Media 100 Announces HD Technology for 844/X; All-New HDX Technology Adds 10-Bit Broadcast-Quality Format Conversion To The GenesisEngine Media Processor.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MARLBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 21, 2003

Media 100 Inc. (NASDAQ: MDEA), a leading provider of advanced media systems, today announced HDX Technology(TM) ("HDX"), a first-step expansion of its GenesisEngine media processor providing affordable support for HD and SD applications in a single 844/X system. HDX comprises new software and a high-density HDX PCI card that add 10-bit format conversion to the GenesisEngine with precision rivaling the industry's best standalone format converters. The Company plans to demonstrate HDX as a technical breakthrough at NAB 2003 in April and deliver the technology to end users in the second half of 2003 for under $15,000.

"Facilities and independent editors alike today are wrestling with the workflow complexities and investment costs required to take on HD projects," said John Molinari, president and chief executive officer of Media 100. "And they don't want to have to take steps backward in terms of the quality or sophistication they bring to their projects. Accordingly, our HDX Technology delivers superb HD results and maintains real-time throughputs in HD and SD applications alike, but at a price point that will make instant business sense."

HDX Broadcast Format Conversion * 844/X systems incorporating HDX support input from and output to all HD and SD digital television formats defined by SMPTE 292M and SMPTE 259M, including:

-- 1080p and 1080i (SMPTE 274M);

-- 720p (SMPTE 296M);

-- 1035i (SMPTE 260M);

-- 1080i/50Hz (SMPTE 295M);

-- 480i (SMPTE 259M).

Upon input--HDX-equipped 844/X systems convert HD source material in real time with 10-bit or higher signal precision throughout to an enhanced internal SD format that is higher quality than standard ITU-R BT.601. This input conversion to the enhanced internal SD format of the GenesisEngine permits 844/X users to utilize the full range of real-time, high-quality editing and compositing capabilities of 844/X on captured HD images.

Upon output--HDX exploits the higher bandwidth of the enhanced 844/X SD format to yield broadcast-quality HD results; moreover, as 844/X systems with HDX process input and output images independently, users may elect to output video in any HD format regardless of the format in which the video was captured originally.

With HDX, the workflow simplicity and economy of using HD and SD formats on a single PC-based system while without restriction taking advantage of the native editing and compositing speed of 844/X are breakthrough advantages supporting the fastest possible ROI.

By contrast, other HD solutions, using analog-era signal processing, effectively compress HD video from the outset using 8-bit quantization, require rendering of many operations, limit users to editing from two ("dual") streams, and are costly. The Company expects 844/X systems with HDX Technology to include the same user interface, workflow, Intelligent Layering Architecture (ILA), and software features as 844/Xi and 844/Xe, the Company's two 844/X system configurations.

HDX FORMAT CONVERSION DETAILS

Motion-Adaptive De-Interlacing with Edge Detection

Throughout the input and output format conversion processes, HDX employs high-precision digital signal processing on progressive frames to ensure superior picture quality. In one important example, HDX, when converting interlaced fields to progressive frames, incorporates real-time motion-adaptive de-interlacing with edge detection to reduce temporal artifacts. This technology comprises real-time, 10-bit or higher, pixel-by-pixel, 3-field-edge-adaptive and vertical-motion processing to reduce edge artifacts on shallow horizontal edges and reduce vertical motion artifacts. Without this technology, the processing of interlaced video content containing fast motion--for example--yields jagged edges, an unsatisfactory artifact that occurs as interlaced fields are de-interlaced into progressive frames.

3:2 Pulldown

To support 24P HD applications, HDX provides real-time 3:2 pulldown processing that includes: input and output support of the 23.976 and 24 frames-per-second formats; automatic 3:2 pulldown detection; 3:2 insertion when converting a 24P HD image to the 60 frames-per-second progressive native format of the GenesisEngine; and 3:2-removal upon mastering out to 24P HD. As HDX processes all of these functions in real time, they are transparent to the user, so the workflow is fast and easy.

Aspect Ratio Conversion

With support for cropping, scaling, and letterboxing all in real time, HDX lets users convert between images of 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios. Once again, as the performance is real time, the workflow is fast and easy for the user.

HD Picture and Sound Monitoring

A further workflow convenience of HDX is support for real-time HD output monitoring, enabling users to preview editing decisions on an HD monitor in real time as they work. In addition, HDX supports SDI embedded audio-extract, audio-append, and AES/EBU input and output, all of which make reviewing project sound, along with images, fast and easy.

Availability

The Company expects to deliver HDX Technology in the second half of 2003 as an add-on option for 844/Xi and 844/Xe customers for under $15,000. 844/Xi and 844/Xe systems are available today and start at $24,995 for Media 100 software and hardware. Complete 844/X system configurations, including a workstation and high-speed media storage, start at about $40,000. All 844/X systems are available exclusively through authorized 844/X value-added resellers.

For more information, or to obtain a comprehensive list of authorized resellers, please call [phone] or visit www.media100.com.

About Media 100

Media 100 develops award-winning advanced media systems for content design, enabling creative professionals to design highly evocative effects-intensive work on a personal computer. Creative artists and content design teams around the world use Media 100's Emmy Award-winning solutions. The Company is headquartered in Marlboro, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.media100.com.

Media 100 is a registered trademark and 844/X, HDX Technology, GenesisEngine and Intelligent Layering Architecture are trademarks of Media 100 Inc. All other products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.