PROTECTED OR UNPROTECTED VHS

madeline -  
 pepito11 -
Hello,
how can I tell if commercially available VHS tapes (legally purchased) that are mostly documentaries are copy-protected? Do they have a specific indication? I was thinking of buying a VHS/DVD recorder, but if I can't do the transfer, it's useless.
Moreover, a seller at a famous hi-fi store told me that I just needed to connect my VCR to the living room recorder with a scart cable without needing another device.
If that's true, I will obviously find out quickly and without any particular expense if the VHS tapes are protected.
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3 answers

RetroDigital Posted messages 14 Status Member 5
 
Good evening,

some video cassettes are indeed protected by a copy prevention system, usually the Macrovision system.

Stand-alone DVD recorders can recognize videos that contain this protection and refuse to record.

There are ways to copy, but it seems reasonable to avoid discussing them publicly here.

A private message seems more sensible to me.

Sincerely
4
madeline
 
Thank you for the response, but more specifically, can we know through any indication if the VHS is prohibited from reproduction? If this case is common, it would be useless for me to make an investment in this direction because at the moment I don't have the necessary equipment.
0
bofbofbofbof
 
Hello,
1) It seems to me that a ruling was made in 2004 following a complaint from a consumer association regarding a cassette that the buyer could not save to another medium due to Macrovision protection.
It seems the court ruled in favor of the association based on two facts:
1) that the company selling the cassette had clearly indicated that copying was illegal but had failed to mention the presence of the anti-copying system
2) that French law allows the copying of a magnetic medium for private use, especially when it comes to making a backup

I know there is a website that legally sells (at a steep price: $75 ...: it could be a subsidiary of Macrovision ...) a system that removes the protection on cassettes, but it seems they have given up.

Maybe we could undertake a collective action to demand that this protection be removed: I don’t see why I should pay the equivalent of €20 to get the same film on another magnetic medium, simply because manufacturers have decided to discontinue VHS cassettes: I believe this resembles extortion.
0
pepito11
 
I would be interested in a personal message to copy a cassette.
0
Frederic76
 
Most commercially bought VHS tapes (pre-recorded VHS tapes), even the children's cartoons at 5 francs, have copy protection. Even with the best DVD recorder-VCR combo, it won’t work for those that are protected.

The only way, and a legal one, would be to have one VCR for playback and on the other side, a computer. And between the two, therefore, a capture device or card to transfer the videos.

Now, I admit that when I bought the combo (and for the price I paid), I was disappointed not to be able to simply put them on DVD. They could have allowed this copy and included an anti-copy system on the DVD. But oh well. I don’t care, I go through the capture device!
2
toto86
 
Good evening, I just looked at my documentary tapes and a few others, and I don't see any indications, not even on Titanic or Independence Day, I see nothing... I just recorded 5 minutes from a video guide tape without any issues, then I tried with Titanic, and there’s nothing!! My home recorder doesn't want to record the tape that is in my VHS player connected in front... I have an S-VHS player, which is connected to the recorder via the S-video input (without any additional equipment, of course)...
0
madeline
 
thank you toto, I took note
if I could already transfer the documentaries onto DVD that would be great, I have very few films
when I get the burner (it’s ordered) I will then try to connect the VCR to the burner

what kind of connection did you use please?

THANKS AGAIN
0
Toto86 > madeline
 
Hello, with a VHS recorder, you either connect it to the back of the recorder: VHS output / recorder SCART input, or at the front of the recorder with a SCART/RCA adapter that you plug into the VHS output SCART, and thus the connection at the front is made with RCA cables… I hope your DVD recorder has a hard drive; it’s so much more convenient!!
0
madeline > Toto86
 
Thank you Toto for these details.
Indeed, I chose a DVD recorder and a 160GB hard drive.
I will look into the connection when I receive it, at the beginning of January.
Have a great end of the year, happy new year 2009, and thanks again.
0
Toto86 > madeline
 
Good evening, thank you, happy new year to you and have a good use of your future recorder!
0