Pirated DVD movie identification
Question:
I have read your tips about spotting a pirated DVDs but I still have unaswered questions:
1) I have seen many single DVDs containing from 5 up to more than 10 movies, with captions like ‘5 in one’, ‘8 in one’, ‘13 in one’ etc. Are there legitimate DVDs like those?
2) Lately I have seen many of the above mentioned DVDs (actually more than 80% in our market) coming in “paper pockets” and not in plastic covers. Are these legitimate?
3) Is there a sure way of knowing from the covers, and what is printed on them whether a DVD is pirated?
4) Are there genuine DVDs that come from Pakistan?- I hear most of our DVDs come from DUBAI and hence are sourced from Pakistan and other pirate prone sources.
NB: In our market, DVDs are mainly sold by hundreds and possibly thousands of small scale traders who may not be 100% formal and hence will hardly inform someone about their distributors.
Answer:
1) I have seen many single DVDs containing from 5 up to more than 10 movies, with captions like ‘5 in one’, ‘8 in one’, ‘13 in one’ etc. Are there legitimate DVDs like those?
I haven’t seen any. I’m pretty sure any DVD with 5 or 10 movies on it is illegal and pirated.
2) Lately I have seen many of the above mentioned DVDs (actually more than 80% in our market) coming in “paper pockets” and not in plastic covers. Are these legitimate?
Probably not.
3) Is there a sure way of knowing from the covers, and what is printed on them whether a DVD is pirated?
I think the contents you mention are already a big indicator. However, check out point number one in this link for ways to identify a pirated DVD.
4) Are there genuine DVDs that come from Pakistan?- I hear most of our DVDs come from DUBAI and hence are sourced from Pakistan and other pirate prone sources.
Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer to this question.
An editorial comment: I find it amazing that the MPAA is so worried about movie downloaders and US-based piracy, when we have “13 in 1″ movie collections openly sold by “hundreds and possibly thousands of small scale traders”. I think the MPAA might be targeting the wrong people. Or perhaps they’re only targeting US-based operations because they have little influence elsewhere. Still, it seems like a waste of effort and money to go after the small fish when there are sharks swimming elsewhere.
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