Can I copy VHS protected tapes to DVD ?
 

Is anyone aware of a combo unit that will copy VHS protected tapes to DVD and DVR (cable box) to DVD ? I OWN many old tapes that I want to preserve onto DVD - and most combo recorders can't get past the VHS tape (Macrovision?) copy protection. I'm not doing anything illegal - I purchased ALL of these VHS tapes want to make a copy for myself.

dont bother with a combo unit.
get a good JVC Super-VHS VCR, an external TBC and a good DVD recorder.

and honestly if they are copy-protected than they are probably movies that already exist in better quality on DVD.
unless they are not available on DVD or you have several hundred, the cost to convert them properly will exceed the cost of just buying the DVD's

This problem is solved for a long time
I can recommend one firm which can solve it. I have found here such site http://xdimax.com/grex/grex.html.
They have a device - GREX, I heard that with its help it is possible to block protection DVD and satellite tv-channels and to write down transfers on the dvd.

Grex spammer. Banned. Added to the list. -admin

You need a TBC: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...time-base.html
There's no way around it.

You cannot use a combo unit. Regardless of what marketing materials (i.e., user manuals and brochures), combo units were NOT created with the intention of using both halves of the unit at the same time. The tape half was made for recording/playing tapes, while the DVD half was made for playing DVDs. Or recording DVDs from TV signals. VHS>DVD inside a combo unit is really not possible. Even when it is allowed by the unit, the quality is generally quite terrible, as the VCR is almost always some consumer-grade junker. (The only real exception is the $1,000+ MSRP JVC Professional Series decks.)

I would NOT recommend a Grex device. Read this post for more details on why: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...html#post19865
It's very hit-or-miss on effectiveness, and not overly reliable. It's not a TBC.