VHS tape question

[luckykey3]

I've noticed that people selling VHS tapes that are filled with content, such as movies etc., also include 'sold as blanks'.  Is there a reason for that?  I have a feeling I know why but I want to make sure.

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

I've sold a few of these and while I don't know exactly what their appeal is.

My best guess is some look for rare cartoons/shows not easily available elsewhere...others source interesting commercials for upload on their youtube channels

[luckykey3]

That wasn't my question. I asked why they put SOLD AS BLANKS in the item description when they are really selling movies, etc.

[loveyourimagination49 · Accepted solution]

You can record over them is what the listing says.

[krazzykats]

Can you say Bootleg?  They are not commercial recordings, but copies either from TV or from the Original tapes.

The sellers think that showing pictures with the tape titles and saying they are only selling blanks, that they are covering themselves from copyright infringement.

[coolections]

---

@luckykey3 wrote:
That wasn't my question. I asked why they put SOLD AS BLANKS in the item description when they are really selling movies, etc.

---

I believe you said you already know the answer. If you are looking for reinforcement by asking the question it is because it is ILLEGAL to sell pirated movies. Don't do it unless you don't mind taking a chance on an illegal activity.

[a_c_green]

---

@luckykey3 wrote:
That wasn't my question. I asked why they put SOLD AS BLANKS in the item description when they are really selling movies, etc.

---

If the labels are obviously those of home-recording brands such as Maxell or TDK, then you're probably going to find someone's grainy old TV recording of some show or movie, interspersed with carpet commercials, etc. Even if it's someone's recording straight from HBO, it's going to be largely unwatchable, quality-wise, but the tape itself is probably low-mileage and can be used as a recording medium for anyone who's still got a VCR in use.

Conversely, if it's an old commercial-rental tape of some title, you're not violating any laws by buying or selling the recording itself, as long as you're not duplicating it and selling your own copies.

[luckykey3]

@coolections ... I said that I HAD A FEELING I KNEW, but now that I've been reading the comments it is not at all what I THOUGHT it MIGHT be. I thought that maybe the sellers were just covering their butts if the video didn't play right and they could say that it was sold as a blank instead of it having content on it so they didn't have to give a refund. Silly but hey, some people can be tricky. Anyway , I didn't even think about VHS tapes ever being counterfeit or illegal till I read these comments. So thanks all for enlightening me.

[a_c_green]

---

@luckykey3 wrote:
I thought that maybe the sellers were just covering their butts if the video didn't play right and they could say that it was sold as a blank instead of it having content on it so they didn't have to give a refund. Silly but hey, some people can be tricky. Anyway , I didn't even think about VHS tapes ever being counterfeit or illegal till I read these comments. So thanks all for enlightening me.

---

If someone really did want to put some copyrighted film or other content onto VHS these days (and God knows why), they would be doing it themselves from a Blu-ray disc or similar high-resolution source. Playing a VHS tape to a modern high-res flatscreen can be painful to look at; I don't think there's any big black-market trading in that medium. 

Selling it as a blank makes sense because if you're planning to record with it, it doesn't matter what previous recording is on it. It's also something of a pointless pain to render the tape blank before sale anyway. You either have to run it end-to-end through a disconnected VCR to record a blank static signal over whatever was there before, or use a bulk tape eraser (basically a big electromagnet) to magnetically erase the old recording, which is quick, but uses a tool that the average eBay seller probably doesn't have available. 

[luckykey3]

@a_c_green I just thought of something. I have some old VHS tapes of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show that is shown once a year that I've recorded ... so if I were to sell them they would be difficult to see on the flat screen TV's? I'd test them out on my flat screen but my tape deck no longer works ... and I don't want to sell poor quality to anyone ... IF I decide to sell them, that is.

[krazzykats]

AC: When I looked at the tapes the op mentioned, I noticed a lot of them had shows on them like Roots, old Disney movies, Old Blockbusters, Sailor Moon, Music Performances, Star Wars, Hitchcock, even some Xrated stuff...and similar recordings, I didn't look through all the used VHS tape listings...Box Lots of Home recorded tapes...

If the content isn't a part of the sale, why bother putting the name of the recording in the title and then showing closeups, of what is handwritten on the labels?

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=used+vhs+tapes+blanks&_sop=13&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1

They want you to know what's on the tape, but not be responsible for any recorded content.

If I just wanted blank VHS tapes to record over, I'd hit the thrift store.

[7606dennis]

I believe the sale of such material taped from broadcast or cable TV networks, even with a disclaimer, would constitute infringement on the copyright owner's rights and could result in serious consequences for those engaging in it.  

For more information visit the US Copyright Office web site.

[luckykey3]

@7606dennis so the live TV WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW can't be taped and sold?

[7606dennis]

---

@luckykey3 wrote:
@7606dennisso the live TV WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW can't be taped and sold?

---

If you taped it off of your TV I believe so.  Unless you have written permission from the copyright owner to do so.  While one would be permitted to sell a commercially produced tape one had purchased legally, one you only be allowed to resell the one commercially produced copy that they had purchased.  I believe that would not even be permitted to charge anyone for viewing the tape.  Have you ever heard the copyright notice that broadcasters read during every televised MLB game?

I'm not sure if the Westminster Dog Show would grant you permission to broadcast or sell tapes made at their event without their permission.  Television networks and other media outlets pay big bucks for the rights to broadcast many sporting and other events.  It isn't likely that the producers of these events are going to just look the other way or give away their product.

Of course, some things have slipped into eminent domain under the old copyright laws under which they were produced, however under the latest copyright act the time limit is the life of the creator plus 50 years or I believe 50 years in the case of work for hire.  

[7606dennis]

---

@luckykey3 wrote:
@7606dennisso the live TV WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW can't be taped and sold?

---

Oh!  In the case of internationally produced works, one might need to research the laws of the country where the work was produced.  While I think most international copyrights are dealt with by treaty, I would urge someone to do their homework.