[slightlyimperfec]

HI there


I just got a Panasonic DMR-E55 and after hooking it all up I immediatley placed a dvd into another dvd player that was wired into my E55 and hit record.


It came up with a message on the screen saying that I cannot copy because it is right protected.


Is there any way to get arround this?


thanks

 

[Bill1313]

I just bought the Sima CT-2 for my daughter's Panasonic E-55 but it hasn't been delivered yet so I don't know how well it works. Do a search on this forum for "Sima CT-2" & "Video Filter" & you should get some info on them. Try www.simacorp.com for info on Sima products.

 

[Spoffo]

Ther are places that will wire a chip into your player that defeats the copy protection so that you can record from it. The best is www.jvb.nl . They sell code-free/macrovision-free players as well as modification kits, which they'll install.


Of course the other alternative is the whole world of ripping and burning on your computer, which - once you've climbed the learning curve - produces a better result. If you want to check it out, start at www.videohelp.com

 

[MCaugusto]

Like Bill1313 pointed out, get one of SIMA's products and you'll be able to do perfect copies of any DVDs you want to...

Some months ago i bought the SIMA color corrector SCC-2 which is their top-of-the-line unit for copying video (and still cost me a rather reasonable $150); The unit has 2 composite inputs/outputs, 2 S-video inputs/outputs, adjustment controls for contrast, brightness, sharpness, color, tint and R/G/B so that you may correct for any abnormalities in the video before recording, NTSC/PAL/AUTO output choices and a remote control.

If you are planning on doing a lot of copying and don't want to bother doing it via a computer or a "hacked" DVD player, the SIMA is the best choice, IMHO.....

 

[telemike]

Just make sure you are doing backup copies of your dvd collection in case the kids decide to use them as coasters for a tea party

 

[dsmith901]

Or checkthis one out: http://www.smr-group.co.uk/articles/...filter_01.html

 

[slightlyimperfec]

k thanks everyone.


What would you say is the most cost effective route?


thanks again

 

[Kelson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slightlyimperfec k thanks everyone. What would you say is the most cost effective route? thanks again

If you have a PC, the most cost effective route is to add a DVD burner (~$60) and rip & burn your video backups on the PC. Only 2 pieces of simple to use, single function software is required -- DVD Decrypter & DVD Shrink, both of which are free. This produces a higher quality digital copy which retains the original 5.1 sound and subtitles. You can choose to backup only the movie and not the menus and "extra" fluff.


This is how I do it.

 

[Bill1313]

Yes going the computer route is always the cheapest but if you just want to use your E-55 & a dvd Player I would say the Sima CT-2, which if you did a search on you will see that a couple of weeks back CompUSA had it on sale for $69.99 plus they had a mail in rebate that brought it down to $49.99 CompUSA's regular price is $99.99 & Best Buy & Crutchfield's regular price is $129.99 I din't get in on CompUSA's deal : & I just ordered it Sunday 08-01-05 & the lowest price I could find on it delivered was from B&H Photo out of NY & UPS tracking shows it will be delivered on time today (Thursday) to my daughter in Miami. B&H Photo is an excellent mail order house so I wasn't worried about returning it if she's unhappy with it but if your not sure you might want to pick one up at a CompUSA store & test it out for yourself so if your not happy with it you can return it to them.

 

[bgbem]

I don't have a Sima CT-2, but I do have an older Sima unit (about 5 or 6 years old) and its not cutting it anymore. I can record to a vcr but not a dvdr.

Last week I bought a unit from facetvideo.com. It was their cheapest unit, $70, and its working great. I didn't even have trouble copying one of my Disney dvds. At forty cents for a copy, I don't care how the kids treat my dvds!

 

[Alkettory]

If you use your DVD player, Sima, and DMR-E55, you're going to lose all of the DVD menus.


The best way to make backup copies is to use a PC. DVD burners can be bought for under $50.

 

[navychop]

Is this menu loss due to the particular combination of devices? The DMR-E55?


Anyone using the Sima SCC-2 have any problems like this?

 

[Phantom Gremlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by navychop Is this menu loss due to the particular combination of devices?

He means that you're using the DVD recorder to make a "digital tape" of the input. Things like menus that allow you to jump to a particular chapter require a much more sophisticated copy operation that can be more easily done on a PC. I suppose you could create chapters etc on a standalone DVD recorder, but it would be a lot of work.

 

[videonut]

I agree with Kelson; the PC is really the best way to go for backing up DVDs. But if its just not practicle for some reason, then I recommend Facet Video's "Clarifier." I've been using this device for years with great success.

