Legal Question - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Cheyne · 07-12-2003, 06:16 PM

Hi Guys,
Does anyone here know any thing about copyright laws and shows taped off Tv for private use? I have some old VHS tapes of my favorite shows that due to many watchings are begining to look a bit shabby so I thought I'd get them transferred onto DVD. When i took the tapes to a company that did this they wouldnt tocuh them saying it was illegal and they , as well as me, could be prosecuted. Is this correct?
Thanx
Cheyne

DetectiveGriffin · 07-12-2003, 10:05 PM

Right. No reputable place will do it. You'll do best to find a trader on the net who does dvd, but if the tapes are looking shabby, then you might think twice, because the dvds will be no better than the tapes.

johnnyangel · 07-14-2003, 10:22 AM

On "paper" this is a rule, but id ont think anyone needs to lose sleep over this. Most all of us copy and recopy things, "tape" things, etc. Nor do I think anybody has ever been prosecuted either they'd have to go after 50 million people.

Agent 13 · 07-14-2003, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cheyne
Hi Guys,
Does anyone here know any thing about copyright laws and shows taped off Tv for private use? I have some old VHS tapes of my favorite shows that due to many watchings are begining to look a bit shabby so I thought I'd get them transferred onto DVD. When i took the tapes to a company that did this they wouldnt tocuh them saying it was illegal and they , as well as me, could be prosecuted. Is this correct?
Thanx
Cheyne

Before getting into tape trading, I did a bunch of research using google, and from what I found no one has ever been convicted of either copying shows taped off TV or copying professionally manufactured tapes for private home use. Even small time operators (one man businesses) don't seem to get in trouble. It's big-time companies that would have problems, and understandably. Copying tapes isn't actually illegal but not legal either.

By the way, it is not illegal to purchase bootlegs, but it is illegal to sell, supposedly.

Jen

07-12-2003, 06:16 PM	#1
Cheyne Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 21, 2002 Posts: 38	Legal Question Hi Guys, Does anyone here know any thing about copyright laws and shows taped off Tv for private use? I have some old VHS tapes of my favorite shows that due to many watchings are begining to look a bit shabby so I thought I'd get them transferred onto DVD. When i took the tapes to a company that did this they wouldnt tocuh them saying it was illegal and they , as well as me, could be prosecuted. Is this correct? Thanx Cheyne

07-12-2003, 10:05 PM	#2
DetectiveGriffin Sankontessou! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2001 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 1,289	Right. No reputable place will do it. You'll do best to find a trader on the net who does dvd, but if the tapes are looking shabby, then you might think twice, because the dvds will be no better than the tapes.

07-14-2003, 10:22 AM	#3
johnnyangel Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 329	On "paper" this is a rule, but id ont think anyone needs to lose sleep over this. Most all of us copy and recopy things, "tape" things, etc. Nor do I think anybody has ever been prosecuted either they'd have to go after 50 million people.