New Avocent Antenna Extends Video Wirelessly up to 1000 Feet

Avocent’s industry leading, patent pending technology designed for the Emerge™ EWMS1000 Wireless Media Streamer provides extended range operation

HUNTSVILLE, AL May 16, 2006 – Avocent Corporation (NASDAQ: AVCT), a leading provider of audio-visual connectivity and control solutions, today announced the addition of a new accessory for the EWMS1000 wireless media streamer, the Emerge UNI-8dB directional antenna for line-of-sight extended distance capability. The Avocent directional antenna provides extended range operation by focusing the energy of the antenna signal into an intensified unidirectional beam. In line-of-sight applications the directional antenna allows the wireless media streamer receiver to be placed up to 1000 feet from the transmitter. Applications requiring extended distance benefit from using the directional antenna as it allows the user to install a display system without running wires around a room, or incur the expense of having to open walls to run conduit.

The Avocent Emerge UNI-8dB directional antenna package comes with two antennas, one antenna for the EWMS1000 transmitter, and a second antenna for the EWMS1000 receiver. The antennas work in the 802.11a band and provide frequency ranges of 5.150 GHz to 5.825 GHz. Standard delivery of the Emerge EWMS1000 wireless media streamer includes factory-equipped omni-directional antennas which provide signal transmission of up to 300 feet line-of-sight.   

“The new directional antenna provides users the needed support for extended distance that is required in many digital signage applications,” said Mitch Friend, senior vice president and general manager of Avocent. “As an industry leader in wireless video extension technology, we are pleased to bring this option to the professional audio-visual market. Our goal is to provide solutions that will ultimately render savings in installation costs and simplify connectivity.”

The Emerge EWMS1000 wireless media streamer can be deployed in either a point-to-point (extension) or point-to-multipoint (broadcast) configuration. It delivers full motion streaming video and audio to multiple display devices, and provides support for multiple input/output formats including Component, S-Video, Composite Video, VGA computer video (640 x 480), RS-232 control, and stereo audio.

Demonstrations of the Avocent Emerge UNI-8dB directional antenna will take place in the Avocent booth (#1619) at Digital Retailing Expo, in Rosemont, IL, May 17-18.

Avocent connectivity and control products provide connectivity, switching, extension, monitoring, and control for serial, video, and audio data. These products allow industry professionals to deliver leading-edge connectivity and control solutions to a range of markets including retail, medical, digital signage, hospitality, AV, and broadcasting.

About Avocent Corporation
Avocent Corporation is a leading supplier of connectivity solutions for enterprise data centers, branch offices, and small to medium size businesses. Branded and OEM products include remote and local access solutions for switching, serial console, power, extension, intelligent platform management interface (IPMI), mobile, and video display management solutions. Additional information is available at: www.avocent.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements as defined within the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include statements regarding market opportunity, product development, engineering and design activities, and product availability and operability. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including the risks associated with general economic conditions, risks attributable to future product demand, sales, and expenses, risks associated with product design efforts and the introduction of new products and technologies, risks associated with reliance on a limited number of component suppliers and single source components, and risk associated with obtaining and protecting intellectual property rights. Other factors that could cause operating and financial results to differ are described in Avocent’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Avocent, the Avocent logo and Emerge are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avocent Corporation.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Media Contacts:

Avocent Corporation

Matt Nelson

(256) 430-4000

matt.nelson@avocent.com

MRB Public Relations

Shannon Gotthelf

(732) 758-1100

sgotthelf@mrb-pr.com