My VHS tapes now have copy protection?

[kevs]

I've decided to go with Sony recorder because I did not like build/quality of the Lite-ons I tried. But Damn! VHS tapes, that I recorded over last few years -- from DVD's, with an RF modulator in the mix -- which have no problem playing back perfectly on my VHS deck, are not recording to the Sony DVD recorder.

Man! how is that?

[ebenton]

Let me see if I have got this straight. You started out with DVDs. You recorded them to VHS tape. Now you want to record the tapes back to DVDs. WTF?

That's sort of like using a copier to copy a fully-bound, duplex-printed full-color book to single-sided black-and-white pages, then wanting to copy the single-sided pages back to a fully-bound, duplex book.

If you thought the video quality was crappy on the VHS tapes, wait until you see the tapes copied back to DVD! (If you figure out how to get it to work.)

[SCDVD]

If I understand what you are saying, you get a message from your recorder that it can't copy because the source is copy protected. If that is what you are seeing, it is because of the way the recorder senses a copy-protected tape. On tape, the video is divided into frames. There is an intraframe gap that separates one frame from the next. This is where the problem can occur. With Macrovision protected tape, there is deliberate information recorded here that is intended to fool the AGC (automatic gain control) on a tape recorder that may be used to make a copy of the tape. It causes terrible distortion that makes the copy unviewable. In order to adhere to this copy protection, a DVD recorder just refuses to copy a "copy protected" tape. But the problem is that a DVD recorder can misinterpret what is actually just noise on a tape and think it is Macrovision when it isn't. The surest way to take care of this is to use a TBC (time base corrector). It gets rid of this intraframe noise as well as clean up the video.

[SingSing]

How old and what brand and model is your VCR ?

[zoobie]

I'm guessing he rented the dvds, taped them, and now wants to burn them to dvd. TBC's are a pretty penny.

[kevs]

Ebenton:
that's real simple:
I was recording to VHS BEFORE DVD recorders were invented, (and also after they were invented), but now want to get rid of the bulky collection of them.

But shouldn't the quality back to DVD equal what I see on VHS??

SCVD: I understood some of that, will a TBC, get rid of the "cannot copy" sign, and how much are they, any referrals, links? thanks. so it's not add that the vhs plays fine, but then can't copy to DVD?

the VCR is pretty new, both Sony and Panasonic I have 2-3 three years old. Would this problem disappear on older model, or is the "detection" with the DVD? no??

[SCDVD]

Do a search on the forum for TBC. There are several very informative threads that describes how TBC works as well as give specific product info and links.

[RowMan]

Most likely what is going on is that your recorded tapes are still embedded with the Macrovision copy protection signal. I used to have a Panasonic VHS that could record anything that was protected and produce a great copy, but trying to copy THAT copy on a different recorder was impossible. Macrovision only affects the recording ability of about 80% of VCRs, but on the 20% that do record a protected tape properly, the Macrovision is still on the copy.

Since you recorded DVDs, there's another protection on your VHS recordings that will affect your DVD recorder called CGMS/a. Even if you buy a cheap (under $30) little "black box" that will mask the Macrovision from your DVD recorder, CGMS/a will still kick in and prevent recording.

Your best bet at this point is an expensive Time Base Corrector (if it's in your budget) or you might want to try the CLARIFIER CLASSIC found at www.facetvideo.com . Facet Video claims their device not only removes Macrovision, but CGMS/a as well. It's about $70.

[kenmo]

Any sellers of the Facet Video product in Canada...???

[RowMan]

Facet Video will ship to Canada.

[LCSHG]

First --- Not seening the true value of the Liteon units
They probobly supplied the DVD drive for Sony

Second --- Getting a Sony , they are ONE of the most CP machines out there and way over priced

As was saiid, At this point a TBS could do it or some or the sima units [I have no faith in them ] or a PC and all the hassle

Or junk the Sony and if you can still find one get a LteOn unit that can be hacked

[Marvingj]

try SIMA!

[kenmo]

Are there any on-line comparisons of a Sima and a Facet ???

TIA

[LCSHG]

Quote from my post

As was saiid, At this point a TBS could do it or some or the sima units [I have no faith in them ] or a PC and all the hassle


Should be

As was saiid, At this point a TBS could do it or some or the sima units [I have no faith in them ] A PC [Will] but is a hassle.--- [My opinion]

[kevs]

Excellent lucid post Rowman. thanks for link.

what is SIMA? link?

Actually I got Lite-on and it was great, even without a hack, but broke down right away, I find Sony very high quality, only $150 or so after rebate -- only complaint is copy protection. few other complaints, but not specific to Sony --

[kenmo]

Excellent lucid post Rowman. thanks for link.

what is SIMA? link?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B6QTOO/103-5862238-5892640?v=glance&n=172282

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=126264&com.broadvision.session.new...cfkmdffhdfkl.0


I am uncertain to how will this product works or if it is a 'TBC' or not....

[SingSing]

Do the math, if the $ you need to spend on hardware is more than 50% of the $ need to buy those DVDs. I would said go and buy the DVDs.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Do the math, if the $ you need to spend to spend on hardware is more than 50% of the $ need to buy those DVDs. I would said go and buy the DVDs.

I agree,the quality you will get is not worth the time and money.When I look at my early VHS->DVD conversions I cringe because the quality is not much better than VCD.
Now if these were rare,hard to find films then that's different.

[kevs]

thanks great links, gonna study it all. also though if you have links to the cheapest method ($30) boxes please send those urls. appreciate it.

[Rob61]

Sony is the WORST machine when trying to copy anything, copy protected or not. They have set things so tightly that even tapes that are not copy protected is interpreted as copy protected.

Junk the SONY... get anything else. I use 2 Lite On machines that will copy everything! But if you don't like those, get just about any other brand and you'll do better than the Sony balony.

[kevs]

Rob:
only having issue with the VHS tapes made in last few years (from DVDs). Tapes made long time ago, or tapes made off TV, no problems copying to Sony.

I tried Panasonic first -- user unfriendly --returned.

2nd Samsung -- much friendlier, terrific, no copy protection problem from DVDs (but Samsung) said that probably would not be consistent. Only problem: none of the finalized DVD's -Rs played back on my JVC players! returned.

3rd. Sony -- great, but copy problems -- (also RW's would not play back on JVC -- but, no RW have yet to play back well. it's ok, don't need em anyway.-- returned.

4th -- LIte on. very user friendly, no copy problems, broke down right away, would not update, disk would not eject -- returned with disc in machine. also read reviews, horrible reviews.

5th -- back to Sony.

[solidsnake]

thats alot of recorders

I too have recorded a dvd or two onto a vcr before I got a dvd recorder, it was an RCA and the only vcr I owned that didnt get the fade to black or color lines. I know exactly what you were talking about, the tapes I recorded didnt work right in any other vcr, I dont know about the tapes to my dvd recorder b/c I hacked my ilo/liteon before I tested it. I'd guess the macrovision is still on it, even though when you play it on that particular vcr the signs dont show it. Too bad you dont have a liteon, I can record any source with no problems, since its hacked.

[kevs]

I got a LIte-on, two of them! they beat copy protection, with no hack! and broke down right away, then read reviews of them after the fact, 1/2 people had no problem, 1/2 had horrible problems with them -- anyway, so lite-on was not for me. the reviews were horrible for the units on the whole --much worse than typical units -- but I do trust many have no problems.........