News

Mad Catz Now Shipping Gameshark(tm) Media Player

GameShark(tm) Media Player Enables Users to Experience Digital Media on Home Entertainment System

San Diego, California, September 4 , 2003 -- Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSE: MCZ), the world's leading third party video game enhancement and accessories manufacturer, today announced that it has begun shipping the GameShark(tm) Media Player, enhancement software enabling users to stream music, video, and digital images from the computer to the television or home entertainment system through a PlayStation®2 (PS2) with a network adapter. Available in early September 2003, the GameShark Media Player will retail for an MSRP of $49.99.

The GameShark Media Player provides consumers with easy to install, "plug and play" software that leverages the powerful PS2 game console to stream digital media from a networked computer to the television or home entertainment system. Functional with Windows, Mac OSX and Linux with a wired or wireless home network connection, users enjoy virtually all the popular media formats including MPEG, DivX, MP3, JPEG and more. Complete with parental controls, the software enables users to create and save unlimited playlists while navigating with a remote control or game console controller.

"The video game industry is seeing a convergence with home entertainment and computer entertainment. The Mad Catz product lineup is reflective of this trend," commented Darren Richardson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mad Catz, Inc. "The GameShark Media Player shows the breadth of our product line, furthering Mad Catz into a "one-stop-shop" for video game and home entertainment enhancement products."

The GameShark Media Player, which incorporates advanced technology developed by BroadQ, LLC, an independent software developer, features dynamic, automatic updates to owners of the software. Mad Catz and BroadQ announced the exclusive distribution agreement between the two companies in May, 2003.

The GameShark Media Player features:

  • Playback capability of video formats: MPEG-1, 2 & 4, DivX 3.X, 4.X and 5.X video, and others

  • Playback capability of music formats: MP3 and OGG

  • Viewing of standard digital photography formats: JPEG and PNG

  • Support for 16:9 display ratio and progressive scan (480p)output (with a HDTV and component cabling)

  • Easy to use auto-configuration network setup

  • Full trick-play functionality (VCR functions, such as fast-forward, rewind, pause, stop and play)

  • Support for video resolutions: up to720x320 (letterbox and 512X384 (4:3)

  • Parental or access controls

  • Multi-server, multi-client support

About BroadQ, LLC.
BroadQ, LLC, is an independent software company that develops innovative technologies that revolutionize the distribution of digital entertainment by leveraging the processing power of widely-available game consoles to decode and play network delivered digital media on televisions and stereos. BroadQ's QCast technology is marketed and distributed by industry leading partners using the "Powered by QCast Technology" brand. Founded in 2002, BroadQ is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

About Mad Catz Interactive, Inc.
Mad Catz Interactive, Inc., (www.madcatz.com), designs, develops, manufactures and markets a full range of high quality, competitively priced accessories for video game consoles and portables, including the industry leading GameShark brand of video game enhancements. Mad Catz is a worldwide leader of innovative peripherals in the interactive entertainment industry, with distribution through nine of the top ten U.S. retailers offering interactive entertainment products. With operating headquarters in San Diego, California, Mad Catz has offices in Canada, the U.K. and Asia, as well as distributors in Europe and Australia.