FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2003

Onyx ProductionHouse™ Software Optimizes Color Production Workflow in High Production Commercial Environments

MIDVALE, Utah, July 16, 2003 -- Onyx Graphics today announced it has released version 6.0 of its Onyx ProductionHouse color production software for large format digital print devices. Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software is available for order now.

Onyx ProductionHouse software is the premier product in a family of workflow solutions for commercial digital print environments. Each Onyx software product features a toolset and workflow that suits specific print segments, while satisfying user experience levels and prints volumes. All are built on Onyx’s core technology ­ a common Raster Image Processor (RIP) engine, print queue and color management system ­ called Onyx RIP-Queue.

Onyx ProductionHouse software, the industry standard for RIP software in high-productivity commercial environments, enables users to work across platforms and drive multiple printers from various manufacturers. Onyx ProductionHouse software includes all the features of Onyx PosterShop® software plus support for two active RIPs to simultaneously RIP two PostScript® or raster files and four printers with multiple Hot Folders used for specifying job properties. Interactive sizing, cropping and custom tiling settings, as well as full pan and zoom, instantly display on the user’s monitor. Users can print directly from creative applications, or drag-and-drop jobs into the appropriate Hot Folder, for automated processing and printing.

New Features in Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 Software
A number of new features designed to optimize workflow productivity have been included in Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software.

Contour Cutting Support. Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software enables users to print on any printer and contour-cut on any cutter. Users can nest, resize, copy and tile multiple cut jobs from within the RIP-Queue. Supported cutters include devices from Graphtec®, MutohTM, Roland® and Summagraphics® plus a generic driver to support other contour cutters. Also included is support for printer/cutter devices from Graphtec and Roland. Support for i-cut® devices is available as an option.

Contract Proofing Workflow and Tools. With Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software, users can automatically print concept and contract proofs to any proofing printer, enabling users to offer their clients proofs of large format jobs without affecting production. Onyx ProductionHouse proofing tools also include media and ICC profile analysis tools that display the size of the media color gamut. With Onyx Media Analyzer, users can view and compare media color gamuts in 3-D animation, as well as qualify media and measure gamuts before calibration or profiling, saving production time during this crucial step. Users can also see gamut analysis reports that list all spot colors and display exactly how well each of the user’s media profiles can match those colors. Another tool enables users to proof and print PostScript spot color separation files on any printer.

Web-Based User Interface. Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software includes a portal for web-based print job submission and queue management. Onyx Web Job Queue works on Windows® and Mac OS® LAN-based web browsers such as Internet Explorer® and Netscape®. Users can submit jobs, view and edit job settings, and control the job queue order from nearly any web browser.

Onyx PosterColorTM Color Rendering. Onyx PosterColor technology, an Onyx exclusive, provides outstanding color rendering for poster color output by making CMYK colors reach their full saturation levels on any media using any ink. This technology maintains gray-balance and hue matching and takes advantage of the full ink gamut delivering colors that pop, even on matte media. Onyx PosterColor software also works in conjunction with spot color matching tables to ensure correct color matches for corporate identity pieces.

Additional Standard Screening Patterns. Among the new screening patterns in this software is Smooth Screen, an exclusive screening technology that can significantly reduce visible banding on solvent-based and grand-format inkjet printers. Additional default screening patterns include Silk Screening, Newsprint and Standard Web Offset Printing (SWOP®).

Additional Features

• Support for JPEG 2000 and 16-bit TIFF image file format
• Naming and saving of customized color management selections
• Zero-Line Crop Mark for seamless joining of printed tiles
• Improved Virtual Printer connectivity to Macintosh® computers
• Flip alternate images in Step & Repeat application
• Import new media and media profiles directly from the RIP-Queue

Availability
Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software is available for order now. Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software requires a key update, new CDs, and manuals. Registered users of Onyx ProductionHouse 5.6 software can upgrade to Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software. Upgrade pricing is available for other Onyx 5.6 Workflow Solutions products. Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software will run Onyx ProductionHouse 5.6 software files and will automatically import Onyx ProductionHouse 5.6 settings, printers, media profiles, quicksets, and jobs into Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software. Customers who purchased Onyx ProductionHouse 5.6 software after June 1, 2003 are eligible to receive Onyx ProductionHouse 6.0 software at no additional cost with proof of purchase and registration.

About Onyx Graphics
Onyx Graphics, a division of Océ Display Graphics Systems, Inc., develops and markets commercial printing software and solutions for the digital color printing marketplace. Onyx is the leading developer of wide-format digital color printing software with the largest installed base worldwide. For more information, visit Onyx at www.onyxgfx.com.

“Onyx Graphics” and “Onyx PosterShop” are registered trademarks and “Onyx ProductionHouse” and “Onyx PosterColor” are trademarks of Onyx Graphics, a division of Océ Display Graphics Systems, Inc. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks and are the property of their owners and are respectively acknowledged.

Onyx Graphics
Donald Feagan
Midvale, UT
Phone: 801-568-9900
Fax: 801-568-9911
E-Mail: donald.feagan@onyxgfx.com
Website URL: www.onyxgfx.com