Copy inhibit signal prevents me from backing up my old VHS tapes

[ShaneJensen]

I have a bunch of old VHS tapes that I want to back up and convert to digital. One of them I was trying it on is a commercial release VHS of Charlie Brown Flashbeagle (1984). I'm using a Panasonic AG-1980 to play the tapes and an ADVC-300 to convert to digital to capture using Sony Vegas. This stupid copy inhibit signal screws up the ADVC-300 preventing me from getting a clear picture. Audio is good, but picture is unwatchable. I tried two other means, hooking up the Panasonic VCR to a Sony Digital8 VCR, GV-D200 and Sony Handicam DCR-TRV80. Copy inhibit prevents me from recording to these other devices as well and actually stops the recording. THIS IS SO ANNOYING. It's all well and good that these companies want to protect their media. But how the hell am I supposed to back up these old VHS tapes? Most of these tapes that I have are out of print and not on DVD. I really don't want to have a third device for canceling out the copy inhibit or Macrovision signal that I have read about in several threads here. What is that, a signal booster or something? I'd much rather get a new VCR that has one built in. Do they make VHS/DVD recorder combos with the copy inhibit canceler? If so, it would have to have S-Video out because that is what I use to connect to my ADVC-300 capture device. Please help.

[redwudz]

Probably more than you want to know about Macrovision : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rovi_Corporation Scroll down to 'Analog copy protection' which specifically relates to analog tapes.

[ShaneJensen]

Probably more than you want to know about Macrovision : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rovi_Corporation Scroll down to 'Analog copy protection' which specifically relates to analog tapes.

Yeah, that's a lot to take in and a bit overwhelming. Does anyone have any specific answers to my questions that would directly help me?

[freebird73717]

I think you would need a full TBC (time base corrector). Do a search here for TBC and you will find a lot of posts about them and their use in cleaning up the signal on commercial tapes so that you can transfer them to dvd (or whatever format you prefer).

I don't have one so I can't be of much help but I know that there are many here who do. Check out Lord Smurf's site www.digitalfaq.com . He has some good info about TBC's about halfway down this page.
http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/capture-playback-hardware.htm

[lowellriggsiam]

To overcome the problem of the macrovision copy protection on VHS tapes you'd need to buy a device that was made pre DCMA. In some cases a video enhancer filters out the white shades that create the protection.

[ShaneJensen]

To overcome the problem of the macrovision copy protection on VHS tapes you'd need to buy a device that was made pre DCMA. In some cases a video enhancer filters out the white shades that create the protection.

That's the thing. I really don't want to have to hook up a third device between my VCR and my capture device. I'd rather get a new VCR that has it built in.

[hech54]

I'd rather get a new VCR that has it built in.

Not gonna happen.

[ShaneJensen]

I'd rather get a new VCR that has it built in.

Not gonna happen.

Why?

[hech54]

I'd rather get a new VCR that has it built in.

Not gonna happen.

Why?

What part of "Macrovision" didn't you understand?
What part of "ANY of the advise/statements from people who have been dealing
with this exact same scenario for decades" didn't you understand?

[danno78]

Sony MiniDV camcorders with Analog - Digital Pass Through will convert on the fly the tapes protected by Macrovision but will not record protected content on MiniDV tapes. So don`t try to backup the protected VHS tapes on to MiniDV tapes unless you put a device between vcr and camcorder that remove protection (Sima or simular boxes, or a external TBC).
With a similar camcoder (Sony TRV33E) I can do that: receive over firewire digitized signal from protected VHS tapes. So, with Sony DCR-TRV80 and DVIO as a capture software should do the task.

[GKar]

I picked up an old Hauppauge 150 on Craigslist for $15 for my VHS captures. No macrovision problems and nice captures. You could use either a Hauppauge 150, 250 or a 350. Try Ebay.

[ShaneJensen]

I'd rather get a new VCR that has it built in.

Not gonna happen.

Why?

What part of "Macrovision" didn't you understand?
What part of "ANY of the advise/statements from people who have been dealing
with this exact same scenario for decades" didn't you understand?

Danno78 and GKar, thank you very much for the suggestions. I will look into these.

Hech54, no thank you for you as your post was ZERO help to me.

[lordsmurf]

You'll have to add another device, preferably a full external TBC.
There is no other choice -- aside from NOT converting the video.

This is already covered in a sticky. https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/189455-How-to-address-anti-copy-%28Macrovision%29-errors

[GKar]

I'd rather get a new VCR that has it built in.

Not gonna happen.

Why?

