STB's retail presence strengthened by Nitro 3D gaming accelerator; strong bundle from Activision, VREAM and Micrografx enhances Nitro 3D's appeal.RICHARDSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 1997--STB Systems Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :STBI) Monday began shipping the Nitro 3D, a next- generation 3-D accelerator designed to give game players and other graphics-driven users the speed, resolution and 3-D realism needed to fully experience today's most popular applications. The Nitro 3D from STB See set-top box. STB - set-top box delivers high-end 2-D/3-D digital video playback with ultrahigh-bandwidth video memory for optimum resolutions and refresh rates and up to 16.7 million colors for photorealistic Having the image quality of a photograph. images. The Nitro 3D also employs the industry's most sophisticated 3-D technologies to deliver truly stunning 3-D results. ``For the past two years, STB has been gaining retail market share at our competitors' expense, and the Nitro 3D should accelerate that shift,'' said Lief Koepsol, STB's national channel sales manager sales manager n → gerente m/f de ventas sales manager n → directeur commercial sales manager sale n → . ``The 3-D performance, the aggressive price point and the outstanding software bundle have created a lot of excitement in the retail channel for the Nitro 3D.'' Dazzling 3-D Capabilities STB Systems has put today's most advanced 3-D technologies to work in the Nitro 3D. This accelerator employs both flat and Gouraud shading In 3D graphics, a technique developed by Henri Gouraud in the early 1970s that computes a shaded surface based on the color and illumination at the corners of every triangle. Gouraud shading is the simplest rendering method and is computed faster than Phong shading. to give on-screen on·screen or on-screen adj. & adv. 1. As shown on a movie, television, or display screen. 2. Within public view; in public. shapes smoother and more realistic shading. Texture mapping is used to create impressive and amazingly realistic 3-D scenes and backgrounds. The Nitro 3D also employs MIP Mapping to optimize performance while further improving the quality of texture mapping. In addition, the Nitro 3D utilizes Z-Buffering, Fogging and Depth Cue/Sort, Alpha Blending, Double-Buffering, Anti-Alias and Bilinear bi·lin·e·ar adj. Linear with respect to each of two variables or positions. Used of functions or equations. Adj. 1. bilinear - linear with respect to each of two variables or positions Filtered Texture Maps to achieve unsurpassed 3-D speed and realism. The Nitro 3D provides smooth, full-frame, full-motion playback of MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). , Active Movie, Direct Video, AVI (Audio Video Interleaved) A Windows multimedia video format from Microsoft. It interleaves standard waveform audio and digital video frames (bitmaps) to provide reduced animation at 15 fps at 160x120x8 resolution. Audio is 11,025Hz, 8-bit samples. , Intel ProShare, Intel Intercast and other video sources. The Nitro 3D also features an incredibly fast 170MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. DAC See D/A converter and discretionary access control. DAC - Digital to Analog Converter , which enables the adapter to support resolutions up to 1600x1200 and refresh rates up to 160Hz. The Nitro 3D employs 4MB of high-speed video memory; a 2MB expandable model is also available. ``Today's user demands a new and higher level of on-screen 3-D performance, both in terms of full-motion video playback and in the realism of the graphics images themselves,'' said Gary Kellar, director of video product marketing for STB Systems. ``The playback power and the remarkable imaging capabilities of Nitro 3D represent a new and higher level of 3-D realism.'' The Nitro 3D works with any SVGA (Super VGA) A screen resolution of 800x600 pixels. Third-party vendors extended IBM's VGA display standard and were the first to use the term. SVGA has also referred to 1,024x768 resolutions. See PC display modes. multiple-frequency monitor. It provides VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association, Milpitas, CA, www.vesa.org) A membership organization founded in 1989 that sets interface standards for the PC, workstation and computing environments. Note the following VESA standards following this entry. DDC-2B support for plug-and-play monitors, and the retail version is backed by STB's limited lifetime warranty. STB's Nitro 3D high-performance 2D/3D Windows and Multimedia Accelerator is the market's first to incorporate the next-generation power of S3's ViRGE GX graphics controller. ``As evidenced by STB's recent PC Magazine Editor's Choice award, S3 and STB are delivering award-winning multimedia solutions to the PC market,'' said Harry Dickinson, senior vice president of sales, S3 Inc. ``Combining next-generation 3-D rendering with advanced video playback and blazing 2-D acceleration, STB's ViRGE/GX-based Nitro 3D product delivers new levels of multimedia performance and aims to be another award-winning solution.'' STB shipped the Nitro 3D to customers Monday and will ship to selected PC OEMs later this week. The 2MB Nitro 3D has a suggested retail price of $129, and STB is offering a $30 mail-in introductory rebate, bringing the price to $99. The 4MB Nitro 3D has a suggested retail price of $149. Bundled Titles Announced The retail version of the 2MB Nitro 3D will ship with Activision's HyperBlade and MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries, as well as WIRL by VREAM and a limited version of Simply 3D from Micrografx. The 4MB Nitro 