DVD Rip: Illegal or Not When Auctioning at Ebay

[SSJ4 DVD]

if i rip a dvd and put it in vcd format and auction it at ebay or yahoo, will it be illegal? and if it is illegal, and i do it, what are the chances of me getting cuaght?

[bilbogod]

Dude, that is one seriously dodgy question that you are asking
Whilst legally you may not get your arse canned by offering a "dvd backup service" with a legal disclaimer, would you really wish to risk it??
Making a few bucks is not worth the hassle of having the cops, police, etc sniffing round your internet habits and front door.
Btw - Ebay does run its own fraud squad.....

[Krash37]

They state on eBay that 'backups' are not allowed; only original copies...

SSJ4; this is PK

lol

[vitualis]

It is definitely illegal...

Even the act of ripping a DVD is probably illegal in the US (DMCA) though in other countries fair use provisions may apply if you are backing a DVD you own for personal use. Selling it though is definitely illegal.

For example, if I tape a CD I own, can I then sell the tape?

Regards.

[pacmania_2001]

Yes it is illegal but what are the chances of you getting caught? Very slim. The only thing that is a worry is that the studios have or pay other people to scan sites like Ebay for stuff like that.

Note: In no way is this message in support of Piracy of any kind

[mojo]

That's the most idiotic and insane question I've ever heard in this forum.

If you really don't know whether that is illegal or not, I suggest you keep at it and sell lots of copies. Sooner or later, for some magical reason we won't see posts from you anymore and we can all move on to real topics.


Mojo (and proud)

[pepehdez]

In USA I bet it's illegal, I guess it depends on the country you live on, in mexcico it's illegal too, the only difference is that here no one cares about the law......check this out:

Ebay Mexico> www.mercadolibre.com.mx Search for VCD

[poopyhead]

it's definitely illegal....

however, i've seen it done through other means....for example yahoo.com and amazon.com stores have "used" products when you search for their new products...sometimes these "used" games and movies are actually copies and not the original

[SSJ4 DVD]

but then how can people auction of episodes and movies of dragonball z (an anime) in vcd format and that are homemade (burned into cds) on ebay and not get any violations or anything? my dvd's are in japanese but are made by an american company. is that why?

[bilbogod]

Most pirate copies originate from SouthEast Asia, where the laws although well intentioned mean diddly squat. I must admit the urge to copy off a few flicks crossed my mind more than a few times. It must have been the idea of doing time in a federal "pound me in the arse prison" that stopped me though
Btw - Be my guest and go ahead and try it. I would welcome the opportunity to see the result. Remember the golden rule though. When it doesn't work out you have two options. Either you make sure that you do someone over real good on your first day inside. Or become someones "bitch".
If none of those options take your fancy,you only have one decent alternative left. Get your youngest brother (preferably below the age of legal responsibility) to set up your Warez empire on Ebay.
Good Luck.....

[PeterK987]

Another thing to keep in mind is that alot of the stuff on Ebay currently isn't licensed here yet.

With the way that people are doing digital fansubing, episodes are hitting ftp and newsgroup servers within days. People then take these convert them and burn them to be sold on ebay.

Selling them is still illegal but since no one has the US rights yet there is n one to go after you. Once it's been licensed here though they might start sending scary seize and desist letters. Not to mention ebay could kill your account...

[Greg12]

I don't think it's illegal if they are not making profit.

If they are charging $8 then it's not illegal.

See u have some factors

1.) Cost of media
2.) time consumption
3.) wear and tear on burner

[Mirror_Image]

http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.asp?RelatedID=2158

Movie studios tout first DVD bust in U.S.
Monday, 25 March 2002

A rogue DVD-burning lab was shut down by law enforcement in New York on Friday, the first time that's happened in the United States, according to the movie studios' trade association. The Motion Picture Association of America said it helped the New York police department shut down an unlicensed DVD-copying operation based out of a Bronx apartment.

These types of raids and closures have become increasingly common in the past several years when it comes to videocassettes and illegally distributed CDs. But this was the first such raid on a DVD-production operation in the United States, the MPAA said..."

[herbapou]

The legal laws about distributing are pretty clear:

Distributing copies for free is illegal and is a CIVIL offense. That means the gouvernement can NOT arrest you for it unless the owner of the copyright material decide to complain and suit you for it. When that happens, the lawsuit will be handle by the owner of the copyright material. Only fines can be use has punishment.

