Canopus Ships Xplode Professional 4.0

    LAS VEGAS, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- NAB 2003 -- Canopus Corporation, makers
 of award-winning digital video editing products, today announced the
 availability of Xplode(TM) Professional 4.0.  This update to the company's
 popular 3D video effects software package features a host of new transitions,
 the new fully keyframable Composer effects, improved rendering capabilities
 and advanced preset handling capabilities to make creating stunning video
 content faster and easier.
 
     Key Features of Xplode Professional 4.0
 
     Exciting Effects
     Xplode Professional 4.0 includes a new Composer, which offers full control
 over the customization and keyframing of specialized effects and transitions,
 and allows editors to create stunning 3D effects in a user-friendly interface.
 An interactive preview offers editors a hands-on method to manipulating these
 effects using the Composer's Preview Window Tools.  The Composer window also
 features a timeline that allows editors to add and configure keyframes
 containing customized parameters at time-specific points throughout the
 effect.
     Composer transitions include Picture Frame for 3D frame effects with
 custom textures, Advanced Alpha Map with customizable Alpha Map and Color Map
 motion, Morphing Shapes, which lets users distort the shape of a Page Peel,
 Sphere, Cylinder, Wave or Page Roll effect, and a 3D Box effect with complete
 customization options for each individual box face.  In addition, Multiple
 Objects lets users place up to eight different objects into a transition for
 even more creative freedom.  Several effects can also be combined with an
 Alpha Mask or a graphic containing a transparency to provide even more
 customization for PIP and text effects.
 
     New Look and Feel
     Xplode Professional 4.0 features the new transition Launcher that makes
 selecting, customizing and creating transitions faster and easier, giving
 editors more control over the production process.  This new interface also
 provides improved preview playback and scrub controls.
 
     Advanced Rendering
     Xplode Professional 4.0 also includes an improved render engine that
 provides higher-quality output, including superior antialiasing.
     "Xplode Professional 4.0's features, including the new transition Launcher
 and Composer effects, are designed to enhance creativity while radically
 reducing production time," said Nathan Yanoff, product marketing manager at
 Canopus Corporation.  "We've been able to add these complex features while
 retaining Xplode Professional's intuitive nature. Our goal is to continue to
 develop tools like this, which let video editors spend more time creating
 unique video content and less time learning the applications."
 
     About Xplode Professional
     Xplode Professional 3D video effects software is compatible with all video
 capture cards, including OHCI cards and supports Adobe(R) Premiere(R), Ulead
 MediaStudio Pro(R) and Canopus Edit applications. Xplode Professional 4.0
 includes over 900 effects, an intuitive interface for effortless effects
 creation and customization, and advanced rendering and overscan handling
 capabilities that let video editors create stunning, professional-quality
 video content quickly and easily.  Advanced keyframe capabilities, along with
 configurable shadows, lighting and soft border features are included for
 creating realistic and dramatic effects.
     For ultimate performance, Xplode Professional 4.0 takes advantage of
 advanced hardware acceleration for faster rendering. Xplode Professional's
 SmartConfig intuitive interface dramatically reduces the learning curve,
 allowing users to adjust transitions to their specific needs easily and
 quickly.  The global transition settings feature allows users to change the
 render mode and overscan handling on all transitions at once, cutting
 production time significantly. In addition, editors can easily import 3D
 objects from both NewTek LightWave(R) and discreet 3ds max(R) to create
 customized 3D effects.  Video and still images can also be imported into
 Xplode Professional through support of the most common formats, including AVI,
 BMP, PSD, TGA, TIF and JPG.
     Xplode Professional 4.0 supports Windows(R) 2000, Windows XP Home and
 Windows XP Professional and is available now from Canopus and its authorized
 dealers for $299.  Registered users of Xplode Professional 3.0 can upgrade to
 4.0 for a special upgrade price of $99.  Registered users of Xplode Basics can
 upgrade to Xplode Professional 4.0 for a $199.  For additional upgrade details
 visit the Canopus Web site at www.canopus.com.
 
     About Canopus Corporation
     Based in San Jose, Calif., Canopus Corporation manufactures award-winning,
 nonlinear video editing products for video professionals and enthusiasts.
 Canopus's DV editing, MPEG encoding, 3D DVE and video transcoding products
 combine innovative hardware and software designs to set new standards in
 performance, functionality and reliability.  Canopus Corporation's parent
 company, Canopus Co., Ltd., with headquarters in Kobe, is Japan's largest
 maker of video editing and graphics products.  The company has offices in the
 UK, Germany, Australia, Italy and China in addition to an extensive worldwide
 distributor network. For more information contact Canopus at (408) 954-4500 or
 visit their Web site at www.canopus.com.
     Canopus is a registered trademark and Xplode Professional is a trademark
 of Canopus Corporation.  All other trademarks and registered trademarks are
 property of their respective owners.
 
 

SOURCE  Canopus Corporation