant implementation that capitalizes upon application-level
parallelism. ARC's VRaptor Media Architecture will require only 200 MHz for SD
H.264 encoding, while retaining all of the benefits of a programmable solution.

"The new VRaptor architecture has been designed from the ground up with the
needs of media-intensive applications in mind," said Peter Hutton, senior vice
president of engineering at ARC International. "VRaptor takes a holistic
approach to SoC design by integrating configurable, scalable hardware and
software with an optimized interconnect solution. This is a radically different
approach to helping customers overcome their SoC design challenges compared to
the industry's usual processor-centric dogma."

Details of the ARC(R) VRaptor(TM) Media Architecture:

Vectorized SIMD Media Processors

Multiple configurations of ARC's award-winning 128-bit SIMD processors are
capable of handling a variety of media operations such as deblock filters, pixel
transforms, and audio processing in the ARC VRaptor Media Architecture. Each
have a rich array of arithmetic, logical, and control instructions, configurable
and programmable vector and scalar registers, as well as a set of application
specific instructions that are specifically tailored to accelerate complex
operations. They will be connected via ARC's active communication channels
technology to optional configurable media accelerators that are capable of
performing repetitive, computationally intensive tasks such as motion estimation
or entropy encoding in the case of video encoding, and to VRaptor's I/O devices
for DMA operations.

Programmable

Because VRaptor is a heterogeneous multi-core architecture, the configurable ARC
750D CPUs, vectorized SIMD media processors, dedicated hardware accelerators,
and I/O devices are programmed with the same tools and interconnected with ARC's
active communication channels technology. This will simplify the software
development process and enable SoC designers to easily include codecs and
algorithms over time, extending the market life of chips based upon the VRaptor
Architecture.

Configurable and Scalable

The VRaptor Architecture can scale from a single ARC 710D CPU up to multiple
configurable ARC 750D CPUs, each with multiple media processors, multiple
accelerators, and multiple I/O devices. The smallest instantiation will be less
than 0.5 mm2 in a 90nm process.

Tools

Each vectorized media processor has been created using ARC's patented
configurable technology, and extended from a base configuration of an ARC 750D
CPU. This will ensure instruction-level compatibility with the ARCompact(TM) ISA
and allow support by the same toolsets that support other ARC subsystems and
processors. Included are MetaWare and GNU tools, which provide extensive
profiling, debug, and assembly level support. These are being enhanced to
include a vectorized compiler and fast models.

Low Power

As with all ARC products, the VRaptor Architecture is being designed with low
power requirements in mind, including power down features, and real
time software and hardware tradeoffs.

Active Communication Channels Technology

The patent-pending active communication channels technology in the VRaptor Media
Architecture is an active channel protocol that is based around Remote
Invocation. It provides point-to-point links in hardware between the VRaptor
cores, VRaptor accelerators and VRaptor I/O elements, and carries commands as
well as data. The active communication channels technology is supported directly
by new instruction extensions in ARC's configurable ISA, and eliminates message
interpretation overhead. It provides for a unified programming model that
simplifies the programming overhead that is often associated with
multi-processor architectures.

Availability

The ARC VRaptor Media Architecture is being implemented in ARC's next-generation
Media Subsystems, the first of which will be available to SoC designers globally
in early 2007. For more information contact ARC International at [e-mail] or
visit www.arc.com.

About ARC International plc

ARC International is the world leader in configurable subsystems and CPU/DSP
processors that are used by semiconductor companies worldwide to create
system-on-chip (SoC) designs that provide a strategic competitive advantage.
ARC's patented configurable products are smaller, consume less power, are less
expensive to manufacture, and provide a higher degree of differentiation over
what can be created using "fixed architecture" core alternatives.

ARC International maintains a worldwide presence with corporate and research and
development offices in California and Elstree, UK. For more information visit
www.ARC.com. ARC International is listed on the London Stock Exchange as ARC
International plc (LSE:ARK).

ARC, the ARC logo, ARCompact, and VRaptor are trademarks or registered
trademarks of ARC International. All other brands or product names contained
herein are the property of their respective owners. This press release may
contain certain "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and
uncertainties, including the development, implementation, and release of
features described herein. These are at the sole discretion of ARC
International. For other factors that could cause actual results to differ,
visit the company's Website as well as the listing particulars filed with the
United Kingdom Listing Authority and the Registrar of Companies in England and
Wales.

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CONTACT: ARC International
         Lee Garvin Flanagin, [phone]
         [e-mail]
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