Converting copyright protected VHS to DVD

[mariolover]

My friend told me he uses an HDMI to AV converter and connecting A VHS/DVD recorder to the HDMI to AV converter to bypass copyright protection on VHS tapes.

I am excited about this because that would mean I finally get a way to do it without dropping frames or worrying about Macrovision!

Which price range of those would work the best?

[lordsmurf]

That will not work, and it will lose quality in the process.

[mariolover]

It worked for my friend. Why would it not work for me?

[dpalomaki]

The connection you describe doesn't make sense to me. Can you describe it in more detail?
Give the make/model number of each connected piece of equipment.
And which inputs/outputs were connected?
Is a HDMI splitter involved (a device that has one HDMI input and two HDMI outputs)?

FWIW: any equipment marketed in the USA for the consumer market has been required to respect copy protection for the last 20 or so years, perhaps longer. (However, some older gear might not.)

In any case some pre-recorded tapes were copy protected.

[traal]

My Diamond VC500 capture card appears to remove Macrovision, until you look closer and realize that it doesn't completely remove the copy protection, it just tames it down a little. When I captured a tape with the VC500, the picture still got darker/lighter over time but I didn't really notice it until I discovered that I couldn't find a good brightness setting that worked across the whole tape.

The HDMI to AV converter may have the same issue.

[mariolover]

VCR/DVD recorder model: Toshiba DVR620KU

Can't find model number for the HDMI to AV, but a link to it is here: https://www.amazon.com/Converter-Ama.../dp/B07GRXDZCF.

No splitter involved.

[hodgey]

Maybe it doesn't properly implement HDCP, like the HDMI splitters used to strip off older HDCP versions from e.g DVDR outputs, or maybe it puts macrovision on the composite output but it's not affecting whatever capture card they're using. If you're capturing it would probably be better to capture the HDMI with a HDMI capture card + splitter instead though.

[mariolover]

I've had bad luck with capture cards. Every one I've gotten has dropped frames so far. TBCs are usually super expensive, so it would just be a waste of money for me to get one of those. Unless anyone has any suggestions for relatively cheap ones, $100 or less would be good for me.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariolover

I've had bad luck with capture cards. Every one I've gotten has dropped frames so far.

Which cards are you getting?

Quote:

TBCs are usually super expensive, so it would just be a waste of money for me to get one of those. Unless anyone has any suggestions for

Why do you think this? TBCs are "expensive" precisely because of what the devices do.

Compared to other DIY hobbies, video hardware is relatively cheap. For about $1500, you can get a nice setup to do what is needed. Once done, simply resell it to recoup some/all of the initial investment. Compared to cars, photo, even action figures and sewing, $1500 is a minor sum. And unlike those others hobbies, video hardware actually retains resale value.

Quote:

relatively cheap ones, $100 or less would be good for me.

This will probably never happen for you.

[dpalomaki]

Quote:

TBCs are usually super expensive...

They are not cheap, but expensive is a relative term. Consider cost vs. benefit.

Quote:

...so it would just be a waste of money for me to get one of those.

Not if you want the results a TBC can produce that you cannot achieve without one. Or you could hire it out, but reputable transfer services are unlikely to violate copyright law.

Heart surgery is not cheap, but if you need it ...

As noted above, buy, use, then resell is a way to cut cost. (But it is easier to just complain.)

[Eric-Jan]

Forget about HDMI or TBC's this unit has also component video output i read i the manual, you can set it also to progressive, and there's no macrovision over the component output,(in progressive mode) it's a clean signal ready to capture directly, but you do need a component video input on your capture device, that's all, without quality loss.

btw. mariolover, you never mentioned what you use for capture device !

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric-Jan

Forget about HDMI or TBC's this unit has also component video output i read i the manual, you can set it also to progressive, and there's no macrovision over the component output,(in progressive mode) it's a clean signal ready to capture directly, but you do need a component video input on your capture device, that's all, without quality loss.

That's also not how it works. Anti-copy will prevent conversion to component, either entirely, or by screwing up what does pass. Furthermore, conversion to component often forces other processing like deinterlacing, further screwing up the signal.

[latreche34]

To the OP, Why would you digitize the VHS tape and output it via HDMI, Then convert it to analog with HDMI adapter, then digitize it again with a capture card just to avoid macrovision. You are circumventing the copyrights anyway why don't you just download the DVDrip online for those tapes. If you must capture the tapes just capture the HDMI stream with a chinese HDMI capture that ignores the HDCP.

[Eric-Jan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

That's also not how it works. Anti-copy will prevent conversion to component, either entirely, or by screwing up what does pass. Furthermore, conversion to component often forces other processing like deinterlacing, further screwing up the signal.

For me that's not true, My Panasonic DMR- ES35V plays any Macrovision protected tape over the component RCA (red,green,blue) output, set to progressive mode the component output was used for early LCD tv's and beamers, for that purpouse only, Hollywood had some protests about that, you only don't want to de-interlace, when you still want to watch your movies on a CRT.
You should only denounce something when you tried it, it's commonly known that Macrovision has no effect on component output in progressive mode, it works perfect with my Intensity Shuttle, which needs a very clean video signal anyway, HDMI is only a source of trouble trying to capture from it, component is the analog version of HDMI, with also HD output.
Using a cheap china DVR (DVD) with component video out will also work as passthrough, (Vestel RW200)
quality is not as good as a Panasonic model, i only tell this because i have tested this all out.
a HDMI to composite converter (Marmitek HA13), will give too much quality loss, the Marmitek AH31 composite to HDMI > Intensity Shuttle will work, but will also give quality loss (less though) did not test that with Macrovision, but it can convert PAL60 or NTSC50, it converts to 1280x720 or 1920x1080 (switch) this will also be the source of the quality loss, avoid converters...
Some rare VHS footage, or LaserVision/Disc material did not come out on any new media format or stream service, most other stuff is "available" in SD, FHD, or UHD that's true, but you need a good router function for P2P trafic... a box from your provider isn't enough most of the time.

[dpalomaki]

Be aware that some of the BM Intensity 4K series screw up SD component capture levels. They are aware of the issue but to my knowledge it has not been fixed - there is little demand for component SD these days and it would require a firmware fix. The Pre-4K series were better at component SD.

[Eric-Jan]

You don't need 4K although... this card is quiet cheap it replaces the discontinued previous model in this series.
BMD does have good support, and also a forum section, that's very active.
A lot of people forget you also need a good computer with fast storage, and a stable OS most capture hardware is old, or Easy C(r)ap.....