ASUS Unveils New Motherboard Catering Specifically to HTPC Users

M4A78-HTPC Series are the World’s 1st Motherboards with an Independent Audio Power Connector—Delivering Pristine Sound Quality
and Taking Multimedia Enjoyment to a New Level

Mumbai, May 28, 2009 – ASUS, the world’s leading producer of motherboards, today released its new M4A78-HTPC Series motherboards that are developed specifically for use in Home Theater Personal Computers (HTPCs). HTPCs have become more prevalent due to the vast popularity of the Internet and the ease with which content can be found, downloaded and viewed. Also, the chipset technology that supports Full HD 1080p is maturing, and large-sized widescreen LCD monitors are becoming more mainstream—allowing users to download and watch HD videos directly on their PCs. M4A78-HTPC Series motherboards are based on the AMD 780G chipset, which fully integrates HDMI/DVI support to display HD videos smoothly. Together with audio innovations like the ASUS Absolute Pitch Hi-Fi and DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC™ Technology, audiophiles can look forward to pure, crystal-clear sound for the most exhilarating HTPC enjoyment. Furthermore, M4A78-HTPC Series motherboards come with a user-friendly media center dubbed Home Theater Gate and a low-noise, energy efficient Tranquil Mode that offer users greater convenience and a more conducive music environment respectively.

“The ASUS M4A78-HTPC Series motherboards are especially designed keeping in mind the requirements of a good HTPC and hence have built in features to provide an unparalleled user experience.”, commented Mr. Vinay Shetty – Country Head – Component Products, ASUS (India) about the launch of these motherboards in India. He further added, “Reiterating ASUS’ position as a world leader in motherboards, this is an effort to provide a timely solution to the needs of our customers who are looking for the perfect motherboard to build their own HTPC in India.”

Crystal-clear Sound Quality with ASUS Absolute Pitch Hi-Fi

As power delivery is a key determinant of audio quality, high-end receivers often utilize separate power channels or analog/digital signal separation to ensure high sound quality. The M4A78-HTPC Series are the world’s first motherboards to be equipped with revolutionary ASUS Absolute Pitch Hi-Fi technology which dedicates an independent audio power connector solely to audio components. This effectively reduces electronic noise, ensuring purer sound quality. Additionally, the gold-plated RCA stereo audio connectors are compatible with amplifiers without requiring additional connectors—making it simple to link PCs to home theater equipment. Furthermore, the M4A78-HTPC supports DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC™ Technology for true high-definition home theater entertainment, delivering an exceptional surround experience through the most common PC audio setups—stereo speakers or headphones.
Your Gateway to True Home Entertainment!

The ASUS Home Theater Gate is a media center specially designed for the ASUS HTPC series of motherboards. With its user-friendly interface, users can easily launch the most common media applications quickly via an integrated menu that brings various media types together, including music, video, photos and Internet radio. The large icons and intuitiveness of the software make it easy for users to remote control their PCs up to 10 feet away from the monitor or TV. Furthermore, the bundled remote controller allows users to launch the music player and Internet radio, or to enter Tranquil Mode for a quieter environment, with just one touch.

Enjoy Perfect Music Environments with Lower Fan Noise

With the ASUS Tranquil Mode function, fan speeds are effectively reduced, lowering fan-generated noise by up to 28%—thus providing users with a perfect sound environment to enjoy movies and music while at the same time saving 25% power when watching movies.

M4A78-HTPC Series Specifications:

Model M4A78-HTPC/RC M4A78-HTPC
CPU AMD® Socket AM2+/AM2
Supports AM3 Phenom™ II

Chipset AMD 780G/SB700
System Bus Up to 5200MT/s; HyperTransport™ 3.0
Memory Dual-Ch, DDR2 1066/800/667, Max. 16GB
Graphics Supports:
- Hybrid CrossFireX™

- HDMI/DVI/RGB

- Full HD 1080p

Audio - 8-ch HD Audio Support
Storage - 1x PATA controller up to 2 devices
- 5x SATA ports with RAID 0, 1, and 10

- 1x external SATA

Expansion Slots - 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16
- 2 x PCIe x1

- 1 x PCI

Accessories Includes a remote control Does not include a remote control
Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more details.
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About ASUS:

ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than ten thousand and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2008 was 8.1 billion U.S. dollars. ASUS ranks among the top 10 IT companies in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech 100” and has been on the listing for 11 consecutive years. ASUS was also selected by the Wall Street Journal Asia as No.1 in Quality and Services in Taiwan. Its product portfolio includes notebooks, motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, LCD monitors, information appliances, desktop PCs & PC components, servers, wireless solutions, mobile phones, handhelds, digital home solutions, broadband communication products and networking devices.

Press Contacts:

Vikram Shirur / Rohan Kadam

PR Specialist

ASUS Technology Pvt. Ltd., India.

Tel: +91-22-67668831

Cell: 9226269625 / 9820396002

E-mail: vikram_shirur {at} asus(.)com / rohan_kadam {at} asus(.)com

http://in.asus.com