Backing up VHS tapes to DVD

[johnsees]

On web sites like Circuit City, they offer products for sale, with "user reviews" of the product. In their dvd recorder section, half the reviewers always say something like, "This is a great product! I copied all my movies from VHS to dvd."

I thought VHS movies were copy protected for the last 15 or 20 years. Is it that easy to copy VHS to DVD using a standalone DVD recorder?

Thanks
John (johnjill @ toast.net)

[Silentbob343]

I believe you are refering to macrovision protection which is not a problem on your home made VHS tapes. The device, VCR, has to support it as well. Can't speak about the device you're talking about, but they might not use macrovision protection. Though I doubt a product like that wouldn't have macrovision enabled as the movie companies would go nuts. Of course there is always around that.

[burninfool]

Silentbob is right,the companies started to add Macrovision to tapes and DVD's in 1996.It causes the picture on your VCR/DVD recorder to scramble or pulse.
One solution is to use a Sima video enhancer(around $50-100USD).

[Spazmogen]

I've only bothered with it twice.

Output from my VCR into my MiniDV Camcorder, camcorder output to the Firewire port (camcorder digitized the audio & video on the fly and output it).

Video Capture by Nero.
Converted it to DVD also with Nero.

Burned onto DVD with...Nero !

[johnsees]

Well, Nero's not going to help here. I'm interested in putting all my store-bought VHS movies onto DVD using a standalone DVD recorder... some of the movies are from before 1996, some are later. My VCR is from 1994. I know the quality's not as good as commercial DVD movies, but the tapes just take up too much space.

Will that Sima thing let me do that?

Thanks
(if anyone has any info they're willing to share, but not publicly, my email is johnjill @ toast.net.)