Macrovision (Warning Screens)

North American Warning Screens

1st Warning (November 1, 1990)

Warning: On a dark gray background, we see the Macrovision logo, a tall gold triangle with the thin text "MACROVISION" (with triangles in the "A" and the "V"'s place) next to it. Above it reads:

In order to ensure that the program you are viewing is an original and of the highest quality, this videocassette has been protected by the Macrovision anticopy process.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare. It only appeared on the 1990 VHS of Total Recall.

2nd Warning (1991-2000)

Warning: Same as the previous warning, but the background is navy blue, the Macrovision logo is white and bigger than in the previous warning, "MACROVISION" is in a thicker font, the warning text is in a different font, and "has been protected" has been reworded as "is protected".

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare. It was seen on HBO Video releases from 1991-2000 like Turbulence and Zeus and Roxanne, some Barney & the Backyard Gang/Barney & Friends tapes, and the 1991 VHS of TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze.

3rd Warning (December 27, 1995-August 12, 1997)

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Warning: On a purple liquid background, a spinning triangle pops up from the top-left, and goes to the right to reveal squares that become the text "MACROVISION". The triangle stops spinning and an M fades in on the triangle. The triangle is in a circle that says "CERTIFIED ORIGINAL". The video label has a white border fade in, and so does the rectangle that surrounds the logo and circle. The text

In order to ensure that the program you are about
to watch is an original, and of the highest quality,
this videocassette incorporates the exclusive
Macrovision encoding process.

fades into the rectangle.

Technique: Computer animation.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare. Can be found at the beginning of The Beatles Anthology and some New Line Home Video releases from 1996 such as The Adventures of Pinocchio, Seven, and Rumble in the Bronx.

European Warning Screens

(1992-1994)

Warning: On a white background, we see the Macrovision logo at the top of the screen, with all the triangles in blue, and all the regular text in gray, in the same font as the 1st warning. The following text appears below:

To ensure that the programme that you are watching is an original recording, this videocassette has been duplicated using the Macrovision®Copy Protection Process.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare. This mostly pops up on First Independent UK rental VHS releases from 1992-1994, including Deadbolt, Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead, Naked Lunch and Mr. Saturday Night.

France

(1996-2003)

Warning: On the same background as the CIC Video warning, this following text is shown in the Optima font:

CETTE CASSETTE EST PROTEGEE
PAR LE SYSTEME ANTI-COPIE

MACROVISION(THIS CASSETTE IS PROTECTED BY THE COPY PROTECTION SYSTEM, MACROVISION.)

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare. This appears on European French releases from CIC Video from 1996-2003.

Bulgaria

(1996-2000)

Warning: On a blue background, we see white Bulgarian text in the Helvetica font scroll up reading:

Този филм е записан
с помощта на анти-
пиратската защитна система
за кодиране MACROVISION.
Ако купите или наемете
видеокасета с влошено
качество на образа и звука,
вие сте попаднали на
пиратски презапис.
В такъв случай сигнали-
зирайте на българската
асоциация за борба с
незаконното използване
на защитени аудио-
визуални произведения
(БУЛАКТ) телефон 52-34-27
както и в най-близкото
управление на полицията Translation: 'This film was recorded using the MACROVISION anti-piracy security encryption system. If you buy or rent a videocassette with poor image and sound quality, you have come across a pirated rewrite. In this case, report to the Bulgarian Association for combating the illegal use of protected audiovisual works (BULACT), telephone 52-34-27 as well as in the nearest police department.'

Technique: Scrolling effects.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: This was found on Bulgarian VHS releases of Underground, Rescuers: Stories of Courage: Two Couples, and Fairy Tales: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which were distributed by Alexandra Video.