kd5

I've been buying Star Trek: The Next Generation, Silver Box Sets, Individual Seasons since I picked up S1 for $5 at a flea market, so I could have a matched set. Just ordered & received S5 (brand new) from a Marketplace seller at Amazon, the set was kind of beat up and had a blood smear on it so I initiated a return/refund and ordered one from a different Marketplace seller. Received the 2nd box set and noticed at that time there was a difference in the way the boxes were designed. The 2nd one I received looked like all my other seasons...





The first one I received looked like this:





Note that the top of the box in the 2nd pic is smooth, meaning the box doesn't hinge open like the 1st image. The texture of the seasons I have are not smooth, kinda wavy, where the box from the 2nd pic is smooth. Also, instead of hinging open like the others, there is a finger groove/cutout along the right edge of the box where the others have just the smooth edge of the hinged front (if you know what I mean). Lastly, the quality of the materials used in the box set seems flimsier. I can't find any pics of the edge with the finger groove/cutout.....damnit.

I haven't opened the 1st box set, I was told they didn't want it returned so it's sitting here waiting for me to decide what I'm going to do with it.

My question is: Is that first box set I bought (2nd pic) a counterfeit? Except for the differences in the way it looks design-wise, it does look legitimate, just different. Was there a re-released cheaper version of this silver box set sold? Maybe Canadian vs. the US? Or is this just plain counterfeit? I've tried to find information on this via Google but was unsuccessful.

Thanks for any info you might have.

mythmaker18

I only have the blu-rays, so can only make an educated guess that the sets were probably released twice: the first release was probably the "fat" box, and they probably got a slimmed-down re-release, as that is the way things tend to go.

If the recording side of the DVDs themselves are silver/gold (rather than blue/purple), then your discs should be legitimate (pressed, not burned).

You know, for about $10.00 per season, you could've had the much better quality blu-rays instead (the UK import set can regularly be had for $70 or less).

Josh-da-man

It had blood smeared on it?

Jeezus...

mr.shankly

I have the entire set of Next Generation DVDs. Mine match your first picture/second purchase. I can't say for certain, but the first one you received sounds like a counterfeit, especially because they don't want it back. Do the actual discs look any different?

If you get really curious, you can pop one of the DVDs in your computer to check if it is a DVD5 or a DVD9. I received a really professional, but counterfeit Looney Tunes Golden Collection DVD set once and the one way I knew for sure was that all of the discs were DVD5. Most TV seasons will be DVD9.

davidh777

I have a few seasons from when they were first released, and they’re hinged like your first pic.

BobO'Link

Coincidentally, my sole season in that type box is S5 and is identical to your first image. I hate that box - hard to get the crappy digipak out and it's huge. The rest of my DVD set is the in new, repackaged, keepcase type boxes, which I prefer.

kd5

Thanks for your input everybody. The 1st set I bought, from a Marketplace seller fullfilled by Amazon, is still shrinkwrapped, and unless I have a really good reason to, I think I'll leave it shrinkwrapped, so I doubt I'll see the disks. So, it's either a 2nd cheaper re-release, or it's counterfeit. Don't know which, thinking about selling it (blood smear has been cleaned off - creeps me out though). Was really curious about what it is though. Amazon wanted me to send it back at first but I pressed for more information about re-ordering from a different seller and they decided in the end that they didn't need the first one returned after all.

Josh-da-man

I never bought these on DVD, but I've only seen the "hinged" boxes (like the first picture) in stores.

I suppose the second one could be a legit release if Paramount reissued them in different packaging after the the first run. Stores didn't stock these long, probably due to the high retail prices stifling consumer demand after the initial release.