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Posted By: joshxfoo Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 08:42 PM
I suppose I should be grateful to my dad for giving me an old TV since I wouldn't be able to have one at all otherwise, being a poor college student and all. But, he gave me a Symphonic with integrated VCR. It has only two inputs (and ZERO outputs, mind you) -- composite video and TV (RF).

So, when I plug the composite video output of my girlfriend's cheapo Apex DVD player into the composite input on the TV (either directly or via my Denon AVR-884), I get the unbearable Macrovision continuous fade-in and fade-out because the input is technically on a VCR. Why anyone would manufacture a television incapable of being used in a straighforward manner in conjunction with a DVD player is beyond me.

So I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on eluding Macrovision. I've thought of playing DVDs on my iMac and getting a VGA-to-NTSC converter, but those things cost twice as much as my girlfriend's DVD player and I'd really much rather save money to buy a better TV (and a subwoofer, better DVD player, surrounds, center channel, etc.).

Is there any way to use the TV (RF) input instead? Or perhaps some cheap doohickey that strips out Macrovision? I'm at a loss here, and I'd really like to be able to watch DVDs without getting a headache.

UPDATE: I've just discovered that, supposedly, some DVD players allow you to disable Macrovision. If anyone knows of any Universal DVD/CD players which do this, I'd love to hear about it as I might be able to just go that route.

I've also come across the supposed existence of Macrovision "stabilizers" which remove Macrovision from the video signal, but these, too, seem to cost a lot of money I'm not willing to spend for a short-term fix.
Posted By: bigjohn Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 09:03 PM
go to class!!

dont you have a lab or something!!

bigjohn
Posted By: Capn_Pickard Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 09:07 PM
Have you thought about an RF converter? This device (about $20 at Rat shack) converts the composite video source into an RF signal, which can be paired up with a regular wall cable box, and you can play DVDs as if they were regular cable, thereby by-passing the vcr part (ostensibly).

Granted, this comes with drawbacks of its own. Namely, you're downconverting the DVD to cable quality, and there can be some serious interference issues if the cable run between the DVD player and the RF converter box is too long. (Seriously, that's not cable snake oil crap - it happened to me - my cable run was too long, so I had to coil it back on itself, and I got weird ghosting and fuzzy images and poor color. ONce I cut the cord, things got much, much better).

Shortcomings aside - the signal that gets passed from the DVD to the TV through the RF converter is still reasonably good. It is better than normal cable and will be better than VHS. Considering that the TV is the limiting factor in this equation, you probably won't even notice the difference between the RF and the composite signals.

Anyway - give it a try, it may fix the macrophasing.
Posted By: joshxfoo Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 09:11 PM
In reply to:

go to class!




It's the summer, man! Instead of going to classes, I surf the Internet and drink beer.

Come to think of it, the summer isn't really all that different from the school year after all
Posted By: bigjohn Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 09:16 PM
sounds like a fun summer..

be sure and tidy-up the dorm before your roommate returns from summer vacation.

NOTE- condoms can fly amazingly far when thrown from a 4th story window!!

bigjohn
Posted By: pmbuko Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 09:57 PM
I sure hope you tied it off before throwing it...
Posted By: bigjohn Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 10:03 PM
peter- are our minds ALWAYS in the gutter..

(insert fart joke).....

bigjohn
Posted By: pmbuko Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 10:08 PM
no, just your condoms, you sick bastard.
Posted By: glangston Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 10:38 PM
Momitsu DVD player can disable Macrovision.
Posted By: joshxfoo Re: Eluding Macrovision - 08/03/04 10:57 PM
In reply to:

Momitsu DVD player can disable Macrovision.




That may very well be true, but they cannot play SACDs or DVD-As and all of the swanky network features require a Windows PC, which I do not have. So I really don't feel like it would be a worthwhile investment.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway!
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