Macrovision issued a press release to announce that they will be providing content protection technology to Netflix and BitTorrent.
Netflix, the world’s largest online movie rental service, will use Macrovision’s technology to help expand the selection of films and TV shows that are available through Netflix’s recently announced immediate viewing movie streaming feature. The feature rolled out with about 1,000 titles at its launch, but with additional agreements with movie studios, Netflix will continue to expand the number of titles available to subscribers.
Macrovision - now there's a company making some good cash just so studios can put the Macrovision imprint on a film. What a joke.
Posted by: eazyguy52 | March 06, 2007 at 05:36 AM
"Netflix, BitTorrent, Movielink and Instant Media will all employ Macrovision’s Analog Copy Protection (ACP) technology as part of their distribution of movies and videos on their websites."
"ACP technology is activated when a rights owner instructs the authoring facility to set Macrovision analog content protection control bits during the authoring process. The activation bits instruct an integrated circuit within the playback device to add ACP to the outgoing analog video. The content protection is transparent when content is viewed, but prevents or substantially degrades copies made on DVD recorders, DVRs, PCs, Media Center PCs, D-VHS recorders and VCRs. The DVD application process for ACP and RipGuard DVD can be transparently combined at the replication facility, regardless of the type of manufacturing systems used. Macrovision ACP is also available for VHS."
This is the old "protection" that inserts noise on the color signal during the vertical blanking interval that we all remember from our VHS days. Macrovision is tooting their horn, but I can only yawn. Big deal.
Posted by: gir | March 06, 2007 at 08:04 AM
Macrovision? Talk about a textbook case of "DRM" that fails to stop even the most casual copying while annoying the legitimate user.
Posted by: Shrike | March 06, 2007 at 08:30 AM
How many RF modulators were sold because of Macrovision? Do my parents know how to copy a DVD? No - but they were pissed they couldn't just plug it into their VCR. Nope, they needed another $40 part.
In the mean time - macrovision does nothing to prevent digital copies, only analog copies. Meaning they're protecting the copy method that already degrades the content, but leaving the perfect 1 - 1 copy alone. Brilliant.
Posted by: FredFredrickson | March 06, 2007 at 09:38 AM
All DRM has failed for CD, DVDs, HD-DVD, and now BluRay. The newest AnyDVD can remove all their crap. Free programs like RipIt4Me, DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, and FixVTS can defeat any DVD protection these clowns think up. It does nothing but annoy legitimate customers. Netflix might be able to prevent people from enjoying Watch Now on non-HDCP TVs. RipGuard was Macrovision's last debacle, used on Sony discs like Hostel. They still brag about 97% success, when it was in fact a 100% failure.
Posted by: type-cast | March 06, 2007 at 07:45 PM
Netflix's watch now feature is great, but because of the the Movie Studios we will never have a good selection without adding some type of DRM, whether it be digital or analog. With the watch now feature your not buying anything, you are simply renting it. So no one here has a right to complain with the implementation of macrovision. Now if you actually purchased the content, and you own it. I believe everyone has a right to be able to make legitimate personal copies of things they own. Besides if you want it that bad rent it on DVD (I think almost everyone knows how to make copies of those) Again, I don't condone making copies of things you don't own!
Posted by: armyb77 | March 06, 2007 at 09:19 PM
"because of the the Movie Studios we will never have a good selection without adding some type of DRM, whether it be digital or analog."
Their mindset is dumb. They COULD sell stuff without DRM and still make $$$. eMusic sells music subscriptions with no DRM. I prefer to support them over Apple. They're cheaper and you're not locked down to Apple hardware. It lets me avoid funding the MAFIAA (RIAA).
The studios need to wake up and realize that Macrovision is a fraud. They lie about their effectiveness and importance. Macrovision is the biggest joke in the industry, followed by ARccOS. If Hollywood really wanted to cut piracy, they'd stop investing in Macrovision and ARccOS and other crap, and cut the price of their content by at least 50%. They would make more on high-volume and low-margin than they would on high-margin and low-volume.
Posted by: type-cast | March 07, 2007 at 05:40 PM
MAFIAA = MPAA and RIAA
Music And Film Industry Assoc. of America
http://www.mafiaa.org/
Posted by: type-cast | March 07, 2007 at 05:41 PM
"So no one here has a right to complain with the implementation of macrovision."
Nobody here is complaining that I can tell. They're simply pointing out the uselessness and stupidity of it all. And there is no argument about that.
Posted by: eazyguy52 | March 07, 2007 at 10:40 PM