Macrovision Corporation, the leading provider of digital rights management and copy protection technologies, announced that Maplin Electronics Limited has declared that they will fully comply with the European Copyright Directive, which was implemented in the UK on October 31, 2003. The new law brings into force important new measures prohibiting the sale and advertising of circumvention devices designed to illegally circumvent Macrovision copy protection technologies on DVDs and VHS cassettes that protect the copyrights of content owners and their publishers.

Maplin Electronics Ltd., a specialist electronics retailer with 81 stores in the UK, has agreed to destroy its entire stock of video enhancers, which could be used as circumvention devices.

Maplin Electronics Ltd. additionally declared that "Maplin is fully aware of the recent changes to the copyright law and is keen to comply with this change in the legislation." As a consequence, Maplin has withdrawn the range of three devices that may be used to circumvent copy protection technologies.

David O'Reilly, Commercial Director of Maplin Electronics Ltd. stated, "We acted promptly on this matter because it is important for us to provide our customers with products that do not contravene the law. We have discontinued these items following the change in the legislation, and out of respect for the law."

"We appreciate Maplin Electronics Ltd.'s prompt compliance with the broad scope of the new IP legislation," stated Martin Brooker, European Director of Sales for Macrovision. "As part of an ongoing enforcement program, Macrovision will be working with retailers to ensure compliance with the new law."

Founded in 1972, the specialist electronics retailer, Maplin Electronics Ltd, with 81 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland offers 12,000 products through the catalogue, e-commerce and store network. The product range is very diverse, and the broad categories are Sound & Vision, Computer products and Hobbies & Electronics.

Macrovision develops and markets copy protection, digital rights management (DRM) and electronic licensing technologies for the video, music and software markets. Macrovision has its corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California, with international offices in London, Frankfurt, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong and Seoul. Macrovision can be found on the Internet at www.macrovision.com.