Thursday, June 12, 2025

The "Scene" refers to organized groups that adhere to strict rules for packaging and distributing pirated movie releases. These rules dictate the format, naming conventions, and methods of distribution. The landscape of pirated content is constantly evolving, with new methods emerging as legitimate distribution channels change. Below is an analysis of common pirated movie release types, from lowest to highest quality.

I. Early and Lower Quality Releases (Often Theater or Preview Sourced)

These types prioritize speed of release, making them available very shortly after a film's initial theatrical or preview screening. Quality is typically sacrificed for immediacy.

A. CamRip (CAM)

  • Labels: CAMRip, CAM
  • Prevalence: Common.
  • Description: A video recording of a film made in a cinema using a camcorder or, more commonly now, a mobile phone. The audio is captured directly by the camera's microphone, picking up all ambient sounds, including audience reactions (laughter, talking, movement), rustling, and general cinema noise.
  • Quality: Ranges from poor to very poor.
    • Video: Highly variable, depending on the recording device's resolution, the stability of the camera (often handheld), the cinema's lighting, and the angle of recording. Expect shakiness, poor lighting, and sometimes skewed perspectives if not recorded head-on.
    • Audio: The primary disadvantage. The microphone records everything in the theater, making dialogue hard to hear and often distorted by background noise.
  • Practicality: Primarily sought by individuals eager to watch a new movie immediately upon its release, even if the quality is low. These are typically temporary downloads, replaced by higher-quality versions once available.
  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear online within hours to a few days of a film's first preview or premiere.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Minimal. Requires a cinema ticket (e.g., $10-$20 USD) and a recording device (smartphone or camcorder, which most people already own). This activity is illegal and violates cinema policies.

B. Telesync (TS)

  • Labels: TS, TELESYNC, PDVD
  • Prevalence: Very common.
  • Description: A bootleg recording of a film made in a movie theater, similar to a CAM. The crucial difference is the audio source: TS audio is captured via a direct connection to the sound system. This is often achieved by tapping into an FM microbroadcast (sometimes provided for the hearing-impaired) or from the audio feed in a drive-in theater. Occasionally, more professional setups, like cameras on tripods in projection booths, might be used for video capture. CamRips are often mislabeled as Telesyncs.
  • Quality:
    • Video: Similar to a CAM (variable from poor to good), still subject to issues like poor framing, fluctuating lighting, or slight distortions from the screen.
    • Audio: Significantly better than a CAM due to the direct sound feed, resulting in much clearer dialogue and fewer background noises.
  • Practicality: A step up from CAMs primarily due to improved audio. It serves as an early, albeit imperfect, release for highly anticipated movies.
  • Release Time (ETA): Similar to CAMs, appearing online shortly after theatrical release, usually within days.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Slightly higher than a CAM, as it requires equipment to tap into an audio source (e.g., an FM receiver or specialized audio recorder, potentially $50-$200+) in addition to a recording device and cinema ticket. This activity is illegal.

C. Workprint (WP)

  • Labels: WP, WORKPRINT
  • Prevalence: Very rare.
  • Description: A copy derived from an unfinished version of a film. These are internal studio copies used for editing, visual effects, and sound mixing reviews. As such, they frequently lack final special effects, overlays, and color grading. They may contain scenes that differ significantly from the theatrical release, including deleted scenes or incomplete sequences. Some workprints feature visible time index markers (counters) or watermarks (e.g., studio logos, internal tracking numbers) running on screen.
  • Quality: Variable, but generally considered inferior to a final release due to its incomplete nature. Visual effects might be missing, audio mixing might not be finalized, and the presence of timecodes or watermarks can be distracting.
  • Practicality: Primarily of interest to film enthusiasts, collectors, or those curious about the film's production process or alternate cuts. Not suitable for a high-quality viewing experience of the finished product.
  • Release Time (ETA): Highly unpredictable, as they result from internal leaks. They can surface at any stage of a film's post-production.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Not applicable for pirates, as these are leaked internal copies rather than actively "created" for piracy. Obtaining them is illegal and typically involves insider access.

