Apple To Purchase And Resell The FOCUS Enhancements
iTView-DV Developed For The New Apple iMac DV Designed Custom For The New iMac, The iTView-DV Delivers Precise Desktop Control Over TV Display FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCSE) announced today a new video conversion product designed to support simultaneous mirroring of Apple's new iMac DV and iMac DV Special Edition. The FOCUS iTView-DVô, based on the Company's proprietary FS400ô digital video co-processor, is an external video scan converter that allows the built-in displays of the new iMac DVs to be mirrored on a television. In addition, the iTView-DV is the only product available with a software interface allowing direct communication between the iTView-DV and the Apple iMac DV to support device configuration and mouse-controlled pan when in zoom mode. This tight coupling of the iMac DV with the iTView-DV, along with the ultra-high video quality of the FS400, make the iTView-DV ideal for educators, trainers, and presenters requiring presentation devices that provide precise video display control from the desktop on a television. The iTView-DV turns any television into a large screen computer display. Instead of two or three students hovering around one computer monitor, the entire class can share in the learning experience on a large TV screen. It offers users a reliable means of displaying presentations, games, and multimedia on any TV, providing an interactive learning environment. The iTView-DV is also ideal for recording movies generated in iMovie software to television. Students now have the ability to record their class work and bring it with them for home viewing. The iTView-DV is also well-suited for graphic designers, presenters, and trainers to display images in business meetings, large training environments, and in home entertainment settings. Affordably priced at the suggested list price of $139, the iTView-DV delivers features normally found in high-end video conversion devices. The iTView-DV will be available in late October. FOCUS and Apple have entered into an agreement that will allow Apple Computer to market and sell the iTView-DV via The Apple Store (www.apple.com) and through their Apple Education Sales Agents (AESAs). FOCUS Enhancements will make the new iTView-DV available through their network of resellers and VARs. In previous years, FOCUS has developed custom PC-to-TV video conversion products for various Apple computers. In 1995 with a similar program FOCUS sold over 100,000 PC-to-TV video conversion devices to Apple and in 1997 the Company sold over 100,000 TView Classmates to Apple for the education market. ""FOCUS is extremely excited to develop the new iTView-DV for Apple's revolutionary new iMac DV,"" stated Bill Schillhammer, Vice President of OEM Sales at FOCUS Enhancements. ""Our exclusive software and FS400 chip features make control of the video scan converter easier than ever, making iMac DV's video image on a television look outstanding."" ""The new iMac DV models feature built-in capabilities that are perfect for educators and presenters, such as the revolutionary iMovie software for making digital movies and the ability to project the iMac DV screen to an external display for group viewing,"" said David Moody, Apple's Senior Director of Worldwide Desktop Product Marketing. ""iTView-DV lets educators use a television as the external display for iMac DV, making iMac DV an essential tool for the classroom."" Unlike other PC-to-TV video conversion products, only the iTView-DV supports high-quality compression with independent horizontal and vertical underscan. TrueScaleÆ technology compresses images evenly and clearly without any line dropping or color distortion. The iTView-DV can also accommodate all iMac DV resolutions, displaying the entire contents of the iMac DV screen on any size television, including new 16x9 (1.78:1) widescreen format TVs. The iTView-DV's unique software interface allows users to control all image enhancement, panning, and zooming from the desktop. In addition, with the Area Zoomô feature of the software interface, the mouse can be used to zoom into a specific area on the computer screen. Once the screen is in zoom mode, users can then use the mouse to pan the zoomed window in any desired direction. This gives iMac DV users the ability to focus on specific areas of a display to add emphasis to a presentation and enhance the teaching and learning experience. For more information, contact FOCUS directly at 978 988 5888 or visit the Web site at www.FOCUSinfo.com. About FOCUS Enhancements FOCUS Enhancements, Inc. is an industry leader in the development and marketing of advanced, proprietary video conversion ASICs for the rapidly converging, multi-billion dollar Internet, computer, and television industries. The Company's technology, which is sold globally through Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and resellers, merges computer-generated graphics and television displays for Internet viewing, presentations, training, education, video teleconferencing, and home gaming markets. In addition, the Company is developing a family of products that will enable the current installed base of televisions, VCRs, and camcorders to remain functional in upcoming HDTV environments.