SonicBLUE was an American consumer electronics company formed as the result of the 1999 merger between computer peripheral maker Diamond Multimedia and graphics chipset maker S3 Inc.
In November 2000, the combined company changed its name to SonicBLUE and changed its focus from graphics chipsets and computer peripherals to consumer electronics, such as the Rio line of MP3 players. The graphics chipset business was sold to VIA. In 2001, the company bought ReplayTV, a maker of PVR systems.
On March 21, 2003, SonicBLUE filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and sold off its main product lines.
On April 16, 2003, D&M Holdings, the parent company of Denon Ltd. and Marantz Japan Inc. purchased virtually all assets from SonicBLUE and now produces ReplayTV and Rio units under a new subsidiary, Digital Networks North America (DNNA), Inc. The last piece of the company was effectively sold in late 2003, when Best Data acquired the rights to the Diamond Multimedia name for use in a new video card division.
Sonicblue said it agreed to sell its Rio unit, which made the first mainstream device to play music in the popular MP3 format, and its ReplayTV digital video recorder unit to DandM Holdings of Japan for $40 million, plus the assumption of about $5 million in liabilities.
Sonicblue Wednesday reported a net loss of $33.4 million, or 34 cents a share, for the fourth quarter, narrower than its loss of $52.7 million, or 57 cents a share, last year.
Sonicblue also agreed to sell its GoVideo unit, which makes DVD players and other devices, to Opta Systems LLC, which is owned by Carmco Investments LLC, for $12.5 million.
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