D. Telecine (TC)

  • Labels: TC, TELECINE
  • Prevalence: Fairly rare; losing popularity due to the rise of higher-quality digital sources.
  • Description: A copy captured by using a telecine machine, which transfers a movie directly from its analog film print (reel) to a digital format. While the technique is similar to how film is digitized for DVDs, the source material is often a lower-quality copy reel, leading to imperfections. Telecine machines can sometimes introduce a slight left-right jitter in the picture and may have less accurate color levels compared to a properly mastered DVD.
  • Quality: Can be comparable to a DVD, but often with minor visual flaws.
  • Practicality: Largely superseded by more accessible and higher-quality digital sources like WEB-DLs and Blu-ray rips.
  • Release Time (ETA): Historically, these would appear as soon as a film print was accessible to a group with the specialized equipment.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): High, due to the need for expensive, specialized telecine equipment (tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars for professional units) and access to film prints. This process is illegal.

II. Mid-Quality and Early Digital/Broadcast Releases

These releases offer a significant step up in quality from theater-sourced versions and often appear before widespread retail availability in all regions.

A. Pay-Per-View Rip (PPV)

  • Labels: PPV, PPVRip
  • Prevalence: Common, and increasing.
  • Description: A rip sourced from Pay-Per-View (PPV) services. This typically involves recording or capturing a movie from early digital rental platforms, cable/satellite TV's On-Demand services, or hotel VOD systems. These films are often new releases not yet available on physical media (Screener, DVD, Blu-ray). While most services explicitly state that ripping or capturing is a breach of their terms, it's becoming more popular due to minimal technical requirements for basic captures.
  • Quality: Generally good, often comparable to an early WEB-DL or DVD-Rip, as the source is a digital stream.
  • Practicality: Provides relatively high-quality early access to films, bypassing the wait for physical releases or wider streaming availability. This method is often done via screen recording for ease of access, or sometimes through more technical means of stream extraction for better quality.
  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear within hours to days after a film becomes available on a PPV service.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires a subscription to the PPV service (e.g., $10-$30 USD per movie rental) and recording/capturing software (can be free or cost $50-$200 for advanced tools). This activity violates terms of service and is illegal.

B. Screener (SCR)

  • Labels: SCR, SCREENER, DVDSCR, DVDSCREENER, BDSCR
  • Prevalence: Very common, especially during awards season.
  • Description: Early DVD or Blu-ray (BD) releases of a film, typically the theatrical version, sent to movie reviewers, Academy members for awards consideration, and industry executives.
    • Identifying Features: Screeners usually have a visible message overlaid on the picture, such as: "The film you are watching is a promotional copy. If you purchased this film at a retail store, please contact 1-800-NO-COPIES to report it," or simply, "FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION."
    • Visual Deterrents: Some studios may intentionally render specific scenes in black-and-white for varying durations as an anti-piracy measure.
    • Cropped Versions: Some pirated screener rips may be cropped to remove the overlaid message, often leading to them being mislabeled as DVD-Rips.
  • Quality: High, only slightly lower than a retail DVD-Rip due to less investment in mastering for a limited run. The main drawbacks are the intrusive overlaid messages and potential black-and-white scenes. Content may sometimes differ slightly from the final retail version.
  • Practicality: Offers a high-quality viewing experience weeks or months before a film's official retail release. Despite the visual annoyances, they are a significant source for early high-quality pirated content.
  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear weeks or even months before retail DVD/Blu-ray releases, typically coinciding with award nomination periods (late Q4 to early Q1).
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Essentially zero for the pirate, as these are leaked copies obtained without purchase. The distribution and sharing of these screeners are illegal.

C. Digital Distribution Copy (DDC)

  • Labels: DDC
  • Prevalence: Common, and becoming increasingly common.
  • Description: Fundamentally similar to a Screener, but distributed digitally (e.g., via FTP, HTTP downloads) to reviewers and companies instead of through physical mail. This method significantly reduces distribution costs for studios. In the broader "warez scene," DDC can also refer to any downloadable or direct digital content that is typically behind a paywall or not freely available.
  • Quality: Generally good; higher quality than a Cam or Telesync but often slightly lower than an R5 or a full retail DVD-Rip due to possible digital compression during distribution.
  • Practicality: Provides a convenient and relatively early digital source for film and TV content. Its digital nature often means faster propagation once leaked.
  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear alongside or shortly after physical screeners, sometimes within days or weeks of the content's initial digital availability to reviewers.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Zero for the pirate, as these are leaked digital files. Unauthorized access and distribution are illegal.

