VHS -> DV -> Camcorder problem

[Kirkman]

Hello all...

Several months ago, I imported a bunch of old VHS video into iMovie on my PowerMac G4. I played the tapes off a recent Sony VCR through my Dazzle Hollywood firewire coverter. I had no problems bringing the video into iMovie.

I then edited the videos and included them on several DVDs (through iDVD).

Now, I'm finally getting around to archiving my digital video onto Hi-8 tapes (I use a Sony TRV-280 camcorder, which uses these tapes. We make master tapes of all our finished, edited video).

But I am having trouble with 2 of the VHS conversions. When I try to export them from iMovie to the camcorder, the camcorder pops up a message in the viewfinder saying it is copyrighted material and it can't be recorded. The camcorder then stops itself and won't record the stream. The Mac doesn't seem to realize anything is wrong and keeps playing the video, so I have to stop it manually.

One of the two conversions is a collage of photos set to music from 1994. It was done by a professional company for my jr. high class, and it's possible it may have copy protection.

The other conversion is of a video that was shot a few years ago in Bolivia by my brother-in-law. I am not sure if it would have copy protection or not. Again, it's possible, but I'm thinking it unlikely.

These are the only two to have this problem. I have exported other conversions very easily to the Sony HandyCam

Anyone encounter this before?

--Josh

[Frobozz]

You would not have been able to import it to iMovie if it was copy protected. Try adding 30 seconds of black (or anything else) to the front of the movie and see if that fixes the issue. Alternatively you may need to take it to someone who has a video stabilizer. Have you tried exporting back through the Dazzle to the camcorder?

[Kirkman]

I should clarify that I am exporting to Hi-8/Digital-8 tapes. So the video is being saved digitally. Sending it back through the Dazzle would convert it to analog, so I have not tried that.

--Josh