Panic Room - Superbit - R3 - is this a bootleg?

[Andris L]

I had Panic Room on a DVD already but I decided to get a Superbit version fot the DTS soundtrack. I knew that it's also been released in R3 and after a quick look on eBay there was a few copies going but managed to secure R3 copy for £0.99.

Got it from UK seller but I'm concerned if this is a legit thing.

According to dvdcompare.net (Rewind @ www.dvdcompare.net - Panic Room (2002)) the R3 release was released in Hong Kong by Era Home Entertainment. If you look at the pics below it says on the disc made in Taiwan and the back of the case don't have the barcode printed.

I don't have enough knowledge about R3 Superbit so can someone shed some light on this please?

 

[figrin_dan]

It looks much nicer than any legit Hong Kong dvds I have and doesn't have the Hong Kong ratings logo (Hong Kong motion picture rating system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

It could just be that dvdcompare haven't been told about the Taiwanese version.

 

[iainl7]

I'm sure I found Panic Room to look and sound better on the 3-disc than on the superbit, anyway. The superbit disc was half-empty, because it was made due to the extras not being finished in time, not to improve quality.

 

[Andris L]

It looks much nicer than any legit Hong Kong dvds I have and doesn't have the Hong Kong ratings logo

Well, the case looks great and if I would have to go by just the quality of the packing it would never cross my mind to think that this could be a bootleg. Maybe it is a real deal but my main concern is omission of the barcode.

I'm sure I found Panic Room to look and sound better on the 3-disc than on the superbit, anyway. The superbit disc was half-empty, because it was made due to the extras not being finished in time, not to improve quality.

I got the 3-disc edition as well but haven't compared the two yet.

 

[elbowdan]

Looks similar to the R1 superbit. My copy is up in the loft though and it'll be something like Sunday at the earliest to dig out if it's still up there to compare with those screen shots.

 

[simonblue]

I have the region 1 superbit mine has a barcode,its so hard to tell

 

[Indiana Jones]

Well, the case looks great and if I would have to go by just the quality of the packing it would never cross my mind to think that this could be a bootleg. Maybe it is a real deal but my main concern is omission of the barcode.



I got the 3-disc edition as well but haven't compared the two yet.

The quality of some bootlegs is scary good, sometimes its almost impossible to tell them apart from the real thing which is why I stopped buying stuff off eBay, sure there are good prices but you can never be 100% sure what you have it real.

 

[Steve McQueef]

Not a bootleg. The majority of R3 Sony discs back then, had no barcode. My R3 releases of Bram Stoker's Dracula, xXx, Casino Royale, True Lies and many more, never had barcodes. I still have Dracula, I can take pics.

 

[DVD-Man]

Normally a bootleg would only have 2.0 stereo.

It a 8.5GB disc?

 

[hippo99]

Bootlegs are almost always region 0 as well. Worth sticking in a PC & seeing if it is actually region 3.

 

[Indiana Jones]

Normally a bootleg would only have 2.0 stereo.

It a 8.5GB disc?

Most of the very good bootlegs are dual layer discs and practically identical to the real thing, only the very cheap knock offs compress the films to fit onto DVD5's and drop audio tracks.

 

[Steve McQueef]

Most of the very good bootlegs are dual layer discs and practically identical to the real thing, only the very cheap knock offs compress the films to fit onto DVD5's and drop audio tracks.

Indeed. A lot of them are now on proper factory pressed discs and very hard to spot, unless you know what to look for. Popping them into a PC drive, usually reveals how fake they are.

It's not helped by companies cheaping out on the proper official copies, (poor quality artwork and packaging), to the point, where they look like dodgy bootlegs. I had Dexter and 30 Rock Region 1 DVD sets, that were flimsy crap and wouldn't be offended, if you thought they were fake.

 

[Andris L]

Not a bootleg. The majority of R3 Sony discs back then, had no barcode. My R3 releases of Bram Stoker's Dracula, xXx, Casino Royale, True Lies and many more, never had barcodes. I still have Dracula, I can take pics.

Did you buy "Dracula" from reliably source?

Normally a bootleg would only have 2.0 stereo.

It a 8.5GB disc?

This definitely got DTS soundtrack. Checked the disc and 5.55GB. Checked my R2 disc from 3-Disc edition and that's 7.13GB but it's got three commentaries on it so 5.55GB for Superbit probably sounds about right?

Bootlegs are almost always region 0 as well. Worth sticking in a PC & seeing if it is actually region 3.

My PC reports this as R3.

 

[Steve McQueef]

Did you buy "Dracula" from reliably source?

They were all bought from Cdwow, back in the day.

I have recent Hong Kong BDs, released by Edko and they still don't use barcodes.

 

[IAN P]

I've got all those R3 Superbit releases. They are legit.


The prices weren't though.


Bought from several vendors who all offered great service back in the day. Haven't used them for a long time unfortunately.

 

[figrin_dan]

so 5.55GB for Superbit probably sounds about right?

I thought the whole point of Superbit* was to fill the entire disc with film.

*Marketing aside.

 

[Indiana Jones]

I thought the whole point of Superbit* was to fill the entire disc with film.

*Marketing aside.

That's what the marketing of them would lead you to believe but you can only push the bitrate so high after which there will be no difference, it's the same with the new 'Mastered in 4K' BDs which are the film only yet there is plenty of room left for extras but by including only the film they give the impression that the whole disc is being used but it's not.

 

[hippo99]

I thought the whole point of Superbit* was to fill the entire disc with film.

*Marketing aside.

In some cases the super bit edition looked worse than the standard edition (WITH extras)!

 

[figrin_dan]

Yeah it does seem that Sony just likes to LIE its way to purchases. Kind of puts me off the whole company.
[My latest TV is my first non-Sony for 20 years]

 

[IAN P]

Superbits were bought more for the DTS soundtracks than picture quality, if I'm being thoroughly honest.


That was the thing back in the day. DTS soundtracks were hunted down from all over the world. A bit like slipcover collectors nowadays. Only more rabid

 

[Andris L]

Superbits were bought more for the DTS soundtracks than picture quality, if I'm being thoroughly honest.


That was the thing back in the day. DTS soundtracks were hunted down from all over the world. A bit like slipcover collectors nowadays. Only more rabid

 

[simonblue]

Superbits were bought more for the DTS soundtracks than picture quality, if I'm being thoroughly honest.


That was the thing back in the day. DTS soundtracks were hunted down from all over the world. A bit like slipcover collectors nowadays. Only more rabid

True and DTS LD

 

[mentm]

Looks legit to me, bootleg films I had were always r0 so I'd say your pretty safe. I'm sure I had a number of region 3 discs with no barcode, also had the region 1 panic room superbit, but all my dvd cases are now in the loft.

 

[dts]

True and DTS LD

I have Dug a few of my superbit DVDs out-Love the old DTS and Dolby logos before the films start.

 

[IAN P]

I have Dug a few of my superbit DVDs out-Love the old DTS and Dolby logos before the films start.

You need the demo disc with all these trailers in one place.

Home Cinema Choice gave away such a disc a few years ago.


You can still get 'em on ebay or the like.