I have just ordered a VHS copy of a hard-to-find film (Hellsapoppin!) that is not on DVD and when it arrives, I want to transfer it to DVD for home use.
I do not intend to go on street corners and sell copies…this is simply a backup copy for my own home use of this, and perhaps some other VHS tapes I have purchased in the past.
I seem to recall that the Hollywood studios were able to clamp down on software/hardware that allowed for copying of movies to DVD. They forced the manufacturers to dumb down the software, making it impossible to copy copyrighted tapes.
Nowhere does it say that these products DO or DO NOT allow for copying of copyrighted Hollywood films. Before I plunk down $100-150 for the software/hardware, I need to know if it will do what I want – namely create a DVD backup copy of my previously, legally purchased, soon-to-be-outdated VHS copies.
Any info, or suggestions, will be greatly appreciated.
You could get a card to allow for video imput into the computer (ATI all in wonder cards are an example) and record the output to an mpeg file. You then can burn the Mpeg file to a DVD for ever lasting video bliss.
If you want to transfer something from VHS to DVD, you have to: (1) capture into digital format; (2) render into a format like mpeg2 for use on a DVD; and (3) burn to DVD. Yeah, I left out some intermediate steps, but that’s the process. And to do all this, you will need the right software and hardware (beware that the processing requirements can strain a light-weight computer). But I’ve yet to run into something that’s recorded on VHS that I couldn’t transfer to DVD for safekeeping. A good resource for help is videohelp.com.
A copy of a copy will still have the subcarrier signal, hence the CopyGuarding.
Black boxes do exist, but they are completely illegal and as such, delving into the purchase and use of such may tweak the Mods beyond acceptable limits.
I’ve been converting tapes to disc for almost 2 years now,(for personal home use only!), using a DV bridge to connect my VCR to my computer. It converts the analog signal into the same format used by MiniDV camcorders. The .DV file can be edited and then burned to DVD using the appropriate software.
gots me some animaniacs dvd’s - danger mouse is next!
A couple of months ago several people were arrested at a local flea market by the Feds for selling bootleg discs. People do go to prison for bootleging videos!
Don’t worry about the software. What matters is whether the hardware (the MPEG capture box) will detect the Macrovision signal and refuse to capture. I doubt it will… that page does say “Convert any video, VHS, Hi8, etc. to CD or DVD” (bolding added), and if it won’t work with your VHS tapes, you’d be well within your rights to return it.
Once you’ve captured the video to an MPEG stream, you should have no problems putting it on a DVD with any DVD authoring software you can find. There’s no copy protection on regular .mpg files.
Side note: They were able to do this because software that breaks the encryption on a DVD is circumventing an access control (and thus violating the DMCA). The video on a DVD is encrypted, and to legally gain access to it, you must use an authorized decoder (i.e. a DVD player).
Macrovision copy protection for VHS tapes and other analog video is not an access control, so circumventing it doesn’t violate that part of the law. Section 1201(k) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act requires VCRs to be vulnerable to Macrovision’s copy protection, but says nothing about video capture cards, or any other device that doesn’t record video signals onto magnetic tape.
Illegal under what law? As far as I can tell, stripping Macrovision protection from a video signal is legal.
You can buy a VHS-DVD-R deck, just like the VCR or DVD player attached to your TV right now, for around $200. Then you can back up all of your VHS tapes. A friend just got a reconditioned one at Good Guys for $160. Its sure a lot easier than turning your computer into a Frankenstein’s monster.
One caveat, when shopping for the bi-deck, check the specs. Be sure it has + (plus) and - (minus) play-back and - (minus) record. Then when you buy DVD-Rs, make sure to NOT BUY DVD+Rs they won’t work.
Good luck
You can get recorders like this one that’ll record both DVD+R and DVD-R. This page lists some advantages of using +R/+RW with a standalone recorder, and in my experience, +R is compatible with just about the same number of DVD players as -R.
The reason I suggested the minus type, is the repair guy said the plus type is older technology, and the minus, being more stable, will likely be the industry standard.
Take that for what its worth, I don’t know anything.
- danger mouse is next!