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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 14h

Lots of comments and replies going on at the moment over on one of Alec's latest Technology Connextras videos and Samantha here pulled up a really good link straight from Shout Factory (physical media producer) to help you avoid getting burned by bootleg/counterfeit discs!

Samantha Ferreira Is Creating An Anime Mag @sam-animeherald.bsky.social · 14h

Shockingly common. Seller-driven markets like eBay or the Amazon Marketplace tend to be rife with bootlegged media.

Anime cons have had "how to spot bootlegs" panels for as long as DVD has been a thing, and Shout! Factory even has a "how to spot a bootlegged DVD" page on their official website:

Counterfeit / Bootleg Media FAQ

Recently, we’ve seen an influx of complaints about defective DVDs – especially from our multi-disc box sets – that have been purchased both online and at fan conventions. Although none of these sets w...

shoutfactory.com

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 14h

...also, reading through the reply comments on the video, I should mention too that I'm kind of using "bootleg" as a catch-all; Some people prefer to differentiate "bootleg" from "counterfeit" and in that case, I think "counterfeit" may be more appropriate in the circumstance I was describing.

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 14h

Ironically: While DVDs are still heavily region locked, legit BluRays are FREQUENTLY sold as region free. Just look at my dual DVD+BluRay copy of Tron Legacy: Region "1" DVD on the Left, Region Free "ABC" BluRay on the right! ;)

Close up of two Tron Legacy discs to show their region codes: A DVD on the left with a "1" printed on a wireframe globe, a BluRay on the right with "ABC" printed in three hexagons.

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 14h

Paramount DVDs sold in North America will be Region 1 when legit, but the only way to know for sure would be to stick it into a PC and use software that can scan the DVD's disc info and show its region codes.

Definitely give that a check next time you're faced with a low-quality disc! ;)

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 15h

I even checked before buying that the seller was legit; had several hundred positive feedback and only like one or two negatives.

...said seller started getting tons of negative feedback and disappeared shortly following; They must've pumped up their feedback profile somehow. :(

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 15h

Trying to figure things out I started feeding the discs into my computer to scan them and discovered, despite every disc being printed "Region 1", every disc was region free.

That was the smoking gun and when I realized I had been scammed... and yes, it was an eBay seller. D:<

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 15h

Back in 2011 I bought Star Trek: Voyager as the entire series on DVD. Every disc was a pressed disc. All the art was correct. The box had all of its fancy translucent coloured plastic. EVERYTHING looked and felt right...

...but things were not right... glitches abound and entire discs not working.-

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 18h

My body is very NOT electrically conductive; I constantly have problems with capacitive touch screens. >_<

(I am just fine with resistive though, like on my DS Lite.)

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 19h

@techconnectify.bsky.social I commented on your latest Connextras video but just so this doesn't get lost in the crowd: Check your DVDs for their region locks; Bootlegs are often NOT region locked, and legit modern Paramount DVD collections SHOULD be dual-layer; I have the ST:Voyager set from 2020!

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 1d

Episode 350 is gonna be a game that I've wanted to cover for a long time now and knew was gonna be on a 50th increment at some point or another... and once I saw how the creator's website had evolved since I last saw it, I knew the time was now! ;)

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 1d

Even though the past few days have been rough, I just spent the past couple hours chatting with the person who created the game I'm covering for Episode 350 of Ancient DOS Games at the end of the month...

...about everything OTHER than said game! :D

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 1d

I'm straightening mine into vectors. :B

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Reposted by Kris Asick

Technology Connections @techconnectify.bsky.social · 1d

I have another video today! It's about old-school video projectors and how amazing they were.

Seriously, not only is it almost unbelievable that this even works, but it's doing full HD video with incredibly good image quality. It's also a royal PITA.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms8u...

Video projectors used to be ridiculously cool

YouTube video by Technology Connections

www.youtube.com

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 2d

One of several colour names I learned from playing the Pokémon games. ;)

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 2d

New Boot Leg Gaming video uploaded and ready to watch! youtu.be/DTDnT498AaM

Bending the Laws of NES - Boot Leg Gaming - Week 11

YouTube video by Pixelmusement

youtu.be

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 2d

BLG video is done; uploading now; should be up in 20~30 minutes! :)

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 2d

As a total package you are apparently worth $22.45 CAD... plus tax. ;)

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 2d

Having a rough day; Still committed to getting the next BLG video out (and it's going to be the first to have a "Dishonourable Mentions" segment) but it's definitely going to be up later than usual tonight. Don't have an expected time frame; I'll post again once I'm in the final stretch. :B

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 2d

I haven't been going to theatres since the pandemic started for a variety of reasons. I do intend to see this movie eventually; will probably end up buying it on Blu-Ray. :B

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 3d

Actually, what they do is scour WHOIS databases until they find domain names which are "close" to expiring, but not too close, scan public records to find any addresses associated, and then mail out the scare letter before the real registrar sends out their usual renewal notice. :P

Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 3d

Recently my bane has been the less scrupulous domain registrars LITERALLY MAILING ME, as in, actual physical letters, scare warnings about losing my domain names if I don't re-register right away with them at three times the cost I presently pay to my current provider. :P

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 3d

Urg... got hit with some food poisoning last night. >_<

The worst of it seems to have passed so hopefully I'll be good to do some recording for BLG later tonight as planned. :B

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Reposted by Kris Asick

PushingUpRoses 🦇 @pushinguproses.bsky.social · 4d

New video is now up. Please give it a like and a view, it was delayed by a claim for a long while. ”Enjoy” this video of me talking about disturbing things. youtu.be/A0ZIIBlpwac?...

The Most DISTURBING X-Files Episode

YouTube video by PushingUpRoses

youtu.be

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Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 4d

Regardless, if it's out of warranty you should open it up and inspect it for anything which looks out of the ordinary just in case it's something you can temporarily fix with some hot glue or something. :B

Kris Asick @pixelmusement.com · 4d

Another possibility is perhaps one of the less-critical electrical connections inside for a light or something has come loose and is creating a make/break cycle with itself similar to how a car blinker works?

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