Six Major Computer Companies License Macrovision's DVD Copy Protection Technology
infoseek.com
BUSINESS WIRE
Wed, Jan 21 1998
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 21, 1998--Compaq Computer Corporation, Gateway 2000 Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corporation, Micron Electronics, Inc., and Packard Bell NEC are now licensed to incorporate Macrovision's DVD analog copy protection technology in their personal computers, it was announced today by Macrovision Corporation (NASDAQ:MVSN).
These agreements mean that PCs and related products from these companies will have the ability to protect Hollywood movies and other copyrighted video content against copying to VCRs.
"We are pleased to see an increasing number of companies taking a leadership role in their effort to protect entertainment programming from unauthorized copying," said Mark Belinsky, Vice President of Macrovision's Copy Protection business unit. "We believe all personal computer companies will want to incorporate this technology in the DVD-ROM-equipped PCs, paving the way for their products to play the widest possible range of DVD content available in the market."
"IBM's implementation of Macrovision's analog protection system reflects our commitment to protecting the copyrights of motion picture content owners," said Dan Sullivan, Director of Licensing Development for the IBM Corporation. "We are also committed to working in concert with companies in the consumer electronics, computer and media industries to further protect digital works."
Macrovision's DVD analog copy protection technology allows major studios and other rights owners to copy protect their DVDs from unauthorized copying to VCRs. This capability is particularly important with a high quality format such as DVD, because VHS copies of unprotected material can be comparable in quality to original prerecorded videocassettes. Since only one VCR is required to make copies, Macrovision's analog protection system becomes critical to the DVD format.
Macrovision's analog copy protection technology is included in DVD movie players as part of an integrated circuit which converts the digital video from the disc to the analog signal required by standard TV sets. Macrovision has licensed 37 companies worldwide to incorporate its copy protection technology in their digital-to-analog semiconductor chips, including Analog Devices, Crystal Semiconductor, GEC Plessey, IBM, Mitsubishi Electric, and SGS Thomson. All major DVD player manufacturers are including these integrated circuits in their DVD players. More than 70 DVD player manufacturers and PC companies, including Intel, LG Electronics, Pioneer, Samsung, Thomson Consumer Electronics (makers of RCA, ProScan and GE players) and Toshiba have agreed to include Macrovision-capable ICs in 100% of their DVD players. About Macrovision
Macrovision Corporation develops and markets technologies to protect the interests of content providers in the distribution of video and audio programming. The company offers products and services for the home video, pay-per-view, cable, satellite, theatrical and corporate communications markets. To further serve video rights holders and digital content providers, Macrovision is currently working on digital video watermark and play/record control technologies to provide digital-to-digital copy protection capability for DVDs, DVCs (Digital Video Cassettes) and other digital media. Macrovision has subsidiaries in London and Tokyo, with headquarters in Sunnyvale, California.
All statements contained herein, as well as oral statements that may be made by the Company or by officers, directors or employees of the Company acting on the Company's behalf, that are not statements of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and are made pursuant to the Safe-Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties are outlined in the Company's Registration statement on Form SB2 and in our reports on form 10QSB. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
Note to Editors: Additional background information on Macrovision Corporation and the Copy Protection Group is available through our Fax-On-Demand System (cannot be accessed internationally) at 800/344-7833. For a complete index of all documents, please select Document No. 9200, or visit our Web Site at www.macrovision.com .
(Copyright 1998) |
