Canopus 110 Converter

HaroldC wrote on 5/14/2006, 7:38 AM
From a review that I've read of the Canopus 110, there is a feature that protects what the converter detects as copyrighted material. Is this the case? My primary use at this point would be recording my favourite shows and movies for my own use. If there is such a feature is there a method to deactivate it?

Thanks

Comments

Tim L wrote on 5/14/2006, 9:22 AM
Okay, I probably have no business replying here, because I've never used a Canopus 110 (or anything like it). But here I go...

It seems like I have read some comments somewhere on the web that there is a kind of secret mode on the 110, where you hold the power button in for 10 seconds or something when you power it on, and then the light blinks and enables a "time base corrector" mode, which allows conversion of some media that has copy protection applied to it. (I think especially the Macromedia type of correction, which I believe plays around with the synch timing of the signal?)

Again, I could be totally mistaken about this. Maybe somebody else can confirm. Or look for info on the web that talks about "time base correction" for the ADVC 110.

Tim L
ScottW wrote on 5/14/2006, 12:09 PM
The protection being removed is called Macrovision. From what I've read the 110 doesn't support this removal, but if it did, it might be enabled the same way my 300 does it - hold down the selection switch on the front/top of the unit for 15 seconds after powering the unit up.

--Scott
HaroldC wrote on 5/14/2006, 4:49 PM
The Macrovision protection is at least for the present only on dvd's isn't it? It has not been placed into a tv or directv signal yet has it?

Harold
Chienworks wrote on 5/14/2006, 5:53 PM
Macrovision is on VHS too. It's embedded within the video frame. I can't think of any reason why it couldn't be transmitted over broadcast.
IanG wrote on 5/15/2006, 12:56 AM
Macrovision is used on pay per view transmissions in the UK - I'd be surprised if we're unique!

Ian G.
discdude wrote on 5/16/2006, 3:26 AM
Macrovision isn't used on broadcast TV here in the US since the Supreme Court ruled that it is legal to timeshift. Use of Macrovision would infringe on that right.

However, Macrovision (and worse) is used on just about everything else. :(
IanG wrote on 5/16/2006, 9:46 AM
Interesting! I was wrong about about pay per view though - I meant (some) TV on demand channels and the cable / satellite movie channels. Apologies for going further OT, but it would be interesting to know if "premium" films get aired in the UK but not the US because they're thought to be protected here.

Ian G.
HaroldC wrote on 5/16/2006, 4:24 PM
I have captured pay per view directv and vhs with the tv tuner in the US. Though it doesn't allow capture off dvd. But since from what I'm reading here capturing tv from the Canopus 110 isn't going to be a problem, I'll probably go ahead and order it. I'm tired of capturing in mpeg2.

Thanks
Chienworks wrote on 5/16/2006, 5:46 PM
I don't have a Canopus converter. I'm using the old discontinued SONY model. It to detects macrovision and other copy protection schemes. It doesn't forbid capturing though; it just lights up a little light on the front panel telling you that you're "doing something bad." ;)

It's very easy to remove macrovision after it's captured. Use Pan/Crop to trim the top 4 lines from the frame and it's gone. Macrovision is encoded in the top few scanlines. Unfortunately you'll probably lose closed-captioning too if you do this.
HaroldC wrote on 5/17/2006, 4:20 PM
I've just ordered the 110. It was getting ridiculous. Capturing from the tv tuner card as often as not ended up with out of sync video and audio. Now I have to see about get a firewire card. I currently only have one firewire port and my external hard drive is connected to it.

Thanks
HaroldC wrote on 5/17/2006, 4:36 PM
Using the Canopus converter and VMS Platinum to capture in avi, what size of file I'm I looking at for an hour of SD video?
Chienworks wrote on 5/17/2006, 6:05 PM
Just about 13GB/hour.
HaroldC wrote on 5/24/2006, 6:19 PM
I have to say that the Canopus 110 performed superbly. I captured a tv show, edited out the commercials. The audio and video remained in sync. Rendering a 43 minute video from avi to mpeg2 took about an hour and five minutes. The video quality is excellent.

Thanks