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More and more over the last few months i've been noticing that the uk tends to always draw the short straw when it comes to pretty much everything in the entertainment world.
As was pointed out the other day, most R1 dvds are far superior to R2 dvds and so many of us choose R1s over R2s.
How is your average proud brit expected to help his/her country's economy/film industry with his/her hard earned cash if he/she is constantly tempted by better quality releases from across the pond? I myself have bought nearly all R1 dvds inc. The Life Of Brian (which is particularly ironic considering that it is a python film.. ie largely british).
People talk about the money that is taken away from the manufacturers of games/films through piracy but what about the money that is lost through people opting for import versions and giving their money to other countries because they provide better value for money...?
Not only is the quality of merchandise often better but it is available alot sooner abroad. I am always ordering import cds from countries like Sweden simply because they don't cost anymore than uk releases (sometimes less) and they arrive several months before.
We always have to wait ages for american films to reach the uk, its really annoying.
Another reason why people are tempted by import goods is possibly that they like the idea that the item they have purchased is for the most part unique (in this country at least) and that most other people will have standard uk releases or still be waiting for whatever it is while you have your shiny spanking import with better box art, extras, etc.. its a similar thing to the popularity of limited edition cds over the standard versions. The 'aah but *mine* has this..' - all perfectly reasonable.. i ean if you can get better than your being offered.. why not?
What i don't get is how uk distributors don't realise that so many of us are turning to imports, and get their acts together and offer us something on our cds/dvds etc to keep us buying from the uk. I mean its no skin off our noses to do a little online shopping to get what we want.. its them that lose money.
In japan for example... the reason a lot of domestically released cds do a good trade in imports over here is because they have so many extra tracks or the artwork is better, etc.. this is so that japanese buyers don't look to the us or the uk to buy their music, but buy domestically. And it works.. in fact the extra bits are usually so tempting that the japanese will make more money because not obnly have their secured their domestic buyers but they have caught the eye of foreign buyers and so manage to sell a whole lot more.
Why doesn't the uk put some effort into what it releases so that we can just pop down the road and know that we're buying a product thats as high quality as it can be... then maybe other countries would contribute in an import trade. If the usa can release british films with much better extras then why can't the uk make the effort aswell?
As we seem to pay the most for our entertainment here in the uk, don't we deserve to get something thats A.) on time B.) worth our money?
What do the rest of you think?
As was pointed out the other day, most R1 dvds are far superior to R2 dvds and so many of us choose R1s over R2s.
How is your average proud brit expected to help his/her country's economy/film industry with his/her hard earned cash if he/she is constantly tempted by better quality releases from across the pond? I myself have bought nearly all R1 dvds inc. The Life Of Brian (which is particularly ironic considering that it is a python film.. ie largely british).
People talk about the money that is taken away from the manufacturers of games/films through piracy but what about the money that is lost through people opting for import versions and giving their money to other countries because they provide better value for money...?
Not only is the quality of merchandise often better but it is available alot sooner abroad. I am always ordering import cds from countries like Sweden simply because they don't cost anymore than uk releases (sometimes less) and they arrive several months before.
We always have to wait ages for american films to reach the uk, its really annoying.
Another reason why people are tempted by import goods is possibly that they like the idea that the item they have purchased is for the most part unique (in this country at least) and that most other people will have standard uk releases or still be waiting for whatever it is while you have your shiny spanking import with better box art, extras, etc.. its a similar thing to the popularity of limited edition cds over the standard versions. The 'aah but *mine* has this..' - all perfectly reasonable.. i ean if you can get better than your being offered.. why not?
What i don't get is how uk distributors don't realise that so many of us are turning to imports, and get their acts together and offer us something on our cds/dvds etc to keep us buying from the uk. I mean its no skin off our noses to do a little online shopping to get what we want.. its them that lose money.
In japan for example... the reason a lot of domestically released cds do a good trade in imports over here is because they have so many extra tracks or the artwork is better, etc.. this is so that japanese buyers don't look to the us or the uk to buy their music, but buy domestically. And it works.. in fact the extra bits are usually so tempting that the japanese will make more money because not obnly have their secured their domestic buyers but they have caught the eye of foreign buyers and so manage to sell a whole lot more.