What part of "Macrovision" didn't you understand?
What part of "ANY of the advise/statements from people who have been dealing
with this exact same scenario for decades" didn't you understand?

Danno78 and GKar, thank you very much for the suggestions. I will look into these.

Hech54, no thank you for you as your post was ZERO help to me.

You should check out this site. I picked up my VHS capture hardware based on this information:

http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/video/index-record-capture.htm

The recommended JVC HR-S9800U SVHS player works great. Found two on craigslist for $65 each (real lucky).

[hech54]

Hech54, no thank you for you as your post was ZERO help to me.

Keep banging your head against that wall numbnut.

[ShaneJensen]

Hech54, no thank you for you as your post was ZERO help to me.

Keep banging your head against that wall numbnut.

Hech54, Keep your insults off this page. The purpose of this forum is to HELP people, not hurl grade school type insults at one another. What are you in, middle school?

Lordsmurf and GKar, thank you very much for your suggestions. I will look into these as well.

[hech54]

Hech54, Keep your insults off this page. The purpose of this forum is to HELP people, not hurl grade school type insults at one another. What are you in, middle school?

Lordsmurf and GKar, thank you very much for your suggestions. I will look into these as well.

You'll have to add another device, preferably a full external TBC.
There is no other choice -- aside from NOT converting the video.

Are you going to thank me too for telling you the same exact thing Shane?



Anyone want to bet Shane comes back later and says he captured the video without
any Macrovision removal tool but gives no details?

[ShaneJensen]

Hech54, Keep your insults off this page. The purpose of this forum is to HELP people, not hurl grade school type insults at one another. What are you in, middle school?

Lordsmurf and GKar, thank you very much for your suggestions. I will look into these as well.

You'll have to add another device, preferably a full external TBC.
There is no other choice -- aside from NOT converting the video.

Are you going to thank me too for telling you the same exact thing Shane?



Anyone want to bet Shane comes back later and says he captured the video without
any Macrovision removal tool but gives no details?

You do not deserve any thank yous because you resort to childish insults. Now leave me alone.

[GKar]

hech54 has just been giving you his "can the noob take it" test. The more you respond the funnier it gets. He's a riot.

[ShaneJensen]

hech54 has just been giving you his "can the noob take it" test. The more you respond the funnier it gets. He's a riot.

Well, I'm not a "noob". Look at my join date, I've been here since June of 2004. Almost six years and my posts go back that far even though I'm not here as frequently. And I don't think it's a riot being rude to people like that. This isn't the purpose of these forums.

[2Bdecided]

If you Google the name of the copy protection, and ADVC110, you will learn something interesting.

If you Google the name of the copy protection, and ADVC300, you will learn that it probably won't work with the hardware you have.

Cheers,
David.

[lordsmurf]

The 110 isn't any better than the 300 -- it's unreliable for "ignoring" the "protection" (errors).

[deuce8pro]

The recommended JVC HR-S9800U SVHS player works great. Found two on craigslist for $65 each (real lucky).

Wow, what condition were they in?

[2Bdecided]

The 110 isn't any better than the 300 -- it's unreliable for "ignoring" the "protection" (errors).

Do you have both? Have you tried "the trick" (that 5 seconds of googling will find!) on both?

Cheers,
David.

[dvd3500]

You will lose quality and the sound will likely be mono but if you hook up the antennae connection OUT to the antennae connection IN of another VCR then you will likely get a copy.
The quality will be bad though the ADVC 300 can handle some of it.

I just decided to get a nice macorvision remover box though. Much better, easier and convenient.

[handyguy]

According to LS, those cassettes should last for like 25 years, no need to back them up now to DVD, which may or may not last that long.

Play it on your tv then record it with a camcorder or your digital camera in video mode.

Yes, there are macro free VCRs.

[GKar]

The recommended JVC HR-S9800U SVHS player works great. Found two on craigslist for $65 each (real lucky).

Wow, what condition were they in?

They were in excellent condition. Sold one on Ebay for $375.

[SHS]

Why not just buy the DVD ver

[ShaneJensen]

Why not just buy the DVD ver

Number one, because it's out of print. Number two, I have dozens other features that are out of print that have that damned copy inhibit.

[GKar]

Why not just buy the DVD ver

There were quite a few VHS's that were never put on DVD as of yet. These are the ones I transfer to DVD. Latest one's I transferred were the colorized versions of "The Thing From Another World" and "The Big Sky" as well as a little known movie Kevin Costner produced called "Rapa Nui" about the Easter Islanders.