D. R5

  • Labels: R5, R5.LINE, R5.AC3.5.1.HQ

  • Prevalence: Very common historically; its importance has somewhat diminished with the rise of WEB-DLs but still exists.

  • Description: A direct Telecine transfer of a film from a retail DVD released in Region 5 (Russia, Indian subcontinent, most of Africa, North Korea, and Mongolia). R5 releases are produced rapidly to compete with piracy in these regions, often foregoing extensive image processing common on other DVD releases.

    • Audio Handling:
      • If the R5 DVD lacks an English audio track, the video is synchronized with a previously leaked or recorded English audio track, usually a "LiNE" (direct audio line from a cinema) source. These are tagged as R5.LiNE. This often results in audio quality inferior to a retail DVD's audio.
      • To address the audio quality issue, some release groups take the high-quality Russian or Ukrainian 5.1 channel audio track included with the R5 DVD. They use audio editing software to remove the non-English spoken portions and then sync the remaining high-quality sound effects and music with an English vocal track (often from a LiNE source). These improved audio releases are tagged AC3.5.1.HQ, aiming for near-retail DVD quality surround sound.

  • Quality:

    • Video: Generally very good, close to DVD-Rip quality. Minor imperfections like occasional film scratches or hairs from the rushed transfer process can sometimes be present.
    • Audio: Varies significantly. R5.LiNE audio is typically inferior. R5.AC3.5.1.HQ attempts to provide near-retail quality surround sound.

  • Practicality: Historically crucial for providing a relatively high-quality pirated release often weeks before official DVD/Blu-ray releases in Western markets. The quick turnaround aimed to reduce the demand for lower-quality CAM/TS rips. Still relevant for some titles or regions.

  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear days to a few weeks before a traditional DVD-Rip for other regions.

  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires purchasing the R5 DVD (e.g., $5-$15 USD) and DVD ripping software (can be free or paid, $30-$100). Audio syncing and editing require additional software and significant technical effort, which adds time (hours to a full day). This activity is illegal.

    • DVD Region Codes (for context):
      • R0: Informal "region free" coding.
      • R1: United States, Canada.
      • R2: Europe, including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel, Malaysia, South Africa.
      • R3: Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia.
      • R4: Australia and New Zealand, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America.
      • R5: India, Africa (except Egypt, South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho), Russia and the Post-Soviet states, North Korea, Mongolia.
      • R6: People's Republic of China.
      • R7: Reserved (e.g., MPAA-related DVDs, pre-release media copies in Asia).
      • R8: Airlines/Cruise Ships.
      • R9: Expansion (often used as region free).

III. High-Quality Retail & Broadcast Releases

These types originate from final retail versions of media or high-definition broadcasts, offering significantly superior quality.

A. DVD-Rip (DVDRip)

  • Labels: DVDRip
  • Prevalence: Very common.
  • Description: A direct rip from a final retail DVD version of a film. These are typically released before the film becomes available outside its originating region. The release of a high-quality DVD-Rip by a reputable group often signals the end of the "race" for that film, as subsequent releases are unlikely to offer a substantial quality improvement over this format.
    • Technical Details: Commonly packaged as an AVI file, using the Xvid codec (historically DivX) for video and MP3 or AC3 for audio.
    • Historical Labeling: Widescreen DVDs were previously indicated as WS.DVDRip.
  • Quality: High. These releases generally replace any earlier, lower-quality copies (like CAMs or TSs) that may have been circulating due to their superior audio and video fidelity.
  • Practicality: For many years, DVD-Rips were the gold standard for pirated films. They remain popular for older content or in regions where physical media is still prevalent, and for users who prefer smaller file sizes than Blu-ray rips.
  • Release Time (ETA): Appears once the retail DVD is released in any region, typically within days of its initial retail availability.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires purchasing the retail DVD (e.g., $15-$25 USD) and DVD ripping software (free or paid, $30-$100). The ripping and encoding process can take a few hours depending on system specifications and desired quality. This activity is illegal.

