Two questions. Legality and Howto

[patmoses]

Hello. I am a big fan of the 24 series. I taped all the episodes from season 2. Well my VCR is becomming very unreliable to play movies in so I transferred all the shows from the VHS tapes to my computer. Im getting a DVD burner for Xmas and Im looking into getting into working with video. I am downloading the trial for Ulead Visual Studio right now to see how that is. Anyways, is it legal for me to take those recorded shows and work with them and put the whole season onto a couple DVD's? Basically making my own season 2 set. Im just not sure if this is illegal in any way so if someone could let me know.

Also, Im figuring that I will be able to get about five 40 minute episodes on the DVD. For each DVD i want to have a episode selection page showing a 5 second or so mini-clip of whats on each episode. Is this possible with any software?

[Tommyknocker]

I think you are legally allowed to keep braodcasted video for for a while, I cannot remember if it is one year or three years. It is called time shifting, and is legal.

Not too swift on making menues, but I do believe you can do what you want.

[lordsmurf]

The time limit is forever. Nothing illegal with making your own personal archive. Refer to the "Betamax" US Supreme Court case.

[patmoses]

Ok thanks. Any idea on the menu's question? Im reading up on stuff from the forums and not finding anything. Downloading the Adobe Encore DVD trial to see if that does want I want to do with menus.

[lordsmurf]

For each DVD i want to have a episode selection page showing a 5 second or so mini-clip of whats on each episode. Is this possible with any software?

TMPGENC DVD AUTHOR does this, and quite well too.

[bode]

Depending on your location, but in the UK there is a time limit. I don't think anyone has actually been prosecuted for this.

I would just keep it off file sharing programs just in case, but then there was this ruling:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3335063.stm

Encore will do that, there is information here in the Adobe Encore forums:

http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?14@237.LuVYbq64OGW.0@.1de98ec0

[hudsonf]

I agree with lordsmurf; I like TMPGEnc DVD Author. I have also heard good comments about DVD Lab but I haven't tried it myself. Adobe Encore DVD is a little too expensive for me.