Miami, FL asked in Intellectual Property, Legal Malpractice and Trademark for Florida

Q: Is it legal to record a movie for personal use from a DVD one owns?

Hello,

I am wondering if it is legal to record (copy a movie to save as .mp4) a movie with VLC that has been legally purchased (first sale) for personal (non-distributed) use. I would not like to retain the original DVD's (as I travel a lot and enjoy the convenience of a digital format), but would not sell the original disks or the digital file.

Using VLC does not undo any copy-write protections of the physical disk (but merely records what is shown on the DVD).

Would the legality be any different if I bought the DVD's at a resale shop (supposing that the first sale was legitimate)?

Thank you.

1 Lawyer Answer
Marcos Garciaacosta
Marcos Garciaacosta
Answered

A: Depends.

You should consult with an attorney to address your concerns.

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