FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE

LABTECH NOTEBOOK and CONTROL, Version 12, Add  Symbol Library and 32-bit Network Client

Data acquisition and process control software embraces
innovative approach; peer-to-peer  streaming of data over the Net allows device-to-device communication

Andover, MA (November 6, 2000). LABTECH® Corporation, pioneer in the field of high performance data acquisition and process control software, today announced a major upgrade to its software family: LABTECH NOTEBOOK™, NOTEBOOKpro™, CONTROL™, and CONTROLpro™. This latest release,  Version 12, of the company's instrumentation and control software adds such features as the VISIONpro network client for remote viewing and control over the Internet or LANs; Symbol Factory, a 3000+ symbol library;  32-bit memory management for virtually unlimited trend displays; and new 32-bit drivers for a variety of I/O devices. Taking advantage of an innovative approach to streaming data over the Internet, the new software also uniquely enables any device on a network to stream data directly to any other device.

"LABTECH is once again pushing the industry to the forefront of the Internet revolution in what is our most significant upgrade in years," said Dr. Fred A. Putnam, CEO of LABTECH. "Users can significantly increase their productivity and the quality of their process by taking advantage of the speed and flexibility of information delivery over the Internet. With our new, high-powered network client software, streaming data, and 32-bit memory management, users can closely monitor, and even control, processes from virtually anywhere over longer periods of time without any loss of data."

 VISIONpro Network Client

Version 12 of LABTECH CONTROLpro includes VISIONpro Network Client for real-time remote access to, and control of, any part of  the production process. VISIONpro NC allows monitoring of process parameters from any attended or unattended location. Data can be sourced from local devices as well as from other devices connected via any TCP/IP-based network, including corporate LANs, intra-organizational WANs, or the Internet.

Based on a robust and secure client/server architecture, VISIONpro NC graphically displays data and directly controls processes in real-time. VISIONpro NC can  also remotely control devices through ON/OFF buttons, knobs, or slides, with CONTROL or CONTROLpro.  VISIONpro NC is available as an option for the NOTEBOOKpro and CONTROL products.

Streaming Data

As in prior implementations of real-time technology, LABTECH is the first to deliver peer-to-peer streaming  of data over the Internet to process control applications. Previously, information streaming over the Internet was limited to the one-to-many connectivity provided by Web servers. Version 12 of NOTEBOOK and CONTROL use a peer-to-peer implementation that goes beyond traditional design, enabling any device or node to stream data directly to any other device or node, without involving a server.

"The advantage to our approach is that we create a more 'fine-grained web,'" said Dr. Putnam. "As Metcalf's Law states, the value of a network increases in proportion to the square of the number of nodes on the network. Peer-to-peer communication allows a system to be distributed  over more network nodes, thus increasing overall system reliability."

Symbol Factory Graphics Library

Version 12 of LABTECH CONTROLpro now includes  over 3,000 professionally-drawn objects from Reichard Software's Symbol Factory.  Designed for creating high-impact operator interface displays, the library makes it easy to create graphical screens and enhance existing ones  with quality graphics. Symbols include 3D ISA, air conditioning, blowers, chemical, controllers, electrical, flow meters, and material handling graphics. This feature is available as an add-on option for the NOTEBOOK, NOTEBOOKpro, and CONTROL products.

Additional Features

New, high efficiency 32-bit memory management in Version 12 supports large data buffers, up to many megabytes. This allows users to run trend displays over much longer periods of time, without the loss of time resolution of the data. The new memory manager also increases speed and efficient re-use of memory.

The new memory manager also allows clipping and pasting of high resolution color bitmaps, allowing users to import detailed graphics from anywhere into the MMI screen.

About NOTEBOOK and CONTROL

Designed for programmers and non-programmers alike, LABTECH  NOTEBOOK and CONTROL allow users to create sophisticated user interfaces, generate real-time animated graphics, graphically display data, and directly control processes in real time, all without the need for programming. The  software is connected by "hot links" to data sources through LABTECHnet, the company's high speed software bus.

In addition to its graphical front-end, all LABTECH software allows users to create their own Excel, Visual Basic, or  C/C++ applications with full access to all the software's capabilities.

Pricing & Delivery

LABTECH NOTEBOOK, NOTEBOOKpro, CONTROL, and CONTROLpro run under Microsoft Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, or Millennium Edition. System requirements include an IBM PC compatible (486 or better), 8MB RAM, and VGA graphics or better. Pricing for Version 12 is as follows:

 LABTECH NOTEBOOK, $695 for a single CPU license or $1170 for a single CPU license with one-year support and upgrade contract;

 LABTECHNOTEBOOKpro, $1195 for a single CPU license or $2010 for a single CPU license with one-year support and upgrade contract;

 LABTECH CONTROL, $2495 for a single CPU license or $4180 for a single CPU license with one-year support and  upgrade contract;

 LABTECHCONTROLpro, $3495 for a single CPU license or $5860 for a single CPU license with one-year support and upgrade contract.

 VISIONpro Network Client, development version, $495 for a single CPU.

 VISIONpro Network Client, runtime version, $199 for a single CPU.

Symbol Factory is bundled free-of-charge with LABTECH CONTROLpro. It is available as a $495 option with NOTEBOOK, NOTEBOOKpro, CONTROL, and VISIONpro. Upgrades to Version 12 from Version 11 start at $280. All software is  available immediately.

About LABTECH

Since 1981, LABTECH Corporation has been keeping scientists and engineers on the cutting edge of data acquisition and process control with their products: NOTEBOOK, NOTEBOOKpro, CONTROL, and CONTROLpro. First to leverage the World Wide Web for remote access to real-time applications with its NetTrender technology, LABTECH focuses on providing innovative software for end-users, systems integrators, and OEMs  in manufacturing, automated test, and laboratory automation.

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