Sony DVD player update

Buy a switchbox. They're cheap...or make one.

jak

The MacroVision is an issue to stop you being able to analog-record a commercial DVD onto a videotape, potentially making it a 'pirate' copy. It inserts high level bursts of pulses onto the sync pulse porch level, which most VCRs - the old Sony Betamax machines being a notable exception - use as the reference level for the AGC clamp circuit. The bursts of pulses make the average level shift, which in turn causes the AGC clamp level to shift, which results in the cyclic brightness level shift that you see. As others have commented, just get a manual or automatic scart multiplier box.

Arfa

I hate macrovision. All it does is interfere with honest people who actually bought the original DVD. It affects the sync on my video projector which is only 3 or 4 years old. Can someone explain to me why they insist on adding macrovision to the progressive scan output of a DVD player? No VCR can record progressive scan video. It's ironic that the best way to get around this problem is to make a copy of the DVD.

Andy Cuffe

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com

Thankyou for the info. Now I understand why this was happening. But pardon my ignorance, what is a "scart multiplier"?

Just a box that multiplies the number of scart connectors available to you. A typical "cheap 'n' nasty" manual one might have two or three scart connectors on the top of the box, a two or three way switch, and a short flylead with a scart plug on the end. Fine for the occasional need to take output from a source that's alternative to your 'normal' hook up. Better ones make use of the scart switching signals, and can automatically route the needed scart source to its output, with no intervention from you being required.

This is a UK site, but it will show you the sort of stuff available, and you should be able to get similar in the US. I'm pretty sure that I've even seen them in Walmart when I've been there.

Arfa

"Arfa Daily" wrote in news:Dmk5i.2427$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe7-gui.ntli.net:

That is if one has SCART. It is rare for equipment in the US market, where the OP is from, to have SCART.

SCART, for the edificatino of the OP, is a one connector and cable system for interconnecting A/V devices, typicaly in Europe and other places PAL is used. For some odd reason or another, it was never introuced into North America.

Golf wrote in news:1179944966.553581.136020 @q75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

Macrovision messes with the AGC of VCRs to prevent piracy, creating an unwatchable copy.

Unfortunately, some VCRs have the AGC on the video input, rather than the video record, which makes them not useable for RF modulators for DVD players.

Yes, Gary - you're quite right now I come to think of it. It also gets known as a Euro connector, which is of course a dead giveaway - although I'm sure I have seen scart accessories in Walmart over there, but I could be wrong on that point. Absolutely everything is connected that way here, and it's a very convenient way of doing it, and works well once you get your head around it. As well as the video and audio signals both ways being available at the connector, there are also switching control lines, where devices in the chain can control the signal paths between each other. So if you pop a disc in your DVD and just hit play, it will inform the TV that it is looking for access, and the TV will respond by automatically switching to the input that the DVD is connected to, and so on. It's beginning to be superseded by HDMI now, which I think is a bit more world wide.

Arfa

"Arfa Daily" wrote in news:soD5i.14787$F snipped-for-privacy@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net:

You may have seen V-port, or some other game console specific connector. The only Scart I've seen is in some imported DVB satellite receiver or perhaps DVD palyers. Equipment mass manufactured for the US market just doesn't have SCART installed. I have seen empty spots on boards for SCART connectors though, in some gear.

Yes, HDMI is being incorporated into new digital sets and set top boxes.