Will DVD Recorders let you tape copywright-protected TV shows? [Archive]

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Grant

11-07-2007, 07:24 AM

I recently used one and it would not allow me to do so. What's the use of having one if you can't record any TV show you want?

fergojisan

11-07-2007, 07:42 AM

Are you talking about straight from TV or from a DVD? Straight from TV shouldn't be a problem (I have a Lite-On DVD recorder, and it has a timer built into it), but from a DVD is a no-no apparently. I'm pretty sure that there's some kind of device that you can use with the RCA jacks that will bypass this, but I couldn't tell you where to find it. I needed a karaoke version of Devo's Freedom Of Choice for a personal project I'm doing, and I found one (by Devo themselves) on the DEV2.O DVD. I hooked up just the sound outputs from the DVD player (I couldn't get the whole ripping thing together) to my Mac, and it sounds really bad. That's another thing to look into if you're copying DVDs, the whole ripping business.

Sorry, I wasn't much help. :cry:

Mal

11-07-2007, 07:56 AM

I recently used one and it would not allow me to do so. What's the use of having one if you can't record any TV show you want?

Was it a TV show or a movie?.....

Nico

11-07-2007, 08:38 AM

DVD Recorders check if the incoming video signal has the copy protection flag set. With a pure analoge antenna signal this information is in the blanking data (line 21/23 or so, from my memory) of the video. With HDMI/ SCART input (Sorry, I only know European systems) it is part of some pin data or so (Part of the WSS? Again, from memory of years ago when I worked on DVD recorder projects).

When a TV channel sets the copyright flag on that whould be a big bummer for people with DVD-Recorders.

Grant

11-07-2007, 12:24 PM

Was it a TV show or a movie?.....

TV show.

Grant

11-07-2007, 12:25 PM

TSmithPage

11-07-2007, 12:27 PM

Apparently, most of the stuff i'm interested in is copy-protected. So, I guess i'll have to stick with tape for now.

I was unaware of this development. Are the networks flagging their shows, or is the problem you are running into from shows on HBO and cable networks?

bencasey

11-07-2007, 01:18 PM

This is only a problem with cheap recorders. I've had 4 Panasonic machines and recorded hundreds of shows to my hard drive from many networks and I've never had one problem. You get what you pay for.

tommy-thewho

11-07-2007, 01:22 PM

I've never had a problem with my Panasonic recorder taping shows off t.v.

lv70smusic

11-07-2007, 01:54 PM

Is this happening only on premium channels (like HBO) or does it happen on broadcast channels as well? I know that sometimes broadcasters accidentally turn on "do not permit copying" bits. As far as I know, the only channels that really should be preventing a digital recording device (whether a dvd recorder or dvr) from recording a specific program are premium channels and pay-per-view channels.

Mal

11-07-2007, 04:57 PM

Apparently, most of the stuff i'm interested in is copy-protected. So, I guess i'll have to stick with tape for now.

For some reason Grant won't tell us the program he's had this problem with - hmmmm.....

Looks like the porn channels implement copy protection.....

;)

AndrewS

11-07-2007, 05:37 PM

I bought my mother a DVD Recorder with a hard drive, made by Pioneer, and she has never had a problem recording anything. She records A LOT of TV.

balzac

11-07-2007, 05:43 PM

I have a Sony DVD recorder called a "DVDirect" that works both as a standalone DVD recorder as well as an external DVD drive for computer. I've recorded a number of things off of television from DirecTV and haven't had any copy-protection issues. This DVD recorder does have detection for copy protection, and it even occasionally doesn't work properly (i.e. trying to copy an old VHS home movie and the DVD recorder saying it's copy-protected!), but I've never had it tell me anything broadcast on TV is copy-protected.

lou

11-07-2007, 08:04 PM

I also have a Sony DVD-recorder and I have never had a problem copying network or pay channel programs, movies, whatever. Haven't tried to tape porn though, that might be different.

bencasey

11-07-2007, 11:48 PM

He probably bought some cheap piece of junk from crapmart just to save $20. It's a bargain until it doesn't work, then not so much. Stay away from Brand X next time and you won't have a problem.

ffracer

11-08-2007, 03:46 AM

There are some porgrams on pay TV (HBO, etc.) that are flagged. I think it depends on which outputs you use. Using the RCA jacks should work OK.

It is true that the better machines (Panasonic, Pioneer, etc.) have better filters. VHS VCRs worked like this. My Panasonic VHS (higher end) was much better with rentals - played fine, but couldn't copy - a friend's cheapo Sanyo couldn't play most of the rental tapes just to watch.

I have a friend who has a cable box DVR, but wanted to make a DVD-R of a program from the DVR. I lent him my Panasonic DVD recorder. It worked fine using the RCA outputs.

JohnBeas

11-08-2007, 04:30 AM

I have a friend who bought a cheap DVD recorder and he had this same problem - a number of HBO programs would not record. I had never heard of this happening to recordings coming off of regular TV. I have 2 older Panasonic HDD/DVD recorders (DMR-E80H) and have never experienced this. I definately agree with "you get what you pay for" - my Panasonics were not cheap but they are work horses - I've used both of them almost every day for years and burned literally thousands of discs and have had almost no problems.

Drawer L

11-10-2007, 11:34 AM

One good thing about the cheap players is that they USUALLY play PAL discs...

Grant

11-10-2007, 12:50 PM

He probably bought some cheap piece of junk from crapmart just to save $20. It's a bargain until it doesn't work, then not so much. Stay away from Brand X next time and you won't have a problem. I'm using a cheapo unit my sister bought from (ugh!) Wal-Mart a couple of years ago. But, I also tried a brand new Sony from Costco.