Counterfeit DVDs

With perhaps a small apology for the crosspost, but as lots of uk.r.m.
infest upce, I thought it wouldn't hurt - and my query, while being
more of an ebay thing, could also be answered by the immense store of
knowledge that uk.r.m. has in stock ...

I think I've been a bit of a plonker, see. I won three auctions for
DVDs, all from the same seller. At the time he had only 6 feedback,
all positive - but he had Finding Nemo, still at a very good price so
I bid on it and won it along with two other discs. This is the guy:
http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI...d=jsmithser&include=0&since=30&sort=2&rows=25

All he has sold is DVDs, all Region 1, apparently from Canada. The
discs I got were posted from Croydon and it took him ten days to get
them in the post. The problem is, I think they're fakes. Picture and
sound quality is fine, but each one is a two-disc issue for Region 1
and Region 2 - and I only got the main feature disc, no booklet, no
holograms.

As Finding Nemo is a Disney release, it should (I think) have
holograms - and all the other Disney discs I've seen come in a blue
case with Disney embossed upon them, not in a plain black case
identical to the other tow. Whilst the discs were sealed, they were
sealed in "CD King" clear plastic envelopes that seal with a sticky
strip, not the usual shrinkwrap stuff.

All the discs are gold in colour on the data side, but all have the
name of the film perfectly printed next to the spindle hole.

Now - have I got fakes, and if so, what do I do?

I have emailed the seller and he has responded, claiming that they are
commercially available, genuine one-disc issues which have been passed
by Canadian Trading Standards officials. I have my doubts, but don't
want to start chucking groundless accusations about, or applying for a
PayPal chargeback etc. without checking my standing first.

What do you think?

 

Well the Disney website shows finding nemo as a 2 disk DVD package with
the content shown on this page...

http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/findingnemo/index2.html

 

http://www.fact-uk.org.uk/

Gold disc sounds *well* dodgy.

 

http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewListedItems&user
id=jsmithser&include=0&since=30&sort=2&rows=25

The hidden item numbers on his feedback is a very bad sign

There is only a 2 disk set as far as I can see -
http://www.dvdpacific.com/item.asp?ID=546219
Also gold bottoms sounds like a copy to me.
One easy way to tell is to chuck them in a region 2 only player.
If they play then they are copies for sure.
Do you have a scanner to be able to get some pictures of the disks , and the
item numbers for us to have a nose at.

That'll confirm they are fakes. As for what to do about it , I suggest
applying for a chargeback via paypal and reporting him to everyone possible.
Disney love to know who pirates their stuff , and he can get kicked off ebay
for that as well.

--
Alex

"We are now up against live, hostile targets"

"So, if Little Red Riding Hood should show up with a bazooka and a bad
attitude, I expect you to chin the bitch! "

www.drzoidberg.co.uk

 

Defiantly sounds like a bootleg to me. If you have a PC DVD ROM drive use Power DVD or
DVD Decrypter to see what region the disc actually is? Also have a look on the bottom of
the disc near the centre there should be an IFPI number which identifies the plant where
the disc was pressed (it can be very small and hard to see sometimes - have a look at some
of your original discs for examples), bootleg discs don't usually have this - for obvious
reasons.

 

Can you burn me a copy?

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, Cane said:

Snap, and if you can't watch them on your DVD player, I'll happily
supply you with a code so you can ;-)

 

And me, my kids love that film.

 

Not necessarily as Bowling For Columbine has gold discs, although it's
the only gold disc DVD in my entire collection

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
V&S Extreme Photography http://www.bikehouse.demon.co.uk
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Put Out The Lights On The Age Of Reason

 

I think it's genuine, he's be pretty thick to sell bootleg goods on a
public auction.

A lot of the DVD's on eBay are ex-Rental, I've received a few.

 

Also, the disc face should be screen printed, so wet the surface with
your finger - if it smudges then it's ink jet printed. Not sure about
thermal printing, though

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
V&S Extreme Photography http://www.bikehouse.demon.co.uk
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Put Out The Lights On The Age Of Reason

 

That's what I thought.

I thought that, too. He reckons he has a supplier of 'single-disc
issues' and that is what I paid for ...

Right then. My dear old Tosh is R2 only and needs an expensive chip
to make it otherwise - and it plays these discs.

I'll see about some pictures later on, but the items are all in his
seller list, url above - look at Finding Nemo, Sinbad and Terminator
3.

I have found several agencies who would love to have a go at him - I'm
just confirming my opinions before I let 'em in on it.

 

They do? well I'd better destroy a bunch of my discs then.

 

I looked at this site, but it didn't help much.

That's what I want to know - never having been near a DVD burner, I
didn't know what they look like.

 

Pip wrote:

I reckon they're either ex-rental or free review copies. He's got hodl of
them and boxed them up.

I could be talking crap though
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Gold DVDs are originals, recordable dvds tend to be a dark purple colour.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, Pip said:

My collection of porn have all got purple discs.

HTH

 

And plain silver

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
V&S Extreme Photography http://www.bikehouse.demon.co.uk
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Put Out The Lights On The Age Of Reason

 

They are pressed as opposed to burnt , but a large percentage of pirates use
gold disks
--
Alex

YZF 600

"I laugh in the face of danger"

"Then I hide until it goes away"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk

 

Most of the DVD Rs I've seen have been darker or lighter shades of
purple. The rewritable ones are a metallic dark grey.

T.