Good method for removing Macrovision and CGMS-A?

[kurkosdr]

Hi there,

Today DRM had another surprise for me. I just found out that the Xbox 1 embeds a CGMS-A (and possibly also a macrovision) signal in the output even when playing games, after unsuccessfully trying to capture a level of Bloodrayne 2 with my DVD recorder. Since capturing gameplay footage probably falls within the fair use limits, how can I get rid of the CGMS-A and the macrovision signal?

I 've heard people get good results with Macromaster+ and with SmartLeads IS Pro, but I thought I should ask around if there is anything better or newer (if there isn't anything better or newer, should i get the Macromaster or the Smartleads?). I 've also found this (http://www.dvdreviewer.co.uk/Forums/Hardware/t505288/What_to_do_about_Macrovision_and_CGMS/page1), but it confused me more than it helped.

PS: No, I don't want to use a PC.
PPS: Some people recommend using a TBC (time based corrector), but I am not sure if it can remove all of CGMS-A and macrovision.

[Ghitulescu]

Are you sure it's MV/CGMS-A or it's just a weird video mode that your DVDrecorder cannot cope with?

[kurkosdr]

Are you sure it's MV/CGMS-A or it's just a weird video mode that your DVDrecorder cannot cope with?

Thanks for the reply! Well, i got a clear "this signal is copy protected" message, plus the connection i use is plain composite (yellow rca, this is the only output my Xbox has as of now). I have not enabled PAL 60 and it's not some weird component signal.

Is there any way to get rid cgms-a and macrovision from composite and s-video signals?

[TheSkiller]

Is there any way to get rid cgms-a and macrovision from composite and s-video signals?
Have a look at this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=112135&highlight=grex). "Grex" is a device that erases copy protection.

But I'm not convinced it really is CGMS-A or Macrovision that prevents you from recording. It seems very unlikely to me for a game console to use these. I mean they would have to pay the companies to use those. They would rather invest in copy protections for the actual game disc I reckon.
I myself have captured off different older consoles (no Xbox 1 though), I never experienced any kind of copy protection in the video signals. On the other hand I've never used a DVD-recorder to do it but a capture card.

Do you have access to any other DVD-recorder or VHS-recorder? If there really is Marcovision it should be impossible to get a proper recording on VHS.

I'm pretty sure there is just something unusual with the signal (Ghitulescu mentioned it), which is not uncommon for game consoles. Your DVD-recorder might interpret this oddity as copy protection and therefore refuses to record even if it's not copy protected.

[kurkosdr]

The Grex can't maintain the widescreen signaling (the one broadcast at line 23) Many of my devices (game consoles, satellite decoders) output a 16:9 anamorphic picture, so maintaiming the widescreen signaling is necessary in order for the image to not appear horizontally squezzed.

I am considering the DPX7000. But I don't know if it maintains the widescreen signaling.

[Ghitulescu]

Well, bad news, I don't know any consumer-range MV-remover that keeps the WS-signalling intact, because it's much cheaper to blank the whole VBI instead of selectively blanking of the corresponding bits. And pro gear doesn't need to cope with such issues :). That is, the TXT, CC and other items stored in VBI are lost forever.
But the solution is simple: just copy the recorded DVD (I would use a rewritable medium, to save money and keep the environment tidy) on a PC, and modify the DAR of the corresponding into 16:9 (to be perfect you can also patch the VOB files as well, eg with DVDpatcher or similar), then burn it once more. The signal is anyway "horizontally compressed" so no resolution loss.