Am I buying bootleg Toy Story DVDs? HELP!

[Marce82]

The underside of the discs is colorless. Meaning, there is no tint to it whatsoever. what does that mean?

[SpringHeelJack]

When you say colorless, do you mean like... silvery? Because I don't own the set anymore, I sold it when I bought the Blu-ray copies, but I think around that time Disney wasn't using gold-based DVDs but the silvery ones. SOMETIMES when it's a bootleg, the underside of the disc will have a darker, bluish tint to it. I wouldn't discount it being a bootleg based solely on this, but if it's silvery / mirrory, the odds are slightly better that it's legit.

[Marce82]

The underside is silver. Again...the discs seem perfect. So do the slipcover and the art on the case. My concern is the inside of the case and the lack of inserts

[SpringHeelJack]

So, the discs and the art all seems up to par... did you consider that someone at some point might have swapped out the case or chucked out the inserts? It wouldn't be the strangest thing to ever happen, and I would have probably jumped to that conclusion before bootlegs.

[Marce82]

But it was supposed to be brand new and shrinkwrapped. Which it was...here is something else I found odd: the slipcover was INSIDE the shrinkwrap...

[littlefuzzy]

Did it have the top sticker on the DVD case? At the very least, I'd say the seller (or maybe whoever he bought it from) re-shrinkwrapped it.

Tons of people have shrinkwrap machines, an actual unopened Disney DVD should have that blue Disney stamp on the shrinkwrap, like what you see about halfway down the page here: http://filmic-light.blogspot.com/2010/1 ... mited.html

I don't have the 10th anniversary discs myself, but you could look at the serial numbers on the disc, and post those. Someone with legitimate versions of those sets could see if their numbers match up (or are close, as different batches may be slightly different.)

Also, put the disc in your computer, and take a look at the file structure... If your disc is say 4.96 GB (single layer), and the dates show 2008 or something, this might be a bootleg. However, if it's a dual layer disc (like Luke's review stated), and the files are from 2005, it's probably legit (although the dates could be spoofed if they really wanted to go that extra step.)

[Marce82]

Ok, so I checked the disc. THe first one is DEFINITELY double-layered, has 7.-something GB of information, but recorded in November 2010. The second one might be single layer, since its 4.-something GB.

Hmmm...since this edition is OOP...it should be alarming that the files have the date of 2010, right?

[AliceinWonderland]

Are you still looking for TS1 and TS2 from 2005, if so PM me.

[littlefuzzy]

Ok, so I checked the disc. THe first one is DEFINITELY double-layered, has 7.-something GB of information, but recorded in November 2010. The second one might be single layer, since its 4.-something GB.

Hmmm...since this edition is OOP...it should be alarming that the files have the date of 2010, right?

That sounds kind of fishy!

I may be wrong, but I would think the studios would just use the same master when making a new pressing, and presumably the files would be what was originally recorded onto the master (with the 2005 dates). Since it's being pressed or stamped and not burned, I don't think the dates would change.

[Escapay]

For reference:

Toy Story 10th Anniversary Edition DVDs
Disc One:
Serial Number: (265553) TSE-0N-NM1.1
Size: 6.76 GB
Date: July 21, 2005

Disc Two:
Serial Number: (265557) TSE-0N-NS1.1
Size: 6.07 GB
Date: July 11, 2005

Toy Story 2 Special Edition DVDs
Disc One:
Serial Number: (275759) T2E-0N-NM1.2
Size: 7.55 GB
Date: October 19, 2005

Disc Two:
Serial Number: (275759) T2E-0N-NS1.2
File Size: 5.00 GB
Date: October 19, 2005

Marce, since your discs say November 2010, could it be possible that someone simply took the DVD editions that came out that year (on their own and in the Blu-Ray/DVD combos), and repackaged it with a very-well-done DVD-R of the second discs from the 2005 set? That would certainly explain the atypical packaging (2-disc amaray sans swinging gate tray), the shrinkwrap over the slipcover, and the lack of inserts. Disney didn't stop including inserts (aside from DMR codes and Blu-Ray booklets) until 2008 or so (along with an experimental period in 2003). So anything pre-2008 should definitely have inserts included.

What are the bonus features on the first discs of each set that you have?

