Hidefninja new SteelBook™ Collector Lounge

[digitalbabe]

*For retailer-specific chat, please visit the new Retailer Steelbook Zone here

Welcome all Steelbook newcomers from around the world!

For more Steelbook lists, pictures, and resources visit:
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This is a thread for those new to the hobby or those with general questions about collecting Steelbooks, including retailer-specific questions.

To keep things organized, please keep all trading talk in the Trading forum, and search for specific Steelbooks for more specific title-specific questions.

I am sure our seasoned members are happy to provide assistance, so please don't be afraid to ask-we all started this addiction somewhere. Regardless if your collection is small or large, someone here can probably help.

Have fun!
DB

Steelbook & Collecting FAQ's:

Q: Where can I find a list of Steelbooks released?

A: blu-raysteelbooks.com

Q: Can I play movies contained inside Steelbooks on my Blu-Ray Player?

A: It depends-Blu-Rays are coded with Region A, B or C. Most Blu-Rays are "unlocked", regardless of what region they are, but it's always a good idea to check this forum or web resources before buying, as some are "locked".

Q: What are the differences between Steelbooks™, Iron Packs™, Metal Paks™, Viva Metal Boxes, Tins, etc?

A: Check out pics and discussion in our forum here

Q: What does "G1" and "G2" mean when discussing Steelbooks?

A: "G1" (1st Generation) refers to a Blu-Ray in a DVD-sized case. And "G2" (2nd Generation) refers to a Blu-Ray in a Blu-Ray-sized case.

Q: How to fix a loose disc on a steelbook you want to keep factory sealed that came with a floater?

A: Fixing a loose disc

Q: How do I navigate international shopping sites?

A: You can download a free 'add on' for most browsers called 'Google Translate'. Once you have it installed, the pages will translate automatically.

Q: I have many more questions-is there a general list of links to help me learn about Steelbooks, protecting them, etc?

A: Yes, here

 

[digs5446]

hey everyone, brand new to this site and new to steelbook hunting. i'm in the US and was wondering - at what point does someone find out and leak whether a title is region free or not?

"It's Universal, its region free"

so i take it that's true for all Universal titles? does it always go by studio or is Universal unique?

cheers

 

[apsmith21]

hey everyone, brand new to this site and new to steelbook hunting. i'm in the US and was wondering - at what point does someone find out and leak whether a title is region free or not?

"It's Universal, its region free"

so i take it that's true for all Universal titles? does it always go by studio or is Universal unique?

cheers

First, :welcome:

Second - I use the studio as a rule of thumb, but it's not always 100%. Sometimes they'll surprise us.

But to answer your question - every Universal Studios title (from all over the world) that I've owned up to this point have all been region free.

If there is an exception, we don't know until someone tests it on a Region A player, for instance.

 

[digs5446]

thanks for the info and quick reply. after seeing how cheap the Wolfman steelbook was on amazon.co.uk, i had to snag it and then found that bluraysteelbooks.com website and researched which UK titles are not available here and are region free.

that district 9 one looks really cool but when i go to hmv.com it's just the standard DVD version. guess i could always grab it for the case since i already have the standard US blu-ray version...but i gotta show some restraint!

Hanna and Source Code have very nice looking steelbooks.

 

[Shanester]

hey everyone, brand new to this site and new to steelbook hunting. i'm in the US and was wondering - at what point does someone find out and leak whether a title is region free or not?

"It's Universal, its region free"

so i take it that's true for all Universal titles? does it always go by studio or is Universal unique?

cheers

Welcome!!

Warner Bros. titles are usually Region-free too!

 

[digs5446]

Welcome!!

Warner Bros. titles are usually Region-free too!

thanks for the tip! so what's up with all the titles in the country-by-country list that have the "unconfirmed region free??" as the symbol? i take it that means no one's gotten around to taking the risk of buying it from a different country and trying it on their player? for example there are a few Warner titles on the Canada page that say unconfirmed...

and another dumb question i'm sure, but Canada is not the same region as US, correct?

A few titles with reeeeaallly cool unique steelbooks are

Matrix
2001
Pan's Labyrinth
The Departed
Shaun of the Dead

 

[Deadalus3000]

thanks for the info and quick reply. after seeing how cheap the Wolfman steelbook was on amazon.co.uk, i had to snag it and then found that bluraysteelbooks.com website and researched which UK titles are not available here and are region free.

that district 9 one looks really cool but when i go to hmv.com it's just the standard DVD version. guess i could always grab it for the case since i already have the standard US blu-ray version...but i gotta show some restraint!

Hanna and Source Code have very nice looking steelbooks.

Welcome buddy,
Just thought I'd add to your questions, District 9 on Amazon.de is cheap, the HMV dvd will be the G1, and source code may have to picked up through a GB or a UK source due to play.com not posting outside the UK.
Give me or Surfury a PM if you need help.

 

[ocielz]

Canada and US are the same region coding along with Japan.

 

[digs5446]

thanks guys. interesting that japan is the same region as US and Canada but the UK is not? eh, i guess i don't really understand how all that works.

right now i'm focusing on Canadian and region-free UK steelbooks that are not available in the US (or are orderable on Amazon US but crazy expensive). i may go for the District 9 Germany release because it's so cool, but i do like to be able to read the back covers and have it all in English.

totally non-related but i made my first Amazon.uk purchase last week (Wolfman was 2nd purchase, just this morning), which was a ridiculous deal on the Alien Anthology with the revised packaging. after the subtraction of VAT and after shipping and currency conversion the total came to $32.50. Pretty damn good seeing as how i think the lowest the US version has dropped is like $48? besides i like the smaller, more streamlined new UK packaging instead of the bigger cardboard boxes that look and feel like standard DVD sets. And the completist dork in me also sprung for the new single-disc releases of the first two films. I mean, how great is that cover. And they even came in embossed slipcases. $12.95 each shipped, had to do it.

 

[ocielz]

Also the Godfather trilogy is much cheaper, @ amazon UK then here in the states.

 

[apsmith21]

thanks guys. interesting that japan is the same region as US and Canada but the UK is not? eh, i guess i don't really understand how all that works.

Yep, North America is region A, along with Japan. UK is region B - here's a good map on our sister site that might help you.

http://www.bluraysteelbooks.com/steelbook-resources/

right now i'm focusing on Canadian and region-free UK steelbooks that are not available in the US (or are orderable on Amazon US but crazy expensive). i may go for the District 9 Germany release because it's so cool, but i do like to be able to read the back covers and have it all in English.

The back paper on the Germany District 9 steelbook is removable, so there is no movie details on the back. It's 100% artwork. The only thing that's different about that steelbook is the small German blurb on the front about the director.

totally non-related but i made my first Amazon.uk purchase last week (Wolfman was 2nd purchase, just this morning), which was a ridiculous deal on the Alien Anthology with the revised packaging. after the subtraction of VAT and after shipping and currency conversion the total came to $32.50. Pretty damn good seeing as how i think the lowest the US version has dropped is like $48? besides i like the smaller, more streamlined new UK packaging instead of the bigger cardboard boxes that look and feel like standard DVD sets. And the completist dork in me also sprung for the new single-disc releases of the