Can a DVD recorder that records TV shows also copy off of a DVD in the seperate machine that is playing on TV?

Question

I am very NOT technical savvy, but want to buy my husband a great father's day gift. I am unclear about the DVD/DVR that you can buy, they say in the description they will record your tv shows and what not. What if you play a DVD in a seperate dvd player hooked up and it is showing on the screen, would the recorder tape that? (Like a VCR would)
Thanks

Answer 1

If I understand what you're asking, yes you can do that. The DVD recorder or DVR will know which one you want to record by a setting on your remote.

Just to get words straight for my next part, you can record TV and other sources with three kinds of units: a DVR, a DVD recorder, or a unit that combines the two, which is what I have.

You have a DVD player and want one of the above -- a total of two separate units, right? You want to copy a DVD and watch it at the same time, and you're wondering if a recorder designed for recording TV shows can also record from a DVD player? Definitely. And clicking a button on your remote, probably labeled "Input" will tell the machine which source to record -- TV, DVD player, VCR, etc.

I doubt you can find one that records both a TV show and copies the other disk at the same time, though. Maybe you can. But if nothing else, you can just wait til you have no shows scheduled, to do your copying.

The previous poster is correct, however. There are disks with copy protection which may not copy at all. And personally I don't believe in copying anyone's intellectual property to avoid paying for it; that's stealing, in my mind, but that's another post!

That doesn't rule out copying your own camcorder footage (which is increasingly likely to be on a mini DVD in the future), or copying some disks made on a computer, or other disks you've recorded with your new unit.

Most disk-based recorders will likely have two or more "line inputs," and that is what you need to hook up your DVD player. You can also hook up your VCR so you can put old tapes onto disks. On my setup, I have two VCRs and a DVD player all connected to my DVR / DVD recorder. On the recorder's remote control, you simply choose which input you want to record from.

Likewise if you're setting up a TV show to record while you're away, there is a step in the programming that lets you tell it to record from TV, not from your DVD player (in case you're wondering how it knows which to record). (I don't know why you'd want to record from your player while you're away, but they have that step in the programming!)

I hope I didn't misinterpret your question. Basically, to put you at ease, I think you'll find a DVD recorder (*especially* if it includes a DVR) will do anything a VCR could do and more -- well, except jam a tape inside. :-)

By the way, you can also record a TV show on some of the new recorders while watching a different show that you recorded earlier! You can even watch the beginning of the *same* show you're recording, or any part you want to go back to, without messing up the recording.

Answer 2

You can dub a DVD to a DVD recorder, unless, it is copy-protected. If the DVD is copy-protected, the DVD recorder will display an error message and will not record.

You can tell if the DVD is copy-protected if you patch the player to the recorder, and then patch the recorder to the TV. The most giveway sign is the constant fluctuation of brightness. One second it was bright, the next it goes dark. Another sign is the color will suddenly goes black and back to color and cycle again.

That's should help you.

Answer 3

No that won't work. DVDs use something called Macrovision encription that keeps you from making copies that way. Sorry.