Question:
Hi folks
I have been reading previous threads about this but can't find the answer I want. I am planning to buy a DVD recorder and do away with all my old VHS tapes. I want to keep the pc and possibly the telly out of the equation, so I think I am right in saying that I just connect VCR directly to DVD recorder and record that way?
Problem is we have a good few shop-bought tapes which the kids want to keep. Will there be a problem recording them to DVD?
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Problem is we have a good few shop-bought tapes which the kids want to keep. Will there be a problem recording them to DVD?
Yes, as far as I know that's illegal.
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Oops didn't know that. Looks like we need to keep an old VCR then.
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Yes, as far as I know that's illegal.
if the dvd is a backup of the legitimately owned video cassette, then it is not copied for malpractice or profit. It is perfectly arguable that videos deteriorate over time and use, so to preserve the property, a copy is made.
How a video cassette has the intelligence in PLAY mode to work out someone is recording it elsewhere, I'm not quite sure.
You connect your VCR to DVD line in, press play on vcr, and record on the dvd/hdd recorder. watch the film if you like or return in time for film's ending to press stop on the recorder unit.
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if the dvd is a backup of the legitimately owned video cassette, then it is not copied for malpractice or profit. It is perfectly arguable that videos deteriorate over time and use, so to preserve the property, a copy is made.
How a video cassette has the intelligence in PLAY mode to work out someone is recording it elsewhere, I'm not quite sure.
You connect your VCR to DVD line in, press play on vcr, and record on the dvd/hdd recorder. watch the film if you like or return in time for film's ending to press stop on the recorder unit.
According to the copyright act of 88 yes it is illegal, the rule about back up for computer programs is an exemption but vhs and dvd still fall under the law of not copying even for personal use.
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As well as been illegal, some tapes produce a signal that will prevent you recording it anyway.
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I just simply sold all my old tapes anyway, and decided to replace ones I wanted with DVD, a lot of them are cheaper now as DVDs than when I bought them on VHS. Also average lifetime of VHS is about 13 years before they start to seriously degrade. DVDs in theory shouldn't degrade at all.
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Are we sure it's illeagal? I thought that if you had the original then it was fine - just like putting your CDs onto your ipod?
I say this because in my school we have a large selection of educational videos and we have recently bought a DVD recorder. I was going to put all of our bought videos onto DVD to save space and prolong their life.
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People tend to use fair use as a reason for been able to do this, hwoever the state-side fair use (and back up for personal use) where you can do that and UK fair use are very different and it is much less well defined here.
Basically if you own the CD and rip it to your iPod then you will be breaking coopyright, however FACT and the record companies are ignoring/allowing this.
With the school scenario the copyrgith licesne may allow you to do this - but you probably should check with the copyright owners if they are still around, and no doubt will want to charge you a fortune for dvds..
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I think you have to make an assumption that it's illegal until there is court precedence to say otherwise. It would come under the exact same law as photocopying a book because the book was starting to fall apart.
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If you want to transfer non copyright videos to DVD try this kit for less than £60, it must be an easy answer!
ANDREW
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If you want to transfer non copyright videos to DVD try this kit for less than £60, it must be an easy answer!
ANDREW
Just to clarify that ALL videos (even home movies) have copyright, the big difference is whether you are the copyrightholder or that you have the copyrightholders' permission.
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Cheers for the links guys, I have seen a similar product under the name of "Dazzle" but didn't want to spend any more money than I have to.
Looks like I will have to try and find cheap dvd versions of my tapes, although some of them are very old/rare and you can't get them on dvd so back to square one, unless somebody finds some rule that says you can keep 'backups'
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Cheers for the links guys, I have seen a similar product under the name of "Dazzle" but didn't want to spend any more money than I have to.
Looks like I will have to try and find cheap dvd versions of my tapes, although some of them are very old/rare and you can't get them on dvd so back to square one, unless somebody finds some rule that says you can keep 'backups'
This is why copyright law is such a mess, it's only recently that ripping cds to mp3 has been "officially" acknowledged as being fair use, and I'm sure under some circumstances you are allowed to backup for personal use (especially with software) but it's all a bit hazy with what's allowed and what isn't when transferring from one medium to another.
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keep your videos and player till the copyright expires? probably another 100 years to go
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keep your videos and player till the copyright expires? probably another 100 years to go
I think both my VCR and I will have expired myself by that time and I won't be worrying about watching my old videos.
It seems to be a bit of a minefield out there, I am wondering why they make all this stuff to be able to do it then don't allow you, even for personal use. To me its the same as cd-mp3 but if it's illegal, so be it. Must be loads of people in the same position though.
It has got me wondering too, what's the copyright issue if you record something from the telly?
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It has got me wondering too, what's the copyright issue if you record something from the telly?
Strictly speaking, you're only supposed to do so in order to watch at a more convenient time, not to keep it long-term on tape/ DVD.
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if you have stuff recorded from the TV then you should be able to copy those without any problems. Commercial videos are usually protected with macrovision, which can stop you from copying them..
Some further info in these links..
If you have a lot of TV stuff to do, it is a bit of a bind, and would be easier with a combined VHS and DVD recorder, and then you could get rid of the existing vcr under the TV.
If you have a combined unit, you usually have to press a couple of buttons to copy a full tape to DVD. If you have two seperate units, it's a lot fiddlier, you have to worry about the different capacities etc.. Doing it on a PC is also a bind.
You could also get a unit with a HD in, but that starts bumping the cost up a bit.
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Hmmm....I thought if I bought the original I could make a back-up copy for my own use? Does the format matter?
For example, I wanted a DVD from America. The company did not produce a region 2 format, and when I contacted them said they had no plans to do so. I therefore purchased region 1 format, then got my mate to copy them and make them region free, so I could play them. They are solely for my own use.
Have I infringed copyright?
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Yes you have - from above..
People tend to use fair use as a reason for been able to do this, hwoever the state-side fair use (and back up for personal use) where you can do that and UK fair use are very different and it is much less well defined here.
Basically if you own the CD and rip it to your iPod then you will be breaking coopyright, however FACT and the record companies are ignoring/allowing this.
With the school scenario the copyrgith licesne may allow you to do this - but you probably should check with the copyright owners if they are still around, and no doubt will want to charge you a fortune for dvds..