Dubbing a vhs tape to a DVD tape

[rocketship]

Hi everyone,
I hope someone can answer my question, I tried to dub a vhs tape to a dvd and it told me that the vhs tape is copyrighted and I cannot dub the tape. I have numerous vhs tapes that I purchased from Accu Stat, and now I cannot dub them into dvd's. I know for a fact that other people have been able to do it, but do not know how it was done. Can someone help me on this, it would be greatly appreciated.
I bought a dubbing machine and now I find that I cannot utilize the machine, which cost me over $200.00

 

[nathandumoulin]

I bought a dubbing machine and now I find that I cannot utilize the machine, which cost me over $200.00

Wouldn't have been cheaper just buy the DVD versions of your videos? I mean, for one, you'd be supporting pool. And secondly, you wouldn't be violating copyright laws.

 

[rocketship]

I paid a lot of money to purchase those tapes, I should have the right to convert them into dvd's. It's not as if I'm going to go out and sell them in the marketplace, but I can understand why it's copyrighted, but we should be told that when we purchase the tapes, and find out later on that we cannot turn them in dvd's is very disappointing, I have over 300 tapes that I purchased, it would cost me a small fortune to but the dvd tapes of those matches.

 

[Joe_Jaguar]

Haven't done a conversion myself yet. Try googling something like 'vhs to dvd macrovision removal'.

 

[ShootingArts]

"should" doesn't matter

I paid a lot of money to purchase those tapes, I should have the right to convert them into dvd's. It's not as if I'm going to go out and sell them in the marketplace, but I can understand why it's copyrighted, but we should be told that when we purchase the tapes, and find out later on that we cannot turn them in dvd's is very disappointing, I have over 300 tapes that I purchased, it would cost me a small fortune to but the dvd tapes of those matches.

As you see at the start of pretty much all commercial tapes it is a violation of copyright to copy the tape even for personal use. That is federal law. You are surely aware that you can't legally copy the tapes. No doubt people will assist you in your efforts but it is never-the-less an illegal activity. Since you have published your intentions to violate the copyrights perhaps someone will take an interest. Probably not but you never know.

I don't support copyright theft. One reason we don't have more people like Nathan putting out quality DVD's is that there will be many times more pirated copies out there than legal copies he sells after he has invested time, money, and effort into production.

Hu

 

[muddawg]

Wouldn't have been cheaper just buy the DVD versions of your videos? I mean, for one, you'd be supporting pool. And secondly, you wouldn't be violating copyright laws.

Unless he bought a lot of them before they were available as a DVD.

A person is legally allowed to make a copy of a CD that they bought (i.e. ripping it to his/her computer or putting it on an iPod), as long as it's for personal use and not distribution. I would think that it would be the same for a VHS/DVD or VHS to DVD, but I may be wrong.

 

[BVal]

As you see at the start of pretty much all commercial tapes it is a violation of copyright to copy the tape even for personal use. That is federal law. You are surely aware that you can't legally copy the tapes. No doubt people will assist you in your efforts but it is never-the-less an illegal activity. Since you have published your intentions to violate the copyrights perhaps someone will take an interest. Probably not but you never know.

I don't support copyright theft. One reason we don't have more people like Nathan putting out quality DVD's is that there will be many times more pirated copies out there than legal copies he sells after he has invested time, money, and effort into production.

Hu

300 vhs tapes takes up a lot of room. What is the problem with him putting his collection onto DVD?

BVal

 

[ShootingArts]

copyright law is a quagmire

Unless he bought a lot of them before they were available as a DVD.

A person is legally allowed to make a copy of a CD that they bought (i.e. ripping it to his/her computer or putting it on an iPod), as long as it's for personal use and not distribution. I would think that it would be the same for a VHS/DVD or VHS to DVD, but I may be wrong.

*Just read ShootingArts's post, so I guess I'm wrong... not the 1st time and definitely not the last.

