How can I transfer a copyrighted VHS tape to DVD?? Machine will shut down during transfer. Any suggestions??

Try coping the copyrighted VHS to a blank VHS and then to a DVD. There should be no problem in transfering any VHS to DVD, it is usually the other way around.

I have only been able to accomplish this by pointing a video camera at the screen and feeding the video signal from the camera to a DVD recorder while running the audio out from the VCR directly to the audio input of the recording DVD unit at the same time. The video suffers some quality but it's not too bad if you play around with the picture settings on the TV that the camera is pointed at. You will have to select a shutter speed on the camera that will cause the least amount of 'out of sync' lines on the recorded image. I had to do this with some old chess instructional videos that I needed to back up on DVD since I paid a lot for them and I was doing away with VHS altogether. So, while this doesn't produce perfect results, it's better than nothing. Some copy protect features of the copyrighted VHS tapes such as "macrovision" are impossible to get around any other way. Believe me...I've tried. That being said, I hope you do not intend to copy copyrighted material for the purpose of resale or unauthorized distribution. I believe these copyrights should be honored and respected. I used to copy and distribute illegally until I realized that I as a Christian should not be violating federal law. After feeling convicted on this matter I have since ceased all copying out of respect for the hard work that goes into movie production. Once I watched all the credits at the end of a film roll up the screen and I realized that each of the very talented people involved in the making of the film got paid far more for the work that they did on that one film than I was being asked to pay for a copy of their entire efforts combined. In other words, $15 is a small price to pay for a movie that took hundreds of people to make. So, I've decided that paying for any DVD is an absolute bargain! However, I see nothing wrong in making back-up DVDs of VHS movies for the purpose of making them more permanent and durable and for your own use; not for distribution. Good luck! I hope this helps.

What you need is a TV TUNER CAPTURE CARD for you PC. Then you need a DVD burner in your PC. If you have all of that then all you do is connect the RCA Audio/Video cables from the VCR's output and plug them into the the TV Tuners RCA Audio/Video . Push Play on the VCR, then Use the TV Tuner ssoftware to capture (Record) the videointo the PC's Hard drive. Now you will be able to edit it if needed, then burn it to DVD. I have used Sonic MyDVD and copied all of my kids old Disney VHS tapes to DVD. If you search on Ebay for a TV tuner card then you will need a PCI slot for a desktop PC, and or a PCMCIA card for your Laptop. If you have any questions please feel free to email me..