* Forwarded (from: comp.dcom.modems) by Craig Ford using timEd/2 1.10+.
* Originally from doug@cybernautics.com to All.
* Original dated: Mon Mar 24, 15:46
From: doug@cybernautics.com (Doug Moody)
Subject: Press Release: Diamond Ships 56K
Organization: Cybernautics, Inc.
For Immediate Release
DIAMOND MULTIMEDIA SHIPS ITS FIRST 56,000 BPS CAPABLE MODEMS
SupraExpress 56 With New K56flex Technology Now Available at Retail
     VANCOUVER, Wash. -- March 24, 1997 -- Diamond Multimedia Systems,
Inc., (Nasdaq:  DIMD), a leader in Internet multimedia, today announced
the SupraExpress( 56 line of analog modems, designed to be capable of data
download speeds of up to 56,000 bits per second (bps) and virtually
effortless field upgradeability to the latest firmware revisions.  The
first members of this new family of 56,000 bps capable modems, the
SupraExpress 56i and the SupraExpress 56e, are now shipping nationwide
with estimated retail prices (ERP) of $169.95, and $189.95 respectively. 
Macintosh and speakerphone versions are expected to commence shipping
before the end of March.  SupraExpress 56 modems incorporate Rockwell and
Lucent's new K56flex technology, which offers what Diamond Multimedia
believes is among the highest transmission speeds available today over
ordinary phone lines.  
     SupraExpress 56 modems will be available at Diamond Multimedia's
North American retail partners, including Circuit City, CompUSA, Computer
City, Fry's Electronics and Micro Center, as well as through Diamond
Multimedia's commercial distribution partners including D&H Distributing,
Gates/FA, Ingram Micro, SED, Synnex and Tech Data.
     Diamond Multimedia demonstrated its SupraExpress 56e at CeBIT in
Hannover, Germany (March 13 through 21) operating over the Deutsche
Telekom public operating telephone network with reliable connections at
50,000 bps and higher.  Deployment of the SupraExpress 56 line in Europe
and Japan is expected soon.
     "Internet-savvy consumers are demanding higher speeds," said James
Cutburth, vice president of marketing for Diamond Multimedia's
Communications Division.  "With K56flex technology, end-users will be able
to surf the Internet and download graphics, video and audio from the World
Wide Web at up to almost twice the speed of 28,800 bps modems."
     "Rockwell is committed to supporting Diamond Multimedia in meeting
the demand for the latest in 56,000 bps connectivity products," said
Armando Geday, vice president and general manager of Rockwell's Multimedia
Communications Division.  "We are pleased to be an integral part of
Diamond's efforts to deliver a full range of 56,000 bps modems, feature
sets and price points that best meet customers' individual needs."
Designed For 56,000 bps
     Designed by Diamond Multimedia specifically to be easily upgradeable
over the Internet with the newest firmware revisions incorporating the
latest in K56flex algorithm improvements, the SupraExpress 56 modems
include Flash ROM upgradeability, static RAM for accelerated processing,
high-speed data line drivers for up to 230 Kbps through put and a new
phone line interface for clear signal reception.
     "We designed the SupraExpress 56 modem to give users easy, online
access to the latest innovations in high-speed K56flex technology, which
we believe is the emerging defacto 56,000 bps modem standard supported by
most major industry players," said Jim Cady, vice president and general
manager for Diamond Multimedia's Communications Division. "Our engineers
worked closely with their counterparts at Rockwell's Multimedia
Communications Division to design this modem from the ground up.  Our twin
objectives were to achieve easy online upgradeability and optimize K56flex
performance, accommodating the complexity and speed of the 56,000 bps
signal.  And since Rockwell and Ascend have the majority of the modem
connection ports in the Internet Service Provider market, we believe
Diamond Multimedia's customers will have the best ISP support today and in
the future.  Unlike x2 technology, which is today limited to only 53 Kbps
by FCC regulations for line voltage, Diamond Multimedia's SupraExpress 56
modems can operate at up to a full 56 Kbps without exceeding FCC voltage
regulations."
     "Ascend endorses Diamond Multimedia's rapid market launch of the
SupraExpress 56 line of modems," said Bernie Schneider, vice president,
strategic business development of Ascend Communications. "Ascend is
working closely with Diamond Multimedia to ensure that their end-user
consumers and our ISP customers can connect with the fastest data speeds
available using K56flex technology."
Customer Satisfaction Program
     The U.S. digital switched telephone network infrastructure is still
undergoing development, roll out and improvement.  Actual performance of
56 Kbps modems are expected to vary depending on telephone network
conditions, including geographic location of a specific call, network
quality and line noise at the time of the call, and the path or route
assigned to the call.  Since digital network technology may require new
firmware releases and additional support over and above V.34 (33,600 bps)
technology to achieve full performance, Diamond Multimedia has established
a "Supra56 Satisfaction" program for those customers who experience
difficulties due to their particular telephone network conditions and call
routing.
     For example, SupraExpress 56 modems will ship with "The Diamond
Channel" client software based on new Internet "push" technology from
BackWeb Technologies, Inc. which uses "background bandwidth" available on
the Internet.  "Diamond Multimedia's firmware engineers are continuously
working to advance SupraExpress 56 modem performance under various network
configurations," said Jeff Orr, product line manager for Diamond
Multimedia's Communications Division. "By working with BackWeb and
establishing The Diamond Channel, Diamond Multimedia is among the first of
the major Internet multimedia suppliers to incorporate World Wide Web
'push' technology into our products, giving our customers automatic
downloading and easy installation of all our latest firmware innovations
and algorithm improvements."  The Diamond Channel client software is
available for download from Diamond Multimedia's web site at
www.diamondmm.com.
