Copying Commercial VHS to DVD?

[Leo Jay]

Anyone know anything about this process? Â I want to convert my VHS collection, and I know there are machines available to convert VHS to DVD, but I've heard that they only work with homemade VHS tapes, since commercial VHS tapes are all copy-protected -- is that really so? Â Is there no way to convert my commercial tapes?

 

[acole]

You can buy various boxes that strip out macrovision, even for tape-to-tape dubbing. Â If you're working on a computer, there may also be capture cards or software that could do the same. Â I've never actually done any of this, so I don't have specifics, but the technology is there. Â Try www.videohelp.com and search on "VHS to DVD" or "VHS macrovision".

 

[j]

You might be better off (for the movies for which this is possible) renting the DVD and copying from that. You will get a much better quality result. Since you already own a copy of the movie, I don't think it's immoral to do it this way. (If you then sell the VHS copies, it might be).

 

[chorse123]

Other than getting rid of the VHS box, why do you want to do this? You're looking at significant time and/or money, and unless you're converting home movies, I don't see the point. It might make more sense to gradually replace favorite or degrading tapes with DVDs or even Blu-Ray discs when they become common.

And I'd have to disagree with J about renting the DVD and copying it, even if you already own the VHS tape. Murky legal/moral grounds there, in my opinion.

 

[j]

It may well be illegal, but in my opinion, if you already own one copy and make another copy for your own use, it is perfectly acceptable.

 

[chorse123]

Ah yes, but you're not technically making a copy of the same thing. The pictures may be the same, or even similar, but it's remastered, correct? Therefore a different film.