copy VHS to dvd

[nemo55]

I just bought a new RCA dual vhs to dvd machine which works fine for my own tapes from tv. My problem is when copying movie vhs (about 30 of them) which won't copy (pops up with "video is copy protected".
Any way of getting around this? Some of these tapes are 10-12 years old and i'm afraid they may get outdated and break the tapes.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[admin]

Those tapes are copy protected by Macrovision, and it may be against your local laws to copy them. However, if you're set on doing it, you will need a separate VCR that you can connect to the input of the DVD recorder, and then get something called a "video stabilizer" to put in between your VCR and DVD recorder. The recording should then work.

[underta]

This will not land you in jail... it sounds like what you want to do is make a single personal copy of each video to DVD... this is NOT illegal. A single personal back-up copy is covered in the fair use rules. Just don't make several copies or try to distribute/exhibit them, and you don't need to worry about the law. Making a back up copy of media is NOT pirating, and the courts have recognized this. You will need a DVD Recorder, and, Grex video stabilizer to transfer your VHS media to DVD.For real – I have never seen a quicker or easier method .

[admin]

While making a personal copy might fall under fair use, the DMCA seems to overrule fair use at least in the court's eyes (which is why it's so controversial), when it comes to the legality of breaking Macrovision protection. Macrovision Corp. actually sued another company, SIMA, for making a video stabilizer, and the judge in the case actually granted an injunction against SIMA, before the case was ultimately settled and with no judgement given. This suggests, had the case gone to trial, Macrovision would have been in a great position to win, and thus, make video stabilizers illegal under the DMCA. You can read more about this case here:

Digitizing video signals might violate the DMCA

With that said, I don't think anyone has ever been charged or sued for breaking Macrovision for personal purposes.

@underta: do you have any relationship to the user 'drass', as both of you have been posting about "Grex", and your IP addresses indicate both of you are from the Ukraine. We do not tolerate product promotion, nor posting under multiple accounts, on this forum. And if people have been hired by "Grex" to spam forums to promote their product, then I don't think this is a company that people should place any faith in.

[lucyjoin89757]

Thanks in advance for any help.

[admin]

Sorry underta, you've been warned.