     Customers can also participate in SupraExpress 56 customer support
chat sessions, access a knowledge base of modem information and problem
resolutions, and review answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) at
www.diamondmm.com.  In addition, Diamond Multimedia offers world class
technical support via telephone, electronic mail, fax-on-demand, BBS,
TDD/TTY and FTP.  
Diamond Multimedia's Line of SupraExpress 56 Modems
     The new SupraExpress 56 line announced today consists of six models
with a variety of feature sets, all of which include programmable firmware
that allows for future upgradeability directly from the Internet and
Diamond Multimedia's dial-up BBS as further development of the underlying
technology occurs.
Model: SupraExpress 56I 
Configuration: Internal 
Platform: PC 
ERP: $169.95 
Shipping Status: Shipping
Model: SupraExpress 56e
Configuration: External
Platform: PC
ERP: $189.95
Shipping Status: Shipping
Model: SupraExpress 56e
Configuration: External
Platform: Mac
ERP: $189.95
Shipping Status: Week of March 24th
Model: SupraExpress 56i Sp
Configuration: Internal with speakerphone
Platform: PC
ERP: $189.95
Shipping Status: Week of March 24th
Model: SupraExpress 56e Sp
Configuration: External with speakerphone
Platform: PC
ERP: $199.95
Shipping Status: April
Model: SupraExpress 56e Sp
Configuration: External with speakerphone
Platform: Mac
ERP: $199.95
Shipping Status: April
Each new SupraExpress 56 will ship with a CD-ROM that contains advanced
fax, data and Internet access software.  PC models feature Thought
Communications' FaxTalk( fax software and COMit( data software.  The
Macintosh modems include MicroPhone( LT data communications software and
Diamond Multimedia's Supra Faxcilitate( software (including Supra
VoiceMail( on selected models).  
     All of Diamond Multimedia's SupraExpress 56 PC modems will be
packaged with VDONet software and a variety of Internet access software,
including Microsoft's Internet Explorer( and Netcom's NetComplete( with
Netscape's Navigator(, as well as a BackWeb client and a trial version of
Blizzard's Warcraft II for head-to-head modem gameplay.
     The new SupraExpress 56 modems also feature V.80, the ITU's standard
for video phone-ready modems.  V.80 is the application interface that
defines how video software runs on modems.
     Diamond Multimedia plans to introduce international 56,000 bps
capable modem versions during the balance of 1997 pending completion of
various localized designs and individual country approvals.
Wide Industry Support 
     Diamond Multimedia is a charter member of the Open 56K Forum, an
industry-wide coalition founded by twenty-seven leaders from key segments
of the communications and computer industries, and dedicated to achieving
widespread implementation of 56,000 bps modem technology.  The chief aim
of the Open 56K Forum is to gain support for a 56,000 bps modem protocol
that will ensure interoperability across brands, providing an immediate
end-to-end solution for faster data transmission. Diamond Multimedia
intends to support the Open 56K Forum by providing field trial K56flex
56,000 bps modems to member ISPs.
     Founding participants include industry leaders such as Ascend, BBN,
Bay Networks, Cascade, Cisco, Compaq, Diamond Multimedia, Epoch Networks,
Hewlett-Packard, Lucent, Motorola, PSINet, Rockwell, Shiva, Toshiba, U.S.
West, UUNet and Xircom.
     Initial field trials of the K56flex protocol are being conducted in
cities that include Albany, NY; Herndon, VA; Boston, MA; Washington, D.C.;
Palo Alto, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA;
Norfolk, VA; Cincinnati, OH and Irvine, CA by ISPs that include BBN, Epoch
Networks, PSINet and UUNet using Ascend WAN access concentrators
incorporating K56flex technology.  
     Currently more than 600 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) including
CompuServe, Netcom, Earthlink Network, and Prodigy have committed to offer
K56flex to their customers, with additional companies expected to sign up
every day.
     Further information is available at http://www.open56k.org.
###
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth
in this press release, such as statements relating to the Company's
ability to successfully exploit technological and market developments, the
timing and
success of new product introductions by the Company and its competitors,
and the Company's ability to invest in new technologies and to enhance its
existing systems are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks
and uncertainties, including the impact of competitive products and
pricing and alternative technological advances, the timely and successful
development and market acceptance of new products and upgrades to existing
products,
and other risks as detailed from time to time in Diamond Multimedia's SEC
filings, including its most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q.  Furthermore, the
SupraExpress 56 line of high-speed modems are designed to be capable of
56,000 bps data download speeds.  Since the technology incorporated in
K56flex-based modems is new and subject to future development and
improvement, SupraExpress 56 modems may need firmware upgrades, planned to
be available on-line from Diamond Multimedia BBS and Web site services, to
achieve full connectivity potential.
Editorial contact:
Tamara Hanna                     Norma Velvikis/Sara Faiola
Diamond Multimedia               Faiola Davis Public Relations
Communications Division          (213) 933-4959    
(360) 604-1469                   fdpr1@aol.com
tamara@supra.com
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