Couldn't record the content of Satellite Digital box output to DVD recorder

A video stabilizer may help, which may block the anti-copying control signals and allow copying. This thread gives one example.

The Sony RDR-HX780 is a clone of the Pioneer DVR-640, minus the DVD-RAM capability but adding HDMI. As such it uses the Pioneer operating interface. Pioneer followed the design of most other brands, where if a copy restrict signal is detected the machine will lock out recording partially or completely. In your case, it appears to be a "partial" lockout: the tipoff is the alert states "Cannot record this content in video mode" instead of "Cannot record copy protected material." The first can sometimes be worked around by tricking the recorder settings, the second can only be bypassed using a digital video filter (as referenced by tomwil above).


Before describing a workaround you can try, please note you CANNOT (without a protection filter) record this type of protected signal directly onto a standard DVD. If that is what you were doing, it would explain the lockout you encountered. In Pioneer/Sony parlance, "video mode" means "standard DVD format that can be played on anything." When an anti-record signal is sensed, the first thing blocked is recording direct to a standard-format DVD-R, DVD+R or DVD+/-R/W. Recording to DVD-R/W and -R discs is possible if you use a new disc and initialize it to "VR Mode" in the Disc Setup menu, before trying to record.

So what you want to do is trick the Sony as much as possible into thinking it is NOT in "video mode." before recording the problem signal. First, go to the Home Menu, then Setup, then Initial Setup. Arrow down to highlight Recording in yellow. Right arrow to the adjoining menu, and arrow down to highlight HDD Recording Format. Arrow to the right, and select "Video Mode Off" (so that it has a little yellow square next to it). If it is already set to Video Mode Off, leave it that way and press the Home Menu remote button to exit.

You can now try to record the problem video, but must do it to the Sony HDD first (not direct to DVD). After you finish recording, try to use the High Speed Copy mode to copy the video from HDD to a standard DVD-R or DVD+R. You've got about a 50/50 chance of the Sony allowing or refusing this. You engage copy mode by loading a blank then going to Home Menu>Copy>HDD->DVD. Click on the recording as it shows in the title list, press the Enter button when you see the advisory about edit points, then arrow right and down to Next and hit Enter. On the following screen arrow right and down to Next again and press enter. Press enter when you see the yellow Start Copy button. When the copy is finished, you'll be presented with options to create a DVD menu and finalize the disc: do it. You'll then have a normal DVD.

If your Sony disallows all of this and won't open the copy to DVD screens, you're out of luck making a "standard" DVD-R or DVD+R until you get a digital protection filter to hook up between your satellite box and your recorder. You could try to copy the HDD recording onto a DVD-R/W or DVD-R disc you pre-initialize for "VR Mode", this usually works, but VR-format discs will only play in Sony or Pioneer DVD recorders (they won't play in most regular players or computer drives.

You could probably use a PC to dupe the "VR Mode" disc to a regular -R or +R, but that entails various software and tricks to modify the dupe disc into being finalized. If you don't already know how to do that sort of thing, or you have an Apple Mac instead of a Windows PC, save yourself a lot of grief and invest in a video protection filter. It makes life a lot easier if most of your satellite programming is protected: connect the filter once, leave it turned on, then use your recorder normally.
Edited by CitiBear - 10/12/12 at 5:27pm

Bear, I think you may have it backwards with regard to RW disks. DVD-RW supports CPRM when recorded in -VR format like DVD-RAM. DVD+RW does not support CPRM under any format and cannot be used to record copy-once content. As I recall, Pioneers can record to -RW in -VR format for CPRM compliance. Will the Sony clone also record in -VR format to -RW?

Yes, you're right Kelson, I always confuse the CPRM compatibility between +RW and -RW.

It seems counterintuitive that -RW is the one to use, since +RW is the version thats VR-native. I almost never use RW media of any kind, and never deal with CPRM in my cable system, so I get rusty thinking about it.

Upon double-checking my manuals, the Pioneers can only record copy-once videos to HDD, or by using -RW (or -R) that has been initialized to "VR Mode" using the Disc Setup menu. I imagine the Sonys based on Pioneer designs are the same. Pioneers of the x40, x50 and x60 model series can also use DVD-RAM for copy-once recordings (the Sonys omit the RAM feature). I'll go back and correct my earlier post, thanks for catching my error.
Edited by CitiBear - 10/12/12 at 5:29pm

Let me add to that: VR is either of the "+" or "-" flavor. "+" media is +VR native whereas "-" media (and RAM) is -VR native. Only -VR format is CPRM compliant. "+" media can never support CPRM protected content. The Pioneer, and by extension the Sony clone, use -VR format on "-" media. Recorders like Panasonic and Pioneer were designed to be CPRM compliant using "-" and/or RAM, which is why I suspect they always treated "+" media as an afterthought.

The down side of this is that few, if any, current DVD players support playing -VR formatted disks. I believe even current Panasonic players have dropped -VR support.