# Can we tell if a DVD set is bootleg (like this one)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-tell-if-a-dvd-set-is-bootleg-like-this-one/788252 "2017-06-06T05:16:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-tell-if-a-dvd-set-is-bootleg-like-this-one/788252/1 "2017-06-06T05:16:56Z")
[http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Art-of-Buster-Keaton-Collection-30-Movie-11-DVD-Box-Set-NEW-SEALED-/222242430367](http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Art-of-Buster-Keaton-Collection-30-Movie-11-DVD-Box-Set-NEW-SEALED-/222242430367)? I don’t mind if the box has Chinese on it, but I’d rather not support pirates. Is this probably licensed to a cheaper company in China after most of the Western profit was wrung out of it, or is this probably pirated? How can you tell? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-tell-if-a-dvd-set-is-bootleg-like-this-one/788252/2 "2017-06-06T06:24:53Z")
It used to be that anything where, like this, it said ‘region-free’, that would be a fairly reliable indicator that it’s a bootleg copy. I don’t know if that still holds true, but my gut suggests the item you linked is probably not genuine. I googled the EAN barcode number off the pack shot and it came back with several different Buster Keaton DVDs - that could be for real (as EANs can be re-used), but it’s another warning sign. I’d look to see if you can find the thing you want on Amazon - bootlegs stuff is less common there than on eBay ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-tell-if-a-dvd-set-is-bootleg-like-this-one/788252/3 "2017-06-06T06:38:07Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > [http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Art-of-Buster-Keaton-Collection-30-Movie-11-DVD-Box-Set-NEW-SEALED-/222242430367](http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Art-of-Buster-Keaton-Collection-30-Movie-11-DVD-Box-Set-NEW-SEALED-/222242430367)? > > I don’t mind if the box has Chinese on it, but I’d rather not support pirates. Is this probably licensed to a cheaper company in China after most of the Western profit was wrung out of it, or is this probably pirated? How can you tell? Thanks. It’s shipping from China. I’d say the odds it’s genuine are just a hair width’s above zero. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-tell-if-a-dvd-set-is-bootleg-like-this-one/788252/4 "2017-06-06T06:49:00Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It’s shipping from China. I’d say the odds it’s genuine are just a hair width’s above zero. A blond one, at that. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-tell-if-a-dvd-set-is-bootleg-like-this-one/788252/5 "2017-06-06T22:23:57Z")
Buster Keaton made at least 32 films that are now in the public domain in the US, so it seems pretty likely that these DVDs are legally produced, and that anyone could publish these 30 Buster Keaton movies legally.