Is it legal to record television and watch later in the us and where can find official rule regarding this?

Answer 1

If you are in the United States, the recording of a US television program, solely for the purpose of watching it later, constitutes a permissible use. Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 (Title 17 U.S.C. sections 101-803) as interpreted by the Supreme Court of the United States of America in Sony Corp of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 464 U.S. 417 (1984). Before you do anything with this information, a warning: I was in my last year of lawschool, which was the 1999-2000 school year when I learned the above information. I haven't researched a single copyright related fact or issue since preparing for my final exam. I do recall some discussion that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, and the WIPO disallowed the fair use exception for time shifting purposes if the recording equipment was digital and did not contain copy prevention technology. In other words, the only thing I can state with any degree of confidence is that if the fair use exclusion for time shifting purposes is still good law, it is so only toward analog recording equipment and maybe toward digital recording equipment with integrated copy prevention technology. The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult with an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.