It my be true or it may be myth, but it has always been my understanding that if you own a CD or cassette or VHS, you can make a copy of it for yourself without violating copyrights. You just can't go around legally making copies for others, aside from those folks who convert video from PAL or SECAM into NTSC for folks who bought videos abroad. What are the rules with DVDs? I may be wrong, but I think decryption tools are a no-no in the USA, but I don't see how anyone can make a backup of a DVD without them as the DVDs won't copy without decryption. So, my questions based on US copyright laws are: 1. Is it legal to copy a DVD if you bought the original DVD and it is for your personal use? 2. Is it legal to copy a DVD for someone else, provided they own the original DVD and the copy is for their own personal use (ie make backups for someone who doesn't know how or doesn't own the technology to do it themselves)? 3. If #2 is legal, is it legal to accept money for making the copy (ie compensation for time/blanks) again assuming the other person owns the original (you are not selling movies just collecting a payment for making their backup). I was just wondering if someone could shed some light on this. It may make a neat permanent forum piece to have a reference of what can and can't be done in each country as many folks are probably wondering where the thresholds are. I make copies of what I own for myself, but I have had others ask me if I would backup their stuff too, and I don't know whether I should or if I should charge them for doing so as it takes forever on my 2.4x drive.
check out this thread http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/239251 heres another one http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/237943
Thanks for the info and taking the time to include the links. The info raises a new question - If we can make a backup of an original we own, but we can't circumvent encryption - are there programs that rather than removing the encryption, copy it over to the copy? I have one of the original model GO-Video dual deck VCRs which can copy any VHS, but it actually copies the copy protection with it so people can't copy my copy (unless they also have the GO-Video dual deck). My Philips CD recorder will make a digital copy of an original CD, but will only permit an analog copy of the CDR copy. Couldn't someone create a software program that transfers the copy protection rather than ripping it out when dubbing DVDs? I think it would create a nice loophole to the laws that the media lobby thinks are airtight.
