Avid Announces Worldwide Launch of Avid/DS v4.

Business/Technology Editors

IBC 2000

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 7, 2000

Next Generation Nonlinear Production (NLP(TM)) System Features

More Than 3,000 Artist and Editor-Driven Enhancements

Spanning All Toolsets

At the 2000 International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) today announced the worldwide launch of the Avid(R)|DS v4 product- the industry's most comprehensive and versatile post-production system. The Avid|DS v4 system will be showcased at Avid's booth (5.230) during IBC 2000, which runs from September 8-12, 2000 at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam.

The new capabilities in version 4.0 should help companies realize a superior return on investment and greater profitability for system utilization. The Avid|DS v4 system pioneers a number of features new to editors and digital artists providing them with an unparalleled creative environment with unlimited opportunity for experimenting with and fine-tuning their creative vision. Key features new to editors and digital artists available in the Avid|DS v4 system include:

-- Remote Processing Capabilities - Enables digital artists to continue working while computationally intensive tasks such as sophisticated effects are offloaded and processed in the background, avoiding interruptions to the creative process;

-- Expanded Interoperability with Other Avid Systems - Increases the range and throughput of projects finished on Avid|DS systems by providing the ability to read uncompressed media from Meridien(TM) hardware-based Avid Xpress(R), Media Composer(R) and Symphony(TM) systems, support for OMF(R) audio for tighter integration with the Digidesign(R) Pro Tools(R) system, faster, more effective conforming with OMFi compositions and support for SOFTIMAGE(R)|XSI(TM) software on the same system;

-- Extended Workgroup Support - Provides the ability to share DS media across projects, import sequences and clips from remote machines and automatically outsource effects to third-party applications;

-- New Graphics and Effect Capabilities- Enhanced performance and creative features including high-speed effects algorithms, new WYSIWYG 2D titler, rewritten tracker with near real-time performance, animated handwritten paint strokes, AVX(TM) plug-in support and next generation effects tree with built-in support for external mattes in each node.

"Avid|DS v4 is a major upgrade to a product which is maturing very rapidly based on feedback from the user community. Avid|DS is fast becoming a "must have" system and one which I would find very difficult to live without," comments Martin Baker from Digital Heaven in London. "The Remote Processing option in Avid|DS v4 will make a major difference to our productivity on complex graphics projects. It will allow us to try more options at the same time and hence produce a better result. When we do a final render it will cut processing time dramatically."

"The increased OMF functionality in Avid|DS v4, with its ability to import OMF media from Media Composer, is a great time saver for us," says Gus Comegys from Seven Seconds in Los Angeles.

Broadcast television and video post-production companies are typically asked to work on projects that call for a wide range of creative tools. As a true nonlinear production system, Avid|DS v4 offers digital artists seamlessly integrated picture and audio editing, compositing, paint, graphics, titling and project management tools for creating and/or finishing a wide variety of projects. Additionally, the system's versatility makes it ideal for companies looking for an all-in-one system with which to capture a diverse range of business and receive a fast return on their investment through maximizing system utilization.

Pricing and Availability

The Avid|DS v4 system is expected to release for shipment in November 2000. Customers who purchase turnkey Avid|DS systems today, will receive the upgrade to version 4 at no additional charge when it is requested. For system and upgrade pricing information, please contact your regional Avid sales office or authorized reseller.

New levels of Functionality and Performance for Version 3.02

In related news, Avid also announced new levels of functionality and performance for SOFTIMAGE|DS version 3.02. Since August 1st 2000, the system has been running on the new Intergraph Zx10 ViZual workstation featuring support for Intel's Pentium III 866 MHz processors. Version 3.02 takes advantage of the new increase in processing speed and provides users with increased productivity by letting them run more real-time, uncompressed effects concurrently, plus faster overall processing of multi-layer composites and image effects.

Complete turnkey multi-stream systems are now available through authorized SOFTIMAGE|DS resellers for USMSRP of $137,500 and consists of SOFTIMAGE|DS Version 3.02 software and Intergraph Computer Systems' Zx10 ViZual Workstations with dual-Pentium III 866 MHz processors, plus two hours of uncompressed video storage from Avid. Existing customers with Avid|DS multi-stream systems using 400MHz or 500MHz processors can upgrade to systems with 866 MHz processors. For more information, customers can contact their authorized Avid|DS reseller or call 1-800-763-0242.

About Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid Technology, Inc. is an industry-leading provider of digital media creation and distribution solutions. From its industry revolutionizing nonlinear editing and finishing solutions, to its standard-setting audio and animation tools, and high performance technology for delivering TV-quality video over the Internet, Avid gives customers the power to communicate to multiple audiences with creativity and ease. Avid solutions, which span a wide range of markets and price points, are used for Web, special effects, video, audio, film, television, broadcast news, music, the Internet and games. Projects using Avid products have been honoured with Oscar(R), Emmy(R) and Grammy(R) awards, as well as a host of other global awards. Avid markets and sells its products globally, and maintains corporate headquarters in Tewksbury, MA. For more information, visit Avid's web site at www.avid.com.

(c)2000 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Product specifications and promotions are subject to change without notice. Avid, Avid Xpress, Digidesign, Media Composer, OMF, Pro Tools and Softimage are registered trademarks and AVX, NLP, Symphony, XSI, and Meridien are trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. All prices are USMSRP for the U.S. and Canada only and are subject to change without notice. Contact your local Avid office or reseller for prices outside the U.S. and Canada. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.