Quantum3D Announces AAlchemy 4116 Availability; ITEC 2000: Company Demonstrates First Model in Watershed PC-IG Product Family that Features Full-Scene, Sub-Pixel Anti-Aliasing.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ITEC 

THE HAGUE, Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2000

Quantum3D(TM), Inc. today announced availability of the first Heavy Metal(TM) AAlchemy(TM) systems, the company's watershed family of scalable, advanced realtime 3D graphics systems for visual simulation and training applications.

Heavy Metal AAlchemy 4116 ships this month as the first model in the AAlchemy family, which offers the most scalable and advanced PC-based image generator (PC-IG) graphics capabilities available in the industry today. With state-of-the-art full-scene, sub-pixel anti-aliasing and industry leading graphics performance, AAlchemy 4116 enables realtime rendering of complex synthetic environments rich in cultural features, free from distracting visual artifacts, and at sustained frame rates.

Leading training system integrators and developers are demonstrating their visual databases on a three-channel, precision-synchronized AAlchemy 4116 system in Quantum3D's stand (number 724) at ITEC, The Hague, The Netherlands. They include Thomson Training and Simulation with SPACE Magic(TM) scene management software; MultiGen-Paradigm with Vega(TM) scene management software; and SDS International's LiteFlite(TM) Re-configurable Flight Simulator, employing Quantum3D's OpenGVS(TM) 4.4 scene manager -- which supports Terra Page(TM) from Terrain Experts (TERREX) Inc., and enables rapid paging and rendering "on the fly" of very large area terrain databases.

"SDS has multiple USAF and Navy customers that have pre-purchased Quantum3D's Heavy Metal AAlchemy," said Dr. Dutch Guckenberger, Chief Scientist for SDS. "SDS is pleased to be one of the first system integrators and developers to offer the improved AAlchemy performance. SDS's newest visual system product, the Shadow Buffer Control Module, or SBCM, is capable of adding multiple visual channels to legacy simulators and takes advantage of the AAlchemy visual quality. Our next version of the SBCM, planned for the second quarter of 2000, provides 2550 by 2040 resolution utilizing the AAlchemy 4116."

"Quantum3D continues to deliver PC-based, advanced graphics performance for the most cost-effective deployment of visual simulation and training applications," said Rick Bess, Vice President of Marketing at Quantum3D. "We have worked closely with key customers to develop an exceptional product that delivers performance and value second to none. System integrators and developers wanting full-scene, sub-pixel anti-aliasing from a PC-IG will see unparalleled value with AAlchemy 4116."

Quantum3D, the first company to bring full-scene, sub-pixel hardware anti-aliasing to embedded PC-based visual computing systems, continues to lead the industry with innovative technology, delivering low-cost, high-performance PC-IGs for the rapid deployment of advanced visual simulation and training applications. Heavy Metal AAlchemy delivers Quantum3D's patent-pending unparalleled full-scene, sub-pixel anti-aliasing image quality with SwapLock(TM) precision inter-channel synchronization, high resolution support, greater polygon throughput, a significantly higher fill rate, faster texture download, and improved image quality achieved via higher color depth support. AAlchemy is compatible with a wide range of leading realtime 3D scene managers such as CG2's VTree(TM), Lockheed Martin's SE/View, MultiGen-Paradigm's Vega(TM), Reality2's Tiepolo, Soft Reality's SoftVR(TM), and SPACE Magic, as well as Quantum3D's OpenGVS; with 3D graphics APIs such as Quantum3D's SimGL(TM) and 3dfx Glide(R); with realtime 3D file formats such as OpenFlight(R) and Terra Page; and with leading PC operating systems. In addition, AAlchemy supports important simulation features via add-on hardware and software modules that will be introduced subsequently. AAlchemy pricing starts at $7,999 in the US and $9,199 outside the US, per channel.

First PC-based IG to Deliver Industry-leading Pixel Fill Rates

Heavy Metal AAlchemy models deliver scalable pixel fill rates from 140 megapixels per second to greater than one gigapixel per second, depending on system configuration. AAlchemy features enhanced geometry and texture throughput to deliver industry-leading performance, capable of supporting 1280 x 1024 resolution or greater. The AAlchemy architecture approach enables wide parallelism for single-pass, full-scene, sub-pixel anti-aliasing and deep parallelism for scalable fill rate. AAlchemy delivers 32-bit per-pixel color and Z, source, and destination alpha-blending, stencil buffering, advanced texture compression, enhanced transparency support, and advanced video capabilities.

About Quantum3D

Quantum3D, San Jose, California, was the first company to deliver PC-based visual computing systems with full-scene, hardware anti-aliased graphics capabilities for visual simulation and training. The company develops and markets integrated PC-based interactive 3D visual computing systems, realtime 3D graphics subsystems, and related system software, that combine to deliver sustained realtime frame rates, superior graphics quality, and value. Quantum3D delivers complete 3D visual computing solutions for the visual simulation and training market and the out-of-home entertainment markets, and is the exclusive supplier of 3dfx(R) graphics technology into those markets. In addition, Quantum3D creates and distributes realtime 3D development software tools and products, enabling developers to fully optimize their applications to benefit from the company's visual computing systems.

Note to Editors: Quantum3D, Heavy Metal, Mercury, AAlchemy, SimGL and OpenGVS are trademarks of Quantum3D. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.