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  • Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

    A few of years ago my family had old family-movies copied from film to VHS tape. Now, we want to make more copies of the VHS tape (or possibly convert to DVD). We took the VHS tape to a commerical place to have duplicate VHS tapes made, but they said that the business that made the original VHS tape had "copywrited" it, and they could not make copies.

    Does that mean they really "can not" make duplicates due to the copywrite (is the "copywrite" some sort of block or something?), or just they "will not"?

    Does anyone have advice on how we can get additional copies?

    Thanks.

  • #2
    Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

    Im not sure if there is some sort of Macrovision protection on your tape but you could try to import them yourself. They sell devices that you hook up to your computer to capture the video and then you can edit and burn to DVD. They run about $100. Of course youll need a working VHS.
    Aquaponics in Paradise !

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    • #3
      Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

      The content of the VHS is yours so I don't understand why the company that made the original dubs would 'copyright' them other than to guarantee that they get your return business. But...is that legal? Have you asked them about it? I just had very, very old 8mm home movies transferred to DVD at Video Lab on Queen St. I've since made many DVD copies myself for family members...no problems!

      Do you still have the original home movies? If so, take them to Video Lab and have 'em transferred to DVD then make DVD copies yourself!

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      • #4
        Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

        Yes, we still have the originals, but my mom had added a narration to the VHS tape explaining what-all was going on in the movie, and so I'd like to copy the VHS.
        Is the "copywriting" some sort of lock so that it is not possible to make copies, or just a term they use so that other professionals don't tread on their work/profits?
        I'll call Video Lab, thanks for the info. (As for doing it myself using a computer and VHS player .... ugh! I'm willing to pay someone so I don't have to learn how to do it!)

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        • #5
          Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

          Originally posted by SouthKona View Post
          Yes, we still have the originals, but my mom had added a narration to the VHS tape explaining what-all was going on in the movie, and so I'd like to copy the VHS.
          Is the "copywriting" some sort of lock so that it is not possible to make copies, or just a term they use so that other professionals don't tread on their work/profits?
          I'll call Video Lab, thanks for the info. (As for doing it myself using a computer and VHS player .... ugh! I'm willing to pay someone so I don't have to learn how to do it!)
          VHS tapes cannot be locked... (DVD's can be... although with the right tools... you can unlock them)

          It is a "Term" in this case...and being that they are your family videos... if anyone would have a copyright on them... it seems as though your family would have the rights.

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          • #6
            Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

            Originally posted by manoasurfer123 View Post
            VHS tapes cannot be locked...
            Actually, VHS tapes can have copy-protection encoded onto them, which will prevent accurate duplication; the copy will come out with the screen turning alternatively dark and light. If you've still got commercial tapes of movies, try doing a VHS-to-VHS dub and you'll see this effect.
            Why a duplicator would do that to a client's original is beyond me, however, and smacks of bad business practices. They can still dub off the narrative audio track, however, and add it (along with the original films) to the DVD for you. In fact, creating the DVD from the original source films will give you a much better quality transfer than using the VHS copy.

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            • #7
              Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

              ah yes...the dreaded Macrovision anti-copy coding.... I'm assuming in this case...that SouthKona does not have this on his home movies.
              A DVD recorder can be used to copy any homemade videos, such as camcorder videos and videos made from TV shows, and can also copy Laserdiscs, and other non-copyprotected video material.
              http://hometheater.about.com/od/dvdr...vdrecgfaq2.htm

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              • #8
                Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                Originally posted by SouthKona View Post
                [...]I'll call Video Lab, thanks for the info. (As for doing it myself using a computer and VHS player .... ugh! I'm willing to pay someone so I don't have to learn how to do it!)
                Oh poop, Aaron...I spaced on the fact that you're in Kona! Anyway, I just called my friend at Video Lab and the previous company can NOT copyright your home movies. Send your VHS to:
                Norm Nichols
                Video Lab
                1050 Queen St.
                Suite 200
                Hon. 96814
                (mention you are the one Sue Larkin talked to Norm about)
                Norm will get your dubs made. However, you might want to call and check on a price first...593-0400
                Originally posted by manoasurfer123 View Post
                VHS tapes cannot be locked...[...]
                Hmmm...can't VHS tapes be 'locked' to prevent accidental erasure? Of course that shouldn't affect playback and dubbing to new tapes.

