ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2001--

Odetics' Newest Release of the AIRO Automation System Provides Customers With New Levels of Productivity and Profitability by Further

Simplifying On-Air Operations

Odetics Broadcast, subsidiary of Odetics Inc. (Nasdaq:ODETA) (Nasdaq:ODETB), a leading global supplier of rich media content management and delivery solutions for television, cable and satellite industries, today announced the general availability of the AIRO(TM)

• 9.0 Automation System. AIRO 9.0 represents the company's next-generation broadcast automation solution designed to transform a broadcaster's master control operations into a command and control center for multi-path enabled content management and distribution.

Odetics' AIRO 9.0 provides users with greater levels of usability and functionality through two new applications. AIRO 9.0's Delivery Manager unifies and simplifies the processes involved in multi-channel content delivery, optimizing workflow flexibility and functionality.

Odetics' new Content Manager streamlines media acquisition and preparation processes through the use of a single screen, providing broadcasters greater and more flexible control of their operations.

Combined with new user interfaces incorporating intuitive screens and menus based on the Microsoft 2000 platform, AIRO 9.0 simplifies complex operator interactions for improved productivity and profitability.

KJZZ, a locally owned independent broadcast station since 1989 based in Salt Lake City, is one of the fastest growing stations in the country with more than 60 translator stations relaying their signal to viewers throughout Utah, as well as parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada.

Known for their coverage of Utah Jazz basketball, college sports, and other popular programming, KJZZ upgraded from an older Odetics broadcast system to the AIRO system more than one year ago to update their on-air play capabilities.

"While we did consider other broadcast automation solutions, we concluded that the AIRO system was the right fit for us," said Mike Grover, director of engineering for KJZZ. "After many successful years of working with Odetics, we did not need to be convinced of the company's ability to deliver a feature rich product that offers very high levels of flexibility and simplicity at a reasonable cost."

KJZZ, an Odetics Care Service and Support Program subscriber, recently upgraded to AIRO 9.0 with minimal interruption and immediate results. "AIRO 9.0 is already demonstrating amazing value, allowing the operators to be more effective and efficient in their activities," stated Grover.

The software upgrade project was assigned to studio maintenance supervisor, Sean Fahey, who said: "The overall look of the on-air window is superior -- there's more information that's available in a single window, providing more control.

"Not only does the imminent window provide more information on immediate situations but also allows operators to foretell problems because of the ability to monitor events much farther out in time."

Fahey continued: "Additionally, the transition from AIRO 8.5 to

• 9.0 was extremely smooth. The system went on-line almost two weeks ago and it's been completely automated since then. Furthermore, our operators didn't require any formal training -- all in all it was a relatively seamless transition for us."

"Having strategically partnered with hundreds of broadcast and cable businesses during the last 18 years, Odetics understands the opportunities and challenges that automation presents in a digital television environment," said Steve L'Heureux, president of Odetics Broadcast.

"The right technology has the potential to help with many of these challenges, providing broadcasters with the competitive edge to succeed in even the most difficult market conditions. Odetics has always focused on simplifying broadcast operations for our customers and AIRO 9.0 is by far the most integrated and automated media management and delivery solution we've delivered.

"AIRO 9.0's sophisticated new features further simplify the process of deploying and managing multi-channel and centralcasting delivery strategies for all broadcasters."

New AIRO 9.0 Features

Odetics' AIRO 9.0 offers new and improved user interfaces specifically designed to provide broadcast operators with unified command and control of content and delivery functions.

Utilizing familiar Windows menu and navigation conventions, AIRO

• 9.0 introduces a host of intuitive and easy-to-use graphical elements including a new event timeline, an interactive device console, user defined timing and countdown displays, VideoSpy(TM) media browser, redesigned menus, on-screen hot keys, drag-and-drop navigation and point-and-click interaction.

