Archive through June 12, 2006
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 16 Registered: May-06 | Has anyone heard or read any reviews on the GoDVD stabilizer ($99.95)? http://www.studio1productions.com/copymaster.htm Naturaly, their write up makes it the best thing since sliced bread, would like to know if anyone here has had any experience with it. |
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New member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 7 Registered: May-06 | Hi David, I unhooked everything and took it to a room with a small 13 inch TV where I could get to it better. I double checked all connections again as I went, replaced the Emerson VCR i was playing the VHS tapes with and put a fresh battery in the Stablizer. ( First try) it recorded the VHS tape to the DVD. Beautiful picture no problems at all. It was a movie I had bought 2 years ago. Finished that up checked it and it all copied. Turned around and put another movie in and bam there is the famous message. I put fresh battery in, same thing. I went and bought a 9 volt adapter. still nothing. I have no idea what happened. I have tried several different movies and it won't do anymore. I am thinking a faulty Stablizer. What else could it be. Thanks. Linda |
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New member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 8 Registered: May-06 | David I emailed the guy I bought the stablizer from and he insists that it is the combo that I am using to record the DVD. Could that be it even though it recorded one of the movies already? |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2633 Registered: Jul-04 | Did you buy the stabilizer from the ebay guy James bought it from? Maybe they just don't work. I've only used 1 stabilizer that I paid $15 for over 10 years ago, it's always worked no matter what the player or recorder were. In over 10 years, it's been used with a lot of VCRs and DVD recorders. |
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New member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 9 Registered: May-06 | David its a strong possibility because I ordered in on Ebay, and I think I read that James did to. that guy is trying to say its the combo unit but I do have a stand a lone unit not the Emerson anymore. I unhooked that one. I really think thats it got to be the stablizer. I will try to get him to send me another one. I am still trying it today but it just won't let me through. Its stange it did a perfect job the first time I tried after I moved it and reconnected everything very carefully. This is a challenge now. |
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New member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 10 Registered: May-06 | David I meant to mention to you , I called MCM last week and the lady told me they dont sell the stablizers anymore, I went to their website and couldnt pull it up either. |
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New member Username: LmwMA USA Post Number: 3 Registered: May-06 | I called MCM too and got the same message. They don't sell stabilizers any more. I asked if there was a replacement product and she said no and refused to say anything else when I questioned her. By the way, after hearing so talk about combo units, I just wanted to say that I have a Panasonic ES30V which I'm really pleased with. For recording directly from the TV set I have Flexibile recording capabilities so I can fill a DVD if a movie is less than 2 hours, and if a movie goes to 2 hr 5 min I don't have to go to 3 or 4 hour record or use 2 DVDs without quality reduction. I use an external VHS player and hook it up to IN2 on the front of the combo unit for copies of Macrovision tapes. If I am copying a Macrovision movie that runs 2 hr plus, I set the Panasonic recorder to start recording at a specific time on Flexible Record and start the external player manually when the recording starts. Not sure I explained it well but it works great. Thanks, David, for your help. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2635 Registered: Jul-04 | Mine looks like this, not exactly the same, but it's probably the same inside. http://cgi.ebay.com/DIGITAL-VIDEO-STABILIZER-RXII-100-AUTOMATIC_W0QQitemZ9732650 584QQcategoryZ294QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 11 Registered: May-06 | That is exactly the same one that I just bought on ebay and got in the mail this week. I just got another email from the seller that says I cant use a combo to record the DVD even though I am using a Magnavox VCR to play the VHS tape and run it throught the stabilizer and into the Combo. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2636 Registered: Jul-04 | I don't use combos so I can't say for sure that it'll work or not. I don't see what difference it makes, but maybe it does. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 30 Registered: Mar-06 | I agree with David (I don't see what difference it makes, but maybe it does.) . See my post above (Monday, April 17, 2006 - 08:27 pm) where I describe how I did just what you're trying to do with a combo (Toshiba D-VR4X). I believe some of my other posts went into that process as well. If your seller is making a broadbrush statement about combos, saying you can't use any combo to do this, he's just plain wrong and probably just making excuses. If he's talking about your particular combo, maybe he knows something that's maybe true. If you didn't tell him which combo you're using, then I wouldn't pay any attention to what he's saying. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 17 Registered: May-06 | Happy Memorial Day Weekend everybody, The GoVideo Dual Deck VHS unit is the same one I have and is the one I am using to play VHS to copy to DVD. Works fine. The ebay seller I bought my stabilizer from was Brickhouse or brick something. The stabilizer wouldn't work from either of two different VHS players to either of two different DVD recorders. But when I put the stabilizer between the dual deck and the stand-alone VHS players and then hooked the stand-alone to the DVD recorder. Working fine. Hope this info helps somebody. Have a safe weekend. Jim |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2640 Registered: Jul-04 | If those new stabilizers are still like the one I use, there's an adjustment inside. I had to use it to get it to work with a Panasonic DVD recorder. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 12 Registered: May-06 | David I just found the screw I think might be the adjustment, I will try it again after my Chores. And David you were right about it being the same seller on Ebay. Bingo James you and I bought our stabilizer from the same person. He probably sent me the one you sent him back.  TMAX I will go back and read your posting of April 17, I will try these different suggestions and report back. I am dtermined its not going to out do me. Linda |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 31 Registered: Mar-06 | Hi James - Glad to see you're still around. I thought I had posted to you a few days ago but I guess I forgot to post it after writing it because it's not there. Anyway, it was about how you had your stuff hooked up now that you've gotten it working with what sounds like an extra VCR in the video line. From what you've said here, I think I see how you've got things hooked up. So my remaining questions are: 1) Do you have that standalone VCR plugged in, turned on, and set to "record?" 2) Is there any chance that the standalone VCR is "ancient"? If so, try taking the stabilizer out of the lineup and see if you then get the copyright protection message. 3) Did you return the Generation 2 stabilizer you had gotten on ebay or is that what you're using now? I note that you said previously that you were using a no name stabilizer. If I think of anything else I had asked in my lost post, I'll put it up. Have a good one. