# Question about Bootleg Videos **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077 "2005-10-26T22:37:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/1 "2005-10-26T22:37:55Z")
I am looking to buy the Star Wars trilogy (parts 4-6) on DVD , and was cruising eBay just now. I found multiple listings from the same seller that says they are the Asian version, which I am assuming means they are bootleg? Here is the link to one of them: [http://cgi.ebay.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-2-NEW-Movies-5-DVD-set-New-Sealed\_W0QQitemZ6445361860QQcategoryZ617QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/Star-Wars-Trilogy-2-NEW-Movies-5-DVD-set-New-Sealed_W0QQitemZ6445361860QQcategoryZ617QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) Does anyone know if these are of decent quality? Is it worth buying one? Or should I wait and pay the full price in a store? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/2 "2005-10-26T22:39:45Z")
If you’re looking for someone to come in here and tell you it’s OK to buy bootleg/illegal videos, that’s one of the quickest ways to get your thread closed. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/3 "2005-10-26T23:02:34Z")
No , that is not what I am asking. If you would have clicked on the link, you would have seen that the auction I was asking about claimed it was a new video. Perhaps bootleg is not the word I was looking for, excuse me for making an error. Sheesh. I asked for opinions, that’s all. You don’t have to get snarky. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/4 "2005-10-26T23:09:17Z")
Hmm. FBG, did you click on the linky? Because I read the question as: Are they bootleg? Assuming they are not bootleg, is it worth it to get it? Are they decent quality? What I can mainly think of, FBG, is being “Asian version” they might be set to Mandorin or Japanese and you might have to change it to English in the Languages section. Or they may not play on your DVD player. Quality should be OK, thank goodness the time of VHS is past (almost). I have no idea about the bootleg thing, I could definitely see bootleg DVDs being sold on Ebay. I’ve had a few though, inadvertently, and usually they don’t have any of the packaging or pictures or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/5 "2005-10-26T23:09:39Z")
Not likely to be in English or your region code if they’re legit. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/6 "2005-10-26T23:10:20Z")
Sorry, the second reference to FBG should have been to PapSett. (What an interesting name). ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/7 "2005-10-26T23:18:08Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Sorry, the second reference to FBG should have been to PapSett. (What an interesting name). Thank you Anaamika, you interperated my questions correctly. I was just interested in finding out if they WERE bootleg or what have you. PapSett is a combination of my 2 dog breeds- **PAP** illons and Gordon **SETT** ers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/8 "2005-10-26T23:21:20Z")
One thing bothers me about that listing. It’s supposed to be for three days. When I clicked on it there were less than 21 hours left. The bid was a penny. What do all those Ebayers know that I don’t? You already know this but I’ll mention it anyway. Quite a lot of bootleg stuff is shot over the sholder in a movie theater. If that’s the case it means shakey camera, fuzzy picture, crummy sound (including coughs and comments from the audience). If that’s the case then this set might not be worth the penny that’s been bid on it. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/9 "2005-10-26T23:22:47Z")
Here’s what’s throwing me off. They claim to have Chinese and Korean subtitles. This is often a clue that you’re looking at a boot and probably a HK boot at that, especially with just Chinese subtitles. More confusing is that the guy is claiming an R1 release. If it’s legit, it won’t be R1, it’ll be R3 or _maybe_ R2 or R6. If it’s a boot, it’s likely that it’s actually R0. My gut instinct, honed by years of dealing with people trying to sell me anime bootlegs, is that it’s a boot. If it’s legit, you’ll be able to go to the equivalent of Amazon Hong Kong and find it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/10 "2005-10-27T13:04:36Z")
Been an eBay seller for slightly over a month and has been selling the same sets. I wouldn’t go near it. ---
**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:** [October 27, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/11 "2005-10-27T13:31:01Z")
Curious that none of the feedback mentions anything like “Not original, but good quality anyway” - you see that a lot elsewhere on auctions that are slightly more conspicuously fake. My hunch is that they are factory-produced bootlegs, so they probably look OK, but as **asterion** says, the region info casts grave doubt on their authenticity. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-bootleg-videos/328077/12 "2005-10-27T21:10:32Z")
Be careful with Asian bootleg videos, you may wind up with the [Engrish Version.](http://winterson.com/2005/06/episode-iii-backstroke-of-west.html) Frankly, I wouldn’t spend a thin dime on bootlegs for DVDs you can buy in the store, or rent from Netflix. Now, if you’re looking for the _original_ Star Wars trilogy (with Han Solo shooting first & all that good stuff) that’s a different story…but board rules forbid me from speaking more on that topic. 🆒