CAMBRIDGE, UK, November 3, 2004 – ART VPS Ltd. has released a major update of its RenderPipe software that supports its PURE and RenderDrive ray-tracing hardware systems. The upgrade significantly decreases transfer times for large meshes and adds support for the latest version of 3ds max.

The RenderPipe plug-in interfaces popular 3D applications such as Maya, 3ds max, CATIA and VIZ with ART VPS’s PURE and RenderDrive systems. Updates to the plug-in include:

* Faster transfer times for meshes as large as 30 million polygons. Export time for a scene containing 3.5 million polygons was reduced from 11 minutes to 50 seconds.

* A new light-sampling engine that adjusts lighting effects as needed to sharpen the final rendering without increasing the size of the image or over-sampling the lighting in areas where it is not needed.

* New support for 3ds max 7, HDRI (high-dynamic range imaging), and various Maya 6 render nodes, including EnvSphere, Ball Cube and Ramp.

* Software update to allow for Dual PURE - the ability to place two Pure Cards into one system.

Free trial downloads of the RenderPipe upgrade are available at artvps.com. The software is being shipped with all new products, and is free to current ART VPS software subscribers. Non-subscribers can purchase the upgrade for (PURE Renderpipe) - US$360, €295, or ₤199. http://store.artvps.com

About PURE and RenderDrive
PURE and RenderDrive incorporate ART VPS’s modular ray-tracing architecture, which accelerates 3D rendering by distributing it across an array of chips. The systems generate full-frame previews in seconds, and give users the speed to take advantage of advanced 3D rendering features such as multiple area lights, accurate 3D motion blur and depth of field, secondary illumination, HDRI lighting, and physically based materials, lighting and camera properties.

About ART VPS Ltd.
ART VPS Ltd. (https://artvps.com) offers hardware-accelerated 3D ray tracing systems that improve creative communication and help reduce the time and cost required to bring a new project to market. ART VPS systems are used by some of the world’s leading design and manufacturing companies, including Bombardier Aerospace, Learjet, Nikon, and Procter & Gamble; architectural firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Bovis Lend Lease, and Chapman Taylor Partners; and entertainment companies such as IBM Interactive and Walt Disney Imagineering.