I picked up one of these ten years ago. You can actually sort of edit with it. Anyway, if you're ever stuck with a problem again, these would be another remedy. You can get them dirt cheap these days.
The problem with DVD's and VHS copy protection is the VITC blanking encoded, where it scrambles every other recorded interlaced line. These things bypass it, and are always an easy dub.
You could always buy a recorder at Wal Mart, then return it later saying it was just a bad product.