How to Tell if Your Dvd is Fake/Bootleg or Is This Dvd Real?

[mikemgmve]

So Im considering just buying some of the overseas bootlegs for the missed movies I have that are to get re-released as PE's in the future. I can find them pretty cheap, and this way I have the movie if I want to watch it...

That's where my question comes in - Does anyone own them (the ones with the DTS banners)? Are the transfers just as good as the legit DVD's?

I'm interested in picking up The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmations, Pinnochio, Peter Pan, and perhaps even The Little Mermaid until the better editions come out.

Thoughts?

[Jungleprince_55]

I would like to know if those bootlegs actually have real DTS sound tracks.

[Isidour]

well...it depends in how it was burned isn´t?

Because, you could use a program,DVD shrink or another alike, to just compress the DVD contents and in theory it would have to(considering that is an exact copy) but considering that we don´t know how does the bootleggers copy this DVDs...

[Barty]

Maybe they just 'copied' the transfers from the already available dvds, then the video quality would be as good. Maybe they didn't, and they captured some laserdisc version or whatever, then the transfer would be worse than the already available dvds of course.

And about the DTS, I'm sure the dts track isn't better than the already available DD2.0 or DD5.1 tracks. It's very easy to re-encode a dolby digital track to a DTS, and despite it know being a 'DTS', the sound quality is actually less than the original Dolby Digital. And seeing as they can never have access to the original uncompressed multitrack recordings, the DTS can never be better than the dolby digital on the orignal disney releases.

[consultant]

I'm seeing prices all over the map for the Aladdin Collectors Gift Set on E-bay. I was under the assumption that because of the elaborate packaging and additional materials, these Gift Sets don't exist in Bootleg versions so all the ones for sale, as long as they are complete, are genuine products?

[tamarat]

How does one tell if the DVD you have is a fake or a real Disney issued version? There are TONS of Disney and other movies availible on auction sites like Ebay. How do you know if the one you get is real or fake? is there some special code on the DVD case/sleeve? something on the disk itself? I know some copies even come with cases, seals and full cover artwork. How is one to know?

[I am the Doctor]

Well, there is no sure way to know that one is buying a legit DVD until one has it in hand. However, there are ways to avoid buying bootleg (fake) DVDs.

1. No Disney movie has been released Region 0. Region 0, shorthand for no region coding, is used by some DVD manufacturers but has never been used by Disney.

2. I would be wary of any Asian releases, as many (not all, mind you) of the bootlegs come from that part of the world. While DVD-Rs are easily spotted (the back of the discs are purple, many Asian bootlegs have silver backing like regular dvds and have a legitimate look to them. But they will probably be labeled as Region 0.

3. If dealing with someone on EBay, check the feedback. While not a complete safeguard, if a seller has mostly positive feedback, it's a better assurance that what they are selling is legitimate.

4. On Song of the South, as has been said many times before, there has never been an official DVD release anywhere in the world. There was an official Japanese laserdisc release as well as an official PAL Videotape release in the United Kingdom, so you would have to search these out if one wants an official copy of Song of the South.

5. On official discs, especially the Limited Edition DVDs like the Little Mermaid, if one rubs ones finger across the disc, you will find that the artwork has raised portions or slight bumps (in order words, the surface isn't completely smooth). It's hard to see this with the eye, so it's much easier to rub the fingers across the discs. You don't have to do it very hard, either.

Hope all this helps.

[jamminjake245]

Also check the quality of the paper. If it seems to be like computer printer paper then you know it is a fake. If you are looking on ebay and that is what you are asking about, there's not much you can do. Your chances of being screwed are 99.9%. Check the person's rating. If they are 95% or below don't purchase from them. However, see why they lost those 5%. If it was something like shipping was a week late then I wouldn't let that stop you because they got it in the end. A large factor in the situation would be which oop DVDs and how long they have been in the vault. For example probably half the Disney DVDs such as Snow White on ebay are bootlegs. Honestly, the decision is ultimately yours and just do the research and look for some refrences. Good luck!

