Education and Copyright

[RabbieBurns]

Can anyone point me in the right direction for some legislation regarding to copyright laws, and schools.

We have a bunch of original VHS that are macrovision protected, and we want to convert them to DVD. This will involve bypassing the Macrovision protection.

Is this legally OK?

Edit: Also, what about putting copyright stuff up on our website for students to download (like .mp3 of audio tracks ripped from educational CDs)

[Galway]

"Is this legally OK?"

Nope.

If you read the back it tells you what you can and cannot do. You could always get in touch with them, tell them who you are and ask them if you can make a copy.

[RabbieBurns]

Is there not some law that you are allowed to make 1 backup copy of stuff that you own?

I really dunno where to start looking for stuff that is pertinent to schools (is there not any dispensation for educational establishments?)

[enjay]

Is there not some law that you are allowed to make 1 backup copy of stuff that you own?

Yes, but it doesn't extend to changing media type, as you're trying to.

As for your MP3s, it depends on the terms under which they were supplied - if it is okay to give them out to any and all students (as some educational resources are), then I would have thought you could put them in a password-protected bit of your web site but not on any public pages. You could distribute them via your Shared Areas, so I don't see why an "in-house" bit of your web site would be different. It all comes down to what distribution rights the company has given you.

[Andie]

Found this on an official copyright website:

Copy protection devices

There is other stuff here about copyright and how it relates to schools. However, none of it really relates to conversion to another media, and there is such a thing as fair use.

I would contact the company who supplied the VHS, and talk to them about the need to have the material in a different format and see what they allow. Probably they'll try and sell you the material on DVD, but it's worth a try???