Maybe I'm missing something here, but if the DVD has a "TV OUT" connection, then it can be hooked to a VCR. If you can see the picture, you can record it. No?

I have never tried it, but I would bet it has the same copy protection normal vcr's have. That is if you try to put a vcr to a vcr, you get a darker image, or lines moving through. The other way to do it is have a TV with an output, and record from there.

Say hello to my little friend Macrovision.

If you have a computer with a nice video card that supports composite video or S-video out then you can run some decoder software to over-ride the Macrovision protection.

Otherwise, you can use a digital video stabilizer between the DVD player and the VCR.

Yeah, what Retrodog said.  You can also buy an Apex DVD player which will disregard DVD Region encoding, as well as Macrovision.  They're cheap, at less than $150 last I checked.

God Bless Texas

Andrewh is correct. DVD's are encoded with macrovision, which prevents you from viewing and/or recording them through a VCR. The simple solution is to get a copybox from your local electronics store, ie bestbuy. There are several brands, I use one made by Sima, for about $35.  (keep in mind that it is illegal to copy copyrighted material, which is why the macrovision is there in the first place.)
Airborne

Yup - Macrovision rears it's ugly head again.  But here's the interesting part: the DVD itself is not encoded in any way - the Macrovision is actually added after the fact by the player.

For a while I used Sima Video Copy Master (SED-CM) that I got from [url]http://www.cameraworld.com[/url] and it worked pretty well, but not perfect.

So I decided it was time to mod my DVD player. Some - like the now discontinued Apex 600 - can be hacked with the remote control or loaded with new firmware on CD.  My JVC XV-523 required some hardware, so I picked up a chip from [url]http://dvdchips.co.uk[/url] for $23 and soldered it in myself.  Everything works great!

DVD players are all different, so what you have to do to defeat Macrovision, change Region Code, etc., totally depends on the unit you have.  Search the web for info on your particular player, but you can start here:

[url]http://www.vcdhelp.com[/url]
[url]http://www.dvddemystified.com[/url]
[url]http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk[/url]
[url]http://www.channeltechnology.com[/url]
[url]http://www.dvd-wizards.com[/url]

a radio shack RF Modulator between my computers decoder card and the vcr takes care of the copy protection distortions

I have never understood the reason people wanted to copy from DVD to VHS. I used to work in the industry and got this question every day. 500 lines resolution, chapter search instant access, no rewind, etc. Why put it on tape? The quality will be better if you just buy the original tape itself.

They're all different - even similar models from the same manufacturer.  Many Apex players can be hacked from the remote.  But I had to burn an EPROM to defeat Macrovision in my nephew's Apex 500W.  (Only $98 at Wal-Mart!)

Just about all DVD players can be modified, but poke around these pages to see what's involved in doing it. If you specifically need Apex hacking info, here's a good page -

[url]http://www.dvd-wizards.com/darrenk[/url]

running through and rf convertor will make the sound go mono and even less rez. than if you used baseband. if you are wanting to make [b]backups[/b] of dvds you [b]currently own[/b] AHEM..vcd would be better than a vhs tape. it'd take 2 or 3 blank CDRs for an average movie but it's still chapterized much better sound than VHS. your dvd player will need to support vcd though and most of the more expensive ones dont. APEX is the way to go, all kinds of hacks flash upgrades, Plus it's just an IDE dvd drive inside it, so if you don't have a DVDrom in your PC you can "borrow" it out of the apex box.

try www.vcdhelp.com for dvd-vcd conversion stuff

but if you still want them on VHS you'll probably still need an APEX or other hackable player that you can apply region code and macrovision patches to.

not all dvds have macrovision thu

either i got really lucky or my apex 1500 is macro free becouse i have no probs backing up my dvds

Yup, you're right - some do, and some don't.  But you'll know when you get a Macrovision DVD when you try to view it through your VCR and the picture starts freaking out going light & dark.

[Edited to fix my speling misteaks.]

"I have never understood the reason people wanted to copy from DVD to VHS. I used to work in the industry and got this question every day. 500 lines resolution, chapter search instant access, no rewind, etc. Why put it on tape? The quality will be better if you just buy the original tape itself." posted by Jbear

Ya know what, sometimes I go to the audio/video stores and run into guys working there that insult my intelligence. I'm an electrical engineer and design electronics for a living, and have done so since 83. I've been into audio/video equipment since before then. I've watched many technologies come and go and some even stay. And still I walk into these places from time to time and some young sales guy, young enough to be my son, says something stupid. That doesn't really bother me cause they are usually just outta high school or in college and don't really know any better. Such is life.

But then the thing that really irritates me is when one of them gets a little pompus and makes snobby and derogatory remarks to others who are just trying to do something interesting.

My point??? There are numerous reasons why you'd want to copy DVDs to VHS,

1. Mom and dad don't have a DVD player so you make them a copy to watch.

2. You rented the movie and want to make a copy of it, at only a buck a tape pretty cheap.

3. You get a DVD that is just people blabbing (most chick flicks) that ain't worth buying, but the little woman wants a copy and hey, you score every time she watches it.

4. Nearly free movies!!!

5. etc, etc, etc,,,

I have a progressive scan DVD player and a big screen HDTV, along with a Yamaha DTS tuner and NAD & Hafler amps. My system rocks bigtime. BUT,,, I'm not so pompus as to dis anybody who wants to watch a VHS dubbed tape of a DVD. More power to ya. Until I got my PS2 to haul over to the girlfriends house, I did the same thing.

Jbear, you have a right to your opinion but I don't really think you have a valid point. Don't get me wrong, I love DVDs with all their special material and extras but lets not get too full of ourselves. If you really want to be helpful then try to sound a little more supportive and open to other's requirements.

Look who's talking,,, every girlfriend I've ever had told me I was insensitive. Go figure... [:D]

[moon]

retrodog,
You do make some good points. I was mainly refering to the folks that said, "if you can't record from it I won't get one." I think making cheap copies for others is about the only valid reason to want to copy.

I would ask these folks if they do a lot of copying now, and they would say no. That is not what it was designed for, but there are the techies out there that want to do something different. I guess without them we wouldn't have multi-region decoding.I record about 3 time a year yet I know folks who go through 4 six hour tapes a week! They record everything.

Anyways, my main point was just considering the technology aspect of it, how much you lose in the transfer, not how much you save in cheap copies.

While I worked in the industry I was not one of those to say unless you buy these $600 3ft cables your system will suck. I attempted to pride myself on product knowledge and friendliness, without being condescending. I rubbed a few folks the wrong way but they should have been at Best Buy or Kmart anyways.

You do have pretty nice stuff, I have always admired Hafler Amps. I myself am running a Denon pre/amp setup with energy speaks and Mits 50". no HDTV for me yet.

Sorry Jbear, I got a little worked up. I didn't fully get your earlier point. Just my opinions anyway.