There are laws pending and court cases decided seventeen different ways. Copyright law keeps herds of lawyers busy specializing in just one or the other. Either of us could be wrong or we could be right today and wrong next week. At best last I knew when you buy one copy you are entitled to use one copy unless you specifically purchased more than single use rights.

That was the law the last I looked but I don't try to keep current. Bottom line is that for 99% of people it is an ethics issue rather than a legal issue. They can burn as many copies for their own use or to sell or give to buddies as they like and the odds of being caught are thin.

I own thousands of copyrighted properties and I don't do a thing with them because there is no effective way to market them without them being stolen.

Hu

 

[3andstop]

It is not illegal to make a backup copy of any tape or DVD that you own.

I do DVD conversions as a part time hobby / job now that I'm retired. I've done a few for Pat at Accu-stats as well. In fact I think he may have some kind of swap deal to DVD that might be worth checking into.

Macrovision copy protection is not uncommon for VHS tapes. It all depends on what you are using to create your DVDs. If you are using a VHS / DVD recorder, you are correct, you won't be able to override the copy protection.

I use a product called Canopus 300ADVC. I do believe their model 110 will be able to do what you wish. You may even find one used on EBay.

http://desktop.grassvalley.com/products/videoconversion.php

It is a slightly more involved process though since the files need to be transferred to your computer hard drive before encoding to DVD.

There is also an upside to the more involved process. You will be able to insert chapters wherever you want. Between racks for example, or at a certain shot you would like to navigate directly to, plus a lot more.

 

[ShootingArts]

back ups

It is not illegal to make a backup copy of any tape or DVD that you own.
I do DVD conversions as a part time hobby / job now that I'm retired. I've done a few for Pat at Accu-stats as well. In fact I think he may have some kind of swap deal to DVD that might be worth checking into.

Macrovision copy protection is not uncommon for VHS tapes. It all depends on what you are using to create your DVDs. If you are using a VHS / DVD recorder, you are correct, you won't be able to override the copy protection.

I use a product called Canopus 300ADVC. I do believe their model 110 will be able to do what you wish. You may even find one used on EBay.

http://desktop.grassvalley.com/products/videoconversion.php

It is a slightly more involved process though since the files need to be transferred to your computer hard drive before encoding to DVD.

There is also an upside to the more involved process. You will be able to insert chapters wherever you want. Between racks for example, or at a certain shot you would like to navigate directly to, plus a lot more.

Back ups are archived copies not copies to be used or to have multiple copies in use. If Accu-Stats has a deal in place that would be great.

Hu

 

[macguy]

300 vhs tapes takes up a lot of room. What is the problem with him putting his collection onto DVD?

BVal

I think it is kind of a gray area. If he wants to copy them for his own use I don't see a problem with it. Even if he then sold the originals on ebay. If he made copies for resale then it would be a blatant violation. At some point in the near future his collection will be useless as VCR's are phased out all together.
I don't even own a VCR anymore. I can't really fault the guy and I doubt Pat Fleming would either.

 

[ShootingArts]

how many times can this happen?

I think it is kind of a gray area. If he wants to copy them for his own use I don't see a problem with it. Even if he then sold the originals on ebay. If he made copies for resale then it would be a blatant violation. At some point in the near future his collection will be useless as VCR's are phased out all together.
I don't even own a VCR anymore.I can't really fault the guy and I doubt Pat Fleming would either.

OK,

According to your thought then someone else can buy the originals on E-Bay, make their own copies, and resale the originals on E-Bay. The next buyer can do the same. So can the next and the next and the next and the next.

Just where do you figure it becomes wrong? Each person owns the originals when they make a copy and resell the originals.

Hu

 

[BVal]

I think it is kind of a gray area. If he wants to copy them for his own use I don't see a problem with it. Even if he then sold the originals on ebay. If he made copies for resale then it would be a blatant violation. At some point in the near future his collection will be useless as VCR's are phased out all together.
I don't even own a VCR anymore. I can't really fault the guy and I doubt Pat Fleming would either.

