Gelato Zone Builds Online Rendering Community for 3D Artists and Animators

For further information, contact:

Kelly Dove
NVIDIA Corporation
(512) 401-4514
kdove@nvidia.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SIGGRAPH 2006—BOSTON, MA—August 1, 2006—NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies, today unveiled a new beta program for the Company’s Gelato 2.1 final-frame rendering software, which includes next-generation features such as texture baking, enhanced raytracing performance, and improved lighting functionality for 3D rendering. Coinciding with the announcement of the Gelato 2.1 beta is of the launch of Gelato Zone, (www.nvidia.com/gelato) a new online community for artists and animators utilizing NVIDIA Gelato final-frame rendering software for 3D content creation. Gelato 2.1 rendering software will be demonstrated at the NVIDIA booth #1017 at SIGGRAPH 2006, August 1-3 at the Boston Convention Center.

Gelato 2.1 rendering software scene. Image Credit: NVIDIA.

Gelato software is GPU-accelerated, final-frame rendering software for the creation of high-quality computer-generated images. Originally developed to render film and broadcast visual effects and animation, Gelato software is well-suited for any 3D software application that requires advanced rendering such as game development, CAD, industrial design, and architecture. Gelato software ships with plug-ins for Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max.

New features in Gelato 2.1 software include:

• Easier texture baking and full support for Maya bake sets
  
  
• Faster raytracing—an average 30% improvement over Gelato 2.0 with a smaller memory footprint for dense polygon meshes
  
  
• Improved stereo rendering features a new off-axis projection mode and a better anaglyph (red/blue) display in the image viewer
  
  
• A modified Mango plug-in supports Maya 8, 64-bit Maya, additional Maya shader nodes and volumetric effects from spotlight cones, texture bake sets and rendering of components
  
  
• Windows 64-bit support for Gelato Pro rendering software
  
  
• Powerful Sorbetto™ technology relighting feature in Gelato Pro software now offers interactive adjustment of camera parameters, including depth-of-field and stereo controls, and support for dynamic shadows
  
  

Gelato 2.1 software is currently in beta testing, with commercial release planned for Fall 2006. As with earlier versions of Gelato software, the basic version of Gelato 2.1 software will be available at no charge to users. The Gelato 2.1 Pro software, which incorporates advanced scalability and support features for advanced production pipelines, is available for purchase.

Gelato rendering software scene showing depth of field. Image courtesy Jared Martin, Canberra, Australia

The new Gelato Zone web site (www.nvidia.com/gelato) offers visitors valuable support and training information for Gelato software, tips and tricks to optimize and enhance the product, and technology blogs from the Gelato software development team, providing firsthand advice and advanced 3D rendering tips and techniques for Gelato rendering software.

Pricing and Availability
Gelato 2.1 and Gelato Pro software currently support the Windows XP and Linux operating systems and run on NVIDIA GeForce® 5200 or higher graphics, or any NVIDIA Quadro® FX solution. Gelato Pro software, however, is certified and supported only on NVIDIA Quadro® FX boards.

Gelato software is available for download at www.nvidia.com/gelato; Gelato Pro software is priced at $1500 and available from NVIDIA at http://store.nvidia.com and from authorized regional resellers. Maintenance and support contract renewals are $300 per license at the end of the first year of ownership.

Those interested in joining the Gelato 2.1 software beta program should email gelatoinfo@nvidia.com.

NVIDIA Corporation
NVIDIA Corporation is the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies. The Company creates innovative, industry-changing products for computing, consumer electronics, and mobile devices. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has offices throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas. For more information, visit www.nvidia.com.

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, the features, benefits, performance, uses and capabilities of NVIDIA Gelato software, the date of commercial release of Gelato 2.1 software, the Gelato Zone web site, availability and the cost of Gelato software are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, defects found in beta version of Gelato 2.1 software, other software defects, delays related to release of new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing alternatives, market adoption of a competitive product, changes in industry standards and interfaces, our dependence on third-party developers and publishers and other risks detailed from time to time in the NVIDIA reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 30, 2006. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.