[plug] [OT] DVD Other Regions

[Bernd Felsche]

Carl Gherardi <carl.gherardi at gmail.com> writes:


>All comments following have no legal basis, just observaional experience.

>On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 00:42:39 +0800, Timothy White <weirdo at tigris.org> wrote:
>> After reading an interesting thread on WP I was interested in what some
>> of you Pluggers think/know in relation to Other Zoned DVD's.
>> Basically the thread was talking about the Selling and Hiring of Other
>> Zoned DVD's in Australia and the importation of them.
>> It was talking about DMCA and some law changes effect the 1st of this year.
>> Basically I have 2 questions, one out of interest and one for a friend.
>> 1) What is the current status with importing DVD's?
>> e.g. Genuine DVD's from Bali?

>There exists legal dvds in Bali?

>After chatting with a customs guy when coming back from Bali last year
>he said customs would ignore amounts less than 50, after which they'd
>look at people on a case by case basis. pr0n being particularly
>frowned upon.

>I have a feeling (with no basis) that importing goods for sale
>qualifies for a ton of tax laws and restrictions.

>> e.g. Pirated DVD's from Bali?
>>

>Illegal everywhere, but similar applies to the legal case.
> 
>> 2) Are stores allowed to Hire/Sell Other Zoned DVD's and are people
>> allowed to bring them from other countrys (for personal use and if they
>> are legit)?
>>

>(Almost) Every dvd store in Perth will refuse to order in dvd that
>aren't from their distributor, who i'm guessing get good prices on the
>dvds in return for only selling Region 1 titles.

>Having said that... Empire toys in Perth will order in dvds from other
>regions, and are nice enough to warn you that Region 1 dvd wont play
>on many dvd players. I have o idea if what they do is considered
>legal, the best people to ask would be them.

Better:
 Professor Fels said
   ...

   "While the Copyright Act 1968 prevents Australian retailers and
   wholesalers from importing DVD movies for resale or other
   commercial purposes, consumers are lawfully entitled to buy DVD
   movies from overseas for personal use.
    

    "It is when this option is pursued that the limitations enforced
    by the RPC system become apparent. Private importation of DVDs,
    either via the Internet or from purchases acquired during
    international travel, has been an attractive option for
    Australian consumers, as it is widely accepted that discs
    produced overseas, particularly in the US, provide significantly
    greater consumer choice in terms of the range of movie titles
    available on DVD and the additional features displayed by those
    titles.

    ...

http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/87605/fromItemId/378010
-- 
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia
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