B. DVD-R (Full DVD Copy)

  • Labels: DVDR, DVD-Full, Full-Rip, ISO rip, lossless rip, untouched rip, DVD-5/DVD-9
  • Prevalence: Very common.
  • Description: A complete, bit-for-bit copy of the final retail DVD.
    • Formats:
      • If the original is a DVD-9 (dual-layer, approx. 7.95 GiB), extras might be removed, or the video re-encoded (transcoded) to fit the smaller, less expensive to burn, and quicker to download DVD-5 (single-layer, approx. 4.37 GiB) format.
      • "Untouched" or "lossless" rips strictly mean 1:1 copies of the source with no changes. However, the definition is often broadened to include DVDs that haven't been transcoded, and only non-essential features like copyright warnings or previews have been removed.
    • File Size: DVD-R releases are larger than DVD-Rips, typically filling the 4.37 GiB (DVD-5) or 7.95 GiB (DVD-9) capacities.
  • Quality: Identical to the retail DVD, offering the highest quality for a DVD source.
  • Practicality: Ideal for those who desire a complete, uncompromised digital archive of a DVD, including menus, extras, and full fidelity, or for burning back to physical discs. Often accompanies DVD-Rip releases.
  • Release Time (ETA): Similar to DVD-Rips, available shortly after the retail DVD release, usually within days.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires purchasing the retail DVD (e.g., $15-$25 USD) and specialized DVD copying software (can be free or paid, $50-$200). The process can take several hours depending on the disc size and system. This activity is illegal.

C. HDTV, PDTV or DS Rip (Broadcast Rips)

  • Labels: DSR, DSRip, SATRip, DTHRip, DVBRip, HDTV, PDTV, TVRip, HDTVRip, HDRip
  • Prevalence: Extremely common, especially for TV series.
  • Description: These rips are captured from television broadcasts.
    • TVRip: Captured from an analog capture card (coaxial/composite/s-video connection), usually lower quality.
    • Digital Satellite Rip (DSR or SATRip): Captured from a non-standard definition digital satellite source.
    • HDTV, PDTV (Pure Digital TV), or DTH (Direct To Home) rips: Most commonly sourced from Over-the-Air (OTA) digital broadcasts or direct digital cable/satellite feeds.
    • HDRip: An encoded version of any high-definition (HD) source (e.g., BRRip, BDRip, HDTV) into a smaller file size. Even if the original source is higher resolution, scene groups often transcode HDRips to 720p for broader compatibility and smaller file sizes.
  • Quality: Variable depending on the source.
    • Analog TVRips are the lowest.
    • DSR/SATRips offer better quality.
    • HDTV sources can sometimes surpass DVD quality, especially for native HD broadcasts.
    • Resolution: Analog, DSR, and PDTV sources are often re-encoded to resolutions like 512x384 (fullscreen) or 720x404 (widescreen). HDTV sources are re-encoded to multiple resolutions, such as 720x404 (360p), 960x528 (540p), and 1280x720 (720p) at various file sizes. They can be progressive scan captured or interlaced (e.g., 480i digital transmission), which may require deinterlacing for optimal playback.
  • Practicality: Provides early access to TV shows and movies broadcast on television, often in high definition. This is a primary source for quickly distributing new TV series episodes.
  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear within minutes to hours after a show or movie airs on TV, especially for popular series.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires a TV tuner card/device (e.g., $30-$150 USD) and recording software (can be free or paid, $50-$200). This activity is illegal.

D. VODRip (Video-On-Demand Rip)

  • Labels: VODRip, VODR
  • Prevalence: Common, and becoming increasingly prevalent.
  • Description: A rip created by recording or capturing video content from an On-Demand service (e.g., cable/satellite VOD, online streaming VOD platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Max, Netflix, etc., when not a direct stream rip).
    • Methods:
      • Direct Stream Download: The highest quality method involves using specialized software to identify the video source address and directly download it as a video file. This often yields the best quality result.
      • Screen Capture: Less technical users may use "screen cams" or screen recording software, which internally record what's displayed on a specific part of the computer screen. While not true "HD quality" in terms of direct stream extraction, this method still provides significantly better quality than a Cam or Telesync filmed from a cinema or TV screen.
  • Quality: Generally good to excellent. Direct stream downloads can be comparable to WEB-DL or high-quality HDTV rips. Screen-captured VODRips are of slightly lower quality but still superior to theater rips.
  • Practicality: Offers relatively early access to content available on VOD services, often before other digital or physical retail releases. This is a crucial source for new movie and TV show content.
  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear shortly after content becomes available on a VOD service, typically within hours to days.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires a subscription to the VOD service (monthly fees for streaming platforms, or per-rental fees for premium VOD) and either screen recording software (free to $100+) or specialized stream downloading tools (variable, often requiring technical expertise and potentially paid subscriptions). This activity is illegal and violates most VOD service terms of use.

