Could I record video cassettes onto a freeview+ hard drive?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

welland99

Active Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
699
Location
Malvern
Car
W210 E280 estate 1999 facelift; 6th gen honda accord coupe 2000
I'm shopping for a new freeview+ box :)and I'd like to get rid of my old VCR to make room in the cabinet for a surround sound amplifier. :D

Trouble is that the kids have some films and cartoons on video cassette.:( So I wondered if it would be possible to copy the video cassettes onto the hard drive of the freeview+ box. :thumb:

Has anybody tried this or happen to know if it is possible?
 
Last edited:
If the new box has a scart (or seperate video/audio) IN then no problem.
Just be aware that some boxes only have RF in and if they only have a freeview tuner you will not be able to trnsfer.
 
Thanks Ted. I went to Comet the other day to have a look and the freeview boxes all seemed to have 2 scart sockets, so a DVD, for example, could be connected. But it wasn't clear if the 'in' signal would only be allowed to pass through to the TV, or if it could be recorded from.

I also wondered if pre-recorded videos (and DVDs - but i don't want to record any of these) have some sort of hidden security features that prevent copying?
 
I have a Liteon PVR (non freesat) and that definitely works, as I can archive recordings (in analogue only) from my Humax freesat PVR (no scart in on this one)

DVDs definitely have copy protection. Your new recorder will detect ths and refuse to record.
Pre recorded videos IIRC may have copy protection. I seem to recall something called macrovision (could be wrong on that) which messed around with the sync signals. This caused the recording to fail/lose sybc, but as a TV was less sensitive, it would play the original correctly.
Or I could be confused with something else! :)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom