Is it legal for one to record/copy television/radio broadcasts? Most transmitted programmes are copyrighted, so is it illegal to record them? Could one be prosecuted for recording programmes? Has this ever happened?
I can’t find the cite law ( I know, lame… :rolleyes: ), but in the late 1970’s when early Videocassette Recorders were making headway into lots of people’s homes, the recording laws that established that it was legal to make a home copy tape of a music record, were altered to cover videotapes as well.
Basically, IIRC, you may make a home recording of an event on television IF you are never going to make or distribute copies of it, and IF you NEVER use that videotape to make money in any way- i.e., showing the Big Boxing Fight the next week, and doing your own private Pay Per View At Your House event for cash.
The Anti Pirating laws really kicked in when the device ( The Genie?? ) was made that had two VCR’s built into one unit, so you could run copies over and over with greater ease.
But, for normal PRIVATE home use, AFAIK it is not illegal at all to videotape a show.
Cartooniverse
Take a look at Betamax: The Inside Story
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- Depends on the country you’re in, probably.
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Under US copyright, you may make as many copies as you want - for your PERSONAL use - you may not distribute them or use them for commercial gain.
In other words, you can have a copy in your living room, another in your car, one at work, and as many backups as you like. As long as only you use them