Re: copy protection on old tapes?

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:07:47 -0800, Edward Reid <edward@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

I'm preparing to buy a DVD recorder with a VHS deck to convert our old
VHS tapes -- probably about 70 tapes. Most of them are old exercise
videos -- I doubt any are less than ten years old, and most are more
than 15 years old. Only a couple of movies, and those only because
they are so old and so unpopular that they aren't available on DVD.

Any idea if I'm likely to have trouble with copy protection on these?
If it's only on a handful, then I figure I'm still better off getting
a convenient and fairly cheap recorder (such as a Panasonic DMR-ES45VS
for $150 with shipping, or a Panasonic DMR-EZ47VK for $180 if I'd like
to go ahead and get digital tuning). I can then find another way of
converting the copy protected tapes if they are worth the bother. But
if it's going to be half the collection, then I might want to seek a
different solution, such as separate DVD recorder and VHS deck with a
filter.

Or to put it a different way, is there any easy way to figure out
whether my tapes are copy protected?

One easy way to tell if they are Macrovision protected is to have 2
VCRs, where the source playing VCR's A/V outputs are connected to a
recording or target VCR's A/V inputs, then try to make a recorded
copy. If the copy won't play back properly (no picture or jumpy
picture), then you'll know they are protected.

So, if you already have one VCR, borrow another to try. Another
option is to take a tape to a shop or store where they can setup 2
VCRs or a combo VCR/DVD recorder to try. A combo recorder won't copy
protected tapes onto DVD.

Gary E
--
|Gary A. Edelstein
|edelsgNO@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (remove NO SPAM and .invalid to reply)
|"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Walt Kelly's Pogo
.

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