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 13 Registered: May-06 | TMAX I havent told the seller of the stabilizer what kind of combo I have. Did tell him I was using an Emerson VCR, and he used that the first time. So i have an old Magnavox VCR hooked it up still nothing. David I adjusted very tiny turns at a time and still wouldnt let me. Changed batteries 4 times, hooked and unhooked the 9V adapter I bought yesterday, Nothing. I went back to the one movie that I did get to copy, and it copies on my combo without any hookups , so guess that means that one movie had no copy right on it. James did you return the first stabilizer to the Brick guy and did he replace it or is this the one you are still using now. If so did you get the black box type like David has? Which is what I have. I called around yesterday and there are several different electronic stores that say they have some type to do this, but compared to this stabilizer its around 79-99 dollars. Any advise, should i ask for another stabilizer or move on to some other gadget, if so anyone know a name.For sure I cant get anywhere with what I have. Linda |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2642 Registered: Jul-04 | What DVD recorder are you using? |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 18 Registered: May-06 | Linda, the stabilizer I bought (I didn't send it back, it is working now) has a brushed aluminum case with a "power" light on top. There is no brand name anywhere on the unit, but it does have two adjustment screws inside. It came with an A/C adapter. If you are going to get another stabilizer, look into the one I found online a few days ago. It is on the Studio1 web site. http://www.studio1productions.com/copymaster.htm I haven't tried it and it is a bit expensive ($99.95 + shipping) but at least it is not from ebay. After reading the description and warranty, I would have bought it if I had not been able to get mine working. Now, on to TMax. The stand-alone VCR is plugged in, turned on and no tape inserted (therefor, not in RECORD mode). I don't know how old the Emerson stand-alone VCR is, but I think it is about 10 years or so. In my post earlier today @ 11:25am, I stated (in so many words) that the stabilizer wouldn't work with any hook-up configuration other than the current one, and that is the dual-deck (source) connected to the Emerson stand-alone through the stabilizer, with the video cable connected from the video OUT of the dual deck to the video IN of the stabilizer and then the video OUT from the stabilizer is connected to the video IN of the Emerson stand-alone VCR. The audio OUT of the dual deck is connected directly to the stand-alone VCR audio IN. Then the video and audio are both connected from the stand-alone VCR to the Emerson DVD-R recorder. I didn't explain it with this much detail earlier, but this is what I meant. I'm assuming the stand-alone is acting as a booster to the stabilizer. Perhaps, if I play around with the adjustment screws in the stabilizer, it may work without the second VCR, but it is working now, so I'm not going to fix something that is working. The answere to question 3 is answered in the first part of this post to Linda. Didn't mean to write a book, but if you need more info, I'll be here for awhile yet. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 32 Registered: Mar-06 | Hi James. Thanks for all that. I shouldn't have said "record" because that's not what I meant. My bad. I meant to ask what setting you have your Emerson VCR set to -- meaning do you have it set to something like "ext", which stands for "external" which is what I have to set my Akai to in order for it to work as a stabilizer (or RF modulater). Actually, now that I think of it, that's probably not relevant to your setup. Just forget about it. But it's interesting that you have it plugged in and turned on. I presume that you MUST have it plugged in and turned on? That nothing happens if you don't? Or didn't you try it turned off / not plugged in? If the Emerson is only 10 years old, it can't be "ancient." If you look at the back of it you might find a date on it. Maybe. Some have a date and some don't. My Akai is circa 1984 (I think -- I haven't found a date on it yet) and that's probably getting toward the end of the "ancient" VCR's. So I don't know why it's making things work for you if it's not ancient. I wouldn't mess with the adjustment screw either if I were you. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 19 Registered: May-06 | No, I never tried it without it on, T. I just decided to do something crazy to see what would happen and it worked. I ain't touching nothin'(<<< hey, pretty good for a technical writer, huh?). At least not until I get my 800 plus VHS tapes onto DVD. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 14 Registered: May-06 | James, I took at look at that link and I might check into that. I still havent given up on this stabilizer i have yet. No answer from the guy as to him taking it back so guess I have time to still try different things. I said I was going to let it rest and go back to it but I keep going back to try something else. On the RCA wires that connect the player to the recorder do you split the yellow wires off and run those through the stabilizer or are you using altogether seperate yellow cables. I am beginning to think maybe thats what I am doing wrong. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2647 Registered: Jul-04 | You can pick up a GoDVD on ebay for about half that $100. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 20 Registered: May-06 | It doesn't matter if you use a seperate yellow wire or use the one that is combined with the audio wires (red & white) as long as you use the yellow ends. Actually you can use any color you want as long as the same color end is used in the output and input. I'm not aware that the quality is any better with the yellow. I'm sure David could answere that one better than I can. As for the GoDVD on ebay, yes it is cheaper, but probebly no warrenty. I'm done with ebay. I like warrenties. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 15 Registered: May-06 | I have an old Emerson VCR that I unhooked and hooked up an old Magnavox VCR for the player, i might try the Emerson between the 2 with the stabilizer running in and out of the Emerson. I am wondering about something else too. On the back of these old VCRs they only have the In and Out for Audio and In and Out for the Video. Which ones would it truly be suppose to plug in, using the RCA cords with the yellow going to the stabiliaer. VCR being the player. I have plugged and replugged nothing works. Either way it will play the VHS tape to the picture on TV. And actually starts to copy then hits the famous last words and stops. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2649 Registered: Jul-04 | The out of the VCR should go to the in on the stabilizer, out of the stabilizer to the in on the recorder. What DVD recorder are you using? |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 16 Registered: May-06 | David it is an RCA DVD Recorder/ VCR combo. #DRC8295N |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2650 Registered: Jul-04 | I don't use combos, but with a seperate VCR a stabilizer should work. I wonder about that guy's stabilizers. I've recommended the MCM one to lots of people here, I only remember 1 person saying it wouldn't work. He called and told them he thought it was defective and they sent him another one that worked. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 17 Registered: May-06 | David I wonder about his stabilizers too. I emailed him 2 days ago about me sending it back and him giving my paypal account credit and he hasn't answered me on that yet. Before that he was anwsering me with suggestions. I just now bought a GoDVD on ebay. Sorry James I had to. So I guess I will wait impatiently until it comes. No doubt I will be switching hookups until then. Thanks David, James and Tmax for all the help. I will check back when the GoDVD comes and let you know . Linda |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2651 Registered: Jul-04 | I've heard pretty good things about the GoDVD, it should be a good choice. Too bad MCM quit selling the one they had. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 18 Registered: May-06 | I know i was really disappointed when she told me that they didnt have them anymore and she act like she really didnt want to say anything other than they didnt list it to sale anymore and everything they had was on their website. Thanks again for the suggestion about the GoDVD. well back to work tomorrow after 5 days off and most of it working on this DVD/VCR challenge. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 21 Registered: May-06 | No problem, Linda. That's why they make Ford's & Chevy's. I'm just a little bitter still over the Toshiba deal, I'll get over it. Have a good week. