Dubbing a vhs to dvd using a DvD/VHS Recorder... Problems

[DravenUnleashed]

My gramps just bought an Emerson EWR20V4 Dvd Recorder with Video Cassette Recorder and hes dubbing his tapes onto disc. I tried dubbing a newer tape on the player, but the machine goes for about 3 seconds before it stops the recording and pops up with a message "Recording Error - This program is not allowed ot be recorded".

So, I tried playing the vhs on a seperate player and hooking that up to the dvd recorder. Same message comes up but then it records for about 5 seconds and then finalizes the the dvd disc.

-Does anyone know about this player or players like it?
-Do you know how to break through this?
-Do you know where I could possibly go to find out about unlocking this?
-What else can I do to dub vhs onto dvd?

Thanks

[gshelley61]

Commercial VHS tapes have copy protection... the most common version is called Macrovision. VCR's and DVD recorders will prevent you from copying nearly all commercial tapes (movies) as a result.

You need a video "clarifier", enhancer, TBC or other device that will allow you to defeat copy protection. Sima and other manufacturers make them.

[DravenUnleashed]

Can you specifically recommend any good devices that take out the encrypted signal? I simply google searched the quote "TBC Clarifier" and found this device made by Facet Video @ http://www.facetvideo.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=83. Are they any good?

I also found a device by Sima @ http://www.avdeals.ca/scc.htm. But they exclaim that the device will not work with dvd recorders. Of course their claim is that you cant record dvd to vhs and not vice versa.

Can that be said about all devices that eliminate Macrovision/Encryption?

Thanks

[gshelley61]

I have that Sima SCC Pro unit. It works fine with VHS sources, but doesn't defeat DVD copy protection. I rip and burn DVD copies with my computer anyway (DVDShrink, Nero Express). I wouldn't record from a DVD player to a DVD recorder. No reason at all to do that.

Sima makes a basic VHS copy box called the CT-1 and they are about $40 on eBay. They have a CT-2 model that supposedly defeats DVD copy protection and VHS protection... it's about $85 on eBay.

[DravenUnleashed]

I only want and need a device that would allow vhs -> dvd . Would that Sima CT-1 be good enough?

[anzimike]

I also have sima scc pro and agree that it won't allow to copy comercial tape to dvd recorder. I doubt the ct-1 will work and I don't know about the ct-2, but some members of this site have used the facetvideo device and it does work to remove both macrovision and cgms (responsilbe for you can't copy message). I wish I had seen the facetvideo before I spent $300 for datavideo TBC-1000.

[lordsmurf]

Those "enhancers" and "clarifiers" won't work 100% of the time. Just a majority, maybe.

Only fool-proof way is full TBC so it strips away bad timing.

FOO has some good info on signal errors and how to remove MV.

[bbllc]

http://www.facetvideo.com The units works with no problems.

[elkfir]

I've had good luck with the DVD Red PRO

[RowMan]

I only want and need a device that would allow vhs -> dvd . Would that Sima CT-1 be good enough?

The www.facetvideo.com unit will work well should you eventually want to do DVD to the DVD recorder, but it's overkill if you'll be transferring VHS to the DVD recorder only. In your case, you're just looking to remove the Macrovision signal as copy protected VHS tapes to do not have CGMS/a. The device found here...

http://www.bgsales.com/shop/product_info.php/cPath/32_64/products_id/99?osCsid=88b2d53...d3c613f07e234b

...works just fine for me for under $40.