IV. Premium Quality Digital Releases (Streaming & Blu-ray Sourced)

These represent the highest quality pirated releases, often aiming to be indistinguishable from their legitimate counterparts.

A. WEB-DL (Web Download)

  • Labels: WEBDL (P2P), WEB DL (P2P), WEB-DL (P2P), WEB (Scene)
  • Prevalence: Common and rapidly becoming the most common and preferred source for new content.
  • Description: A movie or TV show downloaded directly from an online distribution website or service, such as iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play, Netflix, HBO Max, etc.
    • Key Feature: The video (typically H.264 or H.265/HEVC) and audio (AC3/Dolby Digital, AAC, or sometimes higher fidelity like E-AC3/Dolby Digital Plus with Atmos) streams are extracted directly from the service's original file. They are then "remuxed" into a standard container format like MKV without any re-encoding or quality loss from the original downloaded stream.
  • Quality: Very high, often comparable to Blu-ray quality, especially for 1080p or 4K WEB-DLs. A significant advantage is the absence of network logos on screen, similar to BD/DVDRips, as the source is a clean digital file.
  • Practicality: WEB-DLs are a dominant source for high-quality pirated content due to their fidelity and early availability. They often appear much earlier than physical Blu-ray releases, especially for TV series or movies with early digital rental windows.
  • Release Time (ETA): Can appear within minutes to hours after content becomes available on a major streaming service.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires a legitimate subscription to the streaming service (e.g., $10-$20 USD/month or per-rental fees). Specialized software or technical methods are needed to bypass DRM (Digital Rights Management) and directly extract the streams. These tools can range from free (requiring technical setup) to hundreds of dollars for more automated solutions. This activity is illegal and a violation of copyright.

B. WEBRip (Web Rip)

  • Labels: WEB-Rip, WEBRIP, WEB Rip
  • Prevalence: Common; WEB-DL is generally preferred when available.
  • Description: A file ripped from a streaming service, distinct from WEB-DL in its method.
    • Source: Can originate from DRM-free streaming services (e.g., Hulu Basic, Crunchyroll, WWE Network) where direct capture is easier.
    • Method: More commonly, for DRM-protected services, it's a re-encoded capture of a streaming video. Unlike WEB-DLs, which are direct stream extractions, WEBRips often involve a re-encoding step (e.g., via screen recording or complex capture methods that save the streamed video as a new file). The original file might be extracted from protocols like RTMP and losslessly remuxed from an MP4 or FLV container to MKV, but the "rip" implies a re-encoding at some point.
  • Quality: Can sometimes be comparable to WEB-DL, but bitrates are usually lower to save on streaming bandwidth for the service itself, which can impact final quality. The re-encoding process for creating the rip can also introduce some generational loss.
  • Practicality: Still offers a good quality option, especially for niche streaming content or when a direct WEB-DL extraction is not feasible due to strong DRM or lack of specialized tools.
  • Release Time (ETA): Similar to WEB-DL, appearing shortly after content is available on the streaming platform, usually within hours.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires a subscription to the streaming service and screen recording/capture software. Free software exists, but professional capture software can cost $50-$200+. This activity is illegal.

