Macrovision signs DVD copy protection agreement with Lions Gate

Macrovision Corporation has announced that Lions Gate Home Entertainment, a division of Lions Gate Entertainment, has signed a multi-year agreement that extends their use of Macrovision’s technology to copy protect DVD releases.
Lions Gate Entertainment is a leading independent producer and distributor with new movies such as ‘Open Water’, ‘The Cookout’ and ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’, television series such as ‘The Dead Zone’ and ‘Missing’ and one of the largest home video libraries containing titles such as ‘Cabin Fever’, ‘Girl With a Pearl Earring’, ‘Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights’, ‘Barbie: The Princess and the Pauper’ and ‘Will and Grace’.
Lions Gate also manages a broad distribution system that delivers home video product directly to over 12,000 retail stores in the United States.
“I have said on numerous occasions that piracy is the number one issue affecting our industry,” said Steve Beeks, President, Lions Gate Entertainment. “As evidenced by what is happening in the music industry, the importance of being able to defend against piracy is paramount to our future.”
“Macrovision’s copy protection technology helps rights owners generate a positive return on their investment in original programming,” said Tom Carroux, Director of Macrovision’s Entertainment Technology Group. “Lions Gate continues to be an important partner and we really value their long-term commitment to use Macrovision’s technology.”
Macrovision’s video copy protection technology is designed to allow consumers to transparently view original DVD programming on TV sets, while deterring unauthorised copying onto DVD recorders, hard drive recorders and VCRs. It is the most widely deployed and reliable way to protect against unauthorised copying of pre-recorded and electronic media. Macrovision’s technology is embedded in virtually all of the DVD recorders entering the market and in the 280 million DVD devices installed throughout the world. The technology is also embedded in over 90% of the 140 million digital set-top boxes and personal video recorders in the market. In addition, the new generation of home media centre computers detect Macrovision’s technology and either disable recording of copy-protected content or record an encrypted copy that can only be played on the machine it was recorded on, thereby inhibiting unauthorized Internet file sharing.
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