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 19 Registered: May-06 | You too James , I may regret it but couldnt resist now I have to work on the refund for the Stabilizer, thanks for all your help. 800 VHS tapes. thats a pretty large collection. I just have about 20 that I want to copy to DVD where I can watch them on my little portable DVD player on my lunch hour during the day. I love my favorite movies and will watch them over and over again. Have a good week. Linda |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2652 Registered: Jul-04 | James, the Toshiba is supposed to have the best TBC of any DVD recorder on the market. That should make it the best choice for VHS to DVD. Have you tried it the way you have everything connected now? |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 22 Registered: May-06 | Dave, I don't have any problem with the Toshiba itself, it is a great machine. My issue is with the seller and the way it was described in his listing. Without going into too much detail, it simply wasn't what I was expecting according to the description given. I had asked him the same question I asked you about the RAM disk. He had no idea what was meant by RAM or Multi-Drive. He obviously didn't know what he was selling. If he had given me the same answere you gave me, I could have made a much better informed decision about buying it. In fact, I most likely wouldn't have bought it. But all the blame is not his. I should have researched it better before placing a bid on it. I just assumed it had a hard disk (RAM) and then a DVD drive (therefor, multi-drive). You cleared that up for me, but I had already purchased it. I will keep it. The Toshiba is a great machine. I just didn't like his attitude in our communication when I asked for a refund based upon a misleading description. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 23 Registered: May-06 | P.S. Dave, No, I haven't hooked it up yet. It is still in the box. After reading your praise of the machine, I read a great deal of the manual I downloaded and found it to be a great machine. I'll hook it up after I get the majority of my VHS (favorites) backed up. I'm afraid to unhook anything now for fear it will stop working. I think Linda can relate to that. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 20 Registered: May-06 | James I am still laughing about that last comment. Dont touch anything, I hope you have it sitting someplace where it can be undisturbed for a while, 800? I had an email from the guy offering to upgrade the stabilizer for $20.00 more. I explained that I have given up on a stabilizer. Hopefully he will take this one back, if not guess I have one. He still hasnt given me an answer on it yet. I have it all boxed up and here at work to send right out if he agrees. Linda |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 24 Registered: May-06 | Linda, I have a feeling the "upgrade" offer is your answere, if you know what I mean. Actually, 800 isn't really all that much for someone who has been collecting movies since the VHS machines first came out (I told you I am old) |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 1 Registered: May-06 | Hello David. I'm also new to this vhs copy protection issue. I bought a dvr that won't allow me to record my protected vhs tapes, much like the Disney protection scenario. I'm not a real fan of buying a new sima-ct2 for the purpose of backing up 3 short vhs tapes I've legally purchased. I have the older sima-scc that only allows to go from vhs->vhs(i.e. my dvr rejects the vhs feed through the sima). My question is, is it possible for me to just go the long route with what I have? That is, copy from vhs->vhs via the old sima, then spit the copy back to dvd(vhs->dvd)? Would this work, or would it fail because the copy protection signal would exist in the vhs copy? p.s. I am aware that the video quality would be compromised by the spit-back recording process, but that is the least of my concern. What's more important to me is to simply burn all my VHS tapes and send them to hell for all the painful years of special storage and care. ;-) |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2654 Registered: Jul-04 | I would think if the DVD recorder won't work VHS to DVD, it wouldn't work VHS to VHS to DVD. I've never tried that, so I don't really know, that's just a guess. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 33 Registered: Mar-06 | PC - My advice (aka "2 cents"): Don't do it. Why suffer the loss of video quality for a few bucks? Either buy a stabilizer that works (and it looks like that ain't as simple as it sounds, huh?) or use an ancient VCR. You don't even have to use that ancient VCR as the playe; you just have to hook it up "in line" with your video feed to the DVR. I'm guessing that's maybe why James' hookup is now working for him. Doing it this way, you end up using the ancient VCR as a stabilizer. You only need to hook the video thru the extra VCR -- the audio can go directly into the DVR. Heck, maybe this even works with a non-ancient VCR. That seems to be the case with James, although that's just based on what he thinks to be the age of his extra VCR. In fact, you might try it exactly as James has his setup: use your stabilizer between the player VCR and the extra VCR, and then the video feed from the extra VCR goes to the DVR. Get an extra (and older?) VCR on loan and give it a go. Or else get a stabilizer that works. My few DVD copies of VHS tapes came out great and although it seems like it can't be true, the video quality of the DVD copy looks to be even better than the original VHS tape. David - What's TBC? |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 25 Registered: May-06 | It is also possible that certain upgrades of the same model VCR (later manufacturing dates) will work differently with different stabilizers. Just a guess. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2658 Registered: Jul-04 | TBC=Time Base Corrector. The better the TBC, the less problems there will be with VHS to DVD, jitter, etc. |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 2 Registered: May-06 | David - Your guess is correct. My vhs->vhs->dvd procedure failed, though the vhs->vhs(vcr->stabilizer->vcr) capability worked as advertised. Side note: I attempted the raw vhs->vhs copy(no stabilizer) anyway to make sure that the vhs->vhs stabilizer was actually doing some work. TMax - Thanks for your advice. Again, the loss of video quality isn't a concern, since this is a copy process that involves analog conversion. Even if you go from dvd/player->dvr, you have digital<->analog conversion --in which case I would rather do a digital rip+burn. I, however, tried what you had recommended, which is to use the stabilizer(gen. 1 --which is most likely the culprit) in the vcr(play)->stabilizer->vcr(i.e.dummy bypass)->dvr(record), but alas it failed. It may be the case that a legacy vcr is needed as you have pointed out. IMHO, getting a gen. 2 stabilizer allowing the vcr->dvr setup seems to be more relevant. I got my eyes on the ct-2 model but thinking again, I might go for a pc-related solution. Thanks again guys. I'll keep everyone informed if I get something working. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 34 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks for the info on TBC, David. I gotta say that in the time I've been on this board, which hasn't been very long, I'm somewhat shocked by all the problems folks have had with their stabilizers. Before I came on this board I was thinking that pretty much any stabilizer would do the trick with very few problems. In fact, I almost went that way before I figured out that my ancient VCR did the job for me. So it seems that my prior recommendation to use an ancient VCR instead of a stabilizer was perhaps a better idea than I realized at the time. On the other hand, I haven't made but a couple of DVD copies of VHS tapes, so I don't exactly have a large database to go by. Still, I think I can safely say that my ancient VCR works to filter out Macrovision for sure, and that's apparently the major (only?) copyright protection used with VHS tapes. What I should probably do is get a fairly new Disney video, perhaps one of the ones that folks have mentioned here, and try making a copy of it with my ancient VCR and fairly new Toshiba DVR to see if I have any problem. |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 3 Registered: May-06 | >I, however, tried what you had recommended, >which is to use the stabilizer(gen. 1 --which is >most likely the culprit) in the >vcr(play)->stabilizer->vcr(i.e.dummy bypass)->dvr(record), >but alas it failed. I substituted the dummy bypass with a legacy '82 GE vcr(i.e., 24-years-old) and it still fails. I'm led to believe that it's both/either the dvr's oversensitivity to the macrovision signal and/or the need to substitute a gen. 2 stabilizer with the gen. 1. I already ditched the pc-related solution because there was some article stating that the macrovision problem still exists. My dvr is a standalone set-top Magnavox. The ct-2 would be my last hope. