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Copy-protected TV
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Junior Member
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17. February 2007 @ 13:53 |
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Find an off brand cheapie. Buy it from a store with a reasonable return policy and test it to see if it'll do what you want and that it performs acceptably. You won't have to worry about what unfriendly features the major companies are building into their DVD recorders.
I've had a number of DVD recorders that when they detected a copy-protected signal would flash the alert "copy protected signal" on screen. And continue recording. None of them were brands you would've heard of, but they all did the job.
Fair use is still legal, darn it.
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Mike1951
Newbie
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23. February 2007 @ 17:00 |
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I came across this forum while looking for a solution for this problem. I'll be happy to relate my experiences.
In 2005, I bought the Sony RDR-VX515 DVD/VHS combo and immediately learned that I couldn't use it. I quickly (same day) found a Sima CT-200 and have been happily transferring from my DISH DVR ever since.
When the VX515 went back to Sony for repairs the second time, I bought a RDR-GX330 DVD recorder to use as a backup. It works fantastic and the Sima still allows recording.
However, when Sony and Circuit City opted to replace the VX515, I was given the newer RDR-VX530. I installed it where I removed the GX330 and the CT-200 would not allow copying. As a doublecheck, I reinstalled the GX-330 and again could copy.
A source confirmed that Sony was required to beef up copyright protection in the VX530. My own experience validates this.
Earlier this week, I sent an email inquiry to Dimax about their Grex, but I got no response.
So I decided to go ahead and place an online order with them and I have heard nothing since getting my Paypal receipt.
They may just be tardy about responding. I do hope that they're still in business.
When I thought that a second CT-200 was all I needed, I spent hours trying to find one. It seems the MV lawsuit caused an almost total ban on the sale of the CT-200. I did find a single merchant that still had new merchandise. Otherwise, what I saw were used units on auction sites going for more than MSRP.
Mike
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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17. March 2007 @ 14:27 |
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My first post to this forum. Region 1 NTSC for DVD. I have a Grex. It was shipped from Israel. Mine will do exactly what the Sima CT-200 does, no more, no less. I would like to send mine back for refund. Handling any problem with Grex is not easy at such distance from here to Israel. They tell me that they have not had any VHS tape that the Grex will not permit to copy. I have some VHS tapes, at least 5, that cannot be copied to DVD by any method I have tried. I do have an old RCA VCR from the early 1980's that will record, but only to a VHS tape. It just ignores copy protection. Some quality degrade occurs. And I assume that any copy protection on the original would be on the VHS copy.
So some method to copy VHS to computer may be the real answer for the difficult cases. What do you suggest for a computer dummy?
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Mike1951
Newbie
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17. March 2007 @ 16:32 |
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The Grex solved my problems, once I got it hooked up correctly.
Since Israel is 8 hours ahead, I made the sacrifice to stay up one entire night so we could have multiple exchanges.
If you limit yourself to one message a day, it will take some time.
Give them a chance.
Mike
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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18. March 2007 @ 04:12 |
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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18. March 2007 @ 04:28 |
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Mike, I tried everything they suggested, Mode 001, Mode 002, Mode 003. Tech support now says they do not have any more suggestions. I wish there was a local place where I could take my Grex, my recorder and tape and let them see in person the results. I do believe that more than one person has been involved in my tech support communication due to the spelling, phrasing differences in the messages. Using just one technician might be the best idea. How was your situation finally solved? I now realize that I have a duplicate post. I though I lost the other one before posting.
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Junior Member
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18. March 2007 @ 05:10 |
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Presidian PDR-3222. This is a clone of the Lite-On 1105 and may be available at some Radio Shack stores for under $80. It will record anything you throw at it and as a bonus can be made multi-regional: <setup> <highlight "exit"> <2960> <enter>.
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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18. March 2007 @ 09:45 |
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I have had a Sima CT-200 and a Clearpix Model 200. http://www.checkhere22.com/stabilizer/ My recorder is Sony VRD-MC1. The Grex and the other two all have the same results with the Sony recorder. The Sima uses lots more power that the other two and gets really warm if any of the ventilation slots are blocked. I am now testing with a Toshiba recorder. But the Toshiba records only to DVD-R or -RW single-layer discs. Limited versatility. Will report the Toshiba results later. Thus far the Grex appears to just be really expensive. Hope someone posts about how well the Grex works with cable and satellite broadcasts.
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Mike1951
Newbie
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18. March 2007 @ 10:15 |
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Originally posted by "tvcritic":
Thus far the Grex appears to just be really expensive.
Actually, the Grex was $98.85 including shipping. The only vendor I located still selling the Sima CT-200 charged $99. I don't understand why you say the Grex is expensive.
Originally posted by "tvcritic":
Hope someone posts about how well the Grex works with cable and satellite broadcasts.
I am using the Grex successfully to record premium channels from DISH. I'm used to standard broadcast TV, not HDTV, or anything high-end. But I can see no degradation due to using the Grex.
