Macrovision, Digimarc pact
$2 mil deal strengthens copyright protection
The deal ups Macrovision's total equity share in Digimarc to 9.8% and signals the companies' plans since 1997 to develop digital piracy-fighting tools for video. In 1998, the two partnered with Royal Philips Electronics to further their goal of ending the illegal copying of video content.
Strategic alliance
"Macrovision has increased its investment in Digimarc to strengthen and expand our relationship, and to accelerate our watermarking development and patenting program," Macrovision chair and CEO John Ryan said.
Embedded into music, pictures or video, Digimarc's technology enforces copyright protection, copy control and licensing. It also allows companies to track the distribution of their products.
Macrovision's services protect against unauthorized VCR copying of videos, DVDs, digital cable-satellite PPV programs and computer software.