                ETA: Aaron, you can also send the VHS to me and I'll transfer it to a DVD for you with a HawaiiThreads discount...100% off the retail price! The address can be found here. If it's your naked, 6 month old okole on a bear skin rug, well, maybe you don't want me to see it and would rather send it to Norm!
                Last edited by tutusue; October 23, 2006, 12:51 PM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                  Originally posted by tutusue View Post
                  Hmmm...can't VHS tapes be 'locked' to prevent accidental erasure?
                  That's different from copy-protection though, Sue - just as with audio-cassettes, there is a tab you can break off a video-cassette, which (once missing) will not allow a recorder to engage in "record" mode - as the tab is there to press against a switch that permits recording. (Of course, you can record on a cassette where the tab is missing by simply placing a piece of tape over the hole, where the tab used to be.)

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                  • #10
                    Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                    Originally posted by tutusue View Post
                    Hmmm...can't VHS tapes be 'locked' to prevent accidental erasure? Of course that shouldn't affect playback and dubbing to new tapes.
                    One thing to note Tutu... is even if a VHS tape is locked with the tab missing.... you can still have accidental erasure by magnets...which is known as "degaussing." Degaussing removes any previously written data, leaving the media in a magnetically randomized (blank) state.
                    But as you stated.. Locking the VHS tape to prevent it from being re-dubbed over does not have anything to do with the playback of the video.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                      Originally posted by Leo Lakio View Post
                      [...](Of course, you can record on a cassette where the tab is missing by simply placing a piece of tape over the hole, where the tab used to be.)
                      Yep! Used to do the piece of tape thingie all the time! However, I'm wondering if Aaron's tape is, in fact, copy protected or if there's just a copyright warning sticker or something on the tape. If it's actually copy protected and Aaron didn't request it or the company didn't mention it up front then sumthin's rotten in Denma...I mean Kona! Aaron, what's the back story on this? Do you remember?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                        Originally posted by tutusue View Post
                        Yep! Used to do the piece of tape thingie all the time!
                        Manoa just shuddering and shaking thinking about some of the stuff you might have erased over the years

                        Sorry... those that don't know, from what I have heard... she has some goodies in her collection.... I would hate for some of those to get erased!!!

                        Truly collectables!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                          Originally posted by tutusue View Post
                          The content of the VHS is yours so I don't understand why the company that made the original dubs would 'copyright' them other than to guarantee that they get your return business. But...is that legal? Have you asked them about it? I just had very, very old 8mm home movies transferred to DVD at Video Lab on Queen St. I've since made many DVD copies myself for family members...no problems!

                          Do you still have the original home movies? If so, take them to Video Lab and have 'em transferred to DVD then make DVD copies yourself!
                          It may be considered like pictures, professional pictures have a stamp on the back which supposedly cannot be duplicated without a waiver from the photographer. This is just protocol tho, not technology.
                          Aquaponics in Paradise !

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                          • #14
                            Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                            Originally posted by manoasurfer123 View Post
                            Manoa just shuddering and shaking thinking about some of the stuff you might have erased over the years

                            Sorry... those that don't know, from what I have heard... she has some goodies in her collection.... I would hate for some of those to get erased!!!

                            Truly collectables!
                            Oh, good grief, Manoa...I didn't do the piece of tape thingie on anything of value! I did it on old casting tapes once the projects were completely finished and shows taped from the TV once they were viewed. Then I'd recycle the tapes to avoid over consumption! The collectables are still intact in both VHS and DVD formats.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Want to make duplicate VHS tapes

                              Originally posted by Leo Lakio View Post
                              That's different from copy-protection though, Sue - just as with audio-cassettes, there is a tab you can break off a video-cassette, which (once missing) will not allow a recorder to engage in "record" mode - as the tab is there to press against a switch that permits recording. (Of course, you can record on a cassette where the tab is missing by simply placing a piece of tape over the hole, where the tab used to be.)
                              Now this is good info to know. Thanks for the tape trick.
                              Tayo

                              FINALLY HOME IN HAWAI'I!

                              "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
                              Mark Twain

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