 

[Bill1313]

I think it all depends on what you want to do with the DVD copies? Yes, a perfect copy of the original is always nicer but you may not need that?


In my daughter's case all she wanted was copies that she could use in her Laptop & Car DVD Player so the originals would'nt get scratched while she was using them on the road or traveling & she wasn't interested in flipping through Chapters & Extras just watching a movie & with her setup the easiest way was to go the DVD Player to DVD Recorder routine (Her VCR is also tied into the loop so she can copy her Video Tapes to DVD also).


I'll post back on how well the Sima CT-2 worked out for her as soon as she sets it up.......should be sometime this weekend.

 

[Phantom Gremlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by videonut I recommend Facet Video's "Clarifier." I've been using this device for years with great success.

What about the reports I've read of some minor picture quality degradation. Have you seen this?


I'm interested for the same reason as other posters. I just want something simple that lets me create DVDs for the kids that are more friendly than the current ones. Many store bought DVDs force you to watch the extra material. Why does a 4 year old need to sit thru the FBI warning?

 

[Bill1313]

Phantom Gremlin, I'm sure there is going to be some reduction in picture quality & I won't know until I talk to my daughter or she sends me a dub of something but if she thinks the picture looks OK for her I'm sure your kids will be more than happy with the copies.


She has been pretty picky in the past about Video Tapes that she has dubbed so I do trust her judgement when it comes to picture quality plus depending on how old your kids are I'll bet that like most kids they won't even be able to tell the difference between wether it's a Video Tape or a DVD & that goes for a lot of adults too.


I hate to say it but I'm not worried about saving "Anything" on Recordable DVDs now because I'm waiting to save things for the Long Term on Wide-Screen HD-DVDs & I can't see why anyone else is saving stuff either unless their Video Tape collections are going bad & they have no choice but to transfer them & I haven't even bought one DVD for the same reason because I'm also waiting for them to go the HD-DVD route & then I'll start collecting stuff.

 

[Mike Up]

I have the newer Sima CT-200, same as CT-2 but added auto off/on feature.


As with the CT-2 I tried and took back, quality sucks. It has the black level bug and brightens everything. I've overcome this by setting my Pioneer's black level control to darken the picture. I then set the CT-200 to it's darken picture setting. It's still brighter but not that bad. However the CT-200 does some type of digital processing that now brings green hues over the blacks.


Using the Standard picture setting leave a vertical left bar on the far edge of the screen. I only use it if I have to. I was going to return this one also, but missed the deadline. I do use it for some DVD Video backups as it was intended.


Just if you want quality recordings, look elsewhere.


Have a good one.

 

[dvdrecorder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill1313 I just bought the Sima CT-2 for my daughter's Panasonic E-55 but it hasn't been delivered yet so I don't know how well it works. Do a search on this forum for "Sima CT-2" & "Video Filter" & you should get some info on them. Try www.simacorp.com for info on Sima products.

Hi, I TOO have the Sima CT-2, it works , but NOT PERFECTLY!

I STILL notice SOME COLOR CHANGE, not as bad or as much, as it USED to be.

The change is only when the DVD picture is SUPER DARK, OR

SUPER LIGHT, THEN YOU WILL NOTICE A CHANGE USING THE CT-2,

FROM NORMAL PICTURE TO 2 SHADES LIGHTER, OR DARKER.

NOW, I JUST bought the SIMA SCC-2 Color Corrector, and THAT unit is

MUCH BETTER, and gives the user MORE control OVER the picture color.

HOWEVER, WHEN I USED THAT UNIT BY ITSELF, I STILL NOTICED SOME

COLOR CHANGES, LIGHT AND DARK, JUST ALITTLE, BUT STILL NOTICABLE.
NOW I`M USING THE COLOR CORRECTOR FIRST IN THE LINE,

THEN THE CT-2 GODVD! I JUST SET THIS UP LAST NIGHT, and I have NOT

had a chance to try it yet. I`ll let you know what happens.

 

[Bill1313]

Probably won't hear from my daughter until Sunday. Thanks & whatever other info you can give me on it would be great because I can tell her what to LOOK FOR.


But I'm not going to mention anything about the bugs & see if it's in her CT-2 or if even she picks it up or not.


How about you guys with the "Facet Clarifier" any problems with those? Because if my daughter is unhappy with her CT-2 back it will go & I guess next I'll have her give the Facet one a try.


But again, all she wants to do is make reasonably Good Backups for the road not Perfect Copies.


To test for a "Super Dark" or "Super Light" Picture what movies do you suggest for her to try? "Ice Age" maybe for a "Bright Movie" ? Thanks.