Macrovision
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Nuance adds Rovi's metadata to Dragon TV, becomes annoyingly good at TV trivia
Nuance, of Dragon TV fame announced today that it was licensing Rovi's (formerly known as Macrovision) metadata for its talky-TV platform. Once integrated, the application will be able to marshall far more information than it currently can -- enabling it to give answers to queries like "Who plays Chuck on Gossip Girl?" That said, we're not holding out much hope that it'll be able to answer our question about which guy from CSI played that bad guy in that movie we can't remember the title of, or something.
Rovi sues Amazon and IMDb for infringing TV guide patents
Rovi sounds friendly enough, but the company used to be called Macrovision -- and the infamous DRM provider just sued Amazon's IMDb.com last week for infringement of five TV guide patents. The patents came along with Rovi's acquisition of Gemstar, and they cover everything from interactive program guides to purchasing products on-demand to scheduling recordings from a computer -- a huge range that seems to hit everything from QVC to the Xfinity TV iPad app. That probably explains why Rovi says it has deals with everyone from Apple to Yahoo -- between its TV listings products, recent purchase of a sizable video library, and the current litigation with IMDb, it appears that the company is serious about leaving its DRM-centric roots behind and moving into internet content distribution.
Rovi TV Guide widget debuts on Samsung HDTVs
The agreement between Rovi (formerly Macrovision) and Samsung for EPG data has taken an odd turn with the debut of the TV Guide widget for Samsung's Yahoo! Widget enabled HDTVs. Check the pictures to get an idea of what it looks like, though with host of these televisions likely hooked up to satellite or cable boxes, the usability of these abbreviated "what's on" listings when another click of the remote would bring up a guide that will actually tune to those stations. Still, check the pics for an example of the flexibility of the widget platform, including the option to load up Daily Hotlists from Rovi's editors daily, complete with personal profiles but aren't exactly satiating the appetite we've developed for the Liquid guide demoed earlier this year.
Macrovision re-invents itself as Rovi, kicks off with new guide "Liquid"
Hold on to your hats folks because the company that we love to hate is turning over a new leaf by kicking off its old DRM shoes and leveraging its acquisition of Gemstar in a big way. What we mean is that this is the first time in the history of Macrovision that we can remember being excited about an announcement; and boy does it make perfect sense that it comes with a new company name. Rovi's first consumer product should be available in various HDTVs next year, and among the new jazzed up looking guide you can expect a full DLNA client that is designed to be a single access point for all of your content. This includes internet sourced content like Slacker radio, YouTube XL, BLOCKBUSTER OnDemand, and CinemaNow; as well as anything you might have on your PC like pictures, music and even videos. Add in a little social networking from sites such as Flixster and we might have ourselves a new way to watch TV. No word yet on what new TVs will feature Liquid, but we'd expect to hear more at CES '10. The full release is after the jump.
Vizio to use Macrovision's program guide software
In some non-delay related Vizio news, it's just signed up with Macrovision in a multiyear deal to use its program guide (IPG) tech. We don't know which flavor of new technology it might be using (we've recently seen Macrovision's Passport tru2way guide software as well as its prototype Neon embedded software, built to pull Internet content in alongside regular TV programming) but either would be lovely to see on the Connected HDTV when it debuts later this year.%Gallery-41404%
Paramount licenses BD+ DRM from Macrovision
Looks like Fox won't be the only one using BD+ soon, now that Paramount has licensed it, along with a few other DRM tools like RipGuard and ACP from Macrovision. There's no indication when, or even if Paramount will use the technology on its titles and the press release from Macrovision focuses on its ability to protect video over Internet, cable and satellite. As it is, we're sure Slysoft appreciates all the effort, but it's the people who legally buy their movies that might need a firmware update just to play Transformers 2.[Via Video Business]
Macrovision shows new Passport tru2way guide and multi-room features
At the Cable Show this week Macrovision is showing off its new tru2way Passport software, which we have to say is pretty cool looking. Of course it isn't the coolest looking software we've seen, but it is the best looking tru2way option so far and at least it is widescreen. But maybe in what might be bigger news to Comcast fans customers around the country -- or anyone who uses the Passport of iGuide software really -- is the that like the Passport tru2way software, the new Passport and iGuide software will also support multi-room viewing. So you'll finally be able to have your content follow you around the house and automatically pick up where you left off. Unfortunately like other solutions based on the Motorola boxes it's limited to two tuners throughout the house -- because a DVR can only act as a server and not as a client -- and we'd bet our old friends at the cable company will continue to only offer DVRs with puney 160GB hard drives, which really makes it hard for most families to get by with a single DVR.
