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Just received 2 parcels from Amazon UK. 2 of the cases in one of the parcel were damaged. I wrote love letter to Amazon UK regarding this incident .

By the way, I noticed that both parcel have been opened by someone before and their have remove the sticker in both invoices. This make me wonder, are their starting to check content of the parcel again?

I am wondering is this something to do with 2 of my missing parcel from Amazon US?

My biggest worry is their also visit lowyat forum (Here!) and if someone said he/she want to order some "special" movies, those custom officers or postman will surely closely monitor your parcel.

This post has been edited by low98944: Mar 4 2010, 10:57 AM

I just received one of my missing parcel from Amazon US.

Apparently, my local post office has kept it don't know for what. Sepang's customs office released this parcel on January 4, 2010 (My order for this parcel only placed on January 12,2010... back to the future???) and re-released by my local post office on February 9, 2010 and received by me at March 4, 2010!!! and delivered to my billing address (again!!! [2nd time] ) instead of postal address.

Once again it is partially Amazon's fault cause their folded the invoice too small so it will move around reveal the billing address to uncle postman, and uncle postman also got problem since he did not read the address in sticker at another side of the parcel. Anyway, since it arrived without damaged, it is the most lucky thing for me today.

This post has been edited by low98944: Mar 4 2010, 07:27 PM

Wrong! Is Basic Instinct and Fight Club

I know what you mean la.

I also can't find in my area. That why when I received damaged cases Yesterday, I made complaint to Amazon UK and their agreed to replaced both BDs for me without additional charges.

I also don't have any idea who sale it and since I can't find it locally and even I found it, it is most probably from seller at west malaysia, the cost for 2 BD cases must be above RM15++ (including courier charges to east malaysia) but Amazon UK only agreed to refund 2 GBP which I think if I purchase myself, I will suffer losses. Thus, I don't accept their 2 GBP.

Thanks!

Anyway, thanks. Too expensive for me. Anyway, I think I will not buy the case anymore cause Amazon already agreed to send me replacement BDs and their said I can keep it as compliments or donate the damaged items to charity. Actually, only case are damaged, disc is still in good condition. So, soon I will have 2 copied Shaolin Soccer and Leon.

This is 3rd time already. 1st is scratched disc and 2nd time is actual product is different from description (for this case, their send me replacement BD and fully refund the purchase price and shipping cost).

Amazon's service is really superb!

This post has been edited by low98944: Mar 5 2010, 09:47 AM

I don't have Region B player but I got BD writer + AnyDVD HD software + HDX BD1 . So I can ripped the BD.ISO and transferred to external harddisk and play in HDX BD1.

Shaolin Soccer's BD.ISO can play without problem but for Leon, I can't play directly in my computer together with PowerDVD 8 + AnyDVD HD if I set the region code to Automatic. Last night, I ripped the Leon .ISO by setting my AnyDVD HD region code to Automatic, the ISO file also can't play in HDX BD1 . But once I set the region code to B in AnyDVD HD, I can play it at my computer. Tonight will try to play the ISO file using Region code B when ripped image from Leon, see whether it can play in HDX BD1 or not.

Strange both Shaolin Soccer and Leon are region B why Shaolin Soccer.iso can play in my HDX BD1 but Leon.iso can't? Is it my AnyDVD HD must set the region correctly before doing BD image rip?

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Added on March 5, 2010, 10:39 amBetter don't. If latter Amazon caught me selling their compliments, I will in trouble.

This post has been edited by low98944: Mar 5 2010, 10:39 AM

If you are charity organisation

Just tested to re-rip Leon with Region B setting in AnyDVD HD, this time .ISO file can play without problem in my HDX BD1. I wonder is Shaolin Soccer and Leon using different way of encoding?

Actually it is nothing to do with HDX. I believe it relate to this movie (Leon) encoding or relate to AnyDVD. . Ok. stop this topic.

I believe normally it is same (if release by same studio) or almost same quality (if release by different studio). I get my Matrix trilogy for GBP11.05 last time. UK version usually come with less sumpplements or extra. Audio format sometimes also inferior than US version.

This post has been edited by low98944: Mar 6 2010, 09:22 AM

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com once again help us to answer some of the question in our minds regarding BD packaging and extra for early released BD.

