Exabyte Unveils Mammoth 2 Technology Advances for the Digital Video Marketplace.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 1999--Exabyte Corp. (Nasdaq:EXBT), an industry leader in tape automation and solutions, today announced key technology advancements for Mammoth 2, the next product in the Mammoth tape drive family.

Mammoth 2 is engineered to meet the requirements demanded by the digital video market.

Mammoth 2, shipping in mid-1999, will take 8mm to new heights with a sustained data rate of 12 MB/second and 60 GB of capacity (all native). Mammoth 2 is based on four significant building blocks: -- Helical Read-While-Write -- Variable Point Load (VPL) -- Adaptive Data Buffer (ADB) -- Level 3 Error Correction Code (ECC-3)

The most significant advancement in Mammoth 2 is the introduction of "helical read-while-write" technology, a technique which permits a doubling of data rate compared to conventional read-after-write systems. With read-while-write, the drive can continuously write data while concurrently readback-checking the just-written data. All other helical drives write for 50 percent of the time and readback-check for 50 percent of the time, thus cutting the potential data rate in half.

Mammoth 2 achieves read-while-write with two major advancements: First, a four-channel read/write scanner design doubles the number of parallel channels and permits 100 percent duty cycle of both writing and reading. Second, the scanner is designed to provide electrical power to the rotating part containing the heads. With the introduction of power-on-rotor, the write drivers and read preamp ICs can now be mounted with direct connections to the heads. These "Flying ICs" eliminate the crosstalk between read/write channels that formerly prevented simultaneous read/write operation.

"The advanced scanner and head technologies provided by our EMG subsidiary make the performance breakthrough possible," said Bill Marriner, chairman, president and CEO of Exabyte. "Mammoth 2 has performance gains unmatched by any competitive technology in the industry. The relationships we forged with our technology partners have given us a clear edge in delivering a proven industry leading data backup, archive, and interchange technology."

Mammoth 2 also offers Variable Point Load (VPL), a unique feature that enables the cartridge to be loaded at various positions along the length of the tape. VPL combined with Mammoth 2's format supporting 256 independent partitions allows much faster data access, shorter search time, and update-in-place video clip editing.

Mammoth 2 offers exceptional performance scalability through its use of Adaptive Data Buffer (ADB) technology. ADB, combined with rapid tape positioning, allows the tape drive to automatically tune its performance, thereby providing an optimal throughput that adjusts perfectly to the data rate of the host computer. This eliminates the performance bottleneck created by linear technology drives and their long start-stop times. The ADB system uses a 16 MB data buffer designed to operate at a sustained data rate of 80 MB/second supporting both Ultra-2 LVD SCSI and Fibre Channel.

"Our customers have been asking for more speed. Mammoth 2 quadruples the data rate of Mammoth 1 and offers up to 24 times the speed of the industry standard 8mm drives in use today," said Steve Georgis, director of technology and business development at Exabyte. "For systems using data rates up to 96 Mbit/sec, Mammoth 2 will record and play back at faster-than-real-time speeds, thereby significantly reducing the time spent waiting for the tape."

Mammoth 2 also offers an enhanced error correction (ECC) system which includes a third-level of error correcting capability (ECC-3) to provide maximum data reliability while recording at higher densities. ECC-3 is designed to correct for the types of errors that occur from frequent use of the tape, permitting more dependable cartridge interchange between drives.

Mammoth 2 will use the same precision deck mechanism and capstanless reel-to-reel servo design as today's proven Mammoth drive. Mammoth 2 will also continue to use the AME media that Exabyte pioneered, however, it will be available in a longer length. The new 230-meter tape will provide more storage capacity than the current generation of 170-meter tape.

Mammoth 2 will be compatible with all major industry platforms including Macintosh, Windows NT, and UNIX and will be supported by leading software applications.

"Reliable data interchange is a primary requirement for post-production and broadcast applications," said Ken Cruden, director of drive and media marketing for Exabyte. "Based on its superior mechanism design, state-of-the-art media, and advanced data format, Mammoth 2 will offer the highest levels of drive, media and data reliability."

Exabyte Corporation is a leading supplier of tape storage solutions for the data-intensive application and database server markets. With headquarters in Boulder, Colo., Exabyte designs, manufactures and markets industry leading data storage products including 8mm and Mammoth technology tape drives; Mammoth, 8mm and DLTtape(tm) automated tape libraries; and premium quality media. Exabyte markets its products through an extensive network of OEM, distributor and reseller business partners. For Exabyte information call 800/EXABYTE, or visit Exabyte on the World Wide Web at www.exabyte.com.

The foregoing contains forward-looking statements related to the company's future business prospects. Such statements are subject to one or more risks. The actual results that the company achieves may differ materially from such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties related to product development, market demand, management of business and product transitions and other such risks as noted in the company's 1997 Form 10-K. Please refer to the company's Form 10-K for a description of such risks.

Exabyte is a registered trademark of Exabyte Corp. All other trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks are the property of the companies with which they are associated.

To see Exabyte's Mammoth 2 product, visit the ATTO Technology Inc. booth at the MacWorld tradeshow on January 4-8 at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center, ATTO booth #1043; Exabyte also partners with Media 100, Inc. and Dantz Development Corp.