Can you record from Netflix to VHS?

[@douugl]

Watching stranger things on VHS may actually be a great experience I might say

[@idkanymore3382]

no its not 4:3

[@Warp3326]

you can easily make it 4:3 also there are 16:3 vcrs and crt's@@idkanymore3382

[@unbrokenj]

It would make be whole new style of 80s based.

[@ThePoreproductions]

Yeah. And it would be really cool if Netflix would actually release it on VHS!

[@Robdeltonie]

I previously recorded a show from Netflix onto VHS tapes, and it recorded fine. I used a PS3 with a composite output adapter to get it to a VCR. It worked without issue. I think what's more surprising is that when I tried to transfer my Netflix VHS recordings to DVD, there were no copy protection issues, either. It transferred to DVD just fine. One user who reported that the DVD recorder wouldn't record likely detected a different kind of copy protection called CGMS-A. Unlike Macrovision, CGMS-A will allow you to transfer the recording to VHS, but some digital recorders (including DVD units) won't record it. It also won't transfer a VHS recording of a CGMS-A-protected signal. Unlike Macrovision, though, there is no legal requirement for any particular unit to detect that copy protection method and prevent recording. So maybe I just got lucky. Or perhaps, as others have said, people recording shows from streaming to VHS tape isn't the biggest anti-piracy concern anymore compared to people using BitTorrent and other file-sharing sites and apps to share higher quality digital 1080p/4K rips of their streaming content.

[@zuffin1864]

I mean, there are so many streaming sites out there equal in quality to VHS, that it is definitely highest on their list.

[@proletariennenaturiste]

There you go, that's how you convert it to physical media, so you can keep it and Netflix won't take it down or whatever.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

5:36 - I absolutely love that you have an episode of The Simpsons on a (once) blank tape, and that's what you used to record on. Same here. I just wanted to note: I bought a 3-set of new VHS blank tapes in the hope that I could record an old video to a new one. Unfortunately it didn't work and I found out something interesting after investigating and chatting to "experts" - sometimes a new blank VHS tape wont pick up what is being played through a VHS player hooked up with a red/white/yellow cable to the TV, or simply just a TV even if everything is connected up just right (cable-wise) - you actually need about 10 to 20 blank videos in order to find ONE that has *just* the right amount of magnetism left in the tape to record a video through a decent VHS player PLUS a modern TV. I didn't know that, and so my first 3 VHS blank tapes that I received a month ago couldn't record *anything*. I've since bought 20+ more and only ONE of them was able to record from one VHS player to the second VHS player. Long story short: I was playing Netflix on the TV, had it plugged into VHS player No.1, had the output and input exchanged into VHS player No.2, and finally recorded the "ultimate" product on VHS play No.2 on a new blank video. I can now play *that* video on any VHS player that I own and it looks great on my modern LCD TV and there are no problems. Your process and mine are both pretty difficult!

[@Super-360]

I'm sure people recording to vhs is the least of their worries, seeing as how a torrent will give you a 1080p rip with only a few gigabytes is more of their concern.

[@jkmac625]

I tried it once with a Sky Q Mini Box as they have a composite video output on a 4 pole 3.5mm jack plug. Worked fine on VHS but neither my Sony or Panasonic DVD recorder would record from it. They just gave a copy protect message as soon as I pressed the record button. I think there's a copy protect flag in the signal that the DVD recorders recognise and prevents them from going into record mode but the VHS being older tech doesn't understand it.

[@matthewgatskie1287]

I am in the US and tried it with Disney+ and it worked just fine also---using the Simpsons....no sign of protection whatsoever.

[@souravbhattacharyya3392]

Today's kids will never know the flavour of video on 📼 and laserdiscs

[@JimmyHandtrixx]

only rich kids had laserdisc.

[@toddlindsay8846]

@@JimmyHandtrixxit’s an old technology. Suffers from what is known as “laser rot”.

[@ZackeryMccoy-d9e]

Usually many newer devices that have composite output don’t normally have macrovision protection in streaming apps like Netflix (probably because companies don’t care about low quality analog copies of their content, plus most devices that have Netflix today don’t normally have composite). That’s usually dvd that has this protection. Even many newer DVDs, I’ve tested a dvd that came out in 2023 and still has macrovision.

[@mouse_cop]

I have found your video because I am trying the exact same experiment with stranger things. When I attempt to record from Netflix onto my VHS, the video does not play. It will record audio just fine, but I assume the program somehow knows I’m trying to record it. I’m flabbergasted that that’s possible, but also because they would care about something that small.

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

What device were you using? I was using a Huawei DN360T, which is quite basic….

[@reesearmstrong912]

I’m gonna take my favorite movie Luca from Disney+ and record it on to VHS just for the fun of it

[@Hayatory]

I recorded the first 10 seasons or so of South Park onto tape around 2010 from Netflix

[@just_passing_through]

I don’t think anyone who works for the streaming services anticipated anyone trying to record to an analogue format. They’ve put in place all kinds of technical restrictions on recording the signal digitally, but not “old school” analogue. I bet you could record to a STB /VCR with an inbuilt DVD recorder too. I’ll have to try on my Panasonic DVD RAM recorder.

