This Subject has probably been covered previously. I have several VCR tapes of movies that are not available on DVD. Is there a method available to copy VCR to VCR and decrypt them. I have Convertx to capture for DVD.
If the tapes have Macrovision protection, then a 'Video Stabilizer' can be used to connect the video out to in.
I use an old 'Optex' unit that has been laying around since Beta was new.
I think any PC video capture card can get through macrovision. I always get a small line of scramble at the very bottom of the picture though. Not sure if that is Macro or my capture card...
I have also used a little box that is battery powered and goes in between the VCR player and recorder (it worked with some bad effect on the picture). Also, once I started the tape that I was going to record and after some of the stuff on the beginning that you don't need I started recording and that also worked. Is this for VCR TO VCR? or to hard drive
I needed to backup my movies since the tapes were wearing out, so I bought a DVD video recorder. Low and behold I get Macrovision protection stopping me from backing up my films.
But..some DVD video recorders can use custom firmware, that disables this Macrovisio check. I did this with my Lite-on LVW-5001 (PAL version of the machine bought in Europe). I then had access to raw MPEG2 material that could be transcoded with ease.
The reason I chose this method was because the in-line box I used, tended to drop the quality a little despite disabling Macrovision.
I am not up-to-date with any recorders that come with this check disabled or one's that can disable it with a remote control hack, if at all. Sorry.
Originally posted by ireland:get a older vcr from the flea market that does not have the Macrovision protection chip in it...like a old rca,not one made by French Thompson rca.
That won't work, as the macrovision is recorded on the tape. It is totally passive in playback. When recording tape to tape the recorder uses the first few lines (normally black) of the video to set record levels. Macrovision records varying degrees and lengths of white in that area and the recorder can't get a 'fix' on the proper recording level. DVD recorders either use a similar scheme for setting the record level or simply see the white pulses and say !!!!Macro-Vision!!! Warning Will Robinson!!! A 'stabilizer' erases the blanking area and substitutes black for it and all is good.
Ireland's suggestion would work to dupe the tape to another tape. I've done that and I know it works, but I'm not sure if it would work to get it on your PC, worth a try though if you've got an old VCR handy.
