Photon Vision Systems Releases QuadHDTV Development System Platform.

Business/Technology Editors

HOMER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 2002

PVS' 8.3 Mega-pixel ColorVideo Chip (4 times HDTV) Integrated into

High Performance Development Platform for Camera Makers.

Photon Vision Systems, Inc. (PVS(R)), an industry leader in designing and delivering low cost, high quality imaging sensors, supporting electronics, and imaging solutions to customers worldwide, today announced the integration of its 8.3 million pixel QuadHDTV(TM) color image sensor into a high performance camera development platform. This platform is used by camera manufacturers to develop their own high resolution digital imaging/video products. The development camera uses the PVS color QuadHDTV(TM) image sensor to deliver 8.3 million pixels and operates at 30 full frames per second progressive or 60 fields per second interlaced, selectable. PVS will also supply commercial imaging modules with the new sensor tailored to customers' specific needs. The resolution of PVS's QuadHDTV(TM) sensor is four times that of High Definition Television (HDTV), with a resolution of 3840(H) x 2160(V) pixels.

PVS's QuadHDTV(TM) camera development platform brings new levels of resolution, speed, as well as quality, versatility and convenience to applications such as digital cinematography, studio broadcasting, demanding security and biometrics, scientific analysis, industrial quality inspection, and others.

The development platform supports multiple interface standards, including SMTPE-292, Camera-Link, DVI, Video Standards such as HDTV and others. These interfaces allow the development platform to connect to a variety of storage and playback systems, including the QuBit(R) by QuVIS(TM), Inc.

"Photon Vision's revolutionary imaging chip technology combines improvements in sensitivity, resolution, dynamic range, readout speed, and cost. One result of this new enabling technology will be practical, cost effective systems which provide an electronic alternative to large format film for ultra high resolution motion imaging," said Kenbe Goertzen, President and CEO of QuVIS(TM), Inc. "Photon Vision's industry leading image sensor chips provide the capability we needed to get high resolution images directly into our image processing and recording technologies."

Within digital cinematography, high-resolution digital technology is replacing film as the medium for motion pictures. Movies can now be shot digitally for the big screen, digitally post-processed, and even screened digitally. Digital movies do not degrade like film, so the 1,000th viewing will be as crisp and clean as the first. Additionally, the system can support a wide variety of standard `film formats,' easing transition to Digital Production. Digital moviemaking dramatically lowers production and distribution costs and speeds up post-production work. As an added benefit, digital movie cameras are lighter, more rugged and more mobile.

"The introduction of the QuadHDTV(TM) development platform promises to accelerate the adoption of High Resolution Digital Imaging worldwide by making it easier and faster for camera makers to develop and implement imaging solutions using our unique sensor," said Thomas L. Vogelsong, Ph.D., President and CEO of PVS. "Industry leaders in Digital Cinema, Digital Videography, military, and scientific applications are excited about their ability to get their products into the market faster."

Prior to the introduction of QuadHDTV(TM), moviemakers, studios, scientists, and the military had to take a step backwards in resolution when choosing to transition from conventional film to the more flexible digital cameras. First generation digital movies are currently being captured with a resolution of only 1 - 2 million pixels, enough for viewing on a computer monitor, but clearly deficient for high-end applications, such as those displayed on the big screen at the theater.

"The imaging industry has seen a huge demand for HDTV capabilities within the past year and this trend will continue to increase for the foreseeable future," said Ron Glaz, Research Manager at IDC. "Photon Vision Systems will be an organization that will support this new trend thanks to equipment like their 8.3 million pixel QuadHDTV color image sensor as well as its new high performance camera."

Other applications for the QuadHDTV(TM) based imaging systems include security, biometrics, satellite and airborne imagery, and traffic control and monitoring. Such systems are ideally suited for uses such as passenger identification verification at airports and video surveillance.

These systems would allow a large, moving crowd to be imaged and can provide the detail needed for computer recognition of individual faces or other features. These imaging systems can also be used to capture and identify speeding or red light running motorists at intersections via the vehicle license plate, as well as capture video for crash analysis.

The QuadHDTV(TM) development system integrates PVS's innovative Active Column Sensor (ACS(R)) technology for low noise video, its PVS-Bus(TM) technology for high-speed video data rates, high performance color image processing algorithms, and other proprietary technologies.

"PVS's cutting-edge technology, as integrated into this platform, confirms PVS's technological leadership in imaging," said Vogelsong.

About Photon Vision Systems, Inc.

PVS is the originator of the patented Active Column Sensor (ACS(R)) technology for ultra low noise video. Thanks to PVS's innovative ACS technology, the company offers a range of single chip sensors that equal and exceed Charge Coupled Device (CCD) imagers in image quality. Today PVS is an industry technology leader, designing and delivering low cost, high quality imaging sensors, support electronics and imaging solutions to customers worldwide, for applications such as: digital cameras, scanners, automotive safety, astronomy, spectroscopy, barcode reading, document imaging, machine vision and more. Additional information on PVS and its products is available through the PVS Web site (www.photon-vision.com). Interested customers can contact Photon Vision Systems sales office at 607-756-5200 (phone), 607-756-5319 (fax), [e-mail] (e-mail).

About QuVIS, Inc.

QuVIS Inc., headquartered in Topeka, Kansas, is the leading provider of digital motion imaging technology. QuVIS provides digital solutions based on Quality Priority Encoding (QPE(TM)), a real-time recording process that guarantees image quality at user definable levels. QuBitR, a high-resolution digital server and the first true alternative to film, offers the highest resolution images available using equipment that is easy to operate, reliable, and cost effective. QuBit records, stores and plays back motion images for video and film production, computer animation, projection applications, television broadcast, virtual entertainment rides, domed cinema and scientific applications. QuBit supports more than 50 high definition, standard definition and CGI formats. QuBit is ideal for applications where end users demand flexibility and must be guaranteed unsurpassed image quality and require optimal storage or transmission requirements. For more information visit the QuVIS web site at www.quvis.com.