[@Richiecandylover]

I don't think companies really care about analogue standard definition recordings especially on VHS, it would also need macrovision licencing. I usually find macrovision shows up even on the display as you click record going from past experience

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

Imagine, they have a whole VHS and Betamax piracy department, just waiting for someone to try!! :)

[@jessemiller2335]

some newer devices with SCART / Composite (such as roku express with composite) don’t have macrovision protection, so you won’t be affected by macrovision scrambling.

[@jonstripling1315]

@jessemiller2335 how do I hook up my fire stick or roku to and hdmitoav converter?

[@thecircutandgameguy1018]

my only tv is one from 1984 and I use a vcr and a ps3 and technically I could record gameplay or youtube or anything

[@thatdrewrivers]

Macrovision... is why I loved Betamax!

[@toddlindsay8846]

Why?? It had been defeated by VHS.

[@gavinjarredreyes5369]

This is the best idea ever used for retro people and when recording there is no macrovision encoding.

[@SuperMarioLoudHouse]

Used to you could back in the day on Xbox 360 PS3 Nintendo Wii and Even Blu ray Player with Composit input.

[@TheMovieBrosProduction]

You have to realize they didn’t put any copy protection on it because nobody except for a few people use vhs anymore

[@proletariennenaturiste]

Guess I hate people then. Especially when there are digital VHS that have higher quality than regular VHS and DVDs and some BluRays in some instances.

[@r66fplaysgames]

If any of the stuff that you recorded had Macrovision copy protection, you would have seen it right away on the TV.

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

Exactly, it would resemble a loss of the capstan server sync….

[@Nage_Soko]

I did for fun and I have a full episode of stranger things on vhs with subs in Spanish and recorded in PAL, it is not piracy if you don't sell it :)

[@pHD77]

Actually, every time you watch an episode on from your recorded VHS tape instead of streaming said episode, you are really denying the people, who worked to produce that episode - directors, cast, crew, etc - from getting their (meager) residuals. Every time you start a stream, the streaming service registers that playback and then has to pay out some agreed upon amount to the people included in the production. Watching that on your VHS-copy instead, you are denying hard-working people to make money off their work.

[@mostarac94]

@@pHD77 womp womp 🏴‍☠

[@pHD77]

​@@mostarac94Womp all you want. When people behind a production don't get paid, they have less incentive to produce new proper shows and you'll get less quality content.

[@mostarac94]

@@pHD77 😭😭 lol

[@toddlindsay8846]

@@pHD77crybaby

[@James_Doyle83]

Id expect the same of a dvd recorder too

[@unbrokenj]

Netflix should release stranger things to VHS.

[@toddlindsay8846]

No. They’ll just add Macrovision to it.

[@davidhenderson7722]

Terrifier 1 and 2 is available on vhs. I own them 😁

[@joshuapowell1868]

Great video don't get your hopes up that locking up problem will never happen at all I have done that before and 4 over 4 years ago I was recording movies from internet now I have stop recording movies from the internet y it was locked up every 10 minutes and and what internet does it went on the vhs tape itself

[@brad349miller]

The problem is; with everything now being on-demand, what would the applications be?

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

No application at all, but.....it is a bit of fun.

[@the2494silvester]

I think my Sanyo VCR has only two Rca Audio (white, red), and no Yellow RCA, but a SCART. Will it work if I record from Laptop to VHS?

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

It has, by the sounds of it, two separate audio out connectors to allow you to connect the vcr to an amplifier. These will be output only. For the laptop, you’ll need a way to convert HDMI to composite, such adapters do exist and will allow you to record content from your laptop to an older device. For the scart, you’ll need a scart to composite adapter that allows you to switch between output and input. Then, you should be set.

[@TheMediaHoarder]

But your Netflix recording will have their annoying display over the beginning.

[@kinolibby6580]

How's the aspect ratio? Does it crop of the sides or does it stretch to fit. I tried a similar thing with my own video, hooking my combined CRT and VHS recorder to my mac mini and got too much strech. If I were to record copyright protected material to VHS in a purely hypothetical scenario it would be Garth Marenghi's Dark Place

[@Alphadec]

since vhs is analog there is no problem doing this but you are going from 720p or 1080p to 425 lines..... But no problem since all copy protection is removed since it is analog.

[@johnnytrejo911]

I don’t think Piracy works with Netflix. You’re basically recording off of a tv program or movie from a streaming service. You’re copying off of an existing vhs tape like we did in the old days of a double vhs tape player

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

Or, VHS to a Sony Beta machine and then back to VHS, to circumvent the macro vision encoding….apparently, early JVC decks such as the HR3300 piano key decks, are also unaffected by the macro vision protection.

[@Kevin-t9c1e]

I’m trying to record tv shows I like from Discovery plus on to vhs tapes there brand new blank tapes & seem to be recording when I push the record button on my vcr but when I go to play the tapes on another tv & vcr there no pic or audio when the tape starts to play just a black screen. What am I doing wrong???

[@cropsylives732]

I only have scart and rf connections in my vcrs. I have a scart to usb converter that didn't work when I connected my blu ray player and macbook. I have a 360 somewhere that might work, but I have to dig it out. The only thing that works for me is my dvd player. Half of my collection is copy protected, so my other option is to play movies on my dvd player via usb. I'm trying to record a compilation of Horror clips to vhs. It's a slow process without access to youtube. I'll figure out a way.

[@cropsylives732]

Plus, I don't want to take the risk buying an rf converter.

[@Rick_Todd]

Reminds of the time i wished i could go back in time to the year 1986 and tell my 14 year old self after having figured out the right combination of the RCA leads and were to put them. I never understood why i could copy most videos films Ok but anything by CBS Fox and Warner Brothers was a no no . Stupid flashing on and off and then black and white then colour then more flashing. LOL it was Macrovision. And it would be at least another 20 years before i would finally get my answer. So yes for my copy of Ferris Bueller's Day Off but a big fat NO for my copy of Aliens and The Lost Boys. He he good times. Oh and i would also tell myself to get one of those little TBC boxes that disabled the Macrovision so i could of had all the films i ever wanted in my personal collection.

[@mmakreesekingjr2074]

It probably is thinking like who in their right mind why use vhs's to record stuff😂

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

Exactly, Betamax is where it’s at 😂

[@joshuapowell1868]

People like myself are recording movies offline putting them on vhs tapes everything proven what ever the internet does gos on the vhs tape itself

[@janmlotkiewicz1052]

Your Amstrad TV is a Samsung in disguise :)

[@joshuapowell1868]

People like myself are fixing broken vhs tapes with Scotch tape it starts playing again with out no problem's

[@mrgoob76]

now i am curious if this works with dvhs with 1080i

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

If you have a DVHS deck, give it a go and let us know....also, I would be rather jealous.....they're a rare beast.

[@mrgoob76]

@@JCTsFascinatingHobbies i only found out about it a couple days ago and i didn't even KNOW that a HD VHS even EXISTED at all. It was around from 1997 to 2006 it only died when the blu ray came out its funny because now people are starting to talk of a VHS revival, and i got thinking this is the PERFECT time to reintroduce the DVHS since its more or less the same quality as a bluray. And like all tech its backwards compatible with regular VHS. it just seems to came out at the wrong time

[@yakadoodledongywongy8718]

Of you course you can. DRM does nothing to protect against analouge recording.

[@ColinCressey]

I tried this with all the white equipment doesn’t work

[@SRN42069]

My guess is they didn’t care because they didn’t think people would have vcrs and such now lol

[@HonestFred]

Of course it will work, it's analog, there's no information going out. HDMI actually has digital information. RCA and component cables don't transfer information.

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

Check out Macrovision. It is more than possible to copy protect analogue recordings. Macrovision's legacy analog copy protection (ACP) works by implanting a series of excessive voltage pulses within the off-screen VBI lines of video. These pulses were included physically within pre-existing recordings on VHS and Betamax

[@Brandon12983]

what about aspect ratio?

[@Tony-r9r3o]

How did you fix the aspect ratio to 4:3?

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

The device I was using has an option to change the output resolution to suit 4:3 screens. This does result in a clipping of the edges on any programs you watch, though the interface appears fine and suitably resized.

[@Tony-r9r3o]

@@JCTsFascinatingHobbies which device were you using?

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

@@Tony-r9r3o A 'Huawei DN360T', it comes with a SCART connector as well as a HDMI connector. In the UK, these boxes were branded as a 'BT Youview', however other broadband suppliers would badge them up with their specific branding.

[@Babyjay_XO]

Bro I have a vcr tv how do you do that I gotta know man so hit me up when you read this!!!

[@gali605]

Why is mine not? My dad says it is becuse it is a app

[@colincressey4647]

I tried this it doesn’t work

[@kingcongluong]

Is the vcr player connected to the youview box or to the tv?

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

The Youview box is connected to the VCR via one SCART input (AV2 in the case of this Sony VCR). AV1 (Output) is connected to the SCART connector on the TV set. You can also use the RF out in the absence of composite or SCART inputs on your respective set.

[@1wizabuff1]

Amazing! 😂

[@romangiertych5198]

Would be good to filter out the CRT high pitched whine in editing, it's quite annoying with headphones.

[@Precel42]

Is that something that happens with all CRTs or only when something's old and broken?

[@caromac_]

@@Precel42 CRTs all produce a high pitched whine when on, but you have to have good enough hearing to be able to notice it.

[@Precel42]

@@caromac_ Sucks to be me then lol

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

I'm impressed you can hear that, you must be quite young. I'm 44 in a few days, and used to be able to pick up the high frequency EHT tone, but, I no longer can.

[@romangiertych5198]

@@JCTsFascinatingHobbies I'm 21, bit surprised I still hear it. I'm pretty sensitive to it, used to drive me nuts when I was younger.

[@bananieldiamonds1921]

i guess a few dozen hipsters recording netflix for personal use is the least of their worries.

[@dorean2342]

88miles per hour!!!

[@DouglasFCV]

You need dvhs

[@JCTsFascinatingHobbies]

If I could find a deck at a reasonable price, I would have one.