Macrovision Licenses DVD Copy Protection Technology To Digital Video Express
infoseek.com
BUSINESS WIRE
Wed, Feb 11 1998
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 11, 1998-- Macrovision Corp. (NASDAQ:MVSN) announced today that Digital Video Express, LP (Divx), developer of an innovative new feature for DVD players, has licensed Macrovision's DVD Copy Protection technology for implementation on Divx's specially encrypted digital video discs and in Divx-enhanced DVD players.
The Divx system incorporates advanced copyright protection features and sets a new standard for home video convenience.
As part of its agreement with Macrovision, Divx will encode all digital video discs it produces with trigger bits that will activate Macrovision's DVD Copy Protection Technology each time these discs are played. All Divx-enhanced DVD players will include a Macrovision-capable integrated circuit which will apply DVD copy protection to the player's NTSC output and thereby help prevent unauthorized copying of Divx DVD programs to VCRs.
Although Macrovision generally licenses its technology directly to content owners, Divx will pay copy protection royalties directly to Macrovision.
The Divx system allows consumers to purchase physical ownership of a special, encrypted movie disc similar in size to an audio CD. The purchase of the movie disc allows a two-day viewing period, which begins only when the consumer inserts the disc into a Divx player and pushes the play button.
That could be on the day of purchase, the next week or even months later. Discs may be paused, stopped and played multiple times during the viewing period. Divx players will also play all standard DVD discs, but the lower-cost Divx rental discs cannot be played on standard DVD players.
"We're pleased to welcome Divx as a Macrovision licensee," said Mark Belinsky, senior vice president of Macrovision's Copy Protection Group. "We look forward to working with Divx and their strategic partners to use copy protection as a tool to increase the quantity and variety of programs available to consumers throughout the U.S."
"Our agreement with Macrovision is an integral part of our overall security and copyright protection plan and will help us to maximize our program offerings to Divx customers," said Miles Circo, Divx' chief technology officer. "A rich offering of entertainment programming is an important part of the value Divx offers to its customers."
Macrovision's DVD copy protection technology is already included in DVD players and PCs as part of an integrated circuit which converts the digital video from the disc to the analog form required by standard TV sets. More than 70 major DVD player manufacturers and PC companies have agreed to include Macrovision-capable ICs in 100% of their DVD players.
On the software side, more than 3.5 million DVD discs have been copy protected. Macrovision has also licensed 38 companies worldwide to incorporate its copy protection technology in their digital-to-analog semiconductor chips.
Macrovision Corp. is best known for the videocassette version of its copy protection technology used by most major Hollywood studios. In the U.S., over 1,500 corporate, educational, and special interest content owners apply the videocassette anticopy process to their programs. Since its first commercial use in 1985, Macrovision copy protection has been encoded on over 2 billion videocassettes worldwide. About Divx
Divx was developed by a partnership that includes Circuit City Stores Inc. (NYSE:CC,KMX), the nation's largest brand-name consumer electronics retailer, and Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca & Fischer, a leading Los Angeles entertainment law firm.
The Divx system has won support from major movie studios, including Disney's Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Video Inc., Universal Home Video Inc. and DreamWorks SKG, and from leading consumer electronics manufacturers including JVC Company of America, Matsushita Electric, Pioneer Electronic Corp., Thomson Consumer Electronics, and Zenith Electronics Corp. About Macrovision
Macrovision Corp. 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. Macrovision has subsidiaries in London and Tokyo, with headquarters in Sunnyvale.
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 its 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 information on Macrovision Corp. and its copy protection technologies is available through our web site at www.macrovision.com. Additional information on Divx is available through their web site at www.divx.com.
Macrovision is a registered trademark of Macrovision Corp. Divx is a Trademark of Digital Video Express, L.P.
(Copyright 1998) |