Fancy Blu-ray Packaging

Q: Why don't American Blu-ray releases get fancy cases or better packaging like other countries often do? In Europe and Japan, a lot of movies get released with Steelbook cases or gift set editions like 'Ghost in the Shell', 'Inglourious Basterds', or 'This is Spinal Tap'.

A: This is a trend that started with DVD and has carried through to Blu-ray. The U.S. market does occasionally get elaborate disc packages such as the 'Blade Runner', 'Gone with the Wind', or 'Wizard of Oz' gift sets. (Warner Home Video seems to favor them more than other studios.) Sometimes, specific retailers will carry exclusive packages, like this edition of 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' with an Optimus Prime bust that's available only at Best Buy.

However, you are correct that we see these sort of things much less frequently than some foreign territories do. Steelbook cases in particular are hot collectible items in many countries, but are rarely offered here. The reasons for that are largely cultural. For the most part, American consumers aren't attracted to elaborate movie packaging. In fact, some are outright turned off by it. Many collectors prefer uniformity, so that all their movies line up neatly on a shelf. Or, those with large collections may simply be looking to conserve space. A big box set is often seen as a waste of room. Not everyone feels this way, of course. Some collectors cherish unique cases or large gift sets. Nevertheless, by and large, fancy disc packaging doesn't sell well in the U.S. As a result, the studios don't bother to offer it here.

The situation is different in other countries. In Asia, studios often use elaborate packaging as a way to entice shoppers to buy legitimate retail editions of movies rather than cheap bootlegs. A box set or nice case makes the buyer feel that he or she is paying for something of quality. European collectors often embrace diversity in packaging. The downright crazy Hogwarts Prestige Edition gift set for the 'Harry Potter' movies that was released in France is perhaps the ultimate example of collectors' indulgence.


Harry Potter 1 to 6 - Hogwarts Castle Prestige Edition [Amazon FR] - Blu-ray

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Blu-rays with Less Features than DVDs

Q: What is it that makes companies release a Blu-ray of a film with less special features than the DVD? This makes the DVD version all the more enticing and not worth replacing. Two cases: 'Big Fish' and 'Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium'. I love both films, and both have amazing imagery that look spectacular on Blu-ray, but both feature none of the behind the scenes features that appear on the DVDs. Doesn't the extra space on the Blu-ray allow them to fit all of that and more?

A: The choice to release a Blu-ray with fewer bonus features than the comparable DVD edition of the film usually comes down to three reasons: technical issues, licensing issues, or business policy decisions.

In the early days of the Blu-ray format, many movies were authored on BD-25 single-layer discs. At the time, BD-50 dual-layer discs had poor reliability rates. This was especially problematic when the studios used inefficient MPEG-2 video compression and space-hogging PCM audio (which are troublesome even on dual-layer discs like 'Big Fish'). That left very little room on the disc for supplemental content. As a result, a lot of Blu-rays released in 2006 and 2007 had no features other than the movie. Obviously, this is much less of a concern these days. BD-50 discs are pretty standard now, and the studios have almost all switched to the more efficient AVC MPEG-4 or VC-1 compression and lossless audio formats.

In some cases, the studio may no longer hold the licensing rights to certain pieces of content. This often happens to music videos, documentaries and featurettes produced by a third-party company, or vintage material. In an example like 'La Femme Nikita', the movie was last released on DVD by MGM Home Entertainment with a handful of bonus features. But the film's distribution rights later changed hands to Sony Home Entertainment, who released it on Blu-ray but couldn't retain any of MGM's supplements.

By far the most frustrating scenario is when a studio deliberately drops bonus features with the expectation of forcing fans to buy both the Blu-ray and DVD edition of the film to get everything. 20th Century Fox (the studio behind 'Mr. Magorium') is one of the worst offenders in this regard.

This post has been edited by low98944: Mar 6 2010, 09:30 AM

Currently I don't know still can find or not but someone in www.blu-ray.com said it cost $266. Ask you boss to buy 1 unit for you.

I also wanted to know.

Ya! When I first join Amazon, I already joined Prime but can't use. Only for US residents.

Very costly cause I always order less than 4 items per shipment. vpost is the one to avoid for me.