DVD Copies - Legal Question

[Diatribe]

I am kind of debating this and wondered if somebody would know.
If I made a copy of a DVD in a country where the private copy is allowed and took it with me, let's say to the States, and customs would see it, could they take it away because it is illegal in the States?
Which leads to another question... Is it just illegal to make a private copy in the States or to own one as well?
I like to take some of my DVDs with me when I travel but never want to risk taking the originals.

[rhpenguin]

I say there shouldnt be any problems with it.

No one should care.

[strider42]

I am kind of debating this and wondered if somebody would know.
If I made a copy of a DVD in a country where the private copy is allowed and took it with me, let's say to the States, and customs would see it, could they take it away because it is illegal in the States?
Which leads to another question... Is it just illegal to make a private copy in the States or to own one as well?
I like to take some of my DVDs with me when I travel but never want to risk taking the originals.

its not illegal to make a private copy in the united states (its beenhas established that copies for personal use is perfectly legal, along with time shifting and changing media formats, though current pending legislation may change some of these rules), its illegal to crack the encryption that would allow you to make a private copy. If the copy was made in a country that allows the defeating of that encryption (I'm not sure there actually where thats for sure, except maybe sweden or whever the guy lives that came up with the linux DVD player software), then its legal, though you may have a time explaining that to someone who questions the legality of it.

On the other hand, who's gonna ask you about it. They go after the people who sell the software that makes it possible, or distribute the movies. No one is gonna question the DVD's you have on you, they have more important things to worry about.

[KingSleaze]

Yes, there are a few countries out there that don't follow with the international copywrite agreement of 1977 (that you frequently see mention of at the beginning of DVDs and video tapes). As others have said, so long as you only have one copy of a title, it is usually assumed to be for personal use, and is therefore accepted. But if you were transporting several copies of the same title (and somehow obviously not purchased copies) then you would be assumed to be dealing in pirated DVDs for sale.

[SilentPanda]

You shouldn't have any problem unless you're bringng crates of copied DVD's in. Just copy a bunch of them and put them in a CD-carrying case or something... I don't even think they'd ask about 'em at all...

[Diatribe]

Thanks for the infos. Nice to know that I shouldn't have any problems. And yes, all of the DVDs are in a carrying case anyway. Thanks.