When I got my new Philips DVD player, I hooked it up and played the demo DVD that came with it. I was impressed. I then purchased 3 movies and the picture was screwed up on all of them. All of my A/V components in my entertainment center go through my VCR prior to going to my overhead projector. Now that I have found out after the fact that DVD can't play through my VCR I wish I had never bought it! Someone help!Is there a device I can get to clear up this problem?

It's called Macrovision, and most DVDs include it along with most VHS tapes. Whenever you play them *through* a VCR you'll see shifting in brightness, color, distortion, etc. There are a few devices you can get to remove the standard Macrovision on VHS tapes, but DVD has an additional version called "Colorstripe" that AFAIK can't be removed. If your projector has an S-Video input, you'd be best to use that.

I have a Sony S7000 DVD on a Trinitron TV and it's great

I also have an older Panasonic TV with a Sony DVP S300 and it only had an F-type input, so instead of running it through a VCR I found a video RF modulator at Radio Shack for $29 and ran it through this. MACROVISION doesn't affect this!!!!

I don't have this problem as my outside cable goes into splitter/boosters to drive 3 VCR's inputs (yes I can record 3 movies at one time), then the VCR's RCA outs, go into my receiver Video 1, 2 and 3 inputs, which are cross linked internally in receiver so you can copy from any input to any output.

The monitor our on receiver (also RCA or SVHS), goes to Sony Projection Monitor. The DVD goes to input on receiver on DVD/LD input which is also cross linked inside reciever so I can record directly from DVD to VCR within Receiver.

Yes Macrovision stops this anyway, but not with Sony 8 millmeter devices. It only stops VHS devices.

I would not run a DVD through VCR anyway as this only degrades signal more before it gets to receiver and monitor.

Make the receiver your switching point for everything, including SVHS. I am getting a Sony 50ES and can not wait to set it up.

Kurt

Problem solved! And I found it on my own! Videotek.com sells a "DVD/VHS Copy Enhancer" i.e. Macrovision clarifier. This little device has RCA and S-video in and outs to allow you to hook up vcr to vcr or dvd to vcr! Eliminates that damn macrovision and other copy protecting encoding. I got it and it works perfectly. Only costs $39.95 on their site while most other web sites sell for over $70. Wish I had found it a long time ago because I could have copyied alot more rented movies for my own library. Especially since I am renting DVDs at Hastings for as little as $0.99!

John, I am interested in the DVD/VHS enhancer. What is the model number of the one you bought from videotek, and how do I set about ordering one? I justed visited videotek web site, but didn't know what to look for.
Thanks.

Tony.

Hello,

I too, am interested in the Videotek DVD/VHS enhancer. I visited their website, and could not figure out what product it was, or the price.

Any information would be appreciated.

Dennis,
I was able to find the right web site. The correct address is www.cobrastrike.com. The unit now sells for $47.99. I placed an order today for a total of $54 including shipping.

Tony

Why one earth would you want to copy DVD? This kind of stuff amazes me. You spend all this money for good hardware, then you want to COPY it to a much worse format? DVD's are terribly inexpensive (I can buy almost ANY movie for $15 or under), and a growing format. By copying these movies, you're cheating the format and giving yourself poor quality rip-offs.

I don't mean to sound like I'm on a pedestal, but I've never copied 1 DVD, and I've owned 5 players (and several were capable of it). DVD is such a great technology, and 5.1 audio is the goods, I don't see how anyone could ever go back to "stereo sound"

:)

BTW, none of those macrovision devices eliminate colorstriping, a newer version of macrovision. You'll need to find another way around that one, I guess. (Fortunately for you guys, not many companies use colorstriping yet.)

Best of luck, keep buying DVD's, they're worth it.

Alex,

The reason that I copy DVD's is for time shifting only. Sure, I would like to watch the rented DVD straight off of my player, but sometimes I am busy and can't get to the movie I rented, or I end up falling asleep watching it! Therefore, I have my VCR going so that I can return it the next day.

I buy any DVD's that I am truly interested in keeping.

I live in Australia and I noticed the following:

I have a Pioneer DVD, Philips VCR and RCA VCR all hooked up to an amp. In addition, the DVD goes directly into the Philips VCR also. Now comes the interesting bit: When I play a zone-1 DVD, and watch the picture through the Philips VCR, the picture on the Philips VCR is perfect, no fading, no nothing. However, watching the picture through the RCA VCR, all the macrovision stuff kicks in.
Since Philips VCR's picture is fine, I decided to record it on tape. The playback on the Philips is also good. Take the tape and play it back on the RCA, the picture is bad. I've given the tape to a friend to play on his Sharp VCR, and the picture is good too!

Only thing I can think of is that all the machines except the RCA are non-US brand/designed, so maybe they don't cater for the macrovision 'thingy'. Whereas the RCA VCR is a US-brand machine, and all features and functions seems to be geared for a US market - except to fit in a PAL tuner and 240V power supply and export to Australia, so all that macrovision stuff were built into the VCR.

Any ideas?

I recently saw a posting from somone that had a Sony? 7700? dvd that had a switch to turn off macrovision? I want to buy a DVD but whe a used tape I would rent a movie take it back the same day then take a cruise on my sailboat and watch them at sea. The companys are making it most difficult! I don't make multi copies of tapes and most of the time I only watch them once.
Can anyone tell tell me how this can be done.
I also heard about an oganization that was fighting the new copy laws. I would like to join if I knew where to find them.

I heard that it's the older model Sony 7000 that has dip switchs to turn off Macrovision and area codes

What I don't understand is why they would even put the switches on the machine. Who would want to restrict their machines by turning the macrovision and area codes on? Is there better quality picture and sound with them on? Am I missing something?

Hello to all who have problems with macrovision
protection signal on videosignals of a DVD Player.

The macrovision signal on all dvd players are not stored on the DVD itself. On the DVD there are only some controll signals witch tells the DVD player to generate the Macrovision signal along with the videosignal.

This makes it possible to remove the complete signal by modifying the DVD player. This is a much better way, becuase a macrovision signal like version 7 witch contains also colorstriping, can't be proper removed if it's on the videosignal.
the better way is not to alowe it be generated.

I offer Codefree DIY Kits for many DVD Players, witch also disables the macrovision signal complettly.

On all Sony Players also the UOP's are disabled.
(UOP = User Operation Prohibition, = disables Keypresses on copyrigth titles ..). So it's then possible to skip such things.

It you are interessted in such modifications
write me a email. Walter@psxtra.com