Matrox Video Products Group Celebrates 25 Years of Success

Matrox Video Products Group today announced that 2001 marks the 25th anniversary of the Matrox group of companies. Founded in Montreal in 1976 by engineers, Lorne Trottier and Branko Matic, Matrox has expanded worldwide and has earned its reputation for creating reliable, leading-edge graphics, imaging, and digital video products.

"We work in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment where companies come and go," said Lorne Trottier, president of the Matrox group of companies. "Our success is due to our dedicated employees and their ability to look ahead and develop creative products that surpass the competition in quality, performance, and value."

Matrox has been at the forefront of technology, beginning with the launch of its first product, Video RAM, in 1976. This alphanumeric controller was used to display data from microprocessor controlled automation systems and was the first specialized display device to hit the global market. As a video display device, the VRAM set the theme for future product development at Matrox.

The introduction of the RGB-GRAPH in 1982 was another milestone in the company's history. It combined color graphics with a video frame grabber, incorporating multiple baseline features that paved the way for future video, graphics, and imaging products.

A major breakthrough came in 1986, when the company won a $100 million contract with the US Army to develop and produce an Electronic Information Delivery System. EIDS was the world's first multimedia PC with the ability to combine color graphics, video, digital audio, and computer data on a single laser disk. This project catapulted Matrox into the multimedia content creation and delivery arena.

In 1989, Matrox Video Products Group released the Illuminator series of videographics cards, which were widely used for graphics and titling by broadcast facilities around the world. NAB '92 saw the launch of Matrox Studio - the first hybrid linear/nonlinear video editing system for broadcast and post-production professionals.

The award-winning DigiSuite series of realtime editing platforms debuted in 1996 and quickly became the best-selling product line in its class. The series is noted for advanced realtime editing features, unique productivity tools, and support for the widest range of third-party editing applications including Adobe Premiere, Discreet edit, IMC Incite, in-sync Speed Razor, and United Media On-Line Express. Over 25,000 DigiSuite systems are currently in use worldwide, meeting the demanding requirements of television broadcasters, post-production facilities, project studios, and corporate video producers.

Matrox RT2000, a professional editing solution designed for corporate communicators, event videographers, and video enthusiasts began shipping in early 2000 at a prosumer price point. RT2000 provides true three-layer realtime editing in DV and MPEG-2 formats with realtime broadcast-quality 3D digital video effects, powered by the revolutionary new Matrox Flex 3D technology.

In October 2000, Matrox Video Products Group received a prestigious Emmy award for "Outstanding Achievement in Technological Advancement." Presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Emmy
award specifically recognized Matrox for "pioneering development of full-motion broadcast-quality PC video and compression plug-in cards utilized in the manufacture of nonlinear editing systems and video servers."

Today, Matrox Video Products Group is a leading supplier of realtime editing, DVD authoring, and web streaming products with focus on two business areas: sales of digital video hardware and software development tools to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and sales of realtime nonlinear editing platforms to end users under the DigiSuite, RT2000, and RTMac brands.

OEMs incorporating Matrox video technology in their own products include such industry giants as Avid, Chyron, Inscriber, JVC, Leitch, Panasonic, Philips Digital Video Systems, and Thomson Broadcast.

"The future of the Matrox Video Products Group is bright," said Alain Legault, vice president of product development. "We've just begun shipping Matrox RTMac, the first realtime video editing card for Apple's Final Cut Pro and we'll be making some important new product announcements at NAB '01 in April. The creativity, dedication and commitment to excellence of the entire Matrox Video Products team is reflected in the state-of-the art video editing products we produce today and will continue to produce in the future."

Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd., 1055 St. Regis Blvd, Dorval, PQ H9P 2T4. Tel: 514-685-2630; Fax: 514-685-2853.