Discreet Ships smoke 6 on Linux

Press Release
Contact: Discreet Public Relations

Discreet Ships smoke 6 on Intel-based IBM Linux Workstation to Customers
Worldwide

Montreal, Canada—April 6, 2004—Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc.
(NASDAQ: ADSK) today announced that its smoke® 6 system on the Intel-based
IBM workstation running Linux is now shipping worldwide. Discreet’s smoke 6
editing and finishing system is already available on the Silicon Graphics®
Octane2TM and Silicon Graphics TezroTM visual workstations. The addition of
Linux workstation support and new pricing ensures that the smoke 6 system is
accessible to broadcasters and the growing segment of mid-range
post-production facilities.

Global interest in Discreet’s smoke 6 on this new platform is demonstrated
by early sales to Dynamo in Brazil, Arizona Producoes and Pix Mix in
Portugal, Imarion and Buzz Image Group in Canada, Serena Digital in Spain,
and Prime Focus in India. Analyst firm TrendWatch reports that 57 percent of
U.S. broadcast studios expect that business in 2004 will be excellent and
better than last year. As a result, Discreet anticipates the demand for
broadcast graphics and promos, and post-production work for television
commercials to rise, thereby fuelling demand for its smoke 6 system.

"Discreet’s smoke 6 system on the Linux workstation is a great addition to
our services," said Jean-Marc Laurin, smoke editor at Montreal-based Buzz
Image Group. "The system is incredibly fast and versatile. Our clients are
amazed at its speed. With the immense power of Discreet's finishing tools
incorporated into the smoke timeline, I can finally construct, create and
experiment with what's in my head and propose rapid solutions to the
client – solutions that weren't on the board. I can push the limits of my
ideas."

Buzz Image Group is using Discreet’s smoke 6 system on the Intel-based IBM
workstation running Linux as a "creation station" where story, effects and
designs fuse together to create pre-builds for high-end motion-picture
effects, total conform and packaging for multi-format television series,
motion graphics and design for major network and product branding. Discreet’
s smoke 6 system on the Intel-based IBM workstation running Linux is also
used to edit and finish commercial spots, network promos and music videos.
The system is fully integrated with Buzz Image Group’s fleet of Discreet
inferno®, flame®, flint® and fire® systems.

smoke 6 on the Intel-based IBM workstation running Linux is a
standard-definition (SD) system that features high quality OpenGL graphics,
uncompressed standard definition video I/O (PAL/NTSC) and a choice of
Discreet’s high-performance stone® Fibre Channel storage arrays, including
the option for fully redundant hardware RAID 5 solutions. For details on
product features visit www.discreet.com/smoke.

"Discreet’s smoke 6 on the Linux workstation is delivering unparalleled
performance to digital artists," said Bob Lenard, director for IBM
IntelliStation Workstations. "The availability of smoke 6 on the Linux
workstation could not be better timed. We’re seeing post-production and
broadcast companies strongly embrace Linux migration because of its speed,
networkability and cost-effectiveness."

Discreet collaborated with visual computing technology provider NVIDIA to
build high-performance Linux drivers and deliver the smoke 6 system on a
Linux workstation. NVIDIA's powerful Quadro FX 3000G graphics genlocking
feature was selected for its extensive high-end graphics and video
capabilities. Said Jeff Brown, general manager of workstation product
management at NVIDIA, "Discreet and NVIDIA have advanced functionality on
standard platforms - this is a huge leap forward for professional visual
computing. Discreet's smoke 6 system is resetting industry expectations
because it proves that a rock-solid, turnkey editing and finishing system
can run on a Linux-based workstation."

Broadcaster CBS2 in Chicago is making extensive use of its Discreet smoke
system in its promo and design departments. Discreet’s smoke system has been
used on numerous other broadcast projects such as Nickelodeon’s series
"Fairly Odd Parents" (Broadway Video), Super Bowl XXXVIII graphics and
promos for CBS (Broadway Video), promos for Indianapolis-based WHTR-TV and
New York-based WPIX-TV, and Boston-based WBZ-TV’s graphics packages and
promos.

"Discreet’s smoke 6 on the Intel-based IBM workstation running Linux gives
broadcasters and mid-range post-production facilities more choice in their
editing and finishing systems," said Martin Vann, vice president of sales
and marketing at Discreet. "With smoke 6, digital media professionals have
better access to a powerful, proven editing system, and with our program of
platform transparency, customers can migrate applications to the platform
which best meets their requirement."

Pricing and Availability

Discreet’s smoke 6 on the Intel-based IBM workstation running Linux is now
shipping worldwide, with North American pricing for a turnkey system
starting at US$68,000. For more information on configurations and pricing,
please contact Discreet sales at 800-869-3504.

About Discreet

Discreet empowers media professionals to realise the visual experience and
transform their most evocative and ambitious visions into reality.
Discreet's solutions are designed for digital media creation, management and
delivery—across all disciplines from film and television visual effects,
colour grading and editing to animation, game development, web/interactive,
and design visualization. Discreet is based in Montréal, Canada and is a
division of Autodesk, Inc, the world's leading design and digital media
creation, management, and distribution company. Product and corporate
information: www.discreet.com.

Discreet is a division of Autodesk, Inc. Autodesk, Discreet and smoke,
flint, flame, fire, inferno and stone are either trademarks or registered
trademarks of Autodesk, Inc./ Autodesk Canada Inc. in the USA and/or other
countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to
their respective holders.

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