Macrovision's software arm to become stand-alone company

What originally appeared to be a move by Macrovision to build a rights protection empire surprisingly appears to have lost an essential element: its PC software.

Today, private equity firm Thoma Cressey Bravo has announced that it will be purchasing Macrovision's Software Business unit for approximately $200 million cash. The group owns more than 10 software companies, which specialize in enterprise management and planning solutions, supply chain software and business data systems.

Macrovision's most notable software properties include FLEXnet, which manages software licenses and installation, and the iconic InstallShield, which is behind a huge chunk of the self-contained single executable setup files for Windows.

When the deal closes on or around April Fool's Day 2008, the software unit will become a stand-alone company. Control of all products and associated support and services will be turned over to Mark Bishof, who is currently Macrovision's Executive Vice President and General Manager of its Software Business Unit, and who will assume the role of CEO.

Macrovision -- owner of TV Guide, the Analog Copy Protection system, and the BD+ Blu-Ray encryption scheme -- now appears to be poised to concentrate its resources on the video-on-demand distribution channel.