I like to make a copy of the children's DVDs that I buy so I can keep the original safe and scratch free...since kid fingers ruin a dvd faster than anything else. I usually use my computer, but I'm having multiple problems with it, so I bought an RCA DVD recorder to use in the meantime. Now half the discs I have stocked up won't record, I get a "copyright protected" message. As I understand it, what I am doing is perfectly legal, since I'm making one copy of a DVD that I have purchased and keeping the original up for safekeeping. How is this happening? The movie companies are allowed to do this?
It depends on where you live. If you live in the USA, it definitely is not legal, to make a copy. Copying dvds does not fall under the same laws as copying cds. If you have to bypass copy protection, to make a copy, it is very much illegal. Even copy protected cds are illegal to copy. You own the disc, not the copyright to the movie. Chances are, unless you're turned in, or selling copies, you won't be bothered. If you live in Finland, where this board is based, it's legal to make backups. You may be able to copy a copy, because the copy protection has been removed.
Oh, I see. I just misunderstood the law about it then. I was really mad. And now I'm nervous, I thought what we'd been doing was ok.
They're not out raiding houses of people that make a backup for themselves. As long as you don't sell copies, you shouldn't have to worry.
so to continue with her line of thought...is there a way to bypass this "block"? Also if you record a movie (hypthetically from HBO) to your Tivo or DVR you also get this message when trying to burn to DVD.
It may be a block the cable company or sat company is putting in. I can record from HBO, Showtime, Starz, Encore Channels, to a dvd, on my Gateway stand alone recorder. You can't record in surround though. Just stereo..... If you're trying to record through a high def box, it may be a problem too. I'm just going through a regular digital cable box.
I can record from my Dish Network DVR just fine, and some DVD's. I guess some are just blocked from doing that. There are hardware devices that you can buy, I'm just not willing to put that much into it.
