Jump to content
loaded

Buying Genuine Dvds

Recommended Posts

On a big website I used to moderate about 5 years ago, before I was institutionalised, there was a forum called 'Steam Vent' which kind of had an obvious use.

There isn't one here, but I guess this is the closest to it for my little rant, the doctors say it is therapeutic and who am I to argue.

There are few things more irritating that being forced to watch a couple of minutes lecture about piracy at the beginning or end of a DVD I have bought and paid. I can't fast forward it, switch chapters etc, I have to sit through it. Why? I bought and paid for the DVD, I am the last person they should be lecturing. Maybe this should be pre burnt onto all blank DVD-Rs, but not on my paid for DVD. I am thinking of suing for stolen time and pain and suffering.

For those of you who don't know what I am on about, perhaps you don't buy your DVDs :-) In the UK (and I imagine other non civilised English speaking nations) they put this little fat guy with a devil look in his eyes heating up a branding fork, before telling me how to report (presumably myself?) in 4 different countries.

Stop it, or I will be forced to illegally download my films and serials in order to avoid it!

Paul.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Interestng read my friend. Things are actually getting worse with DVDs. I sat down to watch a DVD last weekend and after beng forced to sit through the greedy corporates anti-pirate plea, I was then forced to sit through 3 trailers for further releases before I finally reached the title page. Incidently all 3 films were of no interest to me and ironically the main feature turmed out to be so terrible I cant even remember what it was called. (It may have been called The Perfect Getaway)

My plan from now on is this, switch on your tv/audio equipment, put DVD disc in player, once your sure its loading go and get your movie munchies and refreshments, then go and stare at your Tamiya collection for 10 minutes. By the time you return the title page should be all ready and waiting for you. :(

Enjoy

James

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We have the same garbage on our DVDs here in the states. There's an "FBI Warning" with terms of punishment including fines and jailtime. Then there are previews for movies that have already been released and for future theater releases. Any attempt to fast-forward or skip through these results in a message from the player stating "Operation prohibited by disc" or something to that effect. One of the few things in life that irritates me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll go one step farther: I wanted to buy an unlocked DVD player or unlock the one I already own. You have no idea how difficult this can be.

I buy DVDs from all over the world. Some countries use PAL and some use NTSC converters and the DVD is recorded with different region codes. I didn't pirate anything. I bought the DVD. And the player. But I can't play a DVD from Europe on my American DVD player. Which, by the way, has a built in PAL/NTSC converter. But the DVD / player manufacturers have encoded the things so they won't work together until you hand over more money. Just to clarify: I bought the DVD and the DVD player - which should be the only thing anyone cares about - but depending on where you live determines if you bought the right DVD to play on the right player. Sound rotten to anybody else???

So I own the DVD and the DVD player, and both are capable of working together, except some evil bastage somewhere has determined that I should have to buy ANOTHER copy of the DVD and ANOTHER DVD player so I can play the same stupid video I already bought once?????

This is enough to make any sane person want to buy the $3 pirated copy that will work on any stinking player. For that matter, maybe I'll buy a pirated DVD player too.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It is easy, don't buy Sony or Panasonic. If you need a brand, Philips don't make anything, they just rebadge Shinco (for portables) and other Chinese manufacturers for the regular DVD players. To unlock them, there is usually a code from the remote control.

Look for 'multi region DVD hacks' for the players and there are hacks for most of them. Panasonic and Sony are the worst because they have movie rights in the business.

Region unlocking is not illegal.

Keep well!

Paul.

PS : I bought a Philips DVD player (will get model number later) for about $50 which runs from USB, DVD burned discs, VCD, any region, DIVX, XVID, everything basically, just a quick unlock and it plays anything!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

LG does good equipment, decently built & the firmware is well-featured plenty stable.

the yumcha players might be cheaper and tackier but often contain bugs that you don't discover in the store until you use them

There are few things more irritating that being forced to watch a couple of minutes lecture about piracy at the beginning or end of a DVD I have bought and paid. I can't fast forward it, switch chapters etc, I have to sit through it. Why? I bought and paid for the DVD, I am the last person they should be lecturing.

...

Stop it, or I will be forced to illegally download my films and serials in order to avoid it!

oh the Irony ... :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's all down to organising your time better :lol:

If I'm gonna watch a DVD I put the DVD in first and then go get a beer or two.

By the time I get back to the TV the piracy warning's practically finished.

My Marantz DVD player allows FFing thru the warnings at 16x but no faster, even though the max FF is 64x :(

If you were super organised, put the DVD in the player as soon as you get home with it, that way it'll be ready to watch later on.

Or, buy an iPhone/iPod Touch and download movies from iTunes - if you hold it really close and tape magnifying lenses to your face it's just like Imax only without the plebs.

Actually, you could probably fashion a makeshift holder out of wire coat hangers thus keeping both hands free for beer and chips

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It's all down to organising your time better :lol:

If I'm gonna watch a DVD I put the DVD in first and then go get a beer or two.

By the time I get back to the TV the piracy warning's practically finished.

My Marantz DVD player allows FFing thru the warnings at 16x but no faster, even though the max FF is 64x :(

If you were super organised, put the DVD in the player as soon as you get home with it, that way it'll be ready to watch later on.

Or, buy an iPhone/iPod Touch and download movies from iTunes - if you hold it really close and tape magnifying lenses to your face it's just like Imax only without the plebs.

Actually, you could probably fashion a makeshift holder out of wire coat hangers thus keeping both hands free for beer and chips

:-D

That improved my day!

P.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What makes you think I have got out? They give us computer time here for good behaviour.

Paul.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I get annoyed by warnings and commercials on the DVD too. It is the same when you go the movies. You pay for the ticket but have to see lots of commercials before the film was supposed to start. Sometimes I have run out of snacks before the movie begins. I could solve that by buying more snacks though, maybe that bigger M & M bag, Mmmm:)

Cheers

Fritjofarnold

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

y'know they make more $$ at the snackbar than at the ticket booth, ya? ;)

meh some cinemas even tried banning "outside" food once... they meant chips/crisps, soft drinks etc

so i went supermarket shopping beforehand, walked in with 6 bags of week's groceries (which took up 4 adjacent seats);

whole movie through munched on roast chicken, ham, fresh bread, chocolate profiteroles, flavoured milk...

who needs overpriced pre-packed "choc tops" & salty popcorn

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Or 3 week old rolladogs. My God those things are a lawsuit waiting to happen....

P.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

most pirate dvd's have the anti paracy stuff taken out, to ease your conscience. <_< plus you can just download a avi file of most films straight to your pc / lap top and play it back on your tv (most plasma's and lcd's have a computer input) therefore it cost's nothing you dont have to wait for the guy at work to burn your disc, no trips to the shop to buy a proper dvd, and you dont get the **** at the begining, seams like a result to me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...