copying protected VHS tapes and DVD (via analog) in Japan ???
Greg Conquest
I have purchased several DVD's and I want to show parts of them in my
English classes here in Japan. However, the class only has a VHS
player, and the DVD's are all copy-protected. The copy protection is
Macrovision -- the same scheme that protects commercial VHS tapes from
being copied -- only DVD's have a second type of Macrovision
protecting (sort of like SCMS from what I can tell.) There is also CSS
protection, but that is not a problem now in that I am not trying to
make a duplicate DVD.
In trying to get the macrovision strippers needed to do the recording
to VHS, I have come up against a surprising problem: the staff at the
big electronic stores in Yokohama say that such copying is forbidden
in Japan. This seems ludicrous. I need to watch the media I have
purchased, just at a location where a DVD player is not available.
Anyway, on to my questions:
1) Is there really a blanket prohibition in Japan against copying
DVD's or video tapes -- even if for personal use?
2) There is a Magnavision stripper available in America for $120 or
so:
http://www.simacorp.com/scc.html
This product will strip both types of Macrovision (analog and digital
-- not CSS though). It also supports S-video and composite. However,
it comes with a power supply for the US only. I am going back to the
states for Christmas next month. Maybe I can get this while there and
the neccesary transformers or a different AC adapter.
There is also a Japanese item similar:
http://www.prospec.co.jp/dve/main.html
http://www.prospec.co.jp/campain/index.html
This product has only S-video, costs 22,000 yen (50% more expensive
than the SIMA), and the sales folk say it won't allow copying of
DVD's. I think they maybe wrong on this one. But still, it only does
S-Video and my VCR has only composite.
Neither one of the products say explicitly that they are designed for
copying; they are both marketted as color correctors. Well, I need to
copy -- and legally. Can any of you help me? What might my choices be?
Any help would be appreciated. If my only choice is to get the US
model and transformers/different AC adapter, then I'll go this route.
But I'd rather buy something here in Japan.
Greg Conquest
Agelmar
name sounds American enough so I'll respond in English. If you would prefer
Japanese, let me know.
Here in the States, the copying of media (DVDs, VHS etc) is permitted for
educational use by teachers. However, in Japan I'm not sure, I have studied
only US law not Japanese law...
You are correct though, you would just need to buy a macrovision stripper
and a 110v->220v converter. Whether or not it is legal in Japan I cannot
tell you for sure, as I have not studied Japanese law, but I can't imagine
the police breaking down your door just for trying to teach your students...
I wouldn't worry about it personally. It's not like some student from class
5B wearing some really wierd fuku is going to yell out "Omawarisan! Chikan o
tska-mate!" or something of the like [I suppose that would depend upon what
kind of educational videos these were, and for what kind of a class ^-^],
and it's not as if you're huddled over your lesson plans writing "Osoroshii
kangae nimo osoware mas..." I'd just go for it. Re: in Japan, I'm not quite
sure what your options are.
-Ian
P.S. I just ordered Oujisama to yuki no yoru, is it any good? I paid 1020Yen
for it, I figured I'd throw it in since I was ordering the new Tonari no
Totoro DVD... I am still waiting for Tanuki pom Poko to be released on DVD
though...
"Greg Conquest" <conq...@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:q4j00ukqklh4q8vi1...@4ax.com...
Mike reverse the letters S.
ProSpec used to sell products designed exclusively to circumvent SCMS copy
protection in digital audio, and Macrovision/CGMS-A in video. A couple of
years ago they announced that they were discontinuing such products as
they were going to be illegal in Japan.
Their current video product, the DVE773, has a time base corrector so it
should strip all Macrovision and CGMS-A information, allowing the copying
of DVD's under the guise of "improving" the video with minimal adjustment
(slight luminance boost or cut on demand). It is no longer sold as a
copy-proection defeater like past products, but should do the job, and may
be cheaper than importing a US device.
The DVE773 has only connections for S-video. If you want to use
composite, you have to flip a little slide switch which routes a
composite video signal in/out through the luminance pins on its S-video
connectors. ProSpec sells special cables with composite RCA plugs on one
end wired to the luminance pins on S-video plugs for the DVE773. If you're
handy with a soldering iron you can duplicate such custom cables in a few
minutes.
Greg Conquest
letters" S.) wrote:
>
>ProSpec used to sell products designed exclusively to circumvent SCMS copy
>protection in digital audio, and Macrovision/CGMS-A in video. A couple of
>years ago they announced that they were discontinuing such products as
>they were going to be illegal in Japan.
>
>Their current video product, the DVE773, has a time base corrector so it
>should strip all Macrovision and CGMS-A information, allowing the copying
So, I take it these are the two types of copy protection on DVD's.
Some strippers only get the version of Macrovision that's on VHS
tapes.
>of DVD's under the guise of "improving" the video with minimal adjustment
>(slight luminance boost or cut on demand). It is no longer sold as a
>copy-proection defeater like past products, but should do the job, and may
>be cheaper than importing a US device.
It won't be cheaper, but it will be much easier, and returnable if
need be.
>
>The DVE773 has only connections for S-video. If you want to use
>composite, you have to flip a little slide switch which routes a
>composite video signal in/out through the luminance pins on its S-video
>connectors. ProSpec sells special cables with composite RCA plugs on one
>end wired to the luminance pins on S-video plugs for the DVE773. If you're
>handy with a soldering iron you can duplicate such custom cables in a few
>minutes.
I'll have to have a composite video OUT only (S-Video in from the DVD
player.) This'll be easy to do, I think.
Thanks a lot for your help. I think I'm going to try this out.
Greg
>
>
>
>
PoleyDee
I have a bog standard Bush DVD player, connected via SCART to my Sony TV,
which in turn is connected through SCART to my VHS deck (Panasonic).
Interested in whether or not I could copy, I tried a couple of DVDs and I
can record them to VHS no problem.
I guess I'm asking the reverse of the question 'what am I doing wrong?' and
asking... why is this working for me? And can it help our friend in Japan?
Pole
"Greg Conquest" <conq...@despammed.com> wrote in message
news:46970ugdscdi69u73...@4ax.com...
Greg Conquest
send the macrovision protection through the set and to it's output.
It's nice to hear this, but my TV doesn't have any outs -- only
multiple in's.
Another idea is that SCART dosn't pass macrivision signals, but I
don't think this would be true.
Thanks,
Greg
Mike G
>I've just been browsing here and following this thread.
>
>I have a bog standard Bush DVD player, connected via SCART to my Sony TV,
>which in turn is connected through SCART to my VHS deck (Panasonic).
>
>Interested in whether or not I could copy, I tried a couple of DVDs and I
>can record them to VHS no problem.
>
>I guess I'm asking the reverse of the question 'what am I doing wrong?' and
>asking... why is this working for me? And can it help our friend in Japan?
If you have a Bush 2000 series, it's working for you because the
player actually has Macrovision disabled by default!
This was either a slip-up on Bush's part or a deliberate "feature". No
doubt they got their knuckles rapped for it either way.
--
Mike
PoleyDee
news:hc7f0uoedai0frpnq...@4ax.com...
Interesting... it is a Bush DVD 2004.. so I guess that's the answer.
So, I guess it can't help Greg in Japan unless he rushes out to buy the same
DVD player.
Cheers,
Pole