3D will ship with HyperBlade, MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries, Spycraft: The Great Game and the hot new title Interstate '76, all from Activision, in addition to WIRL by VREAM and a limited version of Simply 3D from Micrografx. HyperBlade Launching a new generation of cybersports, HyperBlade is one of the first fast-paced multiplayer futuristic sports titles. HyperBlade features real-time 3-D graphics and outstanding game and sound design, combining the hard-hitting action of hockey, soccer, lacrosse lacrosse (ləkrôs`), ball and goal game usually played outdoors by two teams of 10 players each on a field 60 to 70 yd (54.86 to 64.01 m) wide by 110 yd (100.58 m) long. Two goals face each other 80 yd (73. and extreme skating. MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries An explosive sequel to the blockbuster hit MechWarrior 2, MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries plunges players into a dark gritty world of combat for hire where loyalty and honor are meaningless in the quest for money, power and fame. As Inner Sphere Mercenaries, players battle against the five houses of the Inner Sphere as well as invading clans. Spycraft: The Great Game Spycraft: The Great Game was developed in conjunction with William Colby, former director of the CIA CIA: see Central Intelligence Agency. (1) (Confidentiality Integrity Authentication) The three important concerns with regards to information security. Encryption is used to provide confidentiality (privacy, secrecy). , and Oleg Kalugin, former major general of the KGB KGB: see secret police. KGB Russian Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti (“Committee for State Security”) Soviet agency responsible for intelligence, counterintelligence, and internal security. . This chilling espionage adventure plunges players into a world of international intrigue as they assume the role of the post-Cold War spy. Players lead special forces, eliminate double agents, analyze satellite photos and intercept radio communications in an attempt to preserve peace in the new world order. Interstate '76 Behind the wheel of classic '70s-type muscle cars, players face off against a fierce gang of auto terrorists intent on destroying the largest oil reserve in the United States. Players choose from more than 25 far-out vehicles armed with dozens of customizable weapons as they embark on more than 25 real-time missions. Simply 3D 2 Limited Edition Simply 3D 2 from Micrografx is a ground-breaking new 3-D animation and rendering program for Windows 95 and NT. With it, you can create flying logos for multimedia and the Internet using tools like the Flying Text Wizard and the Scene Explorer. With advanced Direct 3D support, Simply 3D 2 provides the easiest and fastest way to create 3-D graphics on your PC. WIRL by VREAM (a PLATINUM technology company) VREAM's WIRL is the ultimate product for experiencing virtual reality on the Web. WIRL sets the pace for delivering state-of-the- art interactive 3-D technology on the World Wide Web. WIRL, which recently won the PC Magazine Editor's Choice award for VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) A 3D graphics language used on the Web. After downloading a VRML page, its contents can be viewed, rotated and manipulated. Simulated rooms can be "walked into." The VRML viewer is launched from within the Web browser. browsers, comes with more than 20 demonstration worlds. Play virtual slot machines, fly helicopters, watch 3-D logos spin and more -- all on the Web. STB will be shipping WIRL both as a Netscape plug-in and as a Microsoft ActiveX Control. Simply the Best! STB Systems designs, manufactures and sells multimedia accelerators and other multimedia subsystem products for use primarily in desktop personal computers. STB has established a history of designing award-winning graphics controllers and writing specialized video drivers that provide maximum software performance and compatibility. STB is the second-largest supplier of multimedia accelerators worldwide, as ranked by International Data Corp. (IDC), and is registered as ISO (1) See ISO speed. (2) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.ch) An organization that sets international standards, founded in 1946. The U.S. member body is ANSI. 9002-compliant. Founded in 1981 and having headquarters in Richardson, STB Systems also has facilities in Houston and El Paso, Texas; Eugene, Ore.; Juarez, Mexico; Belfast, Northern Ireland; London; Paris; and Munich, Germany. -0- NOTE TO EDITORS: Activision and Spycraft: The Great Game are registered trademarks and HyperBlade and Interstate '76 are trademarks of Activision Inc. Copyright 1996, 1997, Activision. All rights reserved. HyperBlade is developed by WizBang! Software Productions Inc. in collaboration with Activision. WizBang! is a registered trademark of WizBang! Software Productions Inc. MechWarrior, BattleTech, BattleMech and 'Mech are registered trademarks and MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries is a trademark of the FASA FASA Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 FASA Filipino-American Student Association FASA Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association (nonprofit association representing the interests of ambulatory surgery centers) Corp. Copyright 1996, FASA Corp. All rights reserved. VREAM is a registered trademark and WIRL is a trademark of VREAM Inc. Copyright 1997, VREAM. Used under license. CONTACT: STB Systems Inc., Richardson Brian Burke, 972/234-8750, ext. 2113 bburke@stb.com www.stb.com |
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