Dvds – Bootlegs?

[bug-me-not]

I've seen some DVDs the other day, all without DVD keep cases, only some sort of envelope containing the disc inside a cardboard cover that can be used as a slipcase for a standard sized DVD keep case.

This cardboard cover was kept inside some plastic bag.

(Due to the amount of films the guy had and the strange looking DVD covers, I think they're pretty likely to be bootlegs.)

But now my question: Are official DVDs sold anywhere looking like this, in plastic bags without a DVD case? Or is this a 100% sure sign of a bootleg?

[putonghua73]

The cost is the give-away here. How much was the price per DVD?

You can pretty much guarantee that if it's a small shop on the street, it's 100% bootleg. Here in Kunming, around the back of Yunnan University, there's a small road that has all manner of clothes shops, restaurants, electronic shops and a few DVD shops. In one of the shops, I found a 3 DVD pack containing 24 films from Studio Ghibli (directed by Miyazaki) e.g. Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, etc for the princely sum of 12 yuan (£1.20 or more at last week's exchange rate). The presentation pack is a good replica, but the give-away signs are:

1. This is China

2. Price

3. This is China

4. The DVDs presented in soft-plastic sleeves

5. DVD menu options

6. Default language for film(s) and subtitle options

I tried watching Howl's Moving Castle last week, to find that the only subtitle option was Chinese [Mandarin]! I cannot remember if the original language for the film was Japanese; watched Spirited Away (one of my favourite films) with my girlfriend last night, when she remarked "Why is it in Cantonese?" - fortunately, there were Chinese [Mandarin], English and Japanese subtitle options so we elected to use the English sub-title options.

I think I spotted only one or two mistakes with the spelling, and the film quality was very good (although the sound left a little to be desired).

For any affadavit, I personally prefer original copies (even though I may buy on the secondary e.g. Ebay, or similar) because I do believe in copy-right. However, I am / was under no illusion that the DVDs here are bootlegged.

Cheers!

[roddy]

The balance of probabilities weighs heavily in favour of them being fakes. There are cheapish official releases (Avatar at 20Y) that you may find in certain outlets, but if it's some bloke on the street or a back street store, you can be pretty sure the studio isn't seeing a penny.

[bug-me-not]

Those DVDs I've seen were guaranteed 100% bootlegs. I've seen them in Europe on some flea market, for 1€ apiece.

I'd like to know if official, legit DVD releases are also sometimes sold in plastic sleeves without a "real" dvd case.

It seems that some studios, i.e. CAV Warner sell different versions of films, also those I mentioned (called "paper sleeve edition") to fight piracy by selling them as cheap as 1.50 $.

This and some more information on this topic I found here: http://www.dvdcompare.net/forums/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=21607

Anyway, thanks! ;)

PS: Are there any 100% proof signs to spot pirated DVDs, regardless of the seller or appearance of the shop? Just by looking at the product itself? :huh:

[guanfei]

I think I've seen bootlegs at walmart here.