Evans & Sutherland Announces Revolutionary Virtual Set System; MindSet Puts Power In Hands Of Thousands At Breakthrough Price.

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 1996--Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation (E&S) (NASDAQ:ESCC) today announced its MindSet Virtual Set, breaking the $100,000 barrier for a fully-functional, integrated virtual set. Comparably featured systems consisting of components from multiple suppliers typically cost $500,000 or more.

"Virtual sets are enabling video producers to create more programs, broadcasts, and videos far faster and less expensively. Until now, only larger broadcasters and specialty houses could afford this new technology," said Frank Spady, Vice President of Sales. "With this pricing breakthrough, Evans & Sutherland shattered the price barrier, making it affordable for independent producers, educators, and corporate producers to use this exciting, creative technology. More dynamic and engaging video content will now be more commonplace."

The MindSet 100 Virtual Set single-camera system is priced at $99,500. The package includes FuseBox virtual set control software, graphics rendering supercomputer, a Windows NT, workstation, integrated camera tracking system, video delay unit, and two ready-to-use virtual set databases.

James Oyler, President and CEO of E&S commented, "The low cost of the powerful MindSet 100 system is achieved by combining our affordable, state-of-the-art rendering supercomputers with the Windows NT workstation. This combination of economical computing muscle, our graphics power, and our FuseBox software gives producers easy-to-use power for developing dynamic content. We are excited to be a leader in this new, rapidly expanding market."

MindSet

MindSet is a combination of integrated software and hardware technologies that comprises a complete, cost-effective system used to create "virtual sets." A virtual set is a computer-generated synthetic environment that is rendered in real time and digitally composited with live camera views of on-screen personalities. This results in images where live talent is immersed inside the synthetic environment and can interact with dozens of virtual elements created by the computer. In a video production about the Amazon for example, the live talent could walk behind waterfalls, climb moss-covered trees, and stand in the midst of a dense jungle, none of which physically exist on the set.

MindSet uses Evans & Sutherland's high-performance graphics supercomputer in conjunction with open-architecture Windows NT workstations to create a very cost-effective package with predictable performance at guaranteed frame rates. Guaranteed frame rates ensure smooth video images, a prerequisite of producers. The MindSet Virtual Set system will be available worldwide through a network of business partners.

FuseBox

FuseBox is an integrated software tool that runs on a Windows NT workstation. FuseBox, via an easy-to-use interface, gives the user complete control over the virtual set during the story-boarding, rehearsing, and production phases. This includes manipulation of virtual cameras, real-time interaction between the live talent with virtual elements, and integration of live video into the virtual set. Because FuseBox is Windows NT-based, many low-cost modeling and animation programs can be used to generate and modify the virtual sets, including SoftImage, Lightscape, 3D Studio Max, and Lightwave 3D.

Evans & Sutherland

Evans & Sutherland manufactures hardware and software for highly realistic visual systems that produce high-quality, 3D graphics and synthetic environments. The company has delivered visual systems for simulation and training to the civil aviation, defense, and commercial industries including museums, planetariums, and location-based entertainment centers. E&S was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. Visit the E&S web page at http://www.es.com. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: E&S, FuseBox, and MindSet are trademarks or registered trademarks of Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah. All other product or service names are the properties of their respective owners.

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