3 replies to this topic

[Sexpat]

Yes, I buy pirated CD/DVd copies at Jomtien beach or the markets. What I don't understand is why the copies vary so much in quality, video and audio.

I got a copy of "King kong" the other day and it was as good as watching the movie in the theatre, in terms of the quality of the CD. I got a copy of 'Snakes on a Plane" the same day from the same guy and it was so bad in quality and dark in over all color that I couldn't watch it.

Are the bad CD/DVD copies of copies, as someone at the beach suggests. I have a hunch that there are different distribution chains that produce different quality films, rather than being copies of copies.

Is there any way to tell if it's a good or bad copy without buying it and taking it home to view ?

[DollyLamma]

You didn't miss anything by not watching snakes on a plane. One of the ten worst movies ever made, in my opinionated opinion.

I'm always disappointed in the Japanese porno because of that lense blurring they do in some naked sex scenes. Some of the recent thai stuff is technically good, but the Japanese are still the masters of moaning during sex.

[Snowy]

Yes, I buy pirated CD/DVd copies at Jomtien beach or the markets. What I don't understand is why the copies vary so much in quality, video and audio.

I got a copy of "King kong" the other day and it was as good as watching the movie in the theatre, in terms of the quality of the CD. I got a copy of 'Snakes on a Plane" the same day from the same guy and it was so bad in quality and dark in over all color that I couldn't watch it.

Are the bad CD/DVD copies of copies, as someone at the beach suggests. I have a hunch that there are different distribution chains that produce different quality films, rather than being copies of copies.

Is there any way to tell if it's a good or bad copy without buying it and taking it home to view ?

The magic word in your post is "pirated".
They may well be copies of copies but if these are done (semi) professionally the (second and subsequent) copies should not lose much in the way of quality. Really bad CD/VCDs of commercial films are probably filmed direct from the screen in a cinema using a camcorder and this is more likely to be the case when the CD/VCD is of a newly or recently released film.

Unfortunately it is very easy to print CD/VCD covers and there is no way to tell the quality of the contents without viewing.

I have been caught out once and do not now buy from beach vendors or pavement stalls, just to save a couple of hundred Baht. If you want to buy copies go to a shop and buy - they are still comparatively cheap compared with (in my case) UK prices - and you can usually return to the shop and get a replacement/refund if the quality is bad. Remember in the case of VCDs to ensure that the Region code is correct for the make of DVD player you intend to use.

[Snowy]

Funny thing, my 6000 Baht Philips which was bought in Thailand won't play the DVD's from the USA, but my 1700 Baht Fantasia plays everything, VCD or DVD, no matter where it comes from.

DVD players made for the USA market will not play VCDs manufactured for other areas. Likewise players made for Thailand (Region 3) should not be able to play DVDs from the US. Your Fantasia appears to be a Region-free player. Information in:

http://hometheater.about.com/cs/dvdlaserdi...egioncodesa.htm

There are downloadable programmes on the web which get over this problem, if you are wanting to watch the VCD using a computer VCD programme, although they vary in effectiveness - Google "region free software".

There are also web sites which advertise Region-free players for sale - (see page 2 of link)