Avid To Unveil Avid Xpress for Windows NT at DV Expo.

TEWKSBURY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 1998--

Leading Digital Video Solution For Video and Multimedia

Professionals To Ship on the Windows NT Platform in November 1998

Avid(R) Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVID) announced today that it will unveil Avid Xpress(TM) for Windows NT at the Digital Video Conference and Exposition on October 13-16, 1998. Avid Xpress for Windows NT, which is scheduled to ship next month, is a new product that extends the company's industry-leading Avid Xpress family of digital video products to the Windows NT platform. Avid Xpress for Windows NT is designed for video and multimedia professionals as well as business and education users who prefer a Windows NT-based professional digital video system.

"Avid is committed to maintaining Avid Xpress' position as the world's best solution for industrial post production," said Jim Melvin, director of product marketing at Avid Technology. "We are beginning to see certain segments of the market demand Windows NT as well as Mac solutions, and have expanded the product line to provide users with the best digital video system in its price category regardless of platform."

Joel Epps, marketing manager at DPR, a California-based video solutions reseller, said, " Many of our customers have been waiting for a Windows NT solution that fits their needs, and Avid Xpress is just what they have been waiting for. Users will feel comfortable knowing that they can buy a stable, professional Windows NT-based video solution from the industry-leader, Avid. Avid Xpress also offers an excellent opportunity for Windows NT users who have wanted to upgrade to a more feature-rich, higher-performance solution."

Avid Xpress for Windows NT delivers the power, speed and creativity that customers have come to expect from its Macintosh-based Avid Xpress counterpart. The product incorporates Avid's One-Step Technology, which enables users to accomplish the most common editing and creative tasks in the fewest possible steps -- often with a single keystroke.

Avid Xpress for Windows NT Highlights

--Two Configurations -- Avid Xpress for Windows NT will be available in two configurations, Avid Xpress with the Deluxe Bundle and Avid Xpress with the Elite Bundle. 1) Avid Xpress with the Deluxe Bundle is a high-performance, high-quality digital video system for professionals who demand speed and creative quality. This configuration offers four video tracks with nesting; 2:1 compression; eight real-time audio tracks; 44.1kHz and 48kHz audio; real-time wipes, dissolves, titling, audio EQ, motion effects; four keyframes for effects; uncompressed titles and graphics; AVX plug-in support; and EDL import/export. 2) Avid Xpress with the Elite Bundle is the highest-performance, highest-quality Windows NT-based digital video system in its class, for users who demand the utmost in productivity and creative choices. This configuration includes all of the features of the Avid Xpress with the Deluxe bundle and enables unlimited keyframes and numerous additional real-time effects, including: real-time 2D and 3D picture-in-picture; real-time peel, conceal and squeeze; real-time 2D and 3D DVEs; real-time 3D titles; real-time chroma and luma keying; and real-time image flip/flop.

--Next-Generation Hardware -- Avid Xpress for Windows NT runs on Avid's new Meridien(TM) video subsystem. The Avid Meridien video subsystem leading-edge video, audio and effects hardware is composed of new video cards and a new I/O box that provides superior signal isolation, for the utmost in quality. Advantages over other Windows NT systems include: Analog component video, S-Video, and composite digital (SMPTE-259M) video on one system; Two channels of analog and digital audio (AES/EBU or S/PDIF); Dual VGA display; YUV 4:2:2 digital component signal processing; and 2:1 compression.

--Analog and Digital I/O in One System -- Avid Xpress for Windows NT enables both analog and digital video I/O in one system. Supported I/O formats include analog compent, S-Video, an composite video; SMPTE-259M digital video; analog audio; AES/EBU digital audio; and S/PDIF digital audio. This provides users with more flexibility by enabling them to work with footage acquired from different formats all in one system.

--Support for Multi-Platform Workflow -- Most digital media programs involve elements created on different platforms, whether they be PC, Macintosh or Silicon Graphics workstations. Avid Xpress for Windows NT is designed to integrate well in to such a multi-platform workflow. Avid Xpress for Windows NT is the only system in its class to support all of the following interchange technologies: QuickTime, OMF(R), AVI, AIIF, WAV, EDLs and HIIP(R) for support of over 25 multi-platform graphics and animation formats. In addition, Avid Xpress for Windows NT includes an AVI software CODEC that allows any AVI-compatible application to work with Avid Xpress media without requiring Avid Xpress hardware to be installed on the system.

--Avid Visual Xtension (AVX) Plug-Ins -- Avid Xpress for Windows NT supports Avid's AVX (TM) plug-in architecture. Avid's TransJammer(R), Synergy International's Hollywood FX, Ultimatte Corporation's Ultimatte, and Artel Software's Boris FX plug-ins will all be available for Avid Xpress for Windows NT.

Richard Hunt, independent producer, Red E Productions, Inc., said, "We have been waiting for a system that offers professional level features and extreme high image quality on NT. Avid Xpress for Windows NT is everything I've come to expect from Avid Xpress - it offers the speed, productivity and built-in creative tools that I need to serve my clients and build my business."

Avid is introducing two options for Avid Xpress for Windows NT, the 16:9 Editing Option and the Avid Xpress Matchback Option. 1) The 16:9 Editing Option allows 16:9 wide-screen capture, editing and DTV support. The Avid Xpress Matchback Option enables independent film pro4,999 with the Deluxe Bundle and $39,999 with ths who want to upgrade to Avid Xpress for Windowtertainment applications. Avid's products are userein are the property of their respective owners. All specifications are subject to change without notice.

Gordon, 978/640-3486

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Surprised By Internet Response

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 1998--No, Kelly Slater, Tiger Woods and Jerry Seinfeld have not partnered.

In fact, you've never heard of these three guys. These three fellows are just like you and I. Well, almost. They accidentally discovered a niche on the Internet. Now these three guys are playing less and working more. They went from 0 to 2,000 hits a day on their Web site, FSBtime.com in less than ten days.

"Well, we didn't exactly intend for this to happen," said Comic/Sales Director Larry Reese. "In fact, we thought we'd service ten or twenty of our friends and leave it at that. Now we're talking about bigger servers and more bandwidth."

Surfer/Lead Developer Matt Fitch agreed, adding "The three of us that thought of putting a free time and billing system on the Internet have very different off-hour activities. Except, we all have friends and have met others who are service professionals that needed to keep track of their hours and invoice their customers. Really, we just wanted to help them out and impress them with a cool Web site."

"I don't know if this is a result of friends telling friends or the way our particular story has caught interest. The bottom line is that this has become big business," said Price Givens, president of FSBtime.com, parent company of VerveX. "Larry's work as a comedian puts him in contact with public relation firms, advertising firms, graphic artists and others. Matt's affiliation as a California surfer is more ambiguous -- but you end up finding a ton of staff accountants in that crowd. As for me, I seem to surround myself with lawyers on the golf course. All these people track their hours and invoice their clients based on billings. Now they do it online for free."

FSBtime.com is owned by VerveX Technologies, the software company that Reese, Fitch and Givens work for. WWW.FSBtime.com offers free online time and billing to sole proprietors. Corporations can opt to combine their employee's time for online enterprise reporting for $7.95 per user or license the FSBtime system for use on their corporate intranet for $500.

VerveX Technologies specializes in custom software development and Web-based solutions. A Microsoft Certified Solution Provider, VerveX develops database and Intranet solutions for Fortune 1000 companies and small companies across the country.