I can only attest that in my situation, the Grex is working with my Sony RDR-VX530 when the Sima CT-200 did not.
Mike
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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18. March 2007 @ 12:51 |
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Did you check the price on the Clearpix 200? Link was posted.
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Mike1951
Newbie
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18. March 2007 @ 13:05 |
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Frankly, no.
I had already purchased and my problem appears to be solved.
But I still haven't checked to see if the Grex will work to allow VHS->DVD copying in the VX530. It hasn't been an issue for me.
I am not into the technology of this like some folks here. I learned about the Sima when I bought the VX515 DVD recorder and learned that it would not make copies.
I learned about the Grex when I got the VX530 and learned that the CT-200 would no longer work.
If the ClearPix works I would definitely be interested, since the Sima has been almost totally pulled from the market.
The Sima still works fine with my GX330 and the Grex is working with the VX530. They won't last forever and it would be good to have a working replacement.
Mike
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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18. March 2007 @ 14:25 |
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I think the heat will shorten the life of the Sima.
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Mike1951
Newbie
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18. March 2007 @ 16:35 |
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My original Sima has been working since 12/05.
But I do know that it won't last forever.
That is why I'm open to any alternative that works.
I might decide to purchase one of the Clearpix 200's as a backup.
Clearly, Macrovision will be more and more successful removing these products from the market. I don't think we can count on any of them to be around when we need them. BTW, I thought the Grex coming from Israel was a good thing.
Take care,
Mike
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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19. March 2007 @ 02:42 |
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"The Grex solved my problems, once I got it hooked up correctly.". Mike, tell me more about the hookup. What did they instruct you to do?
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Junior Member
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19. March 2007 @ 04:37 |
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I'm using my Presidian only for recording from copy-protected sources. Using an LG for everything else--darn nice recorder for which there is an all-region hack, but none I've found to allow it to record from copy protected sources. I've also got a spare Presidian, which I've only used enough to assure me it'll work properly.
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Mike1951
Newbie
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19. March 2007 @ 16:29 |
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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21. March 2007 @ 13:10 |
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Anyone else used a Grex? Please report your experience. I think I discovered the problem. Looks like it will not work with some of the recorders listed on their website. I am therefore disappointed.
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Junior Member
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21. March 2007 @ 14:00 |
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Checked out the website and was really impressed. The Grex looks like such a simple, elegant solution. Really cool.
I did notice my Presidian 3222 on the list of devices the Grex would work with, which seemed odd since the Presidian ignores copy protection already. (It's as if the Presidian shipped without being completely finished--and what was left unfinished was something the average customer would be unlikely to notice, let alone complain about. Which would seem smart like a fox.)
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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21. March 2007 @ 15:46 |
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I am going to get a Presidian and try it. I have been using a Sony VRD-MC1 which is on the Grex list. But the Sony will not record protected material (VHS) from the Grex. My Toshiba will record with the Grex. I think the Grex takes a fraction of a second to recognize and respond to the protection signal. The Sony gets that snippet of signal and "locks up", will not record. It requires stopping the tape. But when the tape starts again, the Sony locks up again. On the TV screen fed from the output of the Toshiba, the protected warning flashes and then disappears. The Toshiba recorder then works. The Sony will handle DL discs, the Toshiba will not.
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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21. March 2007 @ 15:53 |
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One program I recorded on VHS from PBS on my antenna had some sort of protection and would not record to the Sony, Grex or no Grex. So I really doubt that the Grex works in all situations.
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Bobby728
Junior Member
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21. March 2007 @ 16:25 |
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What if i hook up a TV tuner on my computer?I have nero7 ultra edition and was thinking of making my computer a media center.I could watch watch tv on my computer,but could i also record my Fav. shows to my hard drive?
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rescuedog
Junior Member
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21. March 2007 @ 17:10 |
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I've been using the Grex with no problem whatsoever and quality has been very good.
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tvcritic
Junior Member
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31. March 2007 @ 10:03 |
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OK. I bought a Presidian recorder and tried it today. I tried to record one VHS tape on the Presidian that had been impossible to copy on a Sony VRD-MC1 even with the use of all sorts of stabilizers, including Grex. With no stabilizer, the Presidian stopped in less than 2 seconds and a notice on the TV screen showed "protected". With the Grex, the tape did record on the Presidian easily. One must conclude that the Sony recorder recognizes some component in the signal of certain protection schemes that the stabilizers do not remove or that some signal is added by the stabilizers that the Sony recognizes. The copy by the Presidian with the Grex was excellent quality. It is evident that the technology of the stabilizers, including the Grex, could use some improvement and probably must absolutely do so in order to continue to be useful.
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Junior Member
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1. April 2007 @ 08:58 |
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That's a new one to me. I've never tried to record a copy protected VHS tape on the Presidian. I've never had any problems recording anything off TV or my DVR (Showtime, IFC etc).
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ansarali
Suspended permanently
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2. April 2007 @ 00:34 |
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This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 2. April 2007 @ 09:29
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