recording copy-guarded material with VCR/DVD re-writer combo?

[corneileous]

Hello all!

I just got a Samsung DVD Recorder & VCR, model DVD-VR330 as a late x-mas present. Well, I know to some people this would sound illegal, but due to the fact that DVDs, when taken care of, will last a whole lot longer than tapes, I would like to take all my pre-recorded VHS videos and copy them to DVDS. Well, I found out that this DVD recorder wont let me copy copyrighted material. Is there anyway to bypass whatever causes this? I dont feel like Im doing anything wrong. Ive already bought these videos on tape and would be rather upset if I had to re-buy them on DVD.

Ive heard that in some of the older VCRs that there was something in there that you could put a piece of tape over that would somehow prevent the playing VCR from activating the copy-guard when it was plugged into a rcording VCR .

If the above is true, is it possible to do this to this dual-deck VCR/DVD recorder?

[guns1inger]

No. combo units really are the worst purchase, for so many reasons. They are usually made from lower quality components than single units, and if one side fails, you lose the whole unit while it's off getting fixed. And they tend to fail more often because they are built from lower grade components.

Finally, all the connections are internal, and in most you cannot connect one to the other externally, which is what you need to do in this instance. You need to have a TBC or signal cleaner in between the VCR and the DVDR.

[corneileous]

Well, as I said, this was a gift. So far, it works great when the VCR tape isnt copy guarded.

I have a color-correcter that I used to block the copy guard alomg time ago when I used two VCRs to copy a tape. Would this work to get my tapes copied to DVD's?

What do I do to accomplish this?

[guns1inger]

You would have to take an output from the VCR side of the player, connect it to the colour corrector, then connect it to the DVDR side of the unit. You would then have to set the DVDR to record from the external inputs while you play the tape back.

[corneileous]

Also, when I tried to copy a vhs tape of a movie that was recorded using a color corector to a DVD, I got the message saying it couldnt be recorded because it was copyguarded. Did the color corrector not fully remove the copy guard?

[guns1inger]

It depends what the device actually is. If it doesn't clean the signal as it goes through, as a TBC would, then no, it won't correct the errors (which is what this protection is) and therefore won't help you.

Also, are you sure the signal is going through the device and back to the recorder ?

[classfour]

I haven't seen a color corrector that would correct CGMS, but have seen a black box thing (off ebay) connected backwards; or a GoDVD2 do the trick.

I use a DataVideo TBC for mine.

[corneileous]

The box I use is the Sima ColorCorrector Pro-Series, model SCC.
I guess what Im guna try today is a better playing VCR hooked up to my VCR/DVDr with the color corrector inbetween.

So classfour, are you saying I can use my color corrector backwards? How does this work it would work with mine?

[RowMan]

Also, when I tried to copy a vhs tape of a movie that was recorded using a color corector to a DVD, I got the message saying it couldnt be recorded because it was copyguarded. Did the color corrector not fully remove the copy guard?

"...copy a vhs tape of a movie that was recorded using a color corector..."

Does this mean you used the color corrector because the VHS recording you made was from a DVD?

If so, then it is another form of copy protection (CGMS/a) that was recorded from that DVD and is now on the VHS tape. This protection will also prevent copying to DVD recorders.

You'll need something that can handle CGMS/a, like this...

http://www.stardevelopment.com/videomagicdvd.htm

I've never used it, but the website claims that the unit will mask both Macrovision and CGMS/a.

[corneileous]

What is CGMS/a?

To answer yer question, the home videos I have that Im trying to record to DVD-R's are tapes that I have recorded from store-bought VHS videos while using the Sima Color Corrector Pro-Series. Here is a link to the machine I use. Its pretty much the same thing, except this one says Emerson on it and mine says its made by Sima.

[RowMan]

Copy Generation Management System

If your VHS copies were not from copy protected DVDs, then most likely the tapes still have remnants of Macrovision from their copy protected VHS sources. The color correction-type boxes can't actually "remove" Macrovision, just mask it well enough so it does not affect the quality of the recording. It's possible the DVD recorder is extra sensitive and still detects some of the signal on the tape. Try using a separate VHS machine to run the signal through your color corrector and into the DVD recorder of your combo unit. That might mask what's left of the copy protection just enough for you to get a DVD copy.

[corneileous]

I see that I forgot to include the link to the color corrector I have.

http://www.buyers-best.com/scc.html

If your VHS copies were not from copy protected DVDs, then most likely the tapes still have remnants of Macrovision from their copy protected VHS sources. The color correction-type boxes can't actually "remove" Macrovision, just mask it well enough so it does not affect the quality of the recording.

Yeah, I was affraid of that. Some of the older store-bought tapes I have dont seem to have such a strong copy guard which is why probly some of them wont affect the extra sensitivity of this new DVD recorder. The only tape I tried this with that was infact from a tape that had material on it from a copyguarded, store-bought tape and just from using the vcr section of the player to record onto the DVDr section, it said it couldnt be copied because it said it was copywrited, when infact the tape I was trying to record from was recorded while using the color corrector I mentioned earlier.

Try using a separate VHS machine to run the signal through your color corrector and into the DVD recorder of your combo unit. That might mask what's left of the copy protection just enough for you to get a DVD copy.

Yeah, I tried to do this last night, but since I was using old rca video cables and a cheap VCR, the picture wasnt looking right. Tomorrow whn I go into town, I'll get some new cables and use my good VCR to act as the playing VCR and see if I make a DVD copy of these tapes with the obviously stronger copy guard.

Since nobody really answered my question about legallity of doing this, I dont have to worry about getting into trouble for doing this, do I? Im not sure how the RIAA is about stuff like this when it involves yer own CD's and DVDs.

[guns1inger]

If you want a real legal answer, go ask a lawyer.

In the US, if you have to circumvent technical copy protection, it is illegal.

[corneileous]

Hmm, ok. I didnt want to go to that lenght to to find an answer, basicly what I was asking was yer guys' interpretation of what is actually legal and what isnt. I could understand if I was makin copies and sellin them, but all Im doing is turning my VHS videos into DVD's so that I wont have to buy new copies on DVD once the VHS tapes wear out.

[guns1inger]

Nobody is saying the MPAA is going to come busting through your door with dogs and guns. You asked 'is it legal ?', not 'does anyone care ?'

The MPAA's position is that if you have a tape, and a DVD version now exists, you should buy the DVD version as areplacement. If it doesn't exist, wait for it.

[corneileous]

In a way, thats the same thing. The law is the law whether anyone cares or not. Like you said, if I wanted a real answer, I should go ask a lawyer. But, since I dont want to go to that extent, Im asking YOU guys what YOU think they would care about or not.

The MPAA's position is that if you have a tape, and a DVD version now exists, you should buy the DVD version as areplacement. If it doesn't exist, wait for it.

OK, this just tells me that they would prefer you to spend more money on a store-bought DVD replacement of an old VHS version.

Well, in that case, I dont think Im doing anything wrong. To me, that would be like saying if my TV went out, Im not allowed to fix it and should buy a new one. Well, you guys have been a big help, thanks.

[corneileous]

Well, I found out that my color corrector is strong enough to filter out the leftover copyguard fropm the tape, but if I want to take a store-bought tape and copy it to a DVD, I need to get a different clarifier.