How to copy VHS protected tapes to DVD?
 

I just brought a new desktop with vista (32-bit verison) and a AverMedia Tuner card. Using media center I can copy vhs tapes to file. my problem is that I can't copy copy protected vhs tapes using media center. So, I just want to know is there a programe that will at lease let me capture or view copy protected VHS tapes? I have a program that I can use to capture it but I need to view and of course hear it. The program that I use to Capture is ZD Soft Video recorder. Can anyone help?

This is not something that software can fix.

What you've run into are signal errors -- specifically artificial errors that have been introduced into the video stream to make copying impossible using consumer equipment. Professional hardware removes all errors during the signal processing, including artificial errors.

An external TBC is required. Read this: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...time-base.html

However, you'll often find that a $200 TBC is more expensive than simply buying used official releases of the DVD versions. For example, check out the prices at places like Amazon.com (or Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.ca). Quite often you can find DVDs for as little as $1 plus $3 shipping. Instead of buying a $200 TBC, you could get 50 used DVDs. And the quality of a DVD release is going to far exceed anything you'd be able to do at home with an old VHS tape.

Your capture hardware and capture software (the software especially!) is not very good. In fact, ZD Soft Video recorder is not even a video capture program -- it's a screen capture utility. Even with a TBC, I'd question the kind of results you may get. It would likely be very mediocre at best, worse than the original tape. It's very easy to make DVDs and digital recordings that look worse than the source, when using low-grade hardware and software. That's a likely scenario scenario here. Just be aware of and prepared for that.

Hi,

I assume that we're talking about 'Macrovision' protection?

There used to be a small device that overcame Macrovision - rather like a Scart/RCA converter, it was the same sort of size, but had female scart/male scart connectors. It was powered via A/C and simply plugged into the VCR scart socket, and the scart cable was then plugged into it.

I think, actually, I still have one in a drawer somewhere (not, of course, that I ever used it to defeat Macrovision on pre-recorded tapes, your Honour!)

The problem with all of the "Macrovision removers", however, is that they don't 100% purify the signal like professional hardware does. Those cheap boxes -- which are often $50-100 range, so actually not so cheap! -- tend to just carve out random portions of the signal in hopes of reducing the effectiveness of the artificial signal noise. And for that reason, those devices rarely give quality video output.

The Grex device, for example, outputs a video with reduced color, wrong white levels and black levels, and the quality fluctuates lighter/darker throughout the video. It's not as devastating as anti-copy, but it's still far from having an ideal signal. Such converted videos are rather annoying to watch, and not at all enjoyable as intended.

And if you're willing to spend $100, you may as well just spend $200 and get an actual TBC.

Or better yet, just buy official DVD releases, if they exist. And if funds are an issue, buy used. A lot of movies released to DVD are the full widescreen versions, too -- not the cropped 4x3 versions made for VHS tape. So it's not just an improvement in image quality, but one of content quality. Again, there's some amazing steals (deals!) on Amazon.com for DVDs.

Just as you can't copy commercially made video tapes to another VCR due to Macrovision anti-copy encoding, the same applies to making copies to DVD. DVD recorders cannot bypass the anti-copy signal on commercial VHS tapes or DVDs. If a DVD recorder detects the anti-copy encoding on a commercial DVD it will not start the recording and display some sort of message either on screen or on its LED front panel display that it detects the anti-copy code or that it is detecting an unusable signal.
However. 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. It removes Macrovision.

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

I guess you didnt read LS's post above... the Grex is a useless piece of trash
Get a REAL tbc

Spammers don't know how to read. ;)

That was a confirmed Grex spammer, from a Ukraine IP, and using copy/pasted text that's been splashed all over forums and blog comments for at least 15 months now. You have to be really desperate, and selling a total piece of crap, in order to slink around the internet and leave fake comments suggesting your own garbage. If that's not a reason to avoid the Grex, I don't know what is.

The box with the scart connectors is still available. I i know amazon UK has them

If you are on budget then this will work in most cases to remove the CP. A lot of guys on AVS forum recommend this. Works on a lot of commercial DVD's too!

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...-4280-/80-4280

If you want the best results then a full TBC would be the way to go

I should point out the we dont know what tapes the OP has. I have a lot of commerical tapes i need to do and most were never released on DVD or if they are, they are cut or censored etc.

That's the infamous 9-volt device. Just realize it's very unreliable.
Also check your video carefully, as it may allow transfer/recording, but still have image quality issues.