Advanced Gravis Introduces Software Upgrade for Gravis UltraSound

"GUS" is improving sound quality for the large installed base of
entertainment software while aggressively promoting new standards of
authenticity, clarity in wave table synthesis audio

INTERMEDIA -- SAN JOSE, Calif-- March 30, 1993 -- Advanced Gravis today
announced their eight megabyte software upgrade 2.0 to Gravis UltraSound.
The upgrade includes a 6.5Mb, 192-instrument and special sound effects
midi patch' set plus two music software packages: Power Chords for Windows
from Howling Dog and Midisoft Recording Session for Windows.

In addition, Gravis UltraSound features an SBOS upgrade designed to enhance
the sound quality of most popular game software on the market. The company
has also answered their users' requests for software that is easier to
install, features a streamlined graphical interface to select files and
control playback, and offers many functions automated and optimized for
Windows including the following: 

* Patch Manager under Windows -- Advanced Gravis has improved the Windows
drivers to support multiple midi sessions for both input and output. 

* Automated Windows installation -- One command from the Program Manager
does it all.

* Integrated Diagnostics -- Designed to help users configure and optimize
their system for Gravis UltraSound.

"We have listened to our user base who has made excellent recommendations
since Gravis UltraSound's introduction in October 1992. We have solved our
technical problems and responded to many of our users' suggestions that
were submitted to us via Internet, our own bulletin board, and the mail,"
said Grant Russell, president of Advanced Gravis." Our SBOS upgrade is a
significant software improvement designed to serve the needs of both
sophisticated users and newcomers to music, game, edutainment, business
presentation, and other audio activities on their PCs."

Gravis SBOS Upgrade 2.0: Recognizing that much of the existing
entertainment software still relies on earlier FM-synthesis
(electronically generated sounds) Advanced Gravis has taken steps to
further dramatically improve compatibility through enhanced SBOS drivers
to take advantage of the large installed base of Sound Blaster compatible
software still on the market.

"UltraSound takes old Ad Lib and Sound Blaster games that play in mono and
boosts them into stereo. New games such as Nova Logic's "Comanche Maximum
Overkill" suddenly are delivered in high presence stereo with sound
unmistakably crisper and clearer with music and digital sound effects with
the Gravis SBOS upgrade than with any existing Sound Blaster-compatible
board," said David Reid, Advanced Gravis vice president of marketing. "In
the SBOS mode, UltraSound surpasses the quality of existing SoundBlaster
boards. "

Advanced Gravis has tested the top 100 games on the market and has proven
it significantly enhanced their performance with the upgraded SBOS
drivers. Unsolicited reports from UltraSound's user base through
electronic bulletin boards have also reported highly satisfactory results
with at least another 200 games.

"Advanced Gravis is on a mission to improve the sound quality standard
while striding forward into better, more realistic sound reproduction and
recording with wave table synthesis," said Grant Russell, president of
Advanced Gravis. "The market for audio products is expanding rapidly to
include users who desire the quality of professional audio output at
consumer costs. The market evolution is a natural progression that took us
from the squawks of Pong games to the sophistication of industrial virtual
audio epitomized by the Gravis UltraSound technology."

More than 22 software manufacturers including Accolade, Electronic Arts,
Microprose, and MidiSoft are already offering or are expected to have
titles that support Advanced Gravis' UltraSound wave table synthesis by
the end of the first quarter. Gravis' aggressive developer relations
program is expected to yield another 18 titles before midyear.

"FM synthesis is clearly unsatisfactory. The market knows what high quality
audio sounds like and is expecting that quality in simulation games,
entertainment CD-ROMs, desktop presentations, and other multimedia
applications. Gravis UltraSound card delivers that quality." Russell said.
"By making it easy for developers to write for wave table synthesis we are
collectively pushing the technology envelope and are establishing a long
and secure life for the UltraSound card with a strong base of compatible
applications that will satisfy the future's more demanding users."

Advanced Gravis will begin shipping the software upgrade on April 8th. The
software upgrade will be provided free of charge to registered owners of
the Gravis UltraSound Card and will be included in all future UltraSound
products.

Gravis UltraSound, fondly called "GUS" by its large installed base is among
the highest performance, latest technology wave table synthesis boards on
the market. Priced at U.S. $199.95, Gravis UltraSound offers sound
reproduction based on the digital sampling of real sounds. In addition to
offering 16-bit, 32-voice wave table synthesis, Gravis UltraSound offers
CD quality sound reproduction and recording capability. UltraSound is
compatible with Sound Blaster and AdLib and provides enhanced AdLib and
Sound Blaster reproduction. It also supports Microsoft Windows 3.1
Multimedia Extensions.

Advanced Gravis, a Canadian company based in Burnaby B.C., is a leading
designer and manufacturer of computer input devices. In addition to
UltraSound and UltraSound 3D, the company offers more than 14 models of
joysticks for most major computers including the Gravis Analog Joystick,
the Gravis GamePad, and the optical MouseStick for the Macintosh and IBM
PC platforms.

Advanced Gravis Computer Technology Ltd.
101-3750 North Fraser Way, Burnaby, B.C., Canada V5J 5E9 
Tel (604) 431-5020;   Fax (604) 431-5155;  Sales (800) 663-8558
US Distribution Center: 1790 Midway Lane, Bellingham, WA 98226

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