With AIRO 9.0, Odetics has completely redesigned its on-air playlist management application with Delivery Manager. Delivery Manager unifies all the processes necessary to deliver multi-channel content, streamlining a station's workflow and optimizing operator effectiveness, thereby minimizing the need for additional staff.

Incorporating a new user interface, Delivery Manager provides users with a quick view of event status and easy access to playlist management functions. Additionally, Delivery Manager's flexibility allows broadcasters to configure the system to their specific operation.

Delivery Manager also enables multi-channel, multi-path delivery of content, such as for streaming webcasting applications, from simple single-channel commercial insertion to complex multi-channel centralcasting operations. Using a single screen an operator can manage all activities for multiple channels.

AIRO 9.0's Delivery Manager is tightly integrated with its new Content Manager application, offering users on-demand and shared access to program and spot material on any storage device managed by AIRO's distributed storage management architecture.

AIRO 9.0's improved media browsing capabilities now take advantage of streaming technologies to enable access to any material, in any format, on any storage device, thereby increasing media collaboration and overall quality control across a broadcast enterprise.

Additionally, AIRO offers an option to incorporate Microsoft(R) SQL Server for enhanced relational database functionality. Odetics' use of SQL Server provides the superior system scalability needed to address its customers' future media management requirements.

AIRO with SQL Server also provides greater productivity via faster access to media, improved redundancy and enabling more complex metadata tagging of content.

With AIRO, Odetics also offers its eXtensible Device Server (XDS). Odetics' XDS, based on a server-class computer utilizing the highly dependable Windows 2000 professional operating system, provides improved productivity by enabling greater system redundancy and more flexible device configuration control.

Most importantly, AIRO's new, enhanced WAN connectivity feature also provides for flexibility in supporting new IP streaming applications. AIRO's new XDS provides support for next-generation content storage and delivery products with support for IP control of devices in both a centralized, as well as distributed network architecture.

"In the future, next generation devices may not physically exist within the facility or even within a broadcaster's enterprise," stated L'Heureux.

"Broadcasters may find that some of their content storage devices may exist on the edge of the network, close to their actual viewers. AIRO 9.0 essentially future-proofs for our customers as these devices will be able to be controlled by AIRO as if they were physically located within the broadcast facility."

For More Information on AIRO 9.0

AIRO customers currently signed up for the Odetics Care Service and Support Program will receive the AIRO 9.0 upgrade as part of the service. Customers not currently signed up for the Odetics Care program and others interested in learning more about AIRO 9.0 should contact Odetics Broadcast via the Web at www.odeticsbroadcast.com/airocareprogram for more information.

About Odetics Broadcast

For more than 17 years, the Anaheim-based Odetics Broadcast has been a market leader in developing content management and delivery solutions with systems installed at more than 600 broadcast stations in 40 countries.

Its Emmy Award-winning product design and de facto industry-standard technologies enable reliable on-air presentation and complete facility automation while reducing administration costs.

About Odetics

Odetics is engaged in the development of communication and technology companies that may be spun-off to its shareholders. Odetics' companies develop software and hardware-based solutions for the intelligent transportation systems, telecommunications, video security and television broadcast markets. Odetics' headquarters is located in Anaheim with additional operations in Europe and Asia.

Important Notice

This news release contains statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking. These forward-looking statements may include statements about revenue growth, profit margins, the effect of cost reduction measures, and other statements relating to the operating results of Odetics or its subsidiaries. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of risk factors such as: short product lives, technological shifts, current technical issues that cannot be resolved on a timely basis, component availability, competition (including new and directly competitive products from others), pricing pressures, incorrect assumptions regarding market demand, the significant uncertainty of market acceptance of new products by both distributors and end-user customers, unanticipated capital requirements, retention of key personnel, general economic conditions, the inability of the company to execute its strategy including the completion of both private and public equity financings of its subsidiaries, and other factors identified in the Odetics' Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Investors are strongly encouraged to review the risk factors set forth in the Odetics most recent SEC filings.