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 35 Registered: Mar-06 | PC - If I understand your posts correctly, it seems that you have confirmed that your current stabilizer is indeed filtering out Macrovision ("the vhs->vhs(vcr->stabilizer->vcr) capability worked as advertised"). I think I've confirmed that an ancient VCR does not filter out any other sort of copyright protection signal contained in the source tape or DVD. Thus your DVR will receive that signal which then triggers the "no can do" message. I think David has said that most VHS tapes use only Macrovision and thus shouldn't contain the other kinds of protection signals. Maybe he didn't say that, but I think I got that from something somebody said somewhere. If that's true, then using an ancient VCR should always work for making DVD copies of protected VHS tapes. Now having said that, I'd be willing to accept the fact that SOME tapes might have other protection signals. I'm thinking Disney tapes here. But I'm also thinking that even if that's true, MOST tapes (by far?) would only have Macrovision. You haven't said what tape you are trying to copy. Unless it's fairly new (maybe 4 years old or less, but that's just a guess) I doubt it would have anything more than Macrovision. David, feel free to jump in here. If it only has Macrovision, then I think I'm safe in saying it would surely be filtered out by your ancient VCR. Thus your DVR very simply would not reject copying. One simple way to test your VCR for "ancient" status is to use it as the recorder deck to make a VHS copy of a protected tape (called "dubbing"). This is the very process that Macrovision was intended to prevent. Obviously, you only need to copy a few minutes of the tape. The copy will either contain Macrovision or not. If it contains Macrovision, you'll see it when you play that copy (picture alternates between bright and dark). And you'll know that the signal survived the process and thus your recorder VCR isn't "ancient." It's able to process the Macrovision signal. If the copy doesn't contain Macrovision, then you know that the recording VCR filtered it out and thus is "ancient." As I said, what you're doing here is very simply called "dubbing." It's covered in every owners manual I've ever seen. You're NOT using any stabilizer in this process. You also need to be sure that your souce deck is NOT ancient. Because if it is, then IT would filter out Macrovision (can't process it) and thus the signal it puts out to the recorder deck just simply wouldn't contain Macrovision. Once you confirm that your VCR is ancient, then I say you should be able to use it to make a DVD copy of your tape unless there's some other protection signal in the tape (other than Macrovision) and I think I'm correct in saying that that's probably not true unless it's a newer tape and heavily protected, like some Disney tapes may be. So, you might want to fiddle around and confirm that your other VCR is or isn't ancient. As kind of an aside, if you are able to dub a VHS copy of a protected tape (without using a stabilizer) and that copy doesn't contain Macrovison, then certainly at least one of your VCRs is ancient. All you have to do then is figure out which one it is (or if it's both). Now, having said all that, what I see here is that you've already confirmed that your stabilizer is working to filter out Macrovision. Yet you still get a "copy protected" message from your DVR. My guess is that either the tape you're trying to copy has some other copy protection signal in it or you're doing something wrong. Perhaps the "other copy protection signal" it has is very simply some super Macrovision signal they came up with and your stabilizer can't filter that out. But, it seems that even if that were true, your VHS copy would still have it, and thus you'd see it when you played that copy. And apparently you don't (you did play the VHS copy, right?). So something's not right here. I'd hate to see you spend your money for something that you don't need. On the other hand, perhaps some newer tapes now contain some additional kind of signal that's intended to trigger the DVR's copy protection circuit, and thus prevent copying? I can certainly believe that any such signal would indeed survive an ancient VCR (tho' I don't know that to be true for sure). Given how much trouble folks are having with their stabizers here, that could be the reason. I could probably contribute toward an answer by trying to make a DVD copy of such a tape using my ancient VCR. But I'd have to know for sure what tape would have such a signal. My library has a fairly extensive tape library, so if somebody wants to let me know exactly what tape they are having this kind of problem with, I can see if I can get it and give it a go and see what happens. Please be sure to include the DATE of the tape because a lot of tapes have been reissued and I would expect the re-issue to perhaps have additional layers of copy protection not contained in the original issue. As I said previously, my DVR is a 2005 Toshiba D-VR4X (combo) and I would therefore think it's pretty sensitive to the newest copy protection signals. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 26 Registered: May-06 | TMax, Correct me if I'm wrong, but if a VCR is "ancient" enough to be used as a "stabilizer", it could simply be used as the SOURCE player and eliminate the extra VCR. I am basing this assumption on paragraph 10 of your most recent post. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 36 Registered: Mar-06 | James - Yes, you are absolutely correct. In fact, that's what I'm doing over here at my place. And yes, that's what I was [also] saying in my 10th paragraph. If you know that your VCR is ancient, then you can simply use it as your source player because you know it can't process the Macrovision signal, thus filtering it out. That's true at least in regard to the older Macrovision signal. I don't know about the new-fangled Macrovision signal, if there is such a thing. The reason I've mentioned using a garage-sale or flea market ancient VCR as a non-source deck (i.e., more as a stabilizer) is that if you do it that way, then you don't have to worry about doing damage to your precious tapes by playing them in a strange VCR that might be dirty or might even eat your tapes. As I've said, if you pick one of those up at a flea market, and are going to use it only as a stabilizer, then you need only make sure that it's electronics work. You don't need to worry about whether the tape drive works or how well it works. But, when using it as a stabilizer -- and as with any stabilizer -- you need to make sure that the ancient VCR is powered up (plugged in and turned on). And you also need to be sure that it is set to the proper setting ("EXT" in my case) so that it is processing the signal and passing it on to the recorder after processing it. One of my concerns in regard to PC's situation (which I didn't really mention) is that maybe he (and some others too) don't have that properly covered and that all that's happening is that the "other VCR" is just acting like a "jumper" or a "shunt." As happens with your cable signal when your VCR is turned off. In the simplest of set ups, your cable comes into the back of your VCR (at the "cable in" connector) and then another cable goes out the back of your VCR (via the "cable out" connector) and on to your TV. When the VCR is turned off, that connection is just shunted as if your VCR wasn't even there. It's only when your VCR is turned on that the cable signal actually goes into the VCR and gets processed. PC sounds knowledgable enough that I think he's got that covered, but it's something that everyone should be aware of. But this post is long enough already, so if anyone is still confused, give me a shout and I'll try to explain it better. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 27 Registered: May-06 | TMax, You made an excellant point there about not using a VCR picked up at the Flea Market as a source playter. I didn't even think about the fact that it may damage or eat the tape. I'm glad you pointed that out. |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 4 Registered: May-06 | TMax - It could be my bad assumption when I had stated that the MV signal still exists in the vhs copy that I had created. I have not tried to create a 2nd-generation copy via two non-legacy vcrs w/o using the stabilizer, but if it works, it basically means that the MV signal was indeed stripped off. I haven't stated what I'm trying to archive. It is an Avex(Japan) VHS released in 2000 encoded with what they call "copyguard"(according to the casing). Now that I dug abit deeper in understanding what I am dealing with, I researched the Japanese forums and found this handy table posted by someone. I translated it as follows:
