Video Playback / Recording Devices

Have a Cyberhome 1500 DVD recorder which will record television programs from my Magnavox TV/VCR Combo unit, but not my home videos.  ERROR message appears on LCD screen of DVD.  I've disconnected cable so only available picture is VCR playing, but no difference.  Cyberhome Support is non existent! 

 HELP! 

My daughter recorded some tv shows in to the dishnetwork dvr, but she wants to keep them.

Can I do that using my laptop?

Please advise,

Thanks,

Whether I'm playing a DVD or a VHS tape, the image on the screen is much darker than it should be for about 80% of the time...then the screen fades back to the normal lighter image it should be, lasts for a few seconds, and fades darker again.  (A darker scene in a movie is pretty much impossible to see.)  Some colors are also distorted sometimes...especially shades of red and pink.  For example, a person's lips (even without makeup) are bright red.