If this guide helps in any way, please click yes at the bottom, so it will continue to be displayed for others-Thanx

Thought I'd let my fellow Sopranos collectors in on a scam I came across today on eBay.  There are sellers offering "Complete Sopranos 1-6.2" as "official" or "US Region 1" sets.  This is a BOLD FACED LIE.

As of this date, HBO has offered NO "ALL IN ONE" COMPLETE SET of the Sopranos series  in the U.S. (Check HBO's Sopranos store).  . The sets being sold are extremely cheap Asian imports.  To sell an import set AS AN IMPORT SET is O.K....... but to pass them off as Region 1, US CA, or Official is FRAUD.

The sets in question are CHEAP cardboard boxes with sleeved discs flopping around freely in the box.  The box is covered with a sleeve featuring a Sopranos logo with a gun, and bullet holes on it it.  These sets are being sold for anywhere between $50 - $200+.   I have found a few sellers who say they ARE imports, and thats O.K.  Some people don't mind cheaper quality if the price is right.  But what you have to look out for are the people passing them off as genuine US products, and asking prices comparable to such. People wanting the "genuine" item like the fact that the U.S. sets are made of quite high quality - the cases look fantastic, the discs are all held firmly in place by their own holders and video encoding is top-notch........this is not the case with imports.

I would incourage anybody duped into buying an import set (reported to be U.S.) to report the offending sellers to eBay.   Below are a couple of pictures of said import set, so you know what to look out for.

You have to actually SEE with your own eyes how cheaply these sets are made.  The second photo shows the inside of the "case", it is a cardboard box lined with satin, and held together with gobs of hot-glue.  The cavity of the box is quite a bit larger than a DVD, and DVDs are placed in plastic sleeves, piled in the box, and allowed to flop around freely.

UPDATE 4-10-08

I just noticed that if you look to the right of this guide, you might see some of the sets in question for sale, and the drastic price range.  I have also noted one of these sellers saying the set is not a bootleg, what high quality the set is and how it is "Official".  The small print says it "may" have been produced outside the USA. No "may" about it... it IS an asian set, and inferior quality.  This is the old scam of trying to make it sound like the real deal. while covering your butt at the same time. It is still a cheap import no matter how you dance around it.

UPDATE 12-15-08

As many of you have noticed, the OFFICIAL 1-6.2 set has been released by HBO now.  Retail price new is $200-$400 depending on where you buy it from.  What you may not know is that HBO has decided to pump some extra bucks from loyal Sopranos fans by raping them on this deal. This box set is made on the CHEAP....39 discs shoved in cardboard slots with no protection whatsoever for the discs. Many reviewers on Amazon's site report damage beyond playability on NEW UNOPENED sets!!!  The main difference between this new set, and the old sets are a couple new short extras.  Unless you are a die-hard Soprano fan that HAS to have every little feature produced, I'd reccomend staying away from this set.  Blu-Ray sets are not available yet, and HOPEFULLY when they are, HBO will have learned the error of their ways, and put forth a decently packed set WORTH the extra money.

For those wishing to have the whole set of standard DVDs, I would have to STRONGLY reccomend staying with the individual sets.  You have been warned!  Also...this is the time of year to check Amazon and eBay for great prices on new sets.

Again, if this was in any way helpful to you, please click "yes" below.  It will ensure this stays around for others to read.