Not Able to Capture Protected VHS Tapes even with Sima Copym

[mikewg]

I have an ATI 128 Pro and have it hooked up to my VCR. I can capture TV beautifully, I can capture from my VCR fine, but when I put in a copy protected tape (I'm sure it's Macrovision, I'm using my SouthPark the Movie tape), it freezes in spots and the light/dark thing happens.

I've understood to remove this, I need to filter out those protection layers, etc. I went to Circuit City and bought a Sima CopyMaster. I fed the video out of the back of my VCR, into the copymaster, and then into the computer. Problem is, when I capture, I still have the exact same macrovision problem. I had also bought the RF Modulator from Radio Shack and it didn't work either, so I'm assuming I'm doing something wrong here. Can I get some advice as to what my next move should be? Am I missing something?

[SHS]

You need boost the signel to get a good clean signel

[wingstar1]

Try atimacrovisionremover.zip. This file will open your ATI card to the world of macrovision free recording from all sources. Remember one thing...this is a hobby for personal use and not profit

[homerpez]

I have the Sima Copymaster also... there's definitely limits on what it can accomplish... I found that while it disabled macrovison, it did nothing to improve signal quality of older or damaged tapes (its intended use). Go figure. Ultimately, it wasn't useful to me, though it might be to someone else. Anyone interested in picking one up for $10?

I found, quite by accident, that certain SVHS VCR's might be an answer. (That's Svhs with an S, but it plays and records on VHS also). I happen to have a JVC which (don't tell anybody) doesn't seem to transmit the macrovision signal out when playing back a tape! I have composite patched into my AIW Radeon, and sure enough, no macrovison! (Again, don't tell anyone! SHHH)!

Tried Star Wars Episode 1, and a few others. The only thing it displayed was a tell-tale distortion along the bottom (in the overscan area, it's like that with any tape). I kept waiting for macrovision to kick in, and it never did!

I don't know what feature you can even look for to discover which models do and don't show macrovision. You could just experiment (keep bringing them back to your electronics store and make excuses if they don't do that)...

I can tell you my model was relatively inexpensive, only $130 or so ($160 reg price, I got it 'open box'), but prices are going down a bit depending on brand/model.

BTW: the driver patches ultimately do nothing. That's only for one type of macrovision, but there is more than one kind.

[mikewg]

Where would I find said atimacrovisionremover.zip? I'm willing to give it a try and see what happens... though I am confused as to why the Sima CopyMaster didn't remove it like everyone said it was going to? What do I need to do to boost the signal? Do I need to boost the signal AND run it through the Sima CopyMaster?

Homerpez, exactly what model JVC do you have? If nothing else, I'd rather return the copy master and just get a new VCR, I need a new one anyways.

[Bullworth]

Hey mike, check your email

[caish5]

On the subject of JVC S-VHS vcr's. Mine will happily record dvds encoded with macrovision all by itself!
It's an HR-5700-AM

[VTOM]

All,

My JVC s-vhs enables macrovision, so homerpez is right - it varies by model.

Mikewg,
Sima copymaster worked for me sort of(busted macrovision), but degraded picture quality a little, so again, homerpez is probably right and there are probably several types of macrovision.

Wingstar1,
WTF? I really hate macrovision now, and would like to get a nice software solution - even if partial. So why don't you post here where we can get this atimacrovisionremover.zip? - please!!!

[mikewg]

I tried the atiantimacrovision.zip file on my system and it didn't help at all, still having the same macrovision problem... going to keep trying other avenues, wish me luck.

Mike

[mikewg]

Duh. I fed the cables from the VHS to the computer, but didn't select Composite mode on VirtualDub... so I was still capturing from the coaxial cable instead of the video cables coming from the Sima CopyMaster. Now I can capture, no macrovision at all. Sweet.

Problem is... using the video cables instead of the coaxial cables results in poor quality. I notice the Sima CopyMaster has input and output for S-Video cables. If I feed an S-Video cable from my VCR to the Sima to the computer, will the quality of the capture be much better? I'm hoping for Coaxial quality, since my Coaxial is much higher than the Video input/outputs. Thanks!

[homerpez]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-12-06 10:53:56, caish5 wrote:
On the subject of JVC S-VHS vcr's. Mine will happily record dvds encoded with macrovision all by itself!
It's an HR-5700-AM
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like mine, though I can't be sure (not at home right now)...

It's grey with an S-Video port on the back, but not on the front. They model number sounds similar if not identical (trying to remember from memory only)...

I suspect the fact this unit has some video filtering options like SOFT, SHARP, NORMAL (for stabilizing degraded tapes, or ones from other VCR's), I think it's running the video full-time through another processor, and in turn that processor does not output macrovision signals. Is that a good guess?

It's really hard to know, since I'm sure JVC isn't broadcasting it.

[homerpez]

Sorry, I did find the product number. It's the HR-S3910U model.

MSRP is $240.95 but as I said I picked it up for much less.