C. WEBCap (Web Capture)

  • Labels: WEB-Cap, WEBCAP, WEB Cap
  • Prevalence: Common; WEBRip/WEB-DL is generally preferred for quality.
  • Description: A rip created explicitly by capturing video from a DRM-enabled streaming service (e.g., Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Disney+). This almost always implies a screen recording method, often with high-end hardware and software to maximize quality.
  • Quality: Highly variable. It can range from mediocre (comparable to lower quality XVID encodes) to excellent (comparable to high-quality Blu-ray encodes). The final image quality is heavily dependent on the internet connection speed (for the source stream), the processing power of the recording machine, and the quality of the capture software. It is essentially a high-quality "screen cam" of a streaming service.
  • Practicality: This method is employed when stronger DRM prevents direct stream extraction (WEB-DL) or efficient re-encoding (WEBRip). It's a fallback for obtaining content from services that are difficult to "rip" otherwise.
  • Release Time (ETA): Shortly after content is available on the streaming platform, usually within hours.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires a subscription to the streaming service and robust screen recording software (potentially high-end, $100-$500+) and a powerful computer to ensure high frame rates and resolution without drops. This activity is illegal.

D. BD/BRRip (Blu-ray Rip)

  • Labels: BDRip, BRRip, Blu-Ray / BluRay / BLURAY, BDR, BD5/BD9 (AVCHD), BD25/BD50 (Full Disc)
  • Prevalence: Very common, and often considered the pinnacle of pirated video quality.
  • Description: A rip where the source is a Blu-ray Disc.
    • BDRip vs. BRRip: This is a common point of confusion.
      • BDRip: Comes directly from the original Blu-ray source. This is the highest quality.
      • BRRip: Is encoded from a pre-existing release, usually a 1080p BDRip from another group. This means a BRRip is a "re-encode of a re-encode," implying a slight generational loss compared to a BDRip, though often still very high quality.
    • File Sizes & Codecs:
      • Available in sizes similar to DVD-Rips (e.g., 700 MB, 1.4 GB) encoded using Xvid or x264 (AVC).
      • Also available in larger sizes (4.5 GB or more, sometimes labeled as DVD5 or DVD9 equivalent, but originating from Blu-ray) encoded primarily in x264 (AVC) or increasingly x265 (HEVC) for higher compression efficiency at similar quality.
    • AVCHD Formats:
      • BD5 (approx. 4.7 GB) or BD9 (approx. 8.5 GB) are slightly smaller than their DVD5/DVD9 counterparts. They use the AVCHD compatible BD folder structure and are intended to be burned onto standard DVDs, which can then be played in AVCHD compatible Blu-ray players.
    • Full Blu-ray Copies:
      • Complete Blu-ray disc copies (ISO images or folder structures) are often referred to as BD25 (for single-layer Blu-ray discs, approx. 25 GB) or BD50 (for dual-layer Blu-ray discs, approx. 50 GB). These are typically "untouched" or "lossless" rips.
      • They may be remuxed (original video and core audio tracks are kept without re-encoding, but unnecessary audio tracks, subtitles, or extras might be removed, or new audio tracks in other languages added). However, they are not transcoded (re-encoded) in terms of the main video stream.
  • Quality: Generally the highest quality available in the pirated scene. Even a smaller, DVD-Rip sized BD/BRRip often looks superior to a same-sized DVD rip because the encoders have better source material.
    • Common Versions & Sizes:
      • m-720p (mini 720p): Compressed version of a 720p source, typically 2–3 GB.
      • 720p: The most common form of BDRip, usually 4–7 GB.
      • m-1080p (mini 1080p): Compressed 1080p, slightly larger than 720p.
      • 1080p: Ranges from 8 GB to sizes as large as 40–60 GB.
      • mHD (mini HD): Lower resolution versions (e.g., 480p or 576p) encoded from HD sources, resulting in smaller file sizes.
  • Practicality: The preferred choice for users seeking the best possible audio and video fidelity. BD25/BD50 rips cater to users with extensive storage and bandwidth who desire the full Blu-ray experience without the physical disc.
  • Release Time (ETA): Appears once the retail Blu-ray disc is released in any region, typically within days of its initial retail availability.
  • Cost to Create (Illegal): Requires purchasing the retail Blu-ray disc (e.g., $20-$35 USD for a new release) and specialized Blu-ray ripping software (often paid, $50-$200+). Ripping and encoding a Blu-ray can be a time-consuming process, ranging from several hours to a full day or more depending on the film length, desired quality (higher quality = longer encoding), and the power of the hardware used. This activity is illegal.
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