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From: brown@nicmad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.video
Subject: Re: copying rented videocassettes
Message-ID: <565@nicmad.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Mar-86 13:02:57 EST
Article-I.D.: nicmad.565
Posted: Thu Mar  6 13:02:57 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Mar-86 22:21:11 EST
References: <161@ides.UUCP> <563@nicmad.UUCP> <534@tekcbi.UUCP>
Reply-To: brown@nicmad.UUCP (Mr. Video)
Distribution: net
Organization: Nicolet Instrument Corp. Madison WI
Lines: 48

In article <534@tekcbi.UUCP> jimb@tekcbi.UUCP (Jim Boland) writes:
>In article <563@nicmad.UUCP>, brown@nicmad.UUCP writes:
>>Beta machines, especially ones made by Sony, still wanted perfect vertical
>>sync, so they tended to not record any picture if 'copyguard' was used.
>>A couple of people I know ran into this problem.  They have cheaper units,
>>so I don't know what the top-of-the-line Beta decks do with damaged vertical
>>sync.
>
>I disagree. 
>I have never (yep, an all inclusive word - but it is true in this case) had
>any problem in copying a tape with copyguard on Beta.  I was dubbing from
>a Sony SL5400 to VHS or other beta machines.  I have had trouble dubbing from
>some VHS machines, but never beta machines.  The machines I used for Beta
>were all Sony's -  SL 5200,5400, 5600, 5800, 2700, 2710.  The tapes were
>marked as having copyguard on them and you could tell some were.  However,
>they dubbed just fine with no external gadgets or add-ons.  I always dubbed
>video-video, never RF.
>Note: these dubs were never kept.  Call it "delayed to be shown at a more
>      convenient time".

You have been lucky.  Not all people have, like the ones that I know here.
In the case I mentioned, the user did have trouble.  Maybe the newer machines
are getting better.

BTW, the from machine won't matter.  It is the recording machine that makes the
difference.  I once had to swap the from/to machines, to get around the problem.

Besides, the old 'copyguard' technique is dead, as far as VHS machines are
concerned.  The new 'Macrovision' method is coming around.  But, for you Beta
people, 'Macrovision' does not work.  It is only a method that works on about
50% of the VHS machines (the 50% quote is from the 'Macrovision people).
Since the old 'copyguard' still works on some Beta machines, that may stay
around a while.

The easiest way to see if either copy protection method is being used, is to
use the vertical hold control and bring down the black horizontal bar.
Do it during the black leader of the tape.  You will then be able to see if
there is any kind of protection.  If you see any text characters, that isn't
it.  'Copy guard' will change the vertical sync, while 'Macrovision' will have
about 5 or 7 white boxes right after the vertical sync.  I say white boxes,
as the result will end up looking that way.
-- 

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