SYNTHETIC APERTURE RELEASES ECHO FIRE FOR ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS AND PHOTOSHOP

Provides Accurate Digital Video Previewing via FireWire

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA -- January 28, 2000 -- Synthetic Aperture today announced the release of Echo Fire, bringing accurate video previewing via FireWire to Adobe After Effects and Photoshop on the Macintosh. Basic differences between computer and video monitors--including gamma and color encoding differences, the lack of interlacing and overscan on computer monitors, and the smaller color gamut available with video--make it difficult to properly evaluate video projects on a computer monitor.

"Previewing on an NTSC or PAL video monitor is the only way to really see what your project looks like." said Robert Currier, President, Synthetic Aperture. "But previously that meant buying a specialized video card and finding a slot to put it in. With the built-in FireWire ports on the Macintosh G3 and G4 systems, you get true video previewing without needing another PCI slot, which also provides an excellent solution for PowerBook systems."

Accurate Video Previews

By plugging directly into Adobe After Effects and Photoshop, Echo Fire gives accurate video previews as you work with your familiar tools. Echo Fire displays the current composition in After Effects and the current document in Photoshop, regardless of pixel aspect ratio or composition size.

More Than Simple Previews

Echo Fire does more than just preview projects on a video monitor. It can also overlay test and diagnostic information on the preview, including a waveform monitor, vectorscope, safe action and title area limits, and a variety of color bar test patterns. Echo Fire can evaluate the video signal, verify overscan limits, and calibrate the video monitor, all with the same tool.

When working with 16:9 aspect ratio anamorphic video, Echo Fire performs aspect ratio conversion to give an undistorted display, with a choice of cropping or letterboxing.

Export to FireWire

Once a project has been rendered to DV, transferring it out the FireWire connection requires software not included with the Mac OS. Echo Fire provides a QuickTime export module that can easily move DV video and audio out the FireWire port using QuickTime Player or other application that supports QuickTime movie export.

Video Color Picker

Echo Fire provides a special Video Color Picker for use in After Effects, Photoshop, and other graphics programs. The Video Color Picker previews your color choice on the video monitor, showing exactly what the color will look like. The Color Picker also flags any "illegal" colors that exceed broadcast limits and will "legalize" the color at the touch of a button.

QuickTime Video Output Components

In addition to FireWire connections, Echo Fire also supports previewing through QuickTime Video Output Components, letting you use Echo Fire with video cards like the Pinnacle Systems Targa 1000 and 2000.

Compatibility

Echo Fire is available for PowerPC-based Macintosh systems and is compatible with Adobe After Effects 4.0 and later and Adobe Photoshop 5.0 and later. It requires Mac OS 8.1 or newer and QuickTime 4.0 or later. The video output device must have a QuickTime Video Output Component, such as Apple FireWire or the Pinnacle Systems Targa 1000/2000. For use with FireWire, a DV camcorder or media converter is required. Echo Fire is compatible with NTSC and PAL video systems.

Availability

Echo Fire is available for immediate purchase. List price for Echo Fire is US $275. Orders placed for electronic delivery directly from the company's web site http://www.synthetic-ap.com are eligible for a discounted price of US $255. A demo version is available on the web site.

About Synthetic Aperture

Founded in 1995, Synthetic Aperture is a provider of tools and services for digital video and immersive imaging. In addition to Echo Fire, Synthetic Aperture publishes the Video Finesse filters for Adobe Premiere, a line of digital video clip art collections, and the popular free utility Test Pattern Maker.

Further information on Synthetic Aperture may be obtained by calling (949) 493-3444, accessing their web site at http://www.synthetic-ap.com, or by emailing sales@synthetic-ap.com. Screen shots and product images are available on the company's web site.