Pan E-50 copyguard issues: Macro or something else?

[psychotronicfilms]

Hi.

I have a modified Daewoo 5800 that allows me to play back PAL format DVDs and NTSC DVDs of all regions. I have several European PAL DVDs of films that are unavailable in the states, and have been backing them up on my Panasonic E-50, so that I can play them back in my Samsung unit and save the wear and tear on the modified Daewoo. I am using the analog RCA outputs of the Daewoo and the RCA analog inputs of the Panny.

I have transferred several of these PAL discs without any problem whatsoever. On a lark, I tried to dub an NTSC-format, Region 1 USA edition of a storebought DVD, and although the signal would feed through my E-50 just fine (I could watch the output through the loop), when I tried to engage record, I got the little notice that the program "could not be recorded".

Here's my confusion: The Macrovision is obvioulsy being disabled, as I can dub these USA Region 1 discs off to VHS or S-VHS without any problem.

So, what exactly is traveling through the analog signal that is preventing me from recording these discs to the E-50? Is this a proprietary copyguard inherent in the Panasonic models, or something built into all USA discs themselves, regardlkess of what standalone recorder you might be using?

I have searched for a while on this forum but could not find the answer. If it has already been explained in detail, please forgive me. A link to that answer would be most appreciated.

I just assumed that with the Macro disabled, that would cover ALL copyguarded discs, and if it does not, why would the European ones go through fine, but not their American counterparts? Is it a domestic thing only?

Thanks in advance for any help you all can provide.

[psychotronicfilms]

I'm confused as to why no one at all has answered this post.

I'm not interested in copying storebought DVDs. I have only been making backup NTSC copies for myself of DVDs completely unavailable in that format, so that I can play them in my NTSC-only Samsung player.

My question regarding this additional non-Macro copyguard is not an attempt to disable or get around it - I'm just curious as to what exactly it is, and why it doesn't seem to appear on DVDs of foreign origin...

I've seen all sorts of friendly discussions on this board relating to similar conundrums. Anyone?

[Bob W]

I also have the E50 recorder and I had to buy this device to get around the copy protection on some VHS tapes. http://www.vinc.com/product.asp?id=31&PID=21

[FulciLives]

There are two types of analog copy protection.

Macrovision and CGMS/A

Stand alone DVD recorders are tuned to block out both kinds where as a VHS VCR will ignore CGMS/A but not MACROVISION.

So your DAEWOO probably blocks the MACROVISION from outputting but not the CGMS/A signal.

And no not all DVD discs have CGMS/A

For best quality you want to get a stand alone DVD player that is MACROVISION and CGMS/A free. Not too many like that though especially models that can play back PAL converted to NTSC

The Cyberhome CH-DVD 500 can do it though. And the conversion from PAL to NTSC is super for such a "cheap" DVD player (around $80 USD).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[psychotronicfilms]

There are two types of analog copy protection.

Macrovision and CGMS/A

Stand alone DVD recorders are tuned to block out both kinds where as a VHS VCR will ignore CGMS/A but not MACROVISION.

So your DAEWOO probably blocks the MACROVISION from outputting but not the CGMS/A signal.

And no not all DVD discs have CGMS/A

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

John,
Thanks so much. That's really all I was curious about. Someone told me there was some other type opf copyguard involvd but could provide no other info or confirmation of it. I appreciate the heads-up!

[FulciLives]

I should have added the following link to my previous post:

http://www.nerd-out.com/

Go to the MESSAGE FORUMS and look for the CYBERHOME FORUM

There is a STICKY POST there about how to (very simple) hack the Cyberhome players to make them region free but ONLY the CH-DVD 500 model has the ability to block both MACROVISION and CGMS/A as well as provide excellent quality PAL to NTSC conversion.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[spiderman2k1]

There are two types of analog copy protection.

Macrovision and CGMS/A

Stand alone DVD recorders are tuned to block out both kinds where as a VHS VCR will ignore CGMS/A but not MACROVISION.

