NEW YORK -- April 25, 2000 -- With an eye toward the balloting this November, Orad today announced that it is providing a special package that will enable TV stations to set up virtual sets for election coverage with a minimal investment of resources and without impacting existing studio spaces.

The complete Orad Election 2000 package includes Orad's MobileSet portable virtual set system, customized graphics for each station, and free installation and training. MobileSet, Orad's latest virtual set solution, is easily integrated into any hard set environment and requires just a single operator for set-up and deployment. Even hand-held cameras can be used freely for indoor or outdoor set-ups.

"This new Orad package will give stations everything they need to design the innovative, memorable sets that the first U.S. presidential elections of the century and the millennium deserve," said Matthew Straeb, President, Orad, Inc. "Besides giving viewers a night to remember, MobileSet is a highly cost-effective way for stations to begin enjoying the benefits of virtual sets for a wide range of news programming."

Orad virtual sets made their U.S. election debut on ABC for the 1996 presidential race and have since been used by broadcasters from South Africa to Taiwan to provide striking graphics for election night audiences. As part of the Election 2000 package, stations will receive a full elections graphics package from EGAD!, complete with multiple CG backgrounds for results, promotional trailers, etc.

Orad's MobileSet works with flexibly sized panels with virtual screen capabilities ranging from handheld applications to a full-scale video wall. Panel and camera position and orientation information is extracted from the video feed itself, thus enabling the use of handheld cameras.

External hardware requirements for Orad's Election 2000 package are minimal, and consist of an SGI O2 workstation, a chromakeyer, a switcher for multiple camera applications, and an A/D converter.

Orders for Orad's Election 2000 package are being taken now.

About Orad
Orad is a publicly traded company recently listed on the Neuer Market, the segment of the Frankfurt stock exchange for high technology companies. Orad's principal investors are ISL, the world's largest sports sponsorship organization; Intel Atlantic Inc., a subsidiary of Intel Corporation; and the ORMAT Group, a publicly traded conglomerate of companies engaged in high-tech investments, optical inspection, alternative energy and sophisticated medical diagnostics.

Established in 1993, Orad Hi-Tec Systems is a world leader in virtual set technologies, virtual advertising and sports broadcasting tools. Orad specializes in the development and manufacture of video and real-time image processing technologies for the TV broadcast and postproduction markets. Its virtual studio sets -- CyberSet O, M and E -- are based on the fusion of pattern recognition, tracking and electro-optic technologies, allowing free movement of cameras and talent. Orad also develops systems for virtual advertising and sports broadcasting, which have achieved worldwide recognition and success at a wide range of events and venues.

Additional information on Orad can be found at www.orad-ny.com.

 

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