What might have been

It seems like copy protection issues are really going to spoil our chances of inovative products in Europe.

Philips were set to release their progressive scan DVD player the DVD1000 later this year. This is an excellent machine incorporating the most sophisticated de-interlacer on the market, Philips call it the Natural Motion processor. It has the ability to estimate the true motion in a video signal and generate new motion compensated frame rates.

The DVD1000 would have given you the option of converting 24fps movie DVDs to 60fps progressive without 3:2 pulldown at all. (PAL 25fps would convert to 50fps) These aren't repeat frames but new motion frames, elliminating 3:2 pulldown and motion judder. The DVD1000 included interlaced and progressive component outputs and a progressive VGA output.

Unfortunately, since designing this player, the copyright holders of DVD content are keen that all outputs on consumer electronic video equipment has some form of copy protection.

There is no copy protection system for PAL 625 line progressive and none for VGA output, so Philips has decided to remove the DVD1000 from its product line for the time being and introduce the DVD1010 instead. This player is similar to the DVD1000 but has the progressive scan function and VGA output removed.

Quite frankly, I believe none of this copy protection or progressive Vs interlaced matters to video pirates who can easily remove Macrovision, will have the equipment to copy as they wish, will gain no advantage in progressive scan video and will most likely be interested in direct digital copies via personal computer. I find that this naïve and undue paranoia on the part of the copyright holders not only fails to address the reality of pirated video but does nothing other than limit good product features and development.

I sincerely hope that the consumer electronics manufacturers and the DVD forum come up with a sensible solution to these copy protection issues very soon.

We find ourselves in the rediculous and lementable situation whereby flagship progressive scan DVD players from Sony, Pioneer et al released into a PAL market have their PAL progressive outputs disabled and another removing its product altogether!

Copy protection for a VGA output! Now who is going to use progressive VGA to pirate DVDs?

[Mr.D]

Originally posted by Ludae:
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The DVD1000 would have given you the option of converting 24fps movie DVDs to 60fps progressive without 3:2 pulldown at all. (PAL 25fps would convert to 50fps) These aren't repeat frames but new motion frames, elliminating 3:2 pulldown and motion judder. The DVD1000 included interlaced and progressive component outputs and a progressive VGA output.

Doesn't make sense that you turn 24fps into 60fps without 3:2 pulldown. Your still looking at interpolation or speed change which defeats the point of progressive "real" frames. Are you sure it wasn't 72fps for 525/60 and 75fps for 625/50?

Originally posted by Mr.D:
Doesn't make sense that you turn 24fps into 60fps without 3:2 pulldown. Your still looking at interpolation or speed change which defeats the point of progressive "real" frames. Are you sure it wasn't 72fps for 525/60 and 75fps for 625/50?

No speed change is involved, the aim is to output 60fps as if the film was shot at 60fps in the first place.

With other progressive players you get 24fps progressive turned into 60fps using a 3:2 frame repeat sequence. This causes two types of motion judder to occur.

The Philips system uses sophisticated techniques similar to those used in broadcast television for motion compensated standards conversion and special slow motion effects etc, also the technique was used in the 'bullet time' special effects in the movie The Matrix (a motion estimation technique developed by the BBC was used for the shots in that film).

The system on the Philips DVD player can be switched off if required.

Cheers.

[Oasis]

I feel obliged to point out that the Matrix 'bullet time' effects were performed using technology developed by Snell & WIlcox in the UK and did not involve anyone from the BBC.

Sorry to be a bit pendantic but I like to recognise the right people for their efforts!

Originally posted by Oasis:
I feel obliged to point out that the Matrix 'bullet time' effects were performed using technology developed by Snell & WIlcox in the UK and did not involve anyone from the BBC.

Sorry to be a bit pendantic but I like to recognise the right people for their efforts!

The motion estimation system used for the 'Bullet Time' special effects was developed by the BBC and then further developed by Snell & Wilcox for their own broadcast video products and then extended for film use in The Matrix.

The origins of Phase Plane Correlation motion estimation are at the BBC in the 1980s under the RACE 'Cougar' research project, one of a very many Europe wide research inititives.

Snell & Wilcox were involved in that project and got involved in the technology to realise its commercial potential.

Phase Plane Correlation is not used in the Philips Natural Motion processor but the motion compensated standards conversion principle is essentially the same.

Cheers.