So your DAEWOO probably blocks the MACROVISION from outputting but not the CGMS/A signal.

And no not all DVD discs have CGMS/A

For best quality you want to get a stand alone DVD player that is MACROVISION and CGMS/A free. Not too many like that though especially models that can play back PAL converted to NTSC

The Cyberhome CH-DVD 500 can do it though. And the conversion from PAL to NTSC is super for such a "cheap" DVD player (around $80 USD).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman
_________________
"The eyes are the first thing that you have to destroy ... because they have seen too many bad things" - Lucio Fulci
EXPLORE THE FILMS OF LUCIO FULCI - THE MAESTRO OF GORE

FulciLives Wrote

I would have give the same answer as you about two week's ago. But I was trying to back up Empite strike's back THX Full Screen version and hook up my Sima Copy Color Copy Master and still got "Signal is copy protected and can not be copied. But when I hook up my Dazzle 2 I could make a copy but not with the Panasonic E80H. I also have to look at it that Star Wars VHS tape's for some reason alway's seem to be a bitch to copy so you have to play with them to get around the copy protection.

George Lucas seem's to go the extra mile with copy protection.

I also when I first got my Star Wars THX VHS copy I tried to make a back up on another VHS tape. and I had the sima box that i still use I had two VCR and I could not back up he tape with out problem's. What I did was switch vcr's so the one that was playing would now be the one that is recording. And I was able to make a copy. I also think there are way's to trick the NTSC signal. To do wacky thing's. Like the picture hookin gto the left. I do know there is NTSC and NTSC-J format's and ATI AIW do have problem's with some NTSC tape's. Mos tof these problem's coem formt tape's that are made in the 1980's.

[FulciLives]

There are two types of analog copy protection.

Macrovision and CGMS/A

Stand alone DVD recorders are tuned to block out both kinds where as a VHS VCR will ignore CGMS/A but not MACROVISION.

So your DAEWOO probably blocks the MACROVISION from outputting but not the CGMS/A signal.

And no not all DVD discs have CGMS/A

For best quality you want to get a stand alone DVD player that is MACROVISION and CGMS/A free. Not too many like that though especially models that can play back PAL converted to NTSC

The Cyberhome CH-DVD 500 can do it though. And the conversion from PAL to NTSC is super for such a "cheap" DVD player (around $80 USD).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman
_________________
"The eyes are the first thing that you have to destroy ... because they have seen too many bad things" - Lucio Fulci
EXPLORE THE FILMS OF LUCIO FULCI - THE MAESTRO OF GORE

FulciLives Wrote

I would have give the same answer as you about two week's ago. But I was trying to back up Empite strike's back THX Full Screen version and hook up my Sima Copy Color Copy Master and still got "Signal is copy protected and can not be copied. But when I hook up my Dazzle 2 I could make a copy but not with the Panasonic E80H. I also have to look at it that Star Wars VHS tape's for some reason alway's seem to be a bitch to copy so you have to play with them to get around the copy protection.

George Lucas seem's to go the extra mile with copy protection.

I also when I first got my Star Wars THX VHS copy I tried to make a back up on another VHS tape. and I had the sima box that i still use I had two VCR and I could not back up he tape with out problem's. What I did was switch vcr's so the one that was playing would now be the one that is recording. And I was able to make a copy. I also think there are way's to trick the NTSC signal. To do wacky thing's. Like the picture hookin gto the left. I do know there is NTSC and NTSC-J format's and ATI AIW do have problem's with some NTSC tape's. Mos tof these problem's coem formt tape's that are made in the 1980's.

My understanding is that some VHS video tapes also have CGMS/A or at least a form of it (I don't know how similiar it is to the DVD version).

My understanding though is that CGMS/A was developed for the DVD format so if that is true then only VHS videos made after DVD players came out would have it. Again my understanding is that VHS VCR units ignore CGMS/A on recording but maybe not?

All I know is I use to copy a lot of DVD to VHS back in the day and I have two different DVD players that have ALL forms of copy protection blocked and I never had a problem going to a VHS VCR.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman