Zundy

I have children who are brutal to CD's and I would like to copy our purchased DVD's to VHS so that they can watch our movies when we are not around. I have not found a way around Macrovision--Is there one? Consumers should be able to make duplicates of their DVD's for personal use somehow.

djones6746

Yes, what you need is a video stabilizer(I hope I spelled that right) anyway....I obtained one thru Damark years ago which operates on a 9-volt battery. Your video line would go from your DVD to your stabilizer and then on to your VCR....also as far as recording goes...you cannot record DD audio onto your VCR tape. If you do not connect your standard audio cables from your DVD player to your VCR you will not hear voices. Good luck!!!!

Jason Northrup

It's not too hard to do this if you have a DVD-ROM setup (and it's free).
http://talk.dvdtalk.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000763.html#1

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Zundy

Thanks folks. I don't have the DVD-ROM so I checked into a video stabilizer on the web. I found a DVD/VHS video stabilizer for $32.00 on DirectSalesinc.com. It also comes with an adapter for $6.00.

That was the best price I found, but there were several others. Another popular one can be found on VideoMagicII.com which requires no battery.

Just thought I'd respond to let others know where to find them. Thanks.

Randy810

Is using a stableizer the only way you can copy DVD to VHS? I do not want to connect my DVD-Rom to my Video system.

djones6746

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Randy810:
Is using a stableizer the only way you can copy DVD to VHS? I do not want to connect my DVD-Rom to my Video system.<HR>

Yes...as far as I know there is no other way due to the protection on the DVDS themselves...you have to have the stabilizer in order to successfully tape the movie so that it is viewable. Laserdiscs never had this protection from what I can remember....I know that I taped laser in the past without the stabilizer.

nightliner

There is another way. You can go to Radio Shack and buy an rf modulator. This changes your standard video output into a connector to go into a standard cable input (channel 3). The picture is not quite as good, but it does work.

uhh, Clem?

There are two types of Macrovision -- I and II. VHS tapes only implemented MV I and the cheap (

djones6746

quote:<HR>Originally posted by uhh, Clem?:
[b]There are two types of Macrovision -- I and II. VHS tapes only implemented MV I and the cheap (

I have a $30 stabilizer which runs on a 9 volt battery which works fine!!!

uhh, Clem?

Here's what Macrovision has to say:

"Macrovision DVD Copy Protection: How It Works.
Macrovision copy protection, the only tool available in the DVD format to prevent copying to VCRs, is activated during DVD authoring. An authoring facility activates the technology by setting certain copy protection control bits to "on". When a disc with these bits set is played back in a consumer's home, the digital-to-analog converter chip within the player applies Macrovision copy protection to the outgoing analog video signal destined for the TV. The technology is transparent on original viewing, but causes copies made on approximately 95% of the VCRs in the market to be substantially distorted. The actual copy protection signal applied to DVD programming is comprised of two elements: Automatic Gain Control and Colorstripe TM. The Automatic Gain Control Process, which has been used to protect prerecorded videocassettes since 1985, consists of pulses placed in the vertical interval that TVs cannot detect. When a copy is attempted, the pulses confuse a VCR's record circuitry, causing copies to exhibit characteristics such as dim and/or noisy pictures, loss of color, loss of video, picture tearing, etc. The Colorstripe Process consists of changes to colorburst information that are transparent on original program viewing, but
that produce annoying lines across the picture on illegal copy playback. Used together, these technologies provide the world's most effective defense against unauthorized copying."

Not all DVD's use both types of Macrovision and some VCR's ignore the Macrovision signal. And some people are not very critical in their viewing and the brightness fading is not bothersome to them.

A device that removes both types of protection as described above is the SIMA Color Corrector (NOT their CopyMaster). You might want to do some research to find out the facts so you don't waste your money.

vrsuarez

Using a video stabilizer or some such device may work, but it does not yield a great picture. There are at least two manufacturers whose VCRs defeat Macrovision, and by coincidence I was in possession of one when I purchased my DVD player. I own a ProScan VCR. (At the moment, I forget the other manufacturer.) Of course, buying a new VCR may be less cost-effective than a video stabilizer, but if you plan on doing a lot of recording, or simply want the best possible quality VHS image (a contradiction in terms, I know), you may want to consider buying a ProScan VCR.

fastfred

I have an 11 year old video stabalizer that works on a 9volt battery. I have tried it taping dvd's. It removes some of the protection, but not all. A small child might not notice the poor quality. It really is crazy that dvd's are copy protected when laser disc never was. The Movie industry seems especially paranoid and greedy.