ACS Innovations and Netscape join forces to easily create Internet Web pages embedded with colorful motion and still images.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 1996--Web page authoring, created with colorful embedded video and still digital images, got a major boost Monday as ACS Innovations Inc., announced that it has entered into a worldwide marketing agreement with Netscape Communications Corp.

The two companies will provide Internet users with a complete low- cost Web page authoring, color imaging, and videoconferencing solution composed of Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0 and ACS' new Compro Digital Color Internet Camera, which is designed for capturing color motion and still images to create Web pages, for Internet- and intranet-based, two-way communications and video teleconferencing.

``Netscape saw the need for our new digital camera to reach millions of Internet users quickly because the future of the Internet, as well as corporate intranets, is clear. They are tied to low-cost effortless Web page creation with color images, and to videoconferencing,'' said Ivan Lek, president and chief executive officer of ACS Innovations.

``Our worldwide marketing agreement with Netscape will provide consumers with low-cost, digital video technology linked directly with Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0, which now features built-in, easy-to-do, Web page authoring.''

``We know that Web page creation design with digital color images will prove to be very popular features of Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0,'' said Mark Ramsey, director of national retail sales for Netscape.

``The creative uses for the new COMPRO Digital Color Internet Camera technology are awesome. Netscape Gold-authored Web pages can now feature colorful images, photos and video sequences that are of very high-quality -- and which can be embedded or changed quickly and easily. Add the upcoming videoconferencing capabilities of ACS' Plug-in, and you have a real winner with Internet users.''

According to Barry J. Lebu, ACS Innovations' vice president of sales and marketing: ``Our COMPRO/Netscape bundle will include Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0 with every COMPRO Digital Color Internet Camera kit, with all our Voice/Fax/Data modem products, (33.6 Kbps) in both PC-Card and in PCMCIA formats, as well as in the packaging of all our board-level PC products.

``We will also be working with Netscape to develop cooperative point-of-sale merchandising, packaging and retail trade advertising for this promotion. This worldwide alliance will certainly bring the power of low-cost color digital imaging for Web page development, and Internet video communications to consumers, business and government in new and exciting ways.''

Applications for the COMPRO Digital Color Internet Camera include color still and motion-image presence; Web site authoring; e-mail with imaging; Internet publishing; two-way video communications, such as video conferencing (Internet, ISDN, point-to-point); whiteboard sharing; remote monitoring; product illustrations; corporate presentations; desktop publishing; Photo ID cards; medical and dental imagery; insurance claims and property databases.

There is no need for a video capture card, or a separate power adaptor. The COMPRO Digital Color Internet Camera captures images directly into the PC through its parallel port using D-Viewer, Windows-compatible software, that allows control of image capturing, image rendering, special effects, and storage and retrieval capabilities, including JPEG compression.

The Internet Camera provides 256 gray scales and 16.8 million true color formats up to a resolution of 640 x 480. Focus is adjustable for close-up work and normal (40mm to infinity) camera work. Digital motion video can be captured at 160 X 120 resolution.

Automatic White Balance (AWB) is provided with manual color balance and color saturation controls. Scan frequencies, to avoid light flickering problems, are selectable in either 50Hz or 60Hz. Manual and automatic gain, and shutter control with speeds from 1/50th to 1/30000th second, are standard.

The new ACS SKU is called the Gold Package ($228 street price) and includes the Digital Internet Camera, Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0, D- Viewer software (a $79.95 value), a camera head, parallel port pass-through interface unit, adjustable camera stand, and keyboard intercept power cable.

There are standard drivers for existing videoconferencing and image rendering software packages in both Video for Windows (AVI) and scanner mode (TWAIN) interfaces. The Gold Package features Web page creation, Internet connection software, automatic Internet setup, with a choice of leading ISPs, multimedia Internet tutorial, seven extra Navigator plug-ins and Internet applications and extra Web page editing tools.

ACS will be introducing other SKU models in the near future with videoconferencing, graphics enhancement and video segment special effects software modules.

Minimum system requirements are a 386, 486, Pentium or X86 IBM-compatible PC or laptop, with at least 4MB of RAM, Windows 3.1 or higher, EGA, VGA, or SVGA graphics card (24-bit color capability to view true color images), and a parallel port.

ACS also manufactures a wide range of other ``Internet Ready'' products under the COMPRO name, including Sound Boards, Multimedia Kits, Video CD Players, CD-Recording Media, CD-Recorder Kits and software upgradeable, 33.6 Kbps Voice/Fax/Data Modems.

ACS' company contact in North America is Barry J. Lebu, vice president, sales and marketing, 888/2COMPRO (888/226-6776); e-mail [e-mail]. Company headquarters are located at 3171 Jay St., Santa Clara, Calif. 95054-3308, phone: [phone], fax: [phone]. The company's Web site address on the Internet is www.acscompro.com.

Media contact is Al Abrams, president, Abrams Creative Services, Tarzana, Calif.; phone: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail], or: [e-mail]. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: Netscape and Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0 are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications Corp. Compro and Digital Color Internet Camera are registered trademarks of ACS Innovations Inc. All other names and products are trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: ACS Innovations Inc., Santa Clara

Barry J. Lebu, 888/2COMPRO (888/226-6776)

408/566-0900

408/566-0909 (fax)

e-mail, [e-mail]

URL, www.acscompro.com

or

Abrams Creative Services, Tarzana

Al Abrams, 818/343-6365

818/343-6366 (fax)

e-mail, [e-mail] or [e-mail]