Macrovision pushes "Neon" TV Guide
For 2009 CES Macrovision's showing off its new project "Neon", embedded TV Guide software for CE manufacturers it's pushing as an all-in-one homepage for digital content. Not only ready to help users find and watch regular TV shows, it's built for pulling in content from the Internet or locally connected PCs. Of course, among the nice features like Smart Recommendations and rich program descriptors / cover art of TV shows are bits like space for ad graphics loaded at the whim of the manufacturer. Check out the gallery for a preview and hope that gray box on the side isn't too annoying.%Gallery-41404%
Study finds that one-third of consumers copy DVDs
'Round these parts, we prefer to read the fine print first, so it should be noted that none other than Macrovision -- you know, the firm that purchased the now-cracked BD+ DRM scheme for $45 million last year -- financed this here study. According to poll results from US and UK consumers, around 1 in 3 individuals admitted to "making copies of pre-recorded DVDs in the past 6 months, up over a quarter from the previous year's study." Predictably, males aged 18 to 24 were most likely to wear an eye patch and own a DVD burner (if you catch our drift), and while revenue loss due to illegal copying is certainly a valid concern, researchers did find that 62% of American respondents (and 49% in the UK) were duping flicks they already owned. Arrr![Image courtesy of George Dillon]
Macrovision to scrutinize Sunflower Broadband in-guide advertising
With Disney creating a dedicated lair for biometric testing of advertisements and Backchannelmedia pushing its own TV-to-internet ad platform, we aren't too surprised to see Macrovision teaming up with Sunflower Broadband to gauge the effectiveness of yet another advertising alternative. As part of the collaborative effort, EPG usage patterns of an "anonymous sample of Sunflower customers" will be collected and scrutinized in order to "gain insight into how consumers use i-Guide and interact with their DVR, on-demand services and in-guide advertising." In essence, the data will be used to "develop more effective consumer marketing tactics" and understand how subscribers "engage with interactive guide advertising." In-guide advertising? We hate to even think it, but really, what's next?
The real reason it took so long to crack BD+
When SlySoft announced last week that it'd finally unlocked BD+ content, it got a lot of news coverage -- even some in the mainstream media. But what didn't get discussed was the fact that SlySoft didn't get it done by the end of 2007, as previously promised. Well Ars took the story one step closer and among other things uncovered the real reason -- no it wasn't because it was so 'hard' -- it took so long. Peer van Heuen, SlySoft head of HD technologies said in a post that "it was decided for strategic reasons to wait a bit for the outcome of the 'format war' between HD DVD and Blu-ray." We bet Macrovision wished it'd waited a bit longer before dropping $45 Million purchase on another piece of useless DRM.
Macrovision purchases BD+ DRM for $45 million
Macrovision just announced it has purchased the Self-Protecting Digital Content technology that forms the basis of Blu-ray's BD+ DRM system. If you're wondering, that would be the same BD+ technology that went from "impenetrable for 10 years" to "cracked" just last week. 18 months ago, Macrovision hoped to avoid becoming irrelevant by including its analog content protection in the AACS spec used by both formats, but is taking over Blu-ray's digital content protection with the $45 million purchase from Cryptography Research. We're wondering how these latest vulnerabilities will affect Macrovision's plans to commercialize the technology through licensing, since one of BD+'s strengths is an ability to address "emerging" security threats.
Macrovision responds to Steve
Fred Amoroso, president and CEO of Macrovision, has posted a public response to Steve Job's recent open letter on DRM. Amoroso[1] argues that DRM is of net-benefit to the consumer. It allows consumers to rent intellectual property, such as video, software and games as well as music, without having to buy it and stimulates the creation of high-value entertainment because it protects the rights of the creators. The problem, he suggests, is that DRM is not interoperable and open. DRM systems (like FairPlay, which is not mentioned by name except later in the letter where Amoroso offers to take it over from Apple[2]) prevent portability between devices. Amoroso's statement is very much in line with the RIAA and Warner Music. The only new twist is the suggestion that companies like Apple force consumers into piracy by not opening up their DRM. He thinks piracy occurs because illegal content is more accessible and easier to use. As if people wouldn't pirate music if they could play iTunes purchases on a Zune. He proposes that abandoning DRM, moving say to unprotected MP3, will "doom" consumers to a more expensive "one size fits all" solution, a conclusion that I find hard to accept. Nothing says "interoperability" quite like a complete absence of DRM. [1] A name eerily like, but not quite an anagram of, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth of Apprentice fame. [2] In a statement that rings of "stand and deliver", Amaroso writes: "At Macrovision we are willing to lead this industry effort...[and will] assume responsibility for FairPlay as a part of our evolving DRM offering and enable it to interoperate across other DRMs, thus increasing consumer choice and driving commonality across devices."
Macrovision, the original DRM company, replies in open letter to Jobs
Thanking Steve Jobs for his Thoughts on Music isn't exactly how we'd expected a letter to start by Fred Amoroso, CEO of Macrovision, the original DRM company whose fair use crippling technology dates back all the way to 1984 (no joke). The latest in a litany of responses to Jobs's recent open letter, with pleasantries dispensed Amoroso cuts to the chase in a pro-DRM rant at times rank enough to turn a few Engadget editors' stomachs, with crowd pleasing points such as DRM is an "enabler" (certainly not for customer satisfaction), that it "increases not decreases consumer value" (huh?), and that by having no DRM on our digital media, we "will unnecessarily doom all consumers to a 'one size fits all' situation". (Are you laughing yet?) Despite a very pointed and well written argument in favor of "transparent, interoperable and reasonable DRM", Amoroso's restrictions-laden vision cites no facts or figures to support his conclusions -- not even shaky and questionable numbers like Steve cited in his Thoughts. Luckily for Jobs, Amoroso is even magnanimous enough to take the burden of FairPlay off his hands: "We offer to assist Apple in the issues and problems with DRM that you state in your letter. Should you desire [Steve], we would also assume responsibility for FairPlay as a part of our evolving DRM offering and enable it to interoperate across other DRMs, thus increasing consumer choice and driving commonality across devices." Sorry, we were too busy laughing at your pomposity, what was that you said, Fred?
Switched On: Come together... but not in 2007
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:
