Toshiba D-VR650 combo unit not recording most digital channe

[gelect]

I have a new Toshiba D-VR650 VHS/DVD recorder combo unit. The picture is just ok, but the real problem is when I try to record OTA digital broadcasts to a DVD disk. I get an errror message stating that the content is copy protected. I have tried recording newscasts, commercials, weather, sitcoms,etc, and on 80% of the channels (including ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS) I get the copy protected message. It doesn't seem to be content related, but channel related. After several calls to Toshiba, I was told to contact the stations to see if all of their content is broadcast as copy protected. I only got one reply from my emails, and the engineer stated that he didn't think there was much if any material being "flagged" as copy protected.

The VHS seems to have no trouble recording these stations, just the DVD recorder. If I record from a Sony DVR tuner instead of a direct antenna connection, I don't get the message & the dvd recorder records the digital channels.

Do you have any info or thoughts on which direction to pursue next?

[Richard]

Technically, you are not allowed to keep digital content, only time shift it. This should be related only to DTV stations.

[whatchel1]

Technically, you are not allowed to keep digital content, only time shift it. This should be related only to DTV stations.

This is only true if the station has the broadcast flag set to disallow recording. The thing is if your DVD recorder has a flag placed in it to keep you from recording off DTV channels then you are kinda SOL. This something that you will have to check with your manufacturer of the unit. They may have set it so the DVD will only record the NTSC signal not the ATSC. I use an outboard ATSC tuner on mine (not the same model as yours) that is going into the input to recorder OTA in 480. Your specs on the recorder states it only records SD which would be at best 480I. I repeat find out from manufacturer if it will record to DVD from the internal ATSC tuner. It may just be a setting that you have to change on it.

[eliwhitney]

Hi gelect-

Your trying to do what we now can not - record permanently for our own private usage broadcasts in" HD ".

That patent / licensing arrangement with all equipment folks has it tied up as closed as possible - the movie studios wanted to insure that the older, previous VCR taping / subsequent loss of revenue didn't happen anew & , except for some illegal hackers, they have made HDMI a howling success !

The reason your Sony DVR 'functions' may well be that it is 'sending' regular digital, as Richard explained - not " HD ".

Either buy a TIVO Ser #3 ( $799 + $15/ month forever ) for the HD - OTA or signup for a HD signal source with a captive hard drive, dual tuner HD Receiver-Recorder - VIP-722 has done well so far.

Still no permanent, private re-recording of " HD " even with any of the above alternatives, however.
eli whitney

[Richard]

whatchel1,

My response is based on the DCMA, Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which is causing much frustration for those folks in the past that would record TV programs to VHS or DVD and keep them. My understanding is what I stated...

Technically, you are not allowed to keep digital content, only time shift it. This should be related only to DTV stations.

Only DTV stations and any form of video that is in the digital domain. Digital is the key here; content providers gave up on what folks wanted to do with analog in exchange for full and complete control of digital which in 1998 didn't mean much for video.

Bottom line is you don't have a right to make a copy of a digital broadcast and keep it for the next 30 years... Note most products only allow time shifting of content, not the ability to keep it, share it with your friends or generate multiple copies for distribution. While the station has some control with the copy protect flag that does not mean products will follow suit and that is where the frustration has been. In essence I agree the problem is likely the player but I don't think that is going to be changed...

How this has been handled has been fuzzy wuzzy at best but if you are a technical geek there are ways around it...

Looking forward to your response.

[eliwhitney]

Hi Richard -

I do appreciate the correction / update --- I was giving ...HDMI...restrictions too much "credit."

In any case, there are still "tons" of folks who are spinning their wheels ( & spending their monies) for naught trying to do what they can not, it seems.

Thanks again for the update - appreciate it ! Have a most enjoyable holiday, too.
eli whitney