Page 1 of Question for Clayts

Clayts, I`ve seen what I think are `pirate` DVD`s for sale - top titles selling for about £8 on a market. They are definitely DVD`s (not VCD`s) in copied packaging.
Leaving aside the issue of quality etc. can you tell me if it is illegal to buy/own these DVD`s? Since you are a former TS officer I thought you might know. I appreciate that it is illegal to sell non-genuine DVD`s of course.

Yeah, `fraid that if anyone came to us complaining about sub-standard stuff that was obviously counterfeit then we`d have to keep hold of the stuff. (Clothes and stuff would get sent off to the Third World. Suspect DVDs would go the incinerator in the sky)

Buying stuff that you know not to be genuine is just as bad as selling it, unfortunately. However, I`ve never known of anyone being prosecuted for buying it, so technically it is illegal to own it (because it shouldn`t have been sold to you in the first place) - it can be confiscated, but it`s highly unlikely you`d get done as well.

The standard line is that if something is too good to be true, pricewise, then it usually is. My advice - steer well clear. They`re obviously dodgy copies and should be avoided like the plague : the quality is bound to be iffy anyway.

On the other hand they may be ex-rental jobs (eg Blockbusters) and someone has thoughtfully reproduced the sleeves. Even this in itself is highly irregular as it constitutes fraud of copyright measures.

Suggest you take a gander at the discs themselves if you can - if they look dodgy I`m sure your local TSD would appreciate a tip-off.

At the end of the day we all lose out to bootleggers, and it gives the Big Guys further excuses to up the already over-inflated prices in the High Street, to compensate them and their shareholders for loss of revenue and royalties !

Hope this helps (it`s been two years since I left, but I know that not a great deal has changed, incidentally)

Clayts I paid five pounds instead of about 50-65 pounds for WIN 95 version 2 a few years ago , how did I lose out?

I would sooner deal with piraters then Dixon suited ass holes, and you get better after sales service, I was offerd the windows millennium two weeks before it came out in UK, but it slowed my computer down, and as more bugs than a blackberry bush in the summer ( seen the early reviews on sky) but its alright for microsoft to sell it like that.

I hope the jolly roger flys high for a long time to come!

Also how many of us want macrovision defeat on are machines are we not all pirates as well, Im off to clean my eye patch matey!!

Totally agree with you on the score of computer operating systems such as W95 or Me, and I`d have paid a fiver too ! Computer fairs are totally cool places to get `tasty` gear - I don`t think anyone would disagree that Bill Gates is going to be worrying too much about a few `unofficial` OS discs !!!

Confused about your comments re:after sales service. I s`pose what I`m referring to are these dodgy geezers who set up a stall one week with their dodgy copied DVDs and CDs and then have mysteriously vanished into the ether when you go back to the market the following week to complain that the `legit` copy of 101 Dalmations you bought for the kids was actually Ten Ton Tessie and Her Sexy Snake Show (I`ll knock you off a copy if you want one, Bear) - not too criminal in itself but the picture was awful.

At the end of the day counterfeiters make a lot of moolah from banging out copied CDs and DVDs are the quality, usually, sucks ass big time.

Now if they`re hookey gear (y`know, off the back of the truck) then I`m just as up for buying a crateload from (to paraphrase The Bill) "a man in the pub" as the next man. But I draw the line at counterfeit gear.

Now, anyone want a slightly soiled box of lingerie ? Meet me at The Moon and Parrot in the next 10 minutes

Confused about your comments re:after sales service. I s`pose what I`m referring to are these dodgy geezers who set up a stall one week with their dodgy copied DVDs


Know these guys well, were all shipmates!

Heh heh - LOL : nice one, Naughty Teddy !!!

Would the quality be `iffy? We`re not talking Pirate Vids here but the copying of digital data - if duplicated fully - i.e. no compression etc (DiVX) - then the quality will be the same as the original.

Also: Are we talking about actually buying a DVD disc here or a VCD type thingy? Are people copying DVDs to other DVDs already?

I did a bit of research on the web laast night and it would appear that there are factories in the Far East that are producing unauthorised, but `original` DVD`s for the pirate market. i.e. these DVD`s function just like the authorised originals, but are made without the knowledge of the studios and without royalties being paid. I read that there are at least 10 factories in Malaysia making these. The picture quality etc. is said to be as good as the authorised version because the same digital data is used. I even found these discs for sale on a UK website for £8 delivered (don`t ask me for the URL please, I don`t want to promote this kind of illegal activity).

Aw go on - I`m out of the job now, so who cares !!!