Pirate DVDs from Russia

[horgh]

I've read from many places that there are no pirate DVDs, it's more expensive to make them than buy an original one...Anyway from Russia you can get pirate DVDs ! I have seen those, and it's really clear that they are pirated, I don't know where are they made and by whom but they can sell them in very low prices, like 3 - 10 $.

It might be mafia work, like pirated CDs are...

I know something about these things because I live in Finland, 15 miles from the border of Russia, people from here visit very often Russia, and come back with pirated clothes, CDs VHS, and now DVDs !

My point is that NEVER buy pirated DVDs, (or CDs), because if you do you support Russian mafia, or some other criminal organisation !

[Trancemaster]

On your first point, yes pirate DVD's are usually crap. I managed to procure a copy of AI from Malaysia and the audio was crackly, the video badly interlaced and washed out looking, almost to the point of being impossible to watch. It seemed pointless to rip it, but I tried anyway. The next day after 7 hours encoding, I deleted the .avi after watching approx 30 seconds of it.

However on you second point, about supporting the mafia, I can only say:

What the HELL are you talking about? Don't you realise that people will buy anything if the price is right, or in this case righter than normal? I doubt very many of them thought about their love of the mafia when the money changed hands. I think it's more likely they thought "Hey, cheap DVD's"

[timing]

I dunno about Movie DVDs, but Japanimation DVDs cost an arm and a leg ... you pay twice the $$ for about half the video length ... and you can get, well, not pirated, but DVDs from Hong Kong and what not that have similar quality (if you're lucky) for about a third the price

[Simon T]

I know from my Chinese friend that tey are still selling illegal VCD's in Hong Kong: any idea about the sentence when they catch you there with those movies?

3 YEARS IN STATE PRISON!! (acoording to my friend)

Anyone who can verify this?

[Mikez]

LOL

It's quite easy guys.. Also to get perfect copies; all you need is a duplication service willing to do it for you...

Maybe this one?

http://www.hot.ee/liit/index.html

Might be some sort of setup... I don't know, but I'm sure it's possible somewhere.


Anyway, I think the movie/music industry acts like mafia themselves. They put prices at a level much too high and thereby afford all the luxury going on within the industry. They pay the actors/artists really well and think that justifies everything and allows a few people to completetly fill their pockets of money.
Over the years they managed to alter the law in various countries which nowadays even makes the police/feds chase after their insane profits....


Mikez

[squidgy]

Luxuries? Hmm, that might be a bit of a sore point for those who actually work in the industry. I've worked in duplication factories for appallingly low wages, and record shops for slightly higher wages but still not brilliant.

I have a rellie who designs web sites and publicity material for the music and media industry, I'll have to find out how much he gets paid for that, though I guess it isn't much .... otherwise he wouldn't still be living with mum and dad! He's in his early 20's at the moment.

[squidgy]

Oh, and in case you're wondering, working in the music industry has never given me or any of my rellies any qualms about using P2P file sharing. All it means is that we say "tut tut naughty naughty" when our customers admit to doing it! I'd never snitch on anyone, though. Besides, it would probably be a breach of the Data Protection Act if I did.

[Mikez]

Squidgy,

OK, so you worked in a recordshop...
This only proves that the huge amounts of money made in the industry are stuffed in a very limited amount of pockets..

I mean you can figure it out yourself...
CD prices for instance... They are insane here in europe!

I think everybody should be able to make an honest profit but what most large industries do nowaday is not fair and has nothing to do with free market either. It's pure mafia like behaviour, people with influence are bought with huge salaries/fees etc. to maintain a closed industry which can set their own prices....

It's sooo sad our governments believe in this free market economy!! It's a lie!!!!

Simple example of totally legal behaviour of for instance the toothpaste industry(consists of maybe 3 large companies):

SB has 20 flavours of toothpaste in your supermarkets all over the country. Almost no other brands are represented.....
You come up with a very well priced very succesfull new toothpaste and manage to get it in stores(you wouldn't even get that fare probably)
Toothpaste industry will act like this:
They will get some likewise toothpaste and put it on shelves for even less than your toothpaste untill you are out of business. At any point they also might just give you a lot of money and pull you of the market.
They only have to pay one person a lot of money to maintain their position. Totally legal but with great impact....

It's all one big ****ing lie!!

[grif_mcrenolds]

Even if you do buy a DVD from russia, you wouldn't be able to watch it without buying a region free player. Unless they stripped the VOBs of thier region encoding, it's not worth the money. And another thing, if the sound and picture sucks, where did they get the original copy of the movie? Did they get it off VHS? Did they just take a cam into the theater? If they copied it directly from the master DVD, it shouldn't have problems. If you want cheap movies (or free), just dl from the web. But even then you'll have reduced quality, so just stick to the lagal thing and rip them yourself.

[Kaiser-Soze]

I believe that in a free capitalist economy (so the governement says and the books I 've been reading for almost 4 years now) the supply is driven from demand. Well guess what...?
the demand DEMANDS for cheaper DVD's CD's e.t.c and not for overpriced theft that Hollywood supplies. If the Russian Mafia can supply me with what I need I won't listen and obbey to the laws that are made for the ONES IN CONTROL.
I also totally agree with MIKEZ about toothpastes.
This is called ,economically speaking, CANIBALIZATION of the market and believe me it works. U just break up the market in smaller segments and the one with the most brands and money wins and gets the whole market share. No place for smaller businesses no matter how good and competitive they are. The capital rules these ages and u better get used to it because ,believe me, things gonna get tougher.
It's not just that simple.
Not fair at all...

[khp]

The capital rules these ages and u better get used to it because ,believe me, things gonna get tougher.

I don't believe things are that bleak.

At present anyone with a properly eqipped home computer can make a digital copy of any media (except old fashion books Still one of my favorites).

I think history has shown over and over that technology can never be undone, you can't put the cat back into the bag

The only way the recording industy can ever regain the upper hand, is to create a superior content delivery system in which they have total control.
History has also shown that, that is impossible, although I do enjoy to see them try.

That beeing said I am strongly opposed to to anyone who makes and sells copied content for a profit, this is worse than stealing, and they deserve all the punishment they get.

On the legislation side, fair use laws are beeing adopted across the world.

I think the recording industry is in for a very tough time, AFAIK cd sales fell by almost 20% from 2000 to 2001 here in denmark, many of the 'enginered' 'boy band' and 'girl group' will get killed by this, and the world will be a better place for it (in my opinion).
The true artists who lives for what they do will continue to find a way to do what they love.

I have bought maybe 2 or 3 cd's in the last year, but mostly I use my radio for music, I get some great 'alternative' music channels which help me decide which artists to support.

I think the movie industry will continue pretty much unchanged for a long time to come, most of their profits come from the cinema and nothing will ever beat the cinematic experience.

Sorry about the lengthy post (I have too much spare time)

[Kaiser-Soze]

many of the 'enginered' 'boy band' and 'girl group' will get killed by this, and the world will be a better place for it

I can't see the time

I have bought maybe 2 or 3 cd's in the last year, but mostly I use my radio for music, I get some great 'alternative' music channels which help me decide which artists to support

That's exactly what I do.
khp what are your favorite artists?

[khp]

khp what are your favorite artists?

If I had to pick one I would have to say Bjork.

I also care deeply for music by Depeche Mode, The Smashing Pumpkins, Tori Amos, and Moby, not necessarily in that order.

[Kaiser-Soze]

I 'd agree to all of those by adding
Flaming Stars,Placebo,Pixies,Velvet Underground