So I am gonna say that my VHS has this rare CGMS-A protection, since it agrees with the legacy vcr theory and why sima-ct2 & red pro products have worked. I already have one ct2 unit on the way. Will follow up w/ results next week. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 37 Registered: Mar-06 | James - I'm keenly aware of players eating tapes because if I'm not careful, my Akai has been known to do just that. It's a great machine but prone to eating tapes if you're not careful and know how to avoid it. I learned from experience. PC - You might want to check out this link in regard to the CT-2 stabilizer: http://www.barrel-of-monkeys.com/graphics/prod/macrovision-remover.shtml?gclid=C J_vwrSupoUCFS1NGgodilGOtw You can see that it's been "discontinued" there, and I suspect it's because it doesn't do a good enough job. I got that site from a Google search for "copyguard" + vhs (exactly like that and with the quotes) which produced a lot of interesting-looking hits, including this one - https://www.totse.com/en/media/cable_and_satellite_television_hacks/index.html I haven't really looked at any of them in depth yet, but I think they might be very informative. Enjoy |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 38 Registered: Mar-06 | Looks like you all might want to click on the Eliminator Mark II at that first link I just posted. For $96.00 it sounds like it will get it done in fine fashion. They wouldn't lie, would they? |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 39 Registered: Mar-06 | I've been reading some of those Google hits and wanted to mention a couple of things - 1) I've misused the term "DVR" a few times in my posts over the past couple of days. I thought this was a shorthand term for DVD recorder but it's really not. DVR apparently refers to a Digital Video Recorder (i.e., TiVo or ReplayTV) rather than a DVD recorder. 2) I mentioned that my DVD copy of my VHS tape looked better than the tape. Apparently, that can indeed happen - "When transferring home videos onto DVDs, your recordings will often look better than the originals. That's because many DVD Recorders have image-filtering and enhancement circuitry that smooths out the imperfections in your old videotapes." http://www.bestbuy.com/olspage.jsp?type=category&id=pcmcat57300050006 My VHS tape wasn't a home recording, it was a commercial tape. But I suppose maybe the effect can work with commercial VHS tapes as well (?) |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 5 Registered: May-06 | TMax - Thanks for the research effort. The table has the ct-2 listed as a gen. 1 stabilizer. This could be a problem in the long run; however, it also notes that the ct-2 handles protection to the year 2k3, which sounds like it's overqualified given the fact that what I am trying work with is manufactured in 2k. If the ct2 doesn't work out, I'll just keep these tapes around for hacking purposes & obtain digital equivalents elsewhere. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2661 Registered: Jul-04 | The CT2 should be fine. I haven't seen many complaints about it. The newer DVD recorders may be getting more sensitive to protection than the old ones were. |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 6 Registered: May-06 | David - Thanks for the input & point taken. I was thinking that a few days ago as well. The manufacturers probably used the old stabilizers as a gauge to increase the sensitivity to the faint signals on the newer models(and thus, we have the so called generation I, II, etc. protection levels). Now, I don't wanna go crazy and look for an older set-top model. The good news is 1 of the 3 tapes I thought was protected wasn't. So at this point, opting for digital equivalents is economically sound, as well as technically sound, since they'd be digitally mastered off the bat. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 40 Registered: Mar-06 | PC - That table was indeed pretty informative for someone at my level of understanding about this stuff (a fairly low level). Looks to me like we are now at Generation 5 and dealing now with 2 separate types of signals: Macrovision & "Copy Protection." If all DVD recorder manufactures agree to build their equipment such that it can recognize the latest "copy protection" signal, then that's really all that's required since the recorder will thus detect it and simply lock you out of the copy process, which is what happens when you get the dreaded message. With Macrovision, you were able to make the copy, it's just that it was unwatchable. The table also suggests that the year 2003 was the break point in all this, as you noted previously. I think all this should be coming to a close because VHS is obviously winding down bigtime. And if you want to copy DVDs, the way to go with that is to do it on your computer using the appropriate software, which will probably always be able to keep up with advances in copy protection. But it unfortunately seems that there will continue to be a need for this sort of discussion in regard to even pre-2003 VHS tapes because some of these stabilizers apparently just don't seem to be doing the job, particularly with newer DVD recorders. Thus, according to the table, the CT-2 is "compatible" with only SOME recorders (and VHS machines as well). I take "compatible" to be a polite way of saying that it's just not going to work with some machines because those machines may be able to detect signals the CT-2 isn't adequately filtering out. Thus the problem's not so much with the CT-2 as it is with the fact that the recorder is just newer and better (at detecting copy protection signals). So if you are somebody that likes to make DVD copies of VHS movies you rent or borrow, then I guess maybe you need to get a pre-2003 recorder and a CT-2 (or better) stabilizer, or else be willing to pay more money for a higher generation stabilizer, like the generation 5 shown on the table and selling for $585.00. Perhaps some of the problems folks on this board are having is very simply that they've purchased a "generation 1" stabilizer and are trying to use it with a newer DVD recorder which, because of it's ability to detect higher generation copy protection signals, requires a higher generation stabilizer so that those signals will be filtered out. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 28 Registered: May-06 | Every once in a while, I record a DVD (from VHS) that "hangs up" during playback. I have found that most of the times, I can clean the digital lense in the DVD player and that corrects the problem. But, now and then I get a new blank DVD that has a scratch on it. Does anyone here have a favorite brand for dependable, quality, blank DVD's? I am currently using TDK 8x DVD-R blanks. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 29 Registered: May-06 | BTW, I am using DVD Decrypter & DVD Shrink to copy DVD>DVD on my computer. Great programs! In fact, the latest release of DVD Shrink will copy without having to use the Decrypter first. Sure goes a lot faster now. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2664 Registered: Jul-04 | Taiyo Yuden discs. Unfortunately you have to get them online, unless you can find Sony 8x made in Japan spindles, which should be TY. You can get them at Supermediastore, Meritline, Rima, Shop4Tech. The last one has 10% off sales every month or so, just go to the website and sign up for their mailings. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 41 Registered: Mar-06 | Now here's an interesting question (or not): If I buy a European VHS tape (PAL format), can I make a DVD copy of it using my USA VCR? If so, I assume it will naturally come thru as a PAL format disc, but that's okay because I have a DVD player that can handle PAL. But will my USA VCR play the thing so that I can make a copy (assuming there's no copy protection issue)? James, I thought you were technically challenged? I see that DVD Decrypter is now no longer available. I downloaded the latest version of DVD Shrink before that one disappears. Which version do you have? |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2668 Registered: Jul-04 | The last place on the net that still has Decrypter as far as I know. I don't know how they got away with keeping it, Sony must not know about it. A PAL tape won't play in an NTSC VCR unless it's a multi-system VCR, rare and expensive in the U.S. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 30 Registered: May-06 | Thanks, David, for the link. Grab it while you can, T. And yes, I am technicallly challanged. But, as they say back home, even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 43 Registered: Mar-06 | Yes, thanks David. I did grab everything at that link. BTW, just for fun I just now emailed the Red Pro support folks to ask them if their product is compatible with my friends Toshiba D-VR4X combo unit. It's not on their compatibility list, so they suggest an email when that's not the case. Let's see what they say. They claim that their product is good for DVD->DVD - "DVD Red PRO lets you copy & capture any Protected VHS and DVD to DVD, VHS, PC" Seems like a bold claim to me. They also claim to have a money back if not satisfied policy. