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  1. Hey all:

    In my ongoing war to duplicate my DVDs and archive the originals, I thought I had come across a solution.

    On the weekend, I picked up a Mitsubishi HS-411UR VHS player from 1986. By using it as a bypass amplifier, I was able to back up 5 DVDs in a row on Sunday. These were ones that previously refused to copy to my E50.

    Yesterday and this morning, though, even though the connections are the same, the E50 refuses to copy. What the hell is going on?

    Why would it work one day, but not the next? Anyone have any ideas how to get back the magic I had before?

    Thanks!
    Mechworker
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  2. Member mats.hogberg's Avatar
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    What on earth are you trying to do? Backup DVDs? Use a DVD reader, rip with DVDShrink, author and burn with DVD writer. Or are you backing up VHS tapes?
    duplicate my DVDs
    makes me think the first, but what you describe suggests the latter...

    /Mats
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  3. Member stackner's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by mats.hogberg
    What on earth are you trying to do? Backup DVDs? Use a DVD reader, rip with DVDShrink, author and burn with DVD writer. Or are you backing up VHS tapes?
    duplicate my DVDs
    makes me think the first, but what you describe suggests the latter...

    /Mats
    i was thinking the exact same. i am happy to help but what you have posted is very confusing. as far as it (whatever your doing) working one day and not the next is even more confusing lol
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  4. What I'm trying to do is do a backup DVD to DVD-R.

    Sometimes it works, but very rarely. What I've found is sometimes putting the DVD to tape and then bringing it back will work. Of course, sometimes it doesn't.

    I don't have a DVD burner in my computer, and won't be getting one soon.

    I was using the 411UR to try and break the CSGM/A signal. It seemed to be working when I played a DVD in my RV31 and then filtered the signal through the 411. I found that I could get first shot DVD-DVD-R recording no problem on Sunday, but not now.

    Also, I had some stuff to back up that I had put to tape that wouldn't go to my E50, that went like a charm on Sunday, but not today.

    I don't get why this isn't repeatable.

    Any help is appreciated. If you need more info, just say so.
    Mechworker
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  5. Member
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    You can pick up a DVD burner for less than $80. That'd probably be cheaper than spending 80 hours of your time trying to back up DVDs using a play and record method even if you figure out the problem.
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  6. Rip and Shrink. I don't even understand why you'd try it any other way...
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  7. I don't have the option of getting a burner right now. It's not that I don't have the money, but not the computer.

    I'd really like to do it this way.

    Can't somebody help me???
    Mechworker
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  8. Originally Posted by BobK
    You can pick up a DVD burner for less than $80
    you can find them even cheaper than 80, 50-60 ....

    i would not even bother to try this....
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  9. Member mats.hogberg's Avatar
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    Shelf the backup project 'til you have a computer that can handle a DVD burner. "Backing up" via VHS tape and analog is hardly even a backup...

    /Mats
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  10. Originally Posted by Mechworker
    I'd really like to do it this way.
    Maybe you want to read the following PDF file to understand how Macrovision and CGMS-A work:

    http://www.macrovisioneurope.com/pdfs/No_DVD-R_copying.pdf

    I have no explanation why your setting worked earlier but not later, but according to the Macrovision's own study, only 40% of the players can properly implement the CGMS-A, so you may get lucky with an older DVD player. Otherwise your best bet is to get an external device which can eliminate both Macrovision and CGMS-A, such as the one from the following link:

    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1074788270290&productCategoryId=cat08062&type=product
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  11. Member
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    Originally Posted by Mechworker
    that went like a charm on Sunday, but not today.

    I don't get why this isn't repeatable.

    Any help is appreciated.
    Wait till next Sunday, and burn a live goat on a stone altar as you press the play button. Kick a few dogs this week while you're at it for good measure.

    Put everything back exactly as it was, and plugged into the same outlets etc. Note things like this can be quite real but still be almost impossible to reconstruct. Same/different circuit, same/diff ground, exact line voltage, etc can all have slight effects on equipment. So even though it did so Sunday you may still never get everything back to exactly where it was if it was really only barely working. Still shouldn't hurt to try and get it back.

    Have to agree you're probably better off finding a more reliable method though.

    Alan
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  12. Originally Posted by Alan69
    Originally Posted by Mechworker
    that went like a charm on Sunday, but not today.

    I don't get why this isn't repeatable.

    Any help is appreciated.
    Wait till next Sunday, and burn a live goat on a stone altar as you press the play button. Kick a few dogs this week while you're at it for good measure.

    Where has this sense of humor been all this time?


    Here's my 2¢: The AGC was probably confused by minute variations in the line voltage, allowing the signal to pass through the circuits without the Macrovision protection kicking in. Now that your power company has their shit together again, your AGC is doing exactly what it is supposed to be doing, which is prevent you from copying DVDs through the analog outputs.

    There. How's that for an explanation? Certainly better than molesting live goats at the alter, methinks. :P
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  13. I'm not sure...

    I think the goat thing might just work. I've been tempted to do the same when Windows crashes.

    Just out of curiosity, anyone used that Sima GoDvd CT-2?

    Also, the line voltage might have been a problem, I guess. I'll try this Sunday...
    Mechworker
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