[dressagetraks]

I'm in the process of gradually converting old videos to DVD, taking in a couple per month. 95% of these, of course, are horse related. I just dropped off the 1992 Olympic Equestrian events, taped from TV in 1992. I'm looking forward to the conversion shop's comments on the next Olympics to go in. The next Olympic tapes were a mixed bag, equestrian events in a time "range" instead of exact, and I wasn't always there to turn off and on and edit out, so there is some other clutter, i.e. non horsey stuff. I already have post-it notes on those. "Ignore the non-horsey events; they are boring." I will wind up with nicely condensed purely horsey DVDs.

But one point of consideration for me on my old commercially produced horsey movies is whether it's cheaper to just buy a DVD than to have the VHS converted. So I was running a few titles on Amazon as I debated what to switch month after next.

I ran Ladyhawke, starring a magnificent Friesian. Oh, and some people, too, but I was too busy drooling over the horse to really notice them. So I input Ladyhawke DVD on Amazon.

$59.99 new!

Yes, that really was $59.99 new. It starts in the mid teens used, even. I will definitely be having my already-owned VHS of Ladyhawke converted.

Champions, on the other hand, can be had new DVD for $7.99.

I don't get it. Nothing against Ladyhawke, which is a movie I adore, but why the heck is it going for $59.99 new??? That is not the special super-duper 4-DVD bonus features and 5 hours of extra footage offer. That's just the plain movie.

If you have a copy of Ladyhawke, guard it, folks. It's very valuable property, apparently.

[EponaRoan]

I will definitely be having my already-owned VHS of Ladyhawke converted.

A business is copying copyrighted material for you? That doesn't sound right.

[HenryisBlaisin']

AFAIK, it's perfectly legal to make one "backup" copy of audio/videos you own for personal use. That could have changed, but I'm pretty sure it's OK.

If you're copying them to give away or sell, or making multiple copies, it's definitely not Kosher.

[Opus1]

I think the problem is that the DVD was made/released for a small amount of time, and as a result, there's very few out there. Which explains why the Region 1 DVDs are going for $70+ new, while the Region 2 (Europe, etc.) DVDs are going for less than $10.

I purchased a VHS(!) copy of an old 80s movie called RAD for my ex back in 2002. And paid nearly $40 for it. Because apparently, the only copies around were those that were formerly video rentals. When it was originally released in 84 or 85.

[Alagirl]

you can buy a converter to copy them yourself to your computer.
DH just bought the thingey (have to look what it's called) but have not tried it yet.

5 years or so ago they sold card for the PC to do such things, and to record TV with the computer...

Technology has certainly made head waves!

[dressagetraks]

A business is copying copyrighted material for you? That doesn't sound right.

Copying to an updated format for personal use, because the old formats degenerate a lot faster than disk. If it were illegal, this guy would have been out of business. He advertises, the business is right there labeled in a shopping center in the open to be raided, and he has been doing this for years. Looks fascinating, really; totally full of machines. He advertises that he can convert format to modern technology on pretty much anything.

I'm sure it would make a difference if I asked for 500 copies of something to sell on Ebay.

He said, BTW, that VHS is by far the worst format there ever was for longevity. I had asked which (VHS, cassettes, records) should be converted first. If you have VHS tapes you prize, look into conversion (whether by a business or self through computer). A VHS is slowly dying on the shelf.