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 44 Registered: Mar-06 | I got a reply to my email to Red Pro as per my post immediatly above - "No problems. DVD Red PRO will work with your new Toshiba D-VR4 recorder. You will be able to copy any protected VHS to DVD with it." Notice they didn't say anything about copying any protected DVD despite the claim on their webpage to that effect (which I quoted above). In any event, they DO say that I should be able to copy ANY protected VHS tape to DVD using their product and my Toshiba D-VR4X. So I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who's had a problem doing that with the Red Pro and their DVD recorder. Since the Red Pro can be had for 70 bucks, it's the cheapest stabilizer I've yet seen that claims to work with ANY copy-protected VHS tape. Somehow I doubt the claim, but there you have it. |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 7 Registered: May-06 | My CT-2 box just came in today and results are in: it worked.. no recording error whatsoever and the picture quality is great using just the RCA connectors. Setup was a no brainer - I didn't even tweak with the extra video enhancements. People who bought it at Amazon complained about loose connections on the interface. Mine came out clean, all connections had a snuggle-fit. I'm stoked. My only concern is the heat coming out of it. Though I plan to keep it unplugged when not in use. Many thanks to David & TMax for all the encouragement. I can now rest my case and go to sleep. ;-) So long, VHS days. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 45 Registered: Mar-06 | PC - That's great news. You said the picture was great, so I assume you experienced what I did with my one copy of a VHS tape to DVD (so far); namely, that the picture quality seemed better than the original tape. One question: You said above that "the ct-2 handles protection to the year 2k3, which sounds like it's overqualified given the fact that what I am trying work with is manufactured in 2k." Did you mean your tapes were circa 2000 or your DVD recorder was circa 2000? I'd be interested to know the particulars of your DVD recorder (make model and ~ date of manufacturer). Now that you've got a working system, you might consider what I'm going to be doing starting soon. My local library has a pretty good collection of VHS tapes of all kinds of good stuff, including some of my favorite British shows that I really enjoy watching repeatedly. So I've decided to make DVD copies of them as time allows so that I don't have to worry about the library's tapes getting lost, stolen or damaged. Plus the quality is as good (or better?) when copied to DVD. I'm starting with Inspector Morse, which goes for a hefty $500 for the entire series on DVD at Amazon dot com. There are 33 episodes @ ~100 minutes each (thus 33 tapes), so it will cost me $10 - $20 to copy the entire series to DVD and have my own collection that will probably be as good in quality as the commercial ones. The days of VHS are indeed on the wane and my library is buying all DVDs now and phasing out VHS tapes. I imagine it won't be too much longer before their VHS tape collection will be phased out entirely because libraries are always short on space and looking for ways to create new space for new materials. My guess is that before too much longer they will be dumping the tapes which will be getting less and less public use and which also take up too much space. So I figure I better get it while I can. Just a thought. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 46 Registered: Mar-06 | David - I've seen you recommend the Toshiba D-R4 and that you have purchased a few of them on ebay. But I noticed that there seems to be a LOT of them listed as refurbished, both on ebay and also at a lot of other retailers. Do you know why there are so many of these that have been refurbished by Toshiba? Seems like a LOT. I'm considering getting one (based on your recommendation) or maybe the Toshiba D-RW2, which seems to be a new model that just came out. This refurbished business has me a bit concerned. Thanks |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2694 Registered: Jul-04 | I don't know about the refurbs, it's a discontinued model though. Refurbs on ebay aren't uncommon. I've only had one for 5 months, and the other for 4 months, so how they'll hold up in the long run I can't really say. The picture quality is the seller for me, it's amazing. I've seen people say they are media picky, I haven't had any problems, but I don't use cheap discs. I've been using a Toshiba DVD burner in my PC for over 1 1/2 years, it still works fine, best reader I've seen. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 32 Registered: May-06 | TMax - I bought my Toshiba D-R4 on David's recommendation (from ebay) and I am very happy with it. The unit isn't exactly what I was expecting when I purchased it, but it definately lives up to David's praise. So far, I have copied 44 VHS>DVD and I havent had any problems, picture quality is great. Just thought I'd put my 2 cents in on this subject. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 47 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks guys. James, was yours refurbished or new? David, I just thought you might know the score on this refurb thing. I'm thinking maybe there's some conceded problem with the units and it's almost like a recall situation? In which case you might be better off with a refurbished one rather than a new one (??). I do know about the Chinese capacitor fiasco, so maybe some of these had some of those capacitors in them. Whatever. I will try to get either of the Toshibas at the lowest possible cost (because I'm cheap), so I can't get hurt too badly in any event. I did find an article on the D-RW2 which shows it is indeed one of Toshiba's latest models, so I'll pass it along - http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/news/newsarticle.asp?newsid=109 I get the sense that it's a dressed-down version of the D-R4, which is probably good for me. I don't need all the bells and whistles the D-R4 has. This one's price seems to reflect it's status as a less-expensive version of the D-R4. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 48 Registered: Mar-06 | David - I probably should also have mentioned something in regard to your "media picky" reference. I've seen those comments as well. One of my players is an older Toshiba SD-1700, which is also known for it's pickiness with discs. Indeed, it does tend to freeze up with certain DVDs that play fine in my new Cyberhome player (manufactured Sept '05). So I think these comments on the Toshibas are probably well-founded, but I'm not worried about it. I think it tends to be more of a problem with rental discs and such. As you said, you use quality discs. That should help avoid such problems. And if you use it primarily for playing only your own discs, I doubt this would be much of an issue. You should see the condition of some of these discs I take out of my library. It's pretty clear to me that many of the library patrons don't have a clue as to the proper handling of these discs and I'm often surprised that some of them play at all. And my Toshiba does indeed have a very fine picture quality. I've seen comments from other owners who agree. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2695 Registered: Jul-04 | I read somewhere else that the D-RW2 isn't made by Toshiba. I can't confirm or deny that, I just saw something about it elsewhere. My sister bought one, I tried to get her to open it to see who makes it, couldn't get her to. You should be able to get the D-R4 on ebay for less. Some recorders on ebay have a warranty and some don't. Some people prefer to buy referbs, every one of them is checked, only one in 50 or 100 or whatever is checked in production. The D-RW2 doesn't do RAM, that's probably why it's cheaper. |