Why doesn't the uk put some effort into what it releases so that we can just pop down the road and know that we're buying a product thats as high quality as it can be... then maybe other countries would contribute in an import trade. If the usa can release british films with much better extras then why can't the uk make the effort aswell?
As we seem to pay the most for our entertainment here in the uk, don't we deserve to get something thats A.) on time B.) worth our money?
What do the rest of you think?
More and more over the last few months i've been noticing that the uk tends to always draw the short straw when it comes to pretty much everything in the entertainment world.
As was pointed out the other day, most R1 dvds are far superior to R2 dvds and so many of us choose R1s over R2s.
How is your average proud brit expected to help his/her country's economy/film industry with his/her hard earned cash if he/she is constantly tempted by better quality releases from across the pond? I myself have bought nearly all R1 dvds inc. The Life Of Brian (which is particularly ironic considering that it is a python film.. ie largely british).
People talk about the money that is taken away from the manufacturers of games/films through piracy but what about the money that is lost through people opting for import versions and giving their money to other countries because they provide better value for money...?
Not only is the quality of merchandise often better but it is available alot sooner abroad. I am always ordering import cds from countries like Sweden simply because they don't cost anymore than uk releases (sometimes less) and they arrive several months before.
We always have to wait ages for american films to reach the uk, its really annoying.
Another reason why people are tempted by import goods is possibly that they like the idea that the item they have purchased is for the most part unique (in this country at least) and that most other people will have standard uk releases or still be waiting for whatever it is while you have your shiny spanking import with better box art, extras, etc.. its a similar thing to the popularity of limited edition cds over the standard versions. The 'aah but *mine* has this..' - all perfectly reasonable.. i ean if you can get better than your being offered.. why not?
What i don't get is how uk distributors don't realise that so many of us are turning to imports, and get their acts together and offer us something on our cds/dvds etc to keep us buying from the uk. I mean its no skin off our noses to do a little online shopping to get what we want.. its them that lose money.
In japan for example... the reason a lot of domestically released cds do a good trade in imports over here is because they have so many extra tracks or the artwork is better, etc.. this is so that japanese buyers don't look to the us or the uk to buy their music, but buy domestically. And it works.. in fact the extra bits are usually so tempting that the japanese will make more money because not obnly have their secured their domestic buyers but they have caught the eye of foreign buyers and so manage to sell a whole lot more.
Why doesn't the uk put some effort into what it releases so that we can just pop down the road and know that we're buying a product thats as high quality as it can be... then maybe other countries would contribute in an import trade. If the usa can release british films with much better extras then why can't the uk make the effort aswell?
As we seem to pay the most for our entertainment here in the uk, don't we deserve to get something thats A.) on time B.) worth our money?
What do the rest of you think?
As was pointed out the other day, most R1 dvds are far superior to R2 dvds and so many of us choose R1s over R2s.
How is your average proud brit expected to help his/her country's economy/film industry with his/her hard earned cash if he/she is constantly tempted by better quality releases from across the pond? I myself have bought nearly all R1 dvds inc. The Life Of Brian (which is particularly ironic considering that it is a python film.. ie largely british).
People talk about the money that is taken away from the manufacturers of games/films through piracy but what about the money that is lost through people opting for import versions and giving their money to other countries because they provide better value for money...?
Not only is the quality of merchandise often better but it is available alot sooner abroad. I am always ordering import cds from countries like Sweden simply because they don't cost anymore than uk releases (sometimes less) and they arrive several months before.
We always have to wait ages for american films to reach the uk, its really annoying.
Another reason why people are tempted by import goods is possibly that they like the idea that the item they have purchased is for the most part unique (in this country at least) and that most other people will have standard uk releases or still be waiting for whatever it is while you have your shiny spanking import with better box art, extras, etc.. its a similar thing to the popularity of limited edition cds over the standard versions. The 'aah but *mine* has this..' - all perfectly reasonable.. i ean if you can get better than your being offered.. why not?
