Appian Delivers First Card to Support Dual Digital Output; Gemini DVI-I Seizes Upon The Future of Display Technology.

Business Editors

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2000

Once again leading the way in display technology, Appian Graphics(R) today announced the Digital Visual Interface (DVI 1.0) Integration version of its Appian Gemini(TM), dual display graphics card. The Gemini DVI-I is the first card to power two digital flat panels--expanding the user's desktop across multiple displays. Created last May by a consortium of leaders in the display industry, DVI 1.0 addresses migration from old analog monitors to the digital future of display.

Appian's application of DVI 1.0 in the latest version the cost effective Gemini card supports both analog and digital display signals and up to four displays can be supported using two cards. The Appian Gemini comes bundled with the company's own patented HydraVision(TM) desktop management software and AppianXtras(TM), an ever expanding kit of specialty tools that enhance the functionality and performance of the multi-monitor environment.

"Over the next year, dual display using DVI will become very popular, especially in the financial markets where deskspace is a premium," said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Associates (Tiburon, CA), the leading market research firm tracking digital media. "Appian is once again offering an excellent solution for high demand display users."

"The ability to support digital and analog off one connector in a multiple-monitor environment will help alleviate confusion and bridge the gap to the digital future. By incorporating the full DVI specification (DVI-I), users have no need to worry about the various digital implementations or which connection or cable to use," said Chris Connery of NEC Technologies, the leading supplier of flat panel displays. "Through Ambix(R) technology, NEC has also recognized that 'bridging' solutions are ideal and serve the best interest of customers."

Appian Gemini DVI-I

The Gemini DVI-I card adopts the Digital Display Working Group DVI 1.0 specification for combined analog and digital support. The card is available in an ATX form factor for either an AGP or a PCI slot. Based on the S3 Savage/MX graphics controller, the Gemini DVI-I delivers accelerated graphics across multiple displays including all common resolutions up to 1280x1024 @ 60Hz.

The card also supports any of 4 possible combinations between digital and analog monitors. The Molex(R) MicroCross(TM) DVI Connector System is used for connection to DVI compatible displays and the DVI digital output uses single stream format mapping, the industry default. Additionally, an existing analog display can be connected to the Gemini DVI card using a converter plug that converts the DVI connector into a standard VGA DB15 connector.

Richard Clark, President, Appian Graphics stated, "Digital displays using DVI-I will soon become the standard for the industry and our Gemini DVI-I is the first product to give customers and partners a cost-effective, multi-monitor solution to address this fast growing market."

Other Key Gemini DVI-I Features include:

-- 270MHz RAMDAC 

-- AGP 2X interface

-- 16MB SGRAM (shared frame buffer)

-- Support for ACPI power management

-- DDC support

-- Windows 98 and WinNT4/2000 support

-- Direct3D support

-- Video-in support for PAL, NTSC and SECAM formats

Appian and the Digital Visual Interface

To address the display industry's requirements for a standard digital connectivity specification for high-performance PCs and digital displays, Intel and Silicon Image led the creation of the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG).

Industry leaders such as IBM, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, NEC, Fujitsu and Silicon Image joined together with Intel under Open IP, a mutual agreement amongst companies to license patents and other intellectual property necessary to implement the interface portion of the specification on a reciprocal, royalty free basis. The DDWG's collaboration defined a comprehensive and extensible interface specification addressing protocol, electrical, and mechanical definitions. Incorporating Silicon Image's PanelLink(R) technology, DVI enables industry support for both digital and analog display using a common interface..

"Appian's implementation of DVI is robust and thorough," said Jon Kiachian, product line marketing manager of Silicon Image, one of the founders of the DDWG, "We are pleased the leader of the multi-display market is offering a DVI solution utilizing our SiI 164, PanelLink(R) transmitter chip."

Availability

The Appian Gemini DVI-I will be available for the AGP bus in March, with the PCI version to follow in April. For more information about this and other Appian multi-monitor graphics cards, including HydraVision and AppianXtras, customers and partners may contact Appian on the Internet at www.appian.com, or by telephone at 800-727-7426.

About Appian

Market leader Appian Graphics Corporation designs, manufactures and markets award-winning, high-performance multiple monitor display cards for information intensive markets such as finance, computer-aided design (CAD), process control and digital content creation. Dominating the multiple monitor industry with nearly half the market share, as reported by Dr. Jon Peddie in his April 1999, multi-monitor study, Appian's solutions have been recognized by world-renowned technology leaders such as Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Dell and Microsoft(R). Additional information about the Redmond, Wash., based company can be found on the World Wide Web at www.appian.com.

Appian Graphics is a registered trademark of Appian Graphics Corp. Appian Gemini and HydraVision are trademarks of Appian Graphics Corp. Appian software programs and Appian hardware devices are covered by one or more of the following U.S. patents: 5,835,090; 5,848,294; 5,949,437. Additional patents are pending. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.