How to spot a Pirate DVD?

DVD Piracy
If you come across someone selling pirated media products such as Videos, DVD's, CD's, Blu-Ray DVD's, etc you can report them to AFACT (Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft) through their website at: http://www.afact.org.au/ or by phoning them on their national toll free number: 1800 251 996.

What is wrong with buying a pirate DVD?
Production and manufacture of pirate DVDs is a criminal offence; the purchase of these products sustains this illegal activity and generates proceeds of crime. AFACT continues to witness proceeds from the sale of pirated DVDs supporting other criminal activity and leading to the exploitation of vulnerable persons.

How can I tell if it is a fake?
If you have a film title on DVD that has not yet been released in Australia, if it is not anywhere in the world in DVD format, or it is currently on in the cinema, then it is more than likely to be a pirate copy.
If a Major Studio DVD is listed with a Region 0 or Region All code, then it is likely to be a PIRATE.

See here for more info on how to detect a pirate DVD.
(pdf) http://www.afact.org.au/factsheets/AFACT_Consumer_Guide_Is_It_Pirated.pdf
(doc) http://www.afact.org.au/factsheets/AFACT_Consumer_Guide_Is_It_Pirated.doc



PARALLEL IMPORTS?
Parallel imports are legal goods authorized for manufacture or distribution in the exporting country but imported into Australia without the authority of the copyright or trademark owner.

Parallel importation of film and television programs is illegal in Australia.

Licensing and control of product sale and importation is a critical means to manage investment in new films and to support local industry. When anyone can bring in any disc from anywhere, significant amounts of pirated goods come in, often masquerading as legitimate product.

For copyright owners, parallel imports make it difficult to set up distribution networks that serve territorial markets and promote competition. If parallel importers undercut legitimate distribution networks, those distribution networks - encompassing a wide range of companies including not only distributors, retailers and rental outlets but also advertising companies, promotional merchandise suppliers, local audio visual duplicators, dubbing studios, and packaging firms - will wither and die.

In turn, copyright owners will be unable to distribute content that is adapted to the local market.
In addition, parallel importers typically 'cherry pick' the most and more popular titles, and create a disincentive for distributors to provide the wide variety of titles that are currently available to video rental stores and retailers in Australia.

Importation regulations protect businesses and they protect consumers from the same thing - low quality, illegitimate product.

Is it illegal to purchase region 1 DVDs?
My DVD player can play DVDs from around the world. Can I play foreign DVDs?It is not illegal to purchase other region DVDs. If you go abroad on holiday or for business you are perfectly entitled to purchase other zone DVDs for your personal use, and watch them within Australia.

What if I buy a DVD over the Internet?
You are allowed to purchase overseas DVDs, as long as the trading company - the company you buy it from - does not carry out the transaction within Australia.

For example, it is not an offence to access an American based website and purchase the product online, as long as the product is for your personal use, and is not re-sold within Australia. The point of sale therefore must not take place in Australia.

Released 01/07/08

Planet Earth (1995) - Vol. 1: The Living Machine
Planet Earth (1995) - Vol. 2: The Blue Planet
Planet Earth (1995) - Vol. 3: The Climate Puzzle
Murder, She Wrote - The Complete 8th Season (6 Disc Set)
Little House On The Prairie - Season 4: Part 1 (3 Disc Set)
Little House On The Prairie - Season 4: Part 2 (3 Disc Set)

Released 30/06/08

Dave Allen Show In Australia, The (2 Disc Set)
Dempsey And Makepeace - The Complete 3rd Series (3 Disc Set)
Kavanagh Q.C. - Series 1 & 2 (5 Disc Set)
Life Begins - The Complete Series (6 Disc Box Set)
Ocean Girl - Complete 3rd Season (3 Disc Set)
Prime Suspect - The Complete Collection (9 Disc Set)
Saint, The (1989) (3 Disc Set)
Secret Army - The Complete 2nd Series (4 Disc Box Set)
State Coroner - The Complete 1st Series (4 Disc Set)
Thunderstone - The Complete 1st Series (4 Disc Set)
Twilight Zone, The - The Original Series: Season 4 - Collector's Edition (6 Disc Box Set)
Twilight Zone, The - The Original Series: Season 5 - Collector's Edition (6 Disc Box Set)
Two Ronnies In Australia, The (2 Disc Set)