I was thinking he was going to copy the VHS to DVD and then put the VHS in storage or something like that. If he sold the originals then I would say he is profiting from the copy and would be completely wrong. No grey area there. I cannot fault him for wanting them on DVD - if he sells the VHS I will fault him all day long.

BVal

 

[blah blah]

head first into npr direction

fwiw, i would be curious to have the answer, too. I just bought a vhs to dvd converter, too, but haven't had the time to set it up and try it yet. My main goal was to get a lot of my grandmother's old british vhs stuff, which was copyrighted and purchased in the uk, then converted onto american vhs, and hopefully, onto U.S. dvds. I shouldn't have a problem there, I don't think...

But I also thought I'd get all of my old vhs tapes- recorded from tv and store bought videos- and put them onto dvds before they all die from heat, age, general tape chewing and wreckage... Remember how bad vhs tapes suck? From picture quality to length of life, they sucked.

I suppose the makers of the machinery justify the production and sale of the converter as being primarily for people who do a large volume of home videos on an old vhs video camera...? Seriously? I'm sure the majority of buyers wanted the converters merely in the hopes of updating and preserving our old, long- built and very costly libraries.

 

[softshot]

transferring copyrighted material from one medium to another is legal under "fair use" provided the copy's and originals are not sold for profit..


have a nice day:thumbup:

 

[BVal]

transferring copyrighted material from one medium to another is legal under "fair use" provided the copy's and originals are not sold for profit..


have a nice day:thumbup:

Is it "sold for profit" or "sold period"?

If i buy it for $20 and sell it for $15 that is not "sold for profit".

BVal

 

[ShootingArts]

It is if you keep a copy

Is it "sold for profit" or "sold period"?

If i buy it for $20 and sell it for $15 that is not "sold for profit".

BVal

Brady,

If you keep a copy you have fair value for what you paid for. If you sell another copy even for a dollar, you have just made a profit. Unless the laws have changed vastly you can't even give away a copy. Only a few months ago I gave away several hundred dollars worth of DVD's to a few people including a copyright lawyer. I was very careful to tell the lawyer that I did not keep a copy to avoid any legal or ethical issues for him. I genuinely didn't keep copies either.

Hu

 

[nathandumoulin]

Brady,

If you keep a copy you have fair value for what you paid for. If you sell another copy even for a dollar, you have just made a profit. Unless the laws have changed vastly you can't even give away a copy. Only a few months ago I gave away several hundred dollars worth of DVD's to a few people including a copyright lawyer. I was very careful to tell the lawyer that I did not keep a copy to avoid any legal or ethical issues for him. I genuinely didn't keep copies either.

Hu

This is correct (thanks Hu). To make a copy and then lend it OR the original would violate copyright laws. To sell either copy is even worse, as you've effectively made the product available to multiple parties without paying the owner of the copyright.

This is a pretty questionable topic these days, as practically everyone has violated these laws in one way or another (usually by downloading MP3s). Most people are quick to disregard the moral implications of their actions, as they assume that it's no big deal since they're probably only screwing over some giant conglomerate. But the truth is that many products are still produced by independent production companies. This is especially apparent in our industry since outside sponsors (such as Nike) are non existent.

I'm a one-man company, and yet I barely make a living. It's hard enough to survive these days in this industry without people stealing from you. In either case, I hope to make ends meat at this gig long enough to produce more movies in the future. :thumbup:

 

[Jimt]

PM has been sent.

 

[BVal]

Brady,

If you keep a copy you have fair value for what you paid for. If you sell another copy even for a dollar, you have just made a profit. Unless the laws have changed vastly you can't even give away a copy. Only a few months ago I gave away several hundred dollars worth of DVD's to a few people including a copyright lawyer. I was very careful to tell the lawyer that I did not keep a copy to avoid any legal or ethical issues for him. I genuinely didn't keep copies either.

Hu

That is what I thought. Last year I transferred all of my VHS (about 100) movies to DVD. I have them all in a box in my garage and don't plan on getting rid of them.

BVal