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Bronze Member Username: LthompsonAlabama Post Number: 21 Registered: May-06 | Hi everyone. I am still waiting on my GoDVDCT 2 from the ebay auction. I tracked it on UPS and it is suppose to deliver Monday then I can start trying to copy my VHS tapes again. James 44 out of 800 so far is pretty good. I still havent got my refund for the Digital Stabilizer and doubt that I ever will. I will check back in when the Go DVD CT 2 ever gets here. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 33 Registered: May-06 | Refurbished! |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 49 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks guys. It would be interesting to know what's getting "refurbished" on the D-R4's. As you point out, David, I suspect maybe a refurbished one is less likely to fail than a new one. If we knew what the problem was -- I'm assuming there's one or two specific problems that's causing all the refurbs -- then we'd be better informed about the refurb'd units. It could well be something stupid. I'm surprised I haven't seen any mention of what appears to be a pretty common problem with the D-R4. Maybe I'll come across it yet. My Cyberhome is subject to a number of very-well documented problems, the main one being defective Chinese capacitors. Industrial espionage -- ya gotta luv it! I've got the replacements for mine and after that's done it's supposedly a pretty good unit. And a bargain at 30 bucks brand new (after rebate)! I got it because it's easily made region-free and plays PAL discs. And it doubles for those discs that my Toshiba doesn't like. So far, it's tolerated everything I've put in it. David, I'm going to look thru your posts when I get some time, but if you feel like it, give me your recommendation on reliable inexpensive discs for the D-R4. I think you may have already done that recently. My local supermarket has a spindle of 25 Maxell (orange colored) 4.7 gig 16x 120 minute discs that are made in Taiwan for $7.99, and that's not even on sale. I can live with that per disc price for sure. So far I've only used Fujifilm discs (both 8x & 16x) which I got on sale for ~60 cents each but which are not spindle discs and thus each of which has a very cute little plastic case. They are also made in Taiwan and seem to work fine. Once I get whichever recorder I end up with, I'll know better about coasters. So far, I've only done 2 discs (both went fine). James, what are you using over there on your extensive collection? |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2697 Registered: Jul-04 | Taiyo Yuden discs are the way to go, you can get them online for 25-30 cents each. With them that cheap, it just isn't worth messing with anything else. I did get some Verbatim discs for $10 after rebates, plus $7.50 to ship, I'm still waiting on one of the rebates from February though. You can get TY discs from Supermediastore, Meritline, Rima, Shop4Tech. The last one has 10% off sales every month or so, just go to the website and sign up for their mailings. On Amazon there's people complaining about finalizing problems with the Toshiba. Everyone there that uses TY discs says they haven't had problems though. If they are media picky, people like to use the cheapest crap discs they can find, it may just be people using crappy discs. I learned my lesson with cheap discs way back in 2001, never again. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 50 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks David - I signed up at Shop4Tech. Meritline has the 100 Pack Taiyo Yuden 4X DVD-R Media 4.7GB Silver Lacquer Blank DVDR Disc (DVD-R47VAL600SK) for $29.95 w/ Free Ground Shipping right now. So that's 30 cents each. That's probably going to be pretty hard to beat. I don't think the 4X speed (as opposed to 8X or 16X) is a factor when you're copying VHS tapes, correct? |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2698 Registered: Jul-04 | I don't think there are any 4x discs left. They've been selling them as 4x for a long time now, I don't know why they don't change that. TY quit making 4x discs somewhere around 2 years ago. Those discs are B grade discs that can be 8x or 16x, the discs are fine, I've burned over 2000 of them and have had problems with 3 or 4 of them. The thing is a standalone might not like 16x discs. I haven't got 16x discs yet, but I've seen other people say they have. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 51 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks again David. "The thing is a standalone might not like 16x discs." Hmmmmmmm. I hope that's not true because I have 10 of them that I picked up on sale. They are Fujifilm. I'm planning to do some VHS to DVD transfers tomorrow and I'll give these discs a try (I'd intended to do so anyway). I'll be using them in the Toshiba D-VR4X. But I'll be sure to bring the 8X's along with me in case the Toshiba doesn't care for the 16X discs. I have several D-R4's on my watch list and I'll be grabbing one pretty soon. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2700 Registered: Jul-04 | I stuck a 16x Verbatim disc in one of my Toshiba recorders, it scanned it fine. I didn't try to burn it. I've got a couple of hundred or so 4x TY discs left from a long time ago that I use in it. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2701 Registered: Jul-04 | I've seen a few people complain about the D-R4 not making chapters, maybe that's the problem they have. Both of mine do chapters. |
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New member Username: PeeceePost Number: 8 Registered: May-06 | - TMax Sorry for the delay. I notice this forum breaks quite often. To answer your question, I have a Sony VCR(SLV-N750) picked up last week at a local Fry's; it connects to the CT-2 unit(bought at ebay a couple weeks ago), and that goes into my DVD settop, which is a Magnavox(MRW-10D6) purchased a couple months ago at a local Walmart. I try to stay within the fresh line of hardware, so it would be easier to find a replacement if something stops working. At the same time it should help others needing to put together a working system using stuff that's available today.. Regarding the 2K, I was referring to my VHS tapes. I was going by the logic that the VHS is the culprit of the encoded signal, not the VCR/DVD settop. I still have no idea if there's any difference in MV today than it was 3 or 6 years ago. For your British tapes, if I had to work w/ those, I would definitely need to get an PAL VCR.. (David already mentioned). I saw those at Fry's as well. |
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New member Username: Bevills1Post Number: 1 Registered: Jun-06 | A few posts here mention LiteOn being hackable, and I have LiteOn LVW-5005 with hacked firmware. I still got the "Protected Content" message and recording failed to start on just the second VHS I tried copying to DVD indicating some copy protection other than MV I assume which likely means I need to try some filter to get it to work. However, I have only a few VHS I'd like to backup and find it hard to justify the expense for just a few backups. I'd like to know if anyone else here has had similar experiences with LiteOn and would appreciate any less costly ideas if there are any. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 34 Registered: May-06 | TMax- I'm using TDK 8x 4.7GB Silver Single Layer. FYI Everybody- I put the Star Wars VHS one movie to one DVD. But, with my wife's collection of Danielle Steele movies and her HallMark Hall of Fame collection, I have put as many as 5 movies (10 hours) on one DVD. I can't tell any difference in the picture quality. But, I also can't tell any difference in regular stereo and Dolby, unless it is surround sound. Maybe it's just me. Thought I'd pass that on. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 35 Registered: May-06 | BTW TMax- When I've used up my TDK's, I will get the TY's David mentioned. I like the price better than TDK. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2710 Registered: Jul-04 | Charley, if the LiteOn has had a firmware update the hack doesn't work from what I've heard. |
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New member Username: Bevills1Post Number: 2 Registered: Jun-06 | It appears the LiteOn hack does indeed not work. I got the same failure to record on 3 out of 4 different tapes now, and I suspect the one that did work probably just had no protection on the tape. Effectively I got only latest LiteOn firmware update which added 3 hour record option and maybe some other things I've not yet discovered. The site where I got the hack said something about some folks selling his free hack on eBay, and I'm sure some buyers are very pissed when they find out it doesn't work. