CD Players for woodturners

[W.C. Turner]

Hi,

Someday I guess I'll have to convert over to Cd's. All my turning videos are VHS.

Does anybody know if it's possible to transfer the copyrighted VHS tapes, that's put out by the Raffan's, Ellsworth, Grumbine, etc., over to DVD's, or not? I would only want to do it because of the longer life of DVD's, not for resale.

Do they make a DVD, recorder that will do that?

Thanks,

[George Franklis]

Something like this would do what you're looking for:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=146236&WT.mc_n=66&WT.mc_t=U&cm_ven=COMPARISON%20SHOPPING&cm_cat=DEALTIME&cm_pla=DATAFEED-%3EPRODUCTS&cm_ite=1%20PRODUCT&cm_keycode=66

Records directly from the VCR to the DVD.

[W.C. Turner]

I guess I'll have to wait til the price goes down on a unit like this one. It also seems that these units still have a lot of kinks to be worked out of them.

In the specs, I still didn't see it mention anything about being able to transfer copyrighted VHS to DVD.?

I just wanted to back up my woodturning VHS tapes, so I wouldn't have to buy them a second time, if the tape breaks, or the VCR eats one.

Anyone else got any info on my question?

[Jean Holland]

When something is copyrighted, it means that you can not make a copy or use it for profit purposes (like in a business). It is acceptable (and legal) to copy for personal use only. The same as with computer programs. Many times they even recommend you make a working copy so the original is preserved in it's original condition.

With that being said, you should be okay as long as you don't go selling the CD copies!

[W.C. Turner]

When something is copyrighted, it means that you can not make a copy or use it for profit purposes (like in a business). It is acceptable (and legal) to copy for personal use only. The same as with computer programs. Many times they even recommend you make a working copy so the original is preserved in it's original condition.

With that being said, you should be okay as long as you don't go selling the CD copies!

I know, but it is my understanding, that the DVD recorders are pre-programed from the Mfg., so they will not make a copy of the CR material.

[John Hart]

I bought a VHS-DVD recorder and it worked quite well. Some of the Tapes were encoded to prevent copying...but most allowed it.

[Charles E. Martin V]

Do you have a DVD burner in your computer?

[George Franklis]

I guess I'll have to wait til the price goes down on a unit like this one. It also seems that these units still have a lot of kinks to be worked out of them.

In the specs, I still didn't see it mention anything about being able to transfer copyrighted VHS to DVD.?

I just wanted to back up my woodturning VHS tapes, so I wouldn't have to buy them a second time, if the tape breaks, or the VCR eats one.

Anyone else got any info on my question?
OK, try Wal-Mart for a bit lower price:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4634096

I bought a DVD recorder (without the VHS player part) from Wal-Mart a few years ago for about the same price.

I don't know of any kinks in this type of unit. You can record copy protected VHS tapes onto DVD. Copy protection is different than copyright. Pretty much everything is copyrighted, but few things are copy protected. There is no real copy protection built in to the VHS tapes as far as I know. Some DVD disks have copy protection, but that doesn't matter in your case, since you're recording from VHS to DVD.


I know, but it is my understanding, that the DVD recorders are pre-programed from the Mfg., so they will not make a copy of the CR material.
That understanding is incorrect. These combo machines are made to copy exactly like you're looking to do.

[Mike Jory]

Hi W.C.
Good points made by Jean and others. There are a couple of things to consider. I am not saying this is the case with your tapes, but this system does exist.
Some copyrighted tapes have a encoded protection signal in the verticle interval to prevent any recorder from locking up to the source material to prevent copying. This was an old technology when VHS and Beta were first introduced and lasted for many years. Likely not included with your (and my) tapes. It was used for mass distribution of films. TV sets were able to ignore this signal, that's why no one noticed.

A couple of ways to accomplish this;
You could get a VHS to DVD recorder, an expensive option.
You could copy the VHS into your computer, then write (output) to a DVD recorder. There are stand alone dvd recorders you can connect if your system doesn't have one.
You could give the tapes to a professional duplication house to have them copied.
You could find a geeky computer nerd at the local High School computer department and ask his advice.:p I'm kidding, but it's a possibility when you don't want to spend big bucks for new electronics.

I myself am in the same position. I have 3 vcr's, and with my old Betamax camera tapes, I need to get them on DVD asap. My Betamax player was just not able to play the tapes well enough!
Good Luck,
Mike

[Tim Beauregard]

Mike Jory,

I like your tag line, but don't think you have it how you may want it. Add the words "that it is better" (as below).

My Dad taught me THAT IT IS BETTER to keep my mouth shut and let people think I was stupid, than open it and remove all doubt!

Regards,
Tim B.

[Tom Jones III]

Mike Jory,

I like your tag line, but don't think you have it how you may want it. Add the words "that it is better" (as below).

My Dad taught me THAT IT IS BETTER to keep my mouth shut and let people think I was stupid, than open it and remove all doubt!

Regards,
Tim B.

Since this OT thread is getting OT I may as well jump in :) The qoute is originally from Abe Lincoln and is something like this "
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”"

[W.C. Turner]

Do you have a DVD burner in your computer?

I wish I did, it would make it simplier, wouldn't it.

[W.C. Turner]

<<"I know, but it is my understanding, that the DVD recorders are pre-programed from the Mfg., so they will not make a copy." >>

OK, it seems I should have said "Copy Protected" What led me to even think about this, was when I called a local electronics store, and asked this same question I asked here. The store replied, that their machines would convert VHS to DVD , unless they were copy protected, and that's all I got out of him. So does "Copy Protected" mean, the machines are pre-programed so they won't copy my VHS(VHS meaning my Raffan/Ellsworth type tapes, not vhs taped off the TV) to DVD?

I was also told that some of the DVD recording machines will not copy Pay TV channels, such as HBO, ShowTime, etc.

[Gary DeWitt]

The studios are doing everything in their power to try to make sure you can't do what you're trying to do, even tho it falls under the fair use laws. Meanwhile, 6th graders are out there trading illegal movies like mad, sometimes big movies become available before they even release in the theaters. There is copy protection, called macrovision, in all or nearly all commercial VHS tapes. There are free computer programs available (after considerable research) that will defeat macrovision, but it's a long slow process in any case to copy VHS to DVD. If you have a digital cam corder, you could transfer your VHS tapes to digital tapes, then download them to your computer if you want and output as DVD. I'm not sure if this would work on commercial tapes, I used this method with home movie type tapes. Even slower process.
Fastest method would be to rent the DVDs, copy to your computer, and output as another DVD. I'm only suggesting this in the case of movies you own already, of course. And it IS illegal, anyway, since you are violating the Millenium Copyright Act by defeating the DVD copyright protection.
Good luck