If they contain the following (on the first discs only), they are the 2010 DVDs:

Toy Story:
Audio commentary by director John Lasseter, co-writer Andrew Stanton, supervising animator Pete Docter, art director Ralph Eggleston, supervising technical director Bill Reeves and producers Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold
"Toy Story 3 Sneak Peek: The Story" featurette (2:02)
"Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: Blast Off" featurette (3:27)
"Path to Pixar: Artists" featurette (4:49)
"Studio Stories: John's Car" featurette (1:21)
"Studio Stories: Baby AJ" featurette (1:38)
"Studio Stories: Scooter Races" featurette (2:16)
"Buzz Takes Manhattan" featurette (2:13)
"Black Friday: The Toy Story You Never Saw" featurette (7:34)
"Learn How to Take Your Favorite Movies on the Go" promo (1:04)
"Why 2.0?" notes
"Maximize Your Home Theater" feature

Toy Story 2
Audio Commentary with director John Lasseter, co-writer Andrew Stanton, and co-directors Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon
Extras:"Toy Story 3 Sneak Peek: The Characters" featurette (4:01)
"Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: International Space Station" featurette (3:45)
"Paths to Pixar: Technical Artists" featurette (4:24)
"Studio Stories: Sleep Deprivation Lab" featurette (1:27)
"Studio Stories: Pinocchio" featurette (2:16)
"Studio Stories: The Movie Vanishes" featurette (2:34)
"Pixar's Zoetrope" featurette (2:00)
"Learn How to Take Your Favorite Movies on the Go" promo (1:04)
"Celebrating Our Friend Joe Ranft" featurette (12:46)
"Why 2.0?" text notes (found at the Set Up menu)
"Maximize Your Home Theater" feature (found at the Set Up menu)

But if they contain the following (on the first discs again), then they're the 2005 DVDs:

Toy Story
Audio commentary by director John Lasseter, co-writer Andrew Stanton, supervising animator Pete Docter, art director Ralph Eggleston, supervising technical director Bill Reeves and producers Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold
"Introduction by writer/director John Lasseter" featurette (1:06)
"The Legacy of Toy Story" featurette (11:40)

Toy Story 2
Audio Commentary with writer/director John Lasseter, co-directors Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon and co-writer Andrew Stanton
Isolated Sound Effects Track (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Introduction from writer/director John Lasseter (1:33)

albert

[Marce82]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the responses.

Albert/Escapay...I thought about that...the 2010 disc 1 with the disc 2 from 2005. But I looked up the review on here and compared the special features, and its definitely the 2005 features. Plus, the trailers are the one from back then.

THe only one I have now is TS2 (I returned TS1, but im waiting for one in the mail from amazon-sellers):

Disc 1:
T2E0NNM1
7.55GB

Disc 2:
T2E0NNS1
4.94GB

I really hate the idea of having a non-original dvd. I thought that buying from Amazon's alternate sellers would guarantee the real thing!

[littlefuzzy]

I really hate the idea of having a non-original dvd. I thought that buying from Amazon's alternate sellers would guarantee the real thing!

I presume you mean the Amazon Marketplace Sellers.

That, and E-Bay, are probably where the biggest bootleggers are hiding! Those aren't official partners of Amazon that have passed quality checks, they are just people who might have a real store (like FYE or something), people who set up an online business selling items, or even private citizens who just wanted to break even/make a profit on old DVDs they bought previously, and don't want to get a buck a disc at a pawn shop or something.

I could set up an Amazon Seller account right now, it probably wouldn't take 10 minutes.

Bootlegger: "Oh Noes! Amazon closed my account because of reported bootlegging! Oh well, I sold 300 DVDs before I got reported, and 10 people wanted their money back... I'll set up another account, and be selling again before you can blink!"

[Marce82]

Maybe I'm doomed never to get the 2005 editions of TS and TS2...I guess I should have gotten them when they were first released. Its true what they say...you snooze you lose

[disneyboy20022]

Maybe I'm doomed never to get the 2005 editions of TS and TS2...I guess I should have gotten them when they were first released. Its true what they say...you snooze you lose

I'd say Ebay would be your best bet...however be cautious. Don't buy one that has just Stock Photo images....make sure the auction has a picture of the actual item and ask the seller if they could provide additional pictures...remember you can't ask too many questions even when on Amazon MarketPlace and ask for pictures...detailed ....I sold mine on ebay and I showed the front and back and the slipcovers and the inside of the box of the discs....If there's any doubt don't buy them....and ask questions...

[Scarred4life]

Here's a helpful guide to buying bootleg DVDs on ebay:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Bootleg-Disney- ... 0001630261

EDIT: Or rather, a guide to avoid buying them.

[dvdjunkie]

Last I checked with CD Tradepost, they had several copies of Toy Story 1, 2 and 3. Most of them will be complete with the inserts you want, and their shipping charges are pretty cheap. Check out their website:

www.cdtradepost.com

They DO NOT sell bootlegs, and all of their products are guaranteed.

[Marce82]

I tried that cdpost thing...but there is no details of the products! I dont know what edition Im buying, or in what condition...nothing!

[Marce82]

Ok, I;ve changed my mind. Im gonna fight amazon to get my money back and then I'm gonna buy the new blu ray/dvd combos.

Do they make bootleg blu rays???

[ajmrowland]

^If they do, That's a *much* smaller market, so I dont think you're ever likely to get a bootleg blu-ray.

Though, there are people who buy the combo packs so they can keep the DVD and sell the blu for cheap. Happened to me once, but those guys are few also.