Released 24/06/08

L Word, The - The Complete 4th Season (4 Disc Set)

Released 23/06/08

Long Way Down - Complete TV Series: Special Edition (3 Disc Set)
L Word, The - The Complete 1st Season (4 Disc Set)

Released 19/06/08

Mistresses - Series 1 (2 Disc Set)

Released 18/06/08

Californication - Season 1 (2 Disc Set)
Oz - The 5th Season (3 Disc Set)
Star Trek - Enterprise: Season 1 (7 Disc Box Set) (New Packaging)
Star Trek - Enterprise: Season 2 (7 Disc Box Set) (New Packaging)
Star Trek - Enterprise: Season 3 (7 Disc Box Set) (New Packaging)
Star Trek - Enterprise: Season 4 (6 Disc Box Set) (New Packaging)

** Yes, a new re-release of this great Star Trek Series at a realistic price - at last! **

Released 12/06/08

Desperate Housewives - The Complete 2nd Season: The Extra Juicy Edition (7 Disc Slimline Set)

Released 11/06/08

Naruto - Collection 2: Episodes 14-25 (3 Disc Set)
Naruto - Jump Festa CollectionFrisky Dingo - Season 1
Dragon Ball Z - Season 4 (6 Disc Box Set)
Dexter's Laboratory - Season 2: Part 1 (2 Disc Set)

Released 10/06/08

Sugar & Spice - The Complete Series (3 Disc Set)
Stockinger - Vol. 1 (2 Disc Set)
My So-Called Life - The Complete Series (5 Disc Set)
Masters Of Science Fiction - Complete Series 1 (2 Disc Set)


Stingers - Season 5 (6 Disc Set) *** One of my Favourites ***

Inspired by true events, Stingers reveals the shadowy and ambiguous world of undercover cops: people with covert lives and constantly changing identities. They defeat crime from behind the enemy lines. The operatives of the Undercover Unit work in the most murky and dangerous of all occupations. No one uses the name they were born with. It’s safer that way.

This unique breed of highly skilled elite police agents contend with a multitude of risks to themselves and their colleagues. They must juggle their own lives – love, laughter, family and humanity – with the tension of the criminal personas they adopt in their passion for justice.

Episodes:
Thin Ice
An Anonymous Guy
Cash on Delivery
What's Love Got to Do with It?
A Little Crush
No PromisesMule
Train
White Ants
In the Gun
In Plain View
Fatal Flaw
Trust
Big Fish
DMZ
Blow Off
Inside Man
Mind Games
Disgraceful
ConductSmoke and Mirrors
Too Much Information
Pale Horse
A Girl's Best Friend

Released 05/06/08

Top Gear - The Great Adventures: Polar Special
Postman Pat - Big Boat Adventure (Handle Case)
Frontier House (2 Disc Set)
Doctor Who - The Infinite Quest (Animation)
Doctor Who - Black Orchid

Released 04/06/08

Veronica Mars - Season 1 (6 Disc Set)
Sliders - Season 4 (5 Disc Set)
One Tree Hill - Season 4 (6 Disc Set)
Magnum P.I. - Season 7 (6 Disc Set)
Incredible Hulk, The (1978) - Season 1 (4 Disc Set)
Incredible Hulk, The (1978) - Season 2 (6 Disc Set)
Columbo - 4 Mystery Movie Collection: 1989 (2 Disc Set)
Bionic Woman (2007) - Season 1 (2 Disc Set)

Released 02/06/08

Mr. Magoo Show, The - The Complete Series (4 Disc Set)
Murder City - The Complete Series (4 Disc Set)
Cadfael - The Complete Series (8 Disc Box Set)
Chancer - The Complete Series (6 Disc Set)

Released 28/05/08

Bewitched (1964) - The Complete 6th Season (4 Disc Set)
Sex And The City - The Ultimate DVD Collection (19 Disc Box Set)
Sigmund & The Sea Monsters - The Complete 1st Season (3 Disc Set)
Weeds - The Complete 2nd Season (2 Disc Set)