macrovision

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On this page ... Some information about MacroVision ... Video equipment, suitable for playback of rental video's, most of the time are equiped with something nasty called "MacroVision". On this page I'll try to give you information so you get the general idea behind MacroVision. What is Macrovision? MacroVision is a video copy protection method for video playback equipment. First used on VHS tapes, later adapted for DVD's, VCD's and SVCD's. It is used for pre-recorded videomedia. You can detect MacroVision, by simply trying to dubb a protected tape, the video that goes through the recording VCR will get dark and then normal again periodically. The picture may also become unstable. Sometimes Macrovision signals resemble false synchronization, and some TV-sets mistake them for the real synchronization failures. Also colors may vanish from the top of the picture. It resembles very much a mistracked video-tape. Some TV-sets do not like Macrovision; the top of the picture might be unstable all the time and the colors may flicker. Specially projectors and large screen TV-sets show this effect. If you have a TV that has an adjustement for picture height or vertical hold, you can fiddle around with those. Macrovision signals can be seen as very bright and very dark regions (vertical bars) near the top of the picture. Most modern DVD and VCR's have MacroVision. How it works Here is a simple explanation of how the method works. MacroVision abuses the Auto Gain Control (AGC) features of a video-recorder. Normally the AGC is supposed to amplify weak signals and dimm the too strong signals. MacroVision now inserts some non-standard signals in the non-visable area of the TV-picture. The additional video information may make the AGC think that a sound picture is way to bright or way to dark. The AGC kicks in and adjusts the video output to what it thinks should be. For example the picture get's to dark or to bright. This tricks is repeated over and over again in a random order. The AGC therefor generates a too dark, then again a too bright, etc picture. Pretty annoying if you have to watch a movie that manifests this effect. Note that the this effect only appears when the signal is redirecty by the VCR ... So why isn't this happening when I hookup the playback device directly to my TV-set? That's easy: most TV-sets do not have a AGC ! Those that have an AGC, behave differently than the one in your VCR. Some VCR's, like Sony 8mm video, are not affected by MacroVision since the AGC is not similar to the ones required for MacroVision to work. Older VCR's (much older!) are not affected either since they do not always 100% match the specifications required for MacroVision. Can I disable MacroVision? Before we can give an answer to that question, you should know that modern video equipment like DVD-players can be "patched" to disable MacroVision. For example theYamakawa DVD player has a "secret" remote control code to disable MacroVision. Other players either have a similar code too, or there are hardware patches out there that do so. An example is theMacro-Vision remover by Nezzle which you can build yourself. Simply rerouting video signal from TV to VCR or using aerial input/output does not do the trick, MacroVision is to well integrated in the video-signal. Basically there is no quick and dirty trick to disable MacroVision, however there a boxes available that filter the video signal so MacroVision will not work anymore. These boxes can be bought on the Internet or at most electronics stores. Schematics to build such a box can be found in a lot of electronic magazines (for exampleElektor) as well. Note: the MacroVision disablers or stabalizers for the US market (NTSC) are not suitable for the European market (PAL) and vice versa! 模拟CPS (Macrovision) 　　模拟CPS (Macrovision) 每个播放机中的Macrovision7.0电路能防止录像带（模拟的）的拷贝。通常称为APS (模拟保护系统). 带composite 或s-video(Y/C)输出端子的计算机视频卡必须使用APS. Macrovision将快速调制的色突发信号("彩条")和垂直消隐信号("AGC")送到composite和s-video输出端。　　因此，在95%的录像机里，会干扰电路同步和自动录写级别干扰。很不幸，这降低了图片的质量， 特别是如果设备陈旧或是非标准。 Macrovision会引起彩条，变形，摇摆，黑白图象，明暗交替。早期生产的播放机的模拟component　　视频输出端并没有Macrovision，但在较新的播放机里是必须的(指AGC,因为component中没有突发信号)。 盘片上的 "触发比特"会提示播放机是否使用Macrovision AGC, 可以选择2线或4线彩带。每秒发生一次触发，可以很好地控制视频节目的哪一部分要得到保护。 盘片制作商会考虑拷贝保护的数量，然后付给Macrovision相应的版税（每张盘几分钱）。 　　和录像机一样，有些DVD是受Macrovision保护的，有些则不是。(要了解关于Macrovision细节，　　参阅STMicroelectronics' NTSC/PAL video encoder　　datasheets，在<www.st.com/stonline/books/>.)　　以上是DVD FAQ中的解释。 编辑本段Macrovision 公司 　　Macrovision 公司(纳斯达克上市公司)是电子许可、复制保护和数字权限管理技术的市场领先者。Macrovision的FLEXNet平台是全球唯一一个通用的许可平台，支持用户方便地对他们的软件进行定价、包装和保护。有超过3000个软件发行商发布了FLEXenabled(TM)软件，财富杂志1000强企业中有几百家企业为更好管理他们的软件许可使用了Macrovision公司的技术。公司在全球拥有700多个软件许可、数字权限管理和内容保护专利。