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hellmet
July 21st, 2007, 05:10 AM
I'd be moving to the US in another 2 weeks or so. I've a query, and with so many US guys here, I thought you may help.
I've tonnes of Linux distros, movies, music in about 40DVDs. This is my entire collection and I love them. I was wondering if I would be allowed to carry this DVD-bag of mine to the US, or would I be stopped, and the DVDs checked there?

I'd rather leave the bag here than take it there to see it getting destroyed. Or would it be a better option to buy a HDD and stuff all of it into it.

Kingsley
July 21st, 2007, 05:29 AM
I'm very sure they wouldn't confiscate it. How would they know it's not a backup of stuff you've already bought?

stmiller
July 21st, 2007, 05:45 AM
Customs can search any bag at any time, without any reason for saying so. They are more worried about drugs and so forth rather than your own personal DVDs and stuff though. So you don't need to worry.

To be 100% safe you can ship your stuff (I know is expensive) and on the customs form claim it as a personal gift to the person you are sending it to. Then it's not taxed, and it gets through no prob.

Note: these are just my opinions, so take them with a grain of salt.

DC@DR
July 21st, 2007, 07:32 AM
Why not dump those data into an external HDD then you're done? And ofcourse, it takes time to do so, but then it's much more convenient to look for when you need those data instead of browsing through the disk collection, IMO :-)

DoctorMO
July 21st, 2007, 08:11 AM
Where are you moving from? I made the jump from the UK and it's a bit different here. I find myself gnashing sometimes at the culture so I think DVDs will be the least of your worries.

RAV TUX
July 21st, 2007, 08:22 AM
I'd be moving to the US in another 2 weeks or so. I've a query, and with so many US guys here, I thought you may help.
I've tonnes of Linux distros, movies, music in about 40DVDs. This is my entire collection and I love them. I was wondering if I would be allowed to carry this DVD-bag of mine to the US, or would I be stopped, and the DVDs checked there?

I'd rather leave the bag here than take it there to see it getting destroyed. Or would it be a better option to buy a HDD and stuff all of it into it.

You shouldn't have a problem, just check it on like anything else.

hellmet
July 21st, 2007, 09:09 AM
Hey guys. Thanks for the inputs!! I'm relieved that I wouldn't have to do let go of my collection. :D . Either way, I've now planned to backup as much as possible into the two computers I have here at home.

Sef
July 21st, 2007, 11:30 AM
I'd be moving to the US in another 2 weeks or so. I've a query, and with so many US guys here, I thought you may help.
I've tonnes of Linux distros, movies, music in about 40DVDs. This is my entire collection and I love them. I was wondering if I would be allowed to carry this DVD-bag of mine to the US, or would I be stopped, and the DVDs checked there?



Are the movies and Music on the DVDs legally yours? If you can't prove it if questioned, they could be confiscated as pirated software.

Also about wether they are taxed or not, check out the US customs site and see what they say.

DoctorMO
July 21st, 2007, 01:33 PM
Are the movies and Music on the DVDs legally yours? If you can't prove it if questioned, they could be confiscated as pirated software.

If they are legal then he better be bringing a region whatever dvd player with him; I brought my firewire dvd player which is region 2 to play my large collection of UK dvds.

happy-and-lost
July 21st, 2007, 01:34 PM
Just don't label them "Top Secret Terrorist Plans". US customs and homeland security does not have a sense of humour.

hellmet
July 21st, 2007, 02:11 PM
Uhh.. None of the movies are legal. Most of the music is legal. Would that be a problem?

Also, I'm planning on getting myself a new laptop, and taking it to the US. Would such a new item be a problem at the customs?

Atomic Dog
July 21st, 2007, 03:31 PM
Might want to consider buying the laptop in the US. The prices here may work out cheaper. A good core2duo centrino laptop would cost you around $900-1000 on sale. An AMD laptop would run you only about $700

gjtoth
July 21st, 2007, 03:42 PM
Instead of getting guesses and opinions, you may get your answer here:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/

I know *I* wouldn't want to be lugging that stuff all the way here and then getting it dumped at the airport or worse. As has been said already, they do have the authority to search and seize without warning.

Better to be safe......

eljoeb
July 21st, 2007, 04:48 PM
I wouldn't worry about it. Don't give anyone a problem and no one will care. As already stated, they're looking for drugs and weapons. Definitely check it though, and save yourself the problem of lugging it around.

Enjoy your stay here! What are you planning on studying?

neoflight
July 21st, 2007, 05:06 PM
what region DVD's are they? you might not be able to play them here in every player...so chose the right one when you buy. ...arrange all the dvds in a good way and should not pose any problem as long as they are your private collection.

you would be better off getting a cd case and not carry all of them in individual dvd cases...they will then tend to be very bulky. check-in as many stuff as you can. carry only laptop or documents/passport...

if you have harddrives you wanna carry, then put those in checkin as well, very well packed to take shocks....bare electronic things alarm people....so try to avoid that as much as possible....backup into dvd instead..

is ur port of entry your final destination?.

hellmet
July 21st, 2007, 08:33 PM
^ They ain't DVD Movies. Its rather, DVD-Rips in DVD media. And, no, my port of entry i EWR, and my destination is CRP. Joining TAMUK :D

strabes
July 21st, 2007, 09:04 PM
Are they all pirated? If so then you could just ship them pretty easily.

Peyton
July 21st, 2007, 09:09 PM
They're not just looking for drugs or weapons:

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/publications/travel/whyexamc.ctt/whyexamc.pdf

Intellectual property theft is specifically mentioned, and it's a pretty short document.