What i don't get is how uk distributors don't realise that so many of us are turning to imports, and get their acts together and offer us something on our cds/dvds etc to keep us buying from the uk. I mean its no skin off our noses to do a little online shopping to get what we want.. its them that lose money.
In japan for example... the reason a lot of domestically released cds do a good trade in imports over here is because they have so many extra tracks or the artwork is better, etc.. this is so that japanese buyers don't look to the us or the uk to buy their music, but buy domestically. And it works.. in fact the extra bits are usually so tempting that the japanese will make more money because not obnly have their secured their domestic buyers but they have caught the eye of foreign buyers and so manage to sell a whole lot more.
Why doesn't the uk put some effort into what it releases so that we can just pop down the road and know that we're buying a product thats as high quality as it can be... then maybe other countries would contribute in an import trade. If the usa can release british films with much better extras then why can't the uk make the effort aswell?
As we seem to pay the most for our entertainment here in the uk, don't we deserve to get something thats A.) on time B.) worth our money?
What do the rest of you think?
I didn't read your whole post, I just got to the bit about R1 DVDs and had kittens!! R1 DVDs are only superior to R2 discs if your player can support PAL 60hz mode, if not I wouldn't touch them. All DVD players in the UK can downgrade NTSC to PAL to get the far superior resolution supplied by the PAL system, but the difference between 60hz and 50hz causes the film to jump on average every 6 seconds. You really have to figure out wy you are buying your DVDs, do you want the best possible pictue quality from your set-up, or would you compromise this for a couple of music videos and interviews which you will probably watch a maximum of once. I don't really think that there is much choice there!!
I am not a techno junkie so have no idea what you are on about, all i can say is all my R1s are packed full of extras and the picture quality is superb, as in crystal clear...no jumping or anything... of course pic quality is more worthwhile than extras (i don't rememember saying is wasn't...) i was just making the point that overall what we get compared to what other countries get, SUCKS. AND we pay more for the priviledge.
VAT in the US= 8%
VAT in the UK= 17.5%
That woud give you a problem, if you import DVDs worth more than £18 into the UK, 17.5% can be added to the cost at the discretion of the Customs and Excise department, that's on top of the VAT you paid to the country which the supplier is based in. There are many pitfalls to importing DVDs which many people are unaware of. The best thing you can do is buy R1 DVDs from the European Union, check out www.Play247.com, thats where I buy mine!!
VAT in the UK= 17.5%
That woud give you a problem, if you import DVDs worth more than £18 into the UK, 17.5% can be added to the cost at the discretion of the Customs and Excise department, that's on top of the VAT you paid to the country which the supplier is based in. There are many pitfalls to importing DVDs which many people are unaware of. The best thing you can do is buy R1 DVDs from the European Union, check out www.Play247.com, thats where I buy mine!!
I've ordered loads of DVD from Amazon and PC games.
Requiem for a Dream cost me $18 + $20 post and pack.
$38 dollars and it got across the pond and to my place in 3 days.
Now, I paid £17.99 for Clutch from HMV London, it took 9 days to get to my place from London.
I wonder which I'm sticking with?
UK gives shoddy service, rip-off prices and inferior product.
Seems so obvious
Requiem for a Dream cost me $18 + $20 post and pack.
$38 dollars and it got across the pond and to my place in 3 days.
Now, I paid £17.99 for Clutch from HMV London, it took 9 days to get to my place from London.
I wonder which I'm sticking with?
UK gives shoddy service, rip-off prices and inferior product.
Seems so obvious
Thats not actually a problem all the time. I buy mine from www.digital eyes.net - they list the value of every dvd as $10 and ship each separately to avoid vat charges. www.sazuma.com will deliver via quickstep courier, ie not through the postal service so that also avoids customs. Plus, customs adding vat is a rare occurence not a standard problem, i have made many cd orders of 30 pounds and over and haven't been charged any vat.
I really get hacked off by this country. We pay more for cars, petrol and goodness knows what else and then we have to wait 6 months before we get consoles and games from Japan and USA. Why is the UK a step behind?
Because we're too polite to say anything.
Or if we do, we're labelled "hooligans" and "ignorant hoi-poloi".
Or if we do, we're labelled "hooligans" and "ignorant hoi-poloi".