Selling copies is illegal AND its a criminal offense. That means the law inforcements agencies can arrest you and prosecute you for it. The lawsuits will be handle by the gouvernement and Jail and/or fines could be use has punishment. You can bet a civil lawsuit will follow the criminal one in those cases...

[MythSpell]

The last post is correct. However, let me point out one more thing just in case you think the odds are long that either the movie studio or a law enforcement agency will happen to find your auction and so you are probably safe. There are thousands (if not millions) of people every year buying DVDs on eBay. Sooner or later at least one of them will see your auction and be the type to turn you in. It's like committing a crime right in the middle of a football stadium with all those people to see. Do you really think that every single one of them is going to just let it slide??? Get a grip! If you need a few extra dollars that bad, go get a part-time job. You'll probably end up spending the same amount of total time, you'll probably also make more money, and you will certainly not be on the wrong side of the law (and possibly on the wrong side of some guy named Bubba in jail for 6-12 months).

[poopyhead]

hrm..ok...isn't just as illegal to take someone's program that's designated as freeware and sell it for a profit?

i've seen so many of those spam e-mails about buying a software package that you can copy DVDs......of course, they basically just include the freeware that we can already download for free...

wouldn't that be just as illegal, since they're making a profit on freeware programs?

[herbapou]

of course its illegal to do that poopyhead.

Its pretty simple, if your selling stuff thats not yours, its illegal

[poopyhead]

well...if it's so illegal, how come the government hasn't done anything about it...

if what people are saying about selling dvd rips on ebay is true, then shouldn't the government be as aggressive in catching people selling dvd rips on ebay as people selling freeware for a profit? (i get those e-mails all the time)

[SatStorm]

In USA even breathing (in some situtations) is illegal!
Do you know that on your capital state, it is illegal doing sex with your wife, at all camasutra ways except the birth-giving one?
Do you know that on New Philladelphia, when a woman drives a car, a man 7 meters before must hold a bell and announce to the people that a woman driver is coming that way?
Do you know that on missisipy, is illegal when you get your aligator for a walk, and hold it with the your left hand? (it is legal with your right one!)
Some laws you have it!

About the DVD backup now.
For the whole world, it is legal to have a backup of your property. For the whole world, except USA.
And that effects anything, not only DVDs...

Now, why USA and the US govermant don't do a lot for this?
Well, probably it is more busy checking people with aligators, if are illegal or not when there owners get them out for a walk .....

[Mirror_Image]

In USA even breathing (in some situtations) is illegal!
Do you know that on your capital state

The USA doesn't have a Capital State. If you are referring to Washington D.C., the District of Columbia is not (and never has been...and hopefully never will be) a State.

[SatStorm]

Yes, sorry...
The reason I didn't use "Washington D.C" is because I didn't know how to spell it right... (Believe or not)
My english sucks, expecially my dictation (you probably have noticed that), 'cause basicly, I learned english myself (no teachers!), watching MTV Europe...
Also, this is an oportunity to also point another issue with the way a mainstream US citizen thinks: Even if they understand what you say to them, you have to be correct in any terms.
Dictation, discription, syntax, etc....
If you are not correct at the typical part, then there many traps with the system to make you problems...
Thank God I am not a US citizen ... I probably be in a jail right now

Again sorry Mirror_Image !
I hope FBI is not coming for me right now!

[Mirror_Image]

I hope FBI is not coming for me right now!

No, the FBI does not have any jurisdiction outside US territory unless granted tempoary authority by the relevant foreign law enforcement authority. For instance, when the FBI operates inside Germany, they are authorized and (of course) by Federal Chancellor Schröder and Federal Minister Joschka Fischer.

You might have the FBI confused with the KGB (they regularly operated all over the place, permission or no permission). There is an established protocol for such things.

In any event, I doubt that imperfect English is a crime; in fact I can assure you that it is not illegal, although speaking any English at all might have caused your arrest in Germany in early 1914 (war hysteria). Look, there's naother of those odd foreign laws that pop up from time to time.

I would suppose that when Americans (or Brits, or those from any nation that is primarily English-speaking) do not acknowledge attempts at sarcasm it might also prove annoying.

[resnullius]

You might have the FBI confused with the KGB (they regularly operated all over the place, permission or no permission). There is an established protocol for such things.

Or the CIA maybe?

[TheSeven7hSon]

DUDE! Just do it! .....let me know what happens