My HDMI cable connects a DVD recorder to my digital television. I also have my VCR connected via composite cables to the DVD recorder to transfer my VHS tapes to DVD. Some of the pre-recorded VHS tapes are not being recorded and a message appears stating that I cannot copy them. Others, although they mention that they are copyright, can be copied. If I use a composite or Video S connection instead of the HDMI cable, will I be able to transfer these VHS tapes to DVD? Is it the HDMI cable that is preventing me from copying these tapes? Thanks for your replies.
That is totally normal for that HDMI cable to prevent the copying of copyrighted material and that is exacly what they have been made to do.
HDMI devices are has the HDCP coding feature installed on their chip. HDCP stands for "High Bandwith Digital Copy Protection", As for the question about the other type of cables for copying the material, I can't answer that one with accuracy. I am assuming that the signals they carry are different. Older cables are carrying analogue codes versus newer technology and cables carring Digital codes and that the devices can't transslate the data from one device carrying analogue to another that carries Digital and you might need a special adapter or cable that would translated and transfer the signal so that other device it needs to be recorded to.