Video stabilizers

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DavidW - 14 Jul 2008 02:06 GMT

Hello,

A couple of movies I ordered on Foxtel Box Office this week were apparently
Macrovision protected. It upset the picture when I watched it through a VCR (to
which my stereo sound system is connected), even though I wasn't recording. I
can get around this without replugging cables by watching directly on the TV
via the antenna cable, putting the TV sound volume on zero and going through
the VCR just for the stereo sound. However, I also tape a lot of stuff to watch
on delay, and I can't do that with protected movies.

Someone suggested getting a video stabilizer to defeat Macrovision. There's one
here:
http://www.digitalmegahouse.com.au/stabiliser.html

I'm just after general info about these things: how well they work, any
unwanted side effects etc., and any suggstions that might be helpful.

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Phil Allison - 14 Jul 2008 03:38 GMT

"DavidW"

> A couple of movies I ordered on Foxtel Box Office this week were
> apparently
> Macrovision protected. It upset the picture when I watched it through a
> VCR

** In what way exactly ??

This is important to know.

..... Phil

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DavidW - 14 Jul 2008 04:05 GMT

> "DavidW"
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> This is important to know.

When not recording the picture was usually darker than normal and flickered
light and dark in an apparently random manner. I recorded the first film
overnight so I only have the tape copy. That was much worse. It repeated a
cycle lasting about 25 seconds where there was a lot of horizontal noise and
jittering of the picture, mostly left and right, then a period when it was
noise-free and the picture was stable.

Reply to this Message

Phil Allison - 14 Jul 2008 04:06 GMT

"DavidW"

>> "DavidW"
>>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> flickered
> light and dark in an apparently random manner.

** That sounds like MacroVision.

> I recorded the first film
> overnight so I only have the tape copy. That was much worse. It repeated a
> cycle lasting about 25 seconds where there was a lot of horizontal noise
> and
> jittering of the picture, mostly left and right, then a period when it was
> noise-free and the picture was stable.

** That sounds like a dirty video head.

... Phil

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DavidW - 14 Jul 2008 04:19 GMT

> "DavidW"
>>> "DavidW"
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> ** That sounds like a dirty video head.

Maybe it's dirty, but it records any other channel without any problems. When I
was experimenting with the second film I could hear the VCR motors making
strange squeaking noises when recording the Box Office channel, but as soon as
I changed the channel they quietened down.

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Jasen Betts - 14 Jul 2008 12:49 GMT

> Hello,
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> I'm just after general info about these things: how well they work, any
> unwanted side effects etc., and any suggstions that might be helpful.

I can't vouch for that exact model, but in general those things work
flawlessly. Afaik the only undesirable side effects is the space and
power they consume, neither of which is usually significant, also in
some places they may be illegal.

Bye.
Jasen

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DavidW - 15 Jul 2008 22:51 GMT

>> Someone suggested getting a video stabilizer to defeat Macrovision.
>> There's one here:
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> power they consume, neither of which is usually significant, also in
> some places they may be illegal.

Thanks. I guess I'll be getting one.

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DavidW - 23 Jul 2008 00:19 GMT

> Someone suggested getting a video stabilizer to defeat Macrovision.
> There's one here:
> http://www.digitalmegahouse.com.au/stabiliser.html

Something just occurred to me. This thing is called a Digital Video Stabiliser.
What's digital about it?

Reply to this Message

Phil Allison - 23 Jul 2008 01:38 GMT

"DavidW"

>> Someone suggested getting a video stabilizer to defeat Macrovision.
>> There's one here:
>> http://www.digitalmegahouse.com.au/stabiliser.html
>
> Something just occurred to me. This thing is called a Digital Video
> Stabiliser. What's digital about it?

** Video stabilisers normally contain a few " digital " ICs - to
regenerate and clean up the synch pulses.

That is enough excuse for makers to put the magic word in the name.

..... Phil

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Electronics Forum / Electronics / July 2008

Video stabilizers