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 52 Registered: Mar-06 | David - I scored a D-R4 on the Bay at a good price. "Open box item in good working condition." So either it's not a refurb or the seller didn't properly list it as such. I'm not sure if I'm hoping it is or isn't a refurb when it gets here, but at least now I have a working one coming. I made 4 more DVDs yesterday using the Toshiba D-VR4X and my ancient VCR. All were Fujifilm 16x discs. No problem whatsoever making the copy and also no problem finalizing the discs; however, there was (perhaps) a bit of a trick to that part of the process. I made my one prior DVD on that machine using a Fujifilm 8x disc some time ago and maybe that one went the same way (I can't really remember) but I doubt it did. Anyway, what happened here was this: After the copying was finished, I played the disc to make sure everything went okay. I didn't actually play it all the way thru completely but just played a few seconds of it, then skipped ahead to the next chapter, watched a bit more, and so on. The D-VR4X automatically makes 10 min. chapters unless you set it differently. When I was satisfied the disc was okay I went to finalize it. The way you do it on this machine is to go to Setup>System Setup>Disc Options. Don't quote me on those exact headings, but they are something like that. When I went to the screen where you can choose "disc options" as one of the choices, it was unchoosable. It wasn't a choice that was available. I couldn't move to it and therefore couldn't highlight it. Therefore, the disc couldn't be finalized (I couldn't get to that step). So I opened and closed the disc drawer, which caused the machine to re-read the disc, and that did the trick. When I went thru the screens again, the "disc options" choice was available and I was thus able to finalize the disc. So perhaps this is the kind of problem some others have experienced in finalizing 16x discs on standalones. If so, my solution might just work on other machines as well. It does seem a bit strange that there should be a need for this kind of "trick" in finalizing 16x discs given that the D-VR4X has a September 2005 manufacture date, but there you have it. On the other hand, as your note might imply (and as I suggested earlier), it would seem that there's just no need for 16x disc speed in a standalone since you're just making real-time copies with a standalone, and thus these higher speed ratings are irrelevant in standalone copying. I THINK that's an accurate statement, but it's just a guess on my part. James and PC - Thanks for all the good feedback answers to my questions. It really helps me to better understand this stuff. And James, thanks for your take on the slower speed copying. I might just try that out for myself and see what I think about the video quality at slower speeds. If it looks the same to me then there seems no point not to do it for my kind of project here (copying a many-episode series to DVD from the many individual VHS tapes). PC, thanks for the head's up on Fry's re: the PAL VCR. Fortunatley, I don't require that PAL tape as I found a very nice fellow who has the entire series on NTSC tape that he's selling very reasonably, and I have already purchased the necessary tapes from him (the ones my library doesn't have). |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2712 Registered: Jul-04 | The finalizing is different on the D-R4, it's done from what they call EasyNavi. The disc speed is irrelevant for real time recording, the thing is the dye used in 16x discs is diffetrent from the dye in 8x discs and can be a problem with standalones. PC burners often need a firmware update to burn 16x discs. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2713 Registered: Jul-04 | Charlie, you may need to downgrade the firmware for the hack to work. http://ilohacker.tripod.com/ http://www.techolio.com/forums/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=951&sid=ffc926af9eceb20138 |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 53 Registered: Mar-06 | I just ordered DVD-R47VAL600SK from Meritline - Taiyo Yuden (DVD-R47VAL600SK) 4X DVD-R Media 4.7GB Silver Lacquer Blank DVDR Discs Made in Japan. 100 Pack Free Ground Shipping $29.95 I don't think you can beat that price for 100 discs or less, and especially for discs that come with David's recommendation (at least as to the D-R4). And you can pay using PayPal, which I did. So you don't even need to give out your credit card info to the vendor (plus you save the aggravation of entering all that info one more time). |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2716 Registered: Jul-04 | The only disadvantage to those is they don't come on spindles, they are shrink wrapped. I should have told you that. If you don't have cases or spindles and need something to store them on, call a couple of duplicating places in your area if you have any. I called some a few months ago and they said they go through a bunch of spindles of discs in spring and I could have the empty spindles. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 54 Registered: Mar-06 | Not a problem for me at all. I'm cheap. I'll find a way to keep them safely stored after the pack is opened. Thanks for the suggestion on getting empty spindles for free. Free is one of my favorite things. I saw that Meritline has what looks like nice plastic cases (the thin kind that are probably what I got with my Fujifilm discs) for 18 cents apiece (for 100). That's the good news. The bad news is that the shipping charge just about doubles the price of the cases. Which would mean I would be paying ~64 cents per disc (with a case for it), which is a bit more than I paid locally for the Fujifilm discs w/ cases. But I'm not worried about cases for them at the moment. I'll figure something out on that and I already know there are a lot of inexpensive options there. A hundred discs are going to last me quite a long time. I'm already back on the Bay lurking for a good deal on a backup D-R4. And I missed a really good deal already earlier this morning! Wasn't paying close enough attention. It was a better deal than I got on mine yesterday! (But not by much). Now that I have one working machine coming, I can afford to take my time and pick my shot on a backup machine. There certainly are enough of them on the Bay at any given moment. I'm thinking that this "refurbished" thing may just be a simple case of open box returns. My present Toshiba SD-1700 player was a gift to my friend (who then gave it to me) from her co-worker who said she gave it to her because it was "too complicated." Thus she had purchased something else. It was probably too late to return it to the store by the time she decided it was too complicated. Perhaps a lot of D-R4's got returned for similiar reasons and not because there was a problem with them. Then the stores were sending them back to Toshiba, who then checked them out and sent them back out as "refurbished." Meaning maybe something was done to them and maybe nothing was done to them. After the model was discontinued, perhaps Toshiba was no longer accepting any back and so now what's mostly out there are "open box returns" like the one I got yesterday. Mine was suppposedly tested by the seller and is "working fine." So whatever the reason for the return, it apparently wasn't that there some problem with it. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2717 Registered: Jul-04 | Both of mine were open box. One I don't think was ever used, the power cord had been undone, but the remote and manual plastic bag was still sealed. Thew other one was used I think, but both work fine and came with all accessories and manuals. Office Max used to have slim cases 50 and 100 packs buy one get one free all the time, I don't know if they still do. I gave up on cases when I got to around 600 discs, too much storage space. I store them on spindles and have a notebook with disc numbers and contents. I keep a couple of empty spindles with the foam washers on them to move the discs onto when I dig to get the disc I want, the washers make it easy to get the discs back onto the spindle after I'm done. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tmax59Post Number: 55 Registered: Mar-06 | There ya go. Thanks again for the good info. I'll snoop around and get some empty spindles for free, then use your catalog method !! |
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Bronze Member Username: Jchurch43Denver, Colorado USA Post Number: 36 Registered: May-06 | There ya go! That's why I keep coming back to this thread. There is always info that I can either use now or store away for the future. |
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New member Username: Bevills1Post Number: 3 Registered: Jun-06 | The LiteOn I have still had the original firmware it had when I got it a couple of years ago, and I don't even know whether that'd be downgradeable. I read all info at http://ilohacker.tripod.com/ and http://www.techolio.com/forums/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=951&sid=ffc926af9eceb20138, and it should have worked according to the links but didn't work. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2721 Registered: Jul-04 | Something must have gone wrong in the process. I've seen a lot of people say it works. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2723 Registered: Jul-04 | Beware of those ebay stabilizers people are recommending in the other forum. Read through this page and you'll see at least 2 people saying they don't work. |
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