Originally Posted by
CPRich
First, you need authorization from the creators of the tapes, and/or determination that you have the legal right to make a personal backup copy under fair use provisions.
If he is in the U.S., the Fair Use doctrine applies, and you need not get permission from the copyright holders. Fair Use exists precisely to prevent copyright holders from blocking consumers from making backups. (if you have permission from copyright holder, then obviously the Fair Use defense is not needed in the first place - copyright holders can always give up their rights at will).
Here's
another recent thread on the topic.