Transferring VHS films to DVD

Newbie Forum
#1

I’ve bought loads of videos from charity shops of classic children’s films for my toddler as he grows up. But I want to transfer them onto DVD so that we can watch them on the move - on long train journeys for example - and because DVDs take up so much less space.

I assumed I could buy a machine fairly cheaply which would transfer the films onto DVD, but I’m getting really confused researching this on the internet. Do these machines only transfer VHS home movies onto DVD, and not copyright VHS films? Any advice? Thanks!

#2

Most DVD recorders are programmed to refuse to record tapes that have copy protection. The only ways I know around this is to use a DVD recorder that doesn’t do that (don’t know of any current models) or a recorder that someone has written a firmware hack to ignore copy protection. Another alternative is to use a “black box” between the VCR and the DVD recorder that “removes”. You can get them for under $20 if you shop. I think some don’t really advertise that purpose and emphasize improving the signal etc…

#3

I like to know where you can get a black box for under 20 dollars the cheapest ones I have seen are around 70 dollars. Like the one listed at this site
http://www.xdimax.com/dvd/dvdredpro.html

#4

Great! I’ll sell you a link for $25 and you will still end up saving $25 :wink:

#5

If you go to google and run a search like it did you will see that the ones listed are all over 25 dollars but back to the point if you really wanted to help him then you would post the link here for him. As for as for me do not need one or want one and sure would not give anyone 25 dollars for a link

#6

This one is impressive: http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Specific.aspx?ArticleId=16750&PageId=19

#7

The few that I have seen for 25$ or less have just been a simple passive filter or a generic signal booster. From what I hear, they might work on some older tapes that are acidentally triggering copy guard because the tape is a little worn (but not even on all of those), but if you get a tape that actually had macrovision or something on it they don’t work.
Be carfull about the more expensive ones as some of those are crap too. The sima seems to do ok with most older analog copy protection. There are aparently ones that work with just about anything (beter than the sima) starting for a little under 100$.

#8

A few previously discussed topics:
VHS to DVD
Backing up VHS to DVD ?
How do I copy from a VHS tape to a blank DVD+R?

More search results:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/search.php?searchid=1785437