[tamarat]

Any ideas of a reputable places to find say The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King etc? Any hints from Disney as to when these will be re-released from the Vault?

Tamara

[Pyoko]

The Little Mermaid will be out later this year in a Platinum Edition so I'd wait for that. For Beauty and the Beast, eBay is pretty much your only choice. If you want a legit, new copy however, don't expect to pay anything less than $50-60. All those $20-30 auctions are most likely for bootlegs.

Generally for Platinum Editions, because I despise bootlegs, I would make sure to ask the seller to confirm it's a legit release and that it comes with the original cardboard slipcover, as the bootleggers rarely reproduce these. Yes, there were legit copies without them, but I wouldn't take the chance.

Also, when it comes to bootlegs, always remember that good feedback means absolutely squat on eBay, because the vast majority of people don't know that they've been scammed, and the rest doesn't care. I second the advice to search for negative feedback, and if any of the comments, any, mention bootlegs, I would skip that seller and look for the next. There's a great eBay negative search tool here. You just enter the seller ID and click 'Received by' and it will show all the negative/neutral feedback that seller has received.

[tamarat]

is later this year before August 28th? i want it for my little sister's birthday.

so for lion king and beauty and the beast i need to look for platinum editions.

what about things like sleeping beauty or snow white? were they ever released on dvd by disney officially? are they scheduled to be anytime soon? is it safe to assume any of these two on ebay are bootleg dvd copies?

thanks SO MUCH!

[Luke]

Hey tamarat, welcome to the forum! I've noticed a lot of your questions can be answered quickly at the following site: http://www.ultimatedisney.com . If you need even quicker answers, the search tool is here: http://www.ultimatedisney.com/search.html .

[Stinky Pete]

is later this year before August 28th? i want it for my little sister's birthday.

You'll have to wait until October 3, 2006: 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD for The Little Mermaid.

[MICKEYMOUSE]

Hey 1st and foremost welcome to Ultimatedisney.com. This is a very awesome place to come talk about DISNEY, DISNEY DVDs, and everything inbetween.

[DefyGravity]

An additional thing to make note of if you're buying from Ebay is that many sellers are only auctioning ONE disc of the Platinums, and are not including the extras disc. They usually only mention that in small print, so it's easy to miss. So be sure to read the entire page twice before bidding on anything.

[mcduck]

If you are trying Ebay then you must expend time on the internet, my recommendation: use this powerful tool for research, not always but some times you shall end on a good deal from a well known store or retailer... use ebay as the ultimate resource...when somebody rise up ridiculously the price of an item you know that more than doing business he is trying to take advantage of the situation... or either they deals sounds to good to be real...

[Lars Vermundsberget]

is later this year before August 28th? i want it for my little sister's birthday.

You could make it a "gift certificate", you know.

[disneyguy]

is later this year before August 28th? i want it for my little sister's birthday.

so for lion king and beauty and the beast i need to look for platinum editions.

what about things like sleeping beauty or snow white? were they ever released on dvd by disney officially? are they scheduled to be anytime soon? is it safe to assume any of these two on ebay are bootleg dvd copies?

thanks SO MUCH!

Hi,
Currently Scheduled (subject to change)
October 3, 2006: 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD

DG

[Andy]

Hasnt the US caught on to Holgrams on dvds yet?
Here in the UK Buena Vista releases have a hologram on the spine and the actual dvd has a hologram in the middle of the disk, straight away you can tell if its a fake or not....i thought the US would have had them by now?

[I am the Doctor]

Hasnt the US caught on to Holgrams on dvds yet?
Here in the UK Buena Vista releases have a hologram on the spine and the actual dvd has a hologram in the middle of the disk, straight away you can tell if its a fake or not....i thought the US would have had them by now?

No, they aren't here in the US yet. Don't know why not, they can't be all that expensive to place on the DVDs and packaging. Of course, the US also doesn't have "chip and pin" credit cards like they do in Europe either, which when I visited England last year literally shocked the front desk clerk at my hotel!