My husband used a computer program to burn some so-so quality copies of his friend's storebought DVD's for free.
But isn't this illegal?
Or is it only illegal if you pay for them and try to say they're the 'real deal'?

I use to make copies of my VHS tapes and DVD's all the time and it never bothered me and I never thought about it but I know that laws and regs have changed over the years.

Also - at a yardsale the other day someone was selling burned-copies of VHS tapes and DVD's of all kind of movies - they obviously weren't the originals or the real-deal but isn't that illegal, making money off of them? They sold them for just $1.00 each - maybe just the cost of the disk itself but, really.

I know selling burned music or movies is illegal. I am not about burning a movie for personal use but it probably is too.

That's what I thought.
Thankfully they don't even play on our DVD player so I already chucked them in the trash...I was just confused, though.

If you try to sell them.

yep...illegal...basically if you burn a copy of anything (that isn't a back-up to your origianl) than you are taking away from the profit that would be made off of that. It is just like going into a store and slipping the DVD under your shirt. I know some people still do it, but that's the legal truth :)

I believe you are allowed to make one backup of a DVD you yourself bought, for your own use. But if you rip/burn someone else's DVD that's considered illegal, as far as I am aware of the regulations.

It's a copyright law. You are not allowed legally to do it. I do it if we are keeping it in the house but NOT giving it to anyone else. That is where that burning problem came in years ago with Kazaa and stuff. $20,000 fine. I don't risk it.

If you have a copy of something that you did not pay for...no matter what you a planning to do with it...it is illegal. It has to do with copyright laws. This is why Napster had to shut down, etc.

Wow I didn't know that.

I wouldn't worry about it if you're not selling it. I'm not a lawyer but I just personally wouldn't be worried about it if I was using it for personal use.

If you have a copy of something that you did not pay for...no matter what you a planning to do with it...it is illegal. It has to do with copyright laws. This is why Napster had to shut down, etc.

Thanks - I knew somewhere along the way the laws were tightened because of something but I didn't know when, where and what.
I think what's confusing is State-to-State VS federal.