How to Copy DVDs to VHS
VHS has gone the way of the dodo, but there still may be times when you want to transfer a DVD to a VHS tape. Theoretically, you could simply run RCA cables between the two machines and copy it that way, but most DVDs have copy protection on them that prevents it. In order to get past that, you either need a DVD player with a little extra firmware installed or a digital video stabilizer.
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Things You'll Need
- Apex AD-1500 DVD player with Hiteker GK/AD1000 firmware
- Digital video stabilizer
- VCR
- TV
- RCA connecting cables
- Blank VHS tape
- DVD
Instructions
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1
Plug an Apex AD-1500 DVD player with Hiteker GK/AD1000 firmware into a TV and turn both devices on. You can purchase one on eBay or from a similar locale fairly inexpensively. Alternately, purchase a digital video stabilizer and use a regular DVD player.
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2
Open the disc tray and press the "Set Up" button on the DVD remote, then the "Slow" button, the "Previous" button, and the "Next" button. You should see an image with an "AD1000" on your TV screen. If you're using a digital video stabilizer, you can skip this step.
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3
Connect a VCR to the DVD player using a set of RCA cables. (They are color coded red, yellow and white.) The cables go into the "In" or "In From Antenna" jacks on the VCR and the "Out" or "Out to TV" jacks on the DVD player. If you're using a digital video stabilizer, you'll need two sets of RCA cables. Connect one set to the "Out" jacks on the DVD player and the "Input" jack on the stabilizer and the other set to the "In" jacks on the VCR and the "Output" jack on the stabilizer.
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4
Place a DVD into the player and a blank VHS tape into the VCR.
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5
Press the "Record" button on the VCR, then the "Play" button on the DVD player.
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6
Wait for the DVD to finish playing, then stop the VCR, rewind the tape, and check it to make sure it recorded safely.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're recording a movie that runs longer than two hours, set your VCR to extended play (EP). Otherwise, the tape will run out before the movie is done. If you are copying a homemade DVD, you don't need to worry about the extra firmware or stabilizer. Simply connect the RCA cables from the VCR to the DVD player, then follow Steps 3 through 6.
Don't skip, pause or fast forward the DVD while it is playing. Otherwise, the disruption will show up on the VHS. Copying movies is illegal, even if they're copied onto an obsolete technology. Never sell or distribute any VHS tapes you make; they should be solely for personal use and should never leave your possession.
