HP Introduces Next-Generation Graphics that Master the Most Complex 3-D Design Challenges.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 29, 2000

New HP VISUALIZE fx5 and fx10 Graphics Systems Demonstrate

Breakthrough Performance in Professional 3-D Applications

Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced HP VISUALIZE fx5 and fx10 3-D graphics accelerators, available in versions for both Windows NT(R)-based HP VISUALIZE Personal Workstations and UNIX(R)-based HP VISUALIZE workstations. The memory and display architecture of the new graphics accelerators have been redesigned to boost performance and to offer the highest visual realism at interactive speeds.

The new HP VISUALIZE fx5 is ideal for Mechanical Design Automation (MDA) engineers who render medium-to-large assemblies, animations and datasets. For more challenging projects, especially in the Digital Content Creation (DCC) arena, the HP VISUALIZE fx10 renders at lightning speeds, providing large, complex object visualization and manipulation, and breakthrough performance for the most sophisticated designs, simulations and other visual creations.

"HP's new VISUALIZE fx5 and fx10 are state-of of-the-art graphics accelerators that deliver price/performance advantages over the competition," said Jon Peddie, founder and president of Jon Peddie Associates, a market-research firm specializing in graphics and multimedia.

The new PA-RISC(1) geometry engine technology for interactive model lighting and rotation delivers leadership performance, allowing a high degree of visual realism at interactive speeds. Also, the HP VISUALIZE fx5 and the fx10 offer higher performance due to their ability to free the host CPU to work on application-specific tasks while graphics independently access data. This is possible through the AGP 2X interface and graphics-specific floating-point processors that balance processor bus bandwidth and off-load the host CPU.

These graphics accelerators also feature a single I/O slot design with integrated texture memory for greater configuration flexibility with higher reliability and lower costs.

The UNIX versions of the new HP VISUALIZE fx graphics accelerators use a PCI/4X interface to off-load the PA-RISC CPU. Customers are able to allocate very large amounts of memory for texture mapping due to the fully configurable, shared framebuffer/texture memory for allocation of memory according to individual user requirements.

Side Effects Software works extensively with HP VISUALIZE graphics to power the high-performance 3-D results of its Houdini software. "Side Effects has had a very positive and encouraging experience working with HP to create high-end graphics solutions on Linux," said Cristin Barghiel, senior product designer for Side Effects Software. "HP VISUALIZE workstations have enabled us to offer our customers a finely tuned platform that swings wide open the doors to 3-D content creation on Linux. As HP graphics products evolve, we will no doubt see them continue to break through performance barriers."

"HP is proud to be able to introduce our next-generation graphics solutions," said Jim Zafarana, worldwide marketing manager for HP's Technical Computing Division. "We aim to exceed our customers' expectations by constantly enhancing their graphics technology investments."

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The HP VISUALIZE fx5 graphics system is available for $1,800.(2) The HP VISUALIZE fx10 graphics system is available for $2,500.(2) Versions for UNIX-based workstations have the same pricing, HP VISUALIZE fx5 pro at $1,800(2) and HP VISUALIZE fx10 pro at $2,500.(2) All four graphics systems are available now, and can be purchased as a component of the HP VISUALIZE workstation family.

About HP

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services -- is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and an Internet infrastructure that's always on.

Excluding Agilent Technologies, HP has 86,000 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

(1) PA-RISC stands for Precision Architecture-reduced-instruction-set computing.

(2) Estimated U.S. street prices, actual prices may vary.

Note to Editors: Windows NT is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

UNIX is a registered trademark of the Open Group.