How to copy protect..

[Moonburn54]

Howdy,

I have been using this forum extensively since I had a need to start burning DVDs of material I have created, captured and authored myself. I have learned a lot in a couple of weeks..

I have a need for a simple copy protection from DVD to VHS . Something like Macrovision comes to mind. In the hope of getting some technical answers, rather than just another flame war, I have listed some background info below:

1. I am quite cognizant of the ease with which experienced folks like yourselve can rip DVDs – and that’s OK, but I am trying to prevent an average person from doing a mass VHS replicate. A simple protection is all that is necessary since the risk of people trying to copy to VHS is high, but the technical aptness is low, in the target population.
2. My operation is too small to press DVDs (yet). This material will be distributed in volumes of less than 300 copies.
3. This question has nothing to do with the ethics around me wanting to find a solution for this, so please do not explain to me how protecting the source material is ‘unethical’, unnecessary or plain stupid, due to the ease of number 1 above. I am looking for technical answers only.

Please share your expertise going the other way..

Cheers!


Workflow (in case this helps):
123 minute program
Shot with GL-2, and various backup cameras
Captured with Matrox RT-2500
Edited with Premiere 6.01
Effects with After Effects
Encoded with CCE and partly TMPG
Authored with DVD-Lab
Burned with Nero (PX-708A) on TY

[Tommyknocker]

I do not think there are any low cost copy protection.

[Moonburn54]

Alright,

I did do an extensive search beyond this forum and it does seem a little expensive in that I would have to create a master on DLT and then have the disks pressed.

Someone had posted previously in another thread that he was able to locate some software to encode using Macrovision L1 (which makes sense to me), but the person did not respond nor list the name.

Too bad.

Gerrit

[Coopervid]

The donator's version of IfoEdit can add MV according to this thread.

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=d7443ac6a2fe936a12271edadd7792bc&threadid=6381...ht=macrovision

Vid

[freestyler]

Applying Macrovision without proper licensing is a crime!

[BJ_M]

new(est) versions of ulead dvd products can apply some sort of macrovision i understand (better check it out first)

[Moonburn54]

I believe there are several products out there, including Adobe Encore that support setting a flag. If I understand it correctly, this flag is then used during pressing, sort of a 'pre-press' process - it also requires you to provide the master on DLT.

I was hoping to be able to encode with some tool. The technology, especially APS Level 1, does not seem very complex.

Of course most people are more interested going the other way

Cheers.

Ps: I have an email into the author of IfoEdit to see how I can obtain the donators version, and to discuss if this is a viable solution.

[Moonburn54]

A quick review of the Ulead site and their MUG usegroup did not mention any copy protection mechanism.

[paulw]

It's in Ulead's DVD Workshop 2. It's not a released product yet. Try about March 2004