Macrovision Removal Tool
By Justin Beach
Macrovision is a company that creates copy protection mechanisms. A variety of tools have been created to override the Macrovision systems used in VHS video tapes. It is important to familiarize yourself with the law in this area before proceeding.
Copy Protection
In most jurisdictions, including in the United States, it is illegal to override copy protection mechanisms for the purpose of making unauthorized copies of material. There are exceptions to this rule for "fair use" materials and authorized copies.
Colorstripe
Colorstripe is one of two ways Macrovision enables copy protection. Colorstripe creates a colorburst signal that can be nullified by using a component output that does not support it.
AGC
Automatic gain control (AGC) was also used under the Macrovision system. AGC used pulses in the blanking signal to confuse synchronization circuitry. A number of off-the-shelf hardware devices are available that nullify this signal when passed from a VCR to a DVD recorder. This can also be done with software if a computer is present in the line between the VCR and the DVD.
References
Writer Bio
Justin Beach has been writing for more than a decade, contributing to a variety of online publications. He has a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems and additional education in business, economics, political science, media and the arts.