PIC Video Stabilizer

[wmmullaney]

I have been copying video cassettes to DVDs but a portion of them have copy protection. I need a circuit that will remove the macrovision with a PIC16f628, is there anyone who know enough about NTSC signals to help build this?

Thanks in advance

 

[Sceadwian]

For your own backup purposes this is legal but keep in mind this is still illegal for distribution. Information on how to bypass the protection on VCR tapes is easily searched using Google.

 

[wmmullaney]

I have been hours on google and the only circuit I found used 9 outdated parts. I need it by tomorrow, and I want to use my pic that is ready for a code burn.

We are just copying because VHS tapes slowly degrade with time.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I have been hours on google and the only circuit I found used 9 outdated parts. I need it by tomorrow, and I want to use my pic that is ready for a code burn.

EPE did one a few years back, but it's not just a PIC, there's considerable extra circuitry as well.

We are just copying because VHS tapes slowly degrade with time.

That's still not permissable.

 

[Sceadwian]

Last time I checked, under U.S. copyright law making a copy of a VHS or DVD for use as a backup to the original media on a legally purchased title is allowed, as what you technically purchase isn't the media but a license to view the content.

 

[wmmullaney]

Couldn't you just sync with the signal, then erase the VRS?

 

[philba]

the sad part of this is that the stabilizer device is outlawed by the DMCA (US law). The act even outlaws describing how to make such a device. This is often called "Macrovision" after the company that patented the idea of removing sync. It's pretty laughable that in this digital era, it is still illegal to produce a device to record an inferior signal. sigh.

 

[wmmullaney]

It's illegal for the lawful owner of a video signal to reproduce it for logical uses in his own home?

 

[philba]

No, it's not. What is illegal is selling or describing such a device. It's called the anti-circumvention clause. What ever it is, it's pretty screwed up - there are many (including me) that think the DMCA was incredibly over reaching and should have enshrined fair-use in law. Unfortunately, fair-use is up to the courts to define.

 

[picbits]

When my partner wanted her exercise video transferred off VHS onto DVD I had the same problem.

Turned out my TV tuner card and a cheapo VCR recording software did the job perfectly.

The more expensive video capture and editing software I had on my machine kept chucking up dialog boxes about macrovision .......

 

[wmmullaney]

Thanks picbits, but I don't have a tv card, this thing needs to work by tomorrow, and I don't know what to do about it.

 

[picbits]

Only other way unless you have a giant parts bin you can raid is possibly to download it via a .torrent file but by doing this you risk getting caught by the feds

 

[Sceadwian]

Yeah, cause you know the feds are really cracking down on those VHS hackers nowadays...

 

[ArtemisGoldfish]

You could try popping the VCR open and seeing if it has any explicit Auto Gain Control chip, other than that, you might be screwed.

 

[kchriste]

Yeah, cause you know the feds are really cracking down on those VHS hackers nowadays...

It's like the CD market was a few years ago. Beatles fans would buy an album on cassette, then the same album on vinyl and then buy it again on CD and the Beatles remain the most ripped off band of all time. Ripped off by the very recording studios whining about piracy.
Copying from VHS to DvD is dubious at best when you think of the poor quality of VHS to begin with. Since it was released on VHS it must be pretty old so I'm sure you can find a cheap DvD copy in the discount bargain bin of your local WalMart, Zellers, etc
For our Canadian members, be sure to spam your MP about the coming of DRM legislation to this country:
**broken link removed**

 

[RobertD]

Yeah, cause you know the feds are really cracking down on those VHS hackers nowadays...

Don't they have murderers to catch... ?!??

 

[picbits]

Yeah, cause you know the feds are really cracking down on those VHS hackers nowadays...

I was referring to downloading the torrents of the VHS videos rather than the actual copying itself.

I downloaded an episode of a television series here in the UK a couple of months ago. I'm not a big downloader but this was an episode I'd missed.

About a week later I received an email from my ISP warning me that I had been reported for breach of copyright and to cease any illegal downloading.

Ironically it was my first and only download with this ISP.

By Feds - I meant whoever dealt with your legal enforcement wherever you are rather than the US Feds by the way

 

[0x00x0]

You might check this device:

https://www.aaroncake.net/CIRCUITS/macrovision.asp

 

[wmmullaney]

Thanks, I'v seen that, but it has lots of parts I don't have.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Does the movie not exist on DVD? Much higher quality than a VHS tape and DVD copy utilities are common.