Macrovision Introduces RipGuard DVD to Dramatically Reduce Digital DVD

Macrovision Introduces RipGuard DVD to Dramatically Reduce Digital DVD Piracy

    Business Editors/Entertainment Editors/High-Tech Editors

    SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 15, 2005--

Combination of Macrovision Analog Copy Protection and RipGuard DVD creates world's first analog and digital DVD content protection solution
    Macrovision(R) Corporation (Nasdaq:MVSN), the world's leading supplier of content and software value management solutions, today announced the worldwide availability of RipGuard DVD(TM) a digital rip-control solution for DVD Video. RipGuard DVD plugs the "digital hole" created by PC-based DeCSS ripper software, which allows millions of average consumers to make unauthorized perfect digital copies of copyrighted DVDs in mere minutes. These copies can be burned to inexpensive recordable DVDs or uploaded onto the peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. P2P downloads and the "rent, rip, return" of DVDs are an ongoing source of billions of dollars in annual revenue losses for the movie studios.
    RipGuard DVD is a unilateral content protection system that is applied to DVD discs and requires no additional software or hardware to be incorporated into PCs, DVD players or DVD recorders. The combination of Macrovision's analog copy protection technology (ACP) and RipGuard DVD provides comprehensive DVD protection for both major piracy threats faced by video content copyright owners -- the analog and digital holes. RipGuard DVD is a technological solution that effectively protects a copyright owner's rights. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes it illegal to attempt circumvention of such technological measures.
    "Macrovision RipGuard DVD is designed to dramatically reduce DVD ripping and the resulting supply of illegal P2P content. For over two decades, Macrovision has provided the premier solution for device-to-device copying using DVD players, VCRs, DVD recorders, digital video recorders, digital set-top boxes and media center PCs," said Steve Weinstein, executive vice president and general manager of Macrovision's Entertainment Technologies Group. "Ultimately, we see RipGuard DVD and the ACP framework evolving beyond anti-piracy, and towards enablement of legitimate on-line transactions, interoperability in tomorrow's digital home, and the upcoming high definition formats."
    The two processes of applying RipGuard DVD and ACP to DVD optical discs can be transparently combined at the replication facility, regardless of the type of manufacturing systems used. In support of the worldwide content protection ecosystem, Macrovision has developed extensive test and certification facilities used to validate both these products for seamless playability on nearly all manufacturer's DVD players, drives, and recorders prior to market release.
    RipGuard DVD is available today in select replication facilities, with general availability anticipated in the second quarter of 2005.
    For more information, please visit the Macrovision RipGuard DVD Website.

    About Macrovision

    Macrovision develops and markets content and software value management solutions for the video, music and software industries. Macrovision's technologies are embedded in over 9 billion DVD, VHS and CD units representing over $130 billion of protected entertainment content. In the software market, Macrovision's software value management solutions are licensed to software developers. They include the FLEXnet(TM) universal licensing platform and the InstallShield(R) suite of software installation, repackaging and update solutions, which are deployed on more than 500 million desktops worldwide. Over 50,000 software publishers and hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies use Macrovision's technologies to maximize the value of their software. Macrovision is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has offices worldwide. More information about Macrovision can be found at www.macrovision.com.

    (C) Macrovision 2005. Macrovision, ACP, FLEXnet, InstallShield and RipGuard DVD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Macrovision Corporation. All other brands and product names and trademarks are the registered property of their respective companies.

    This press release may contain "forward-looking" statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. A number of factors could cause Macrovision's actual results to differ from anticipated results expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors are addressed in Macrovision's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003 and its latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2004, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov). Macrovision assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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CONTACT: Macrovision Corporation Miao Chuang, 408-562-8451 mchuang@macrovision.com or Macrovision Europe Simon Mehlman, +44 (0)161 740 3989 simonm@macrovision.com or ThirdWire for Macrovision Gary Byrd, 831-440-2414 gary.byrd@thirdwirepr.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE MUSIC MOTION PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE PRODUCT SOURCE: Macrovision Corporation

Copyright Business Wire 2005