When we convert VHS to DVD and any other Videotape to DVD, we are often confronted with copyright questions.

The basic rule of thumb is: if it is copywritten and is still in production and for sale on DVD, then we cannot copy it for a customer. A customer may copy it for themselves, but I cannot ‘sell’ material that is available from the company that owns it. 

If it is out of production or never available on DVD, then I can copy it for a customer. 

This all falls under the fair use legal precedents and is based on the idea that a customer has a right to view the material they own. If the format is not available anymore (like VHS players), the customer has the right to have copies made into a format they can use. A customer does not have the right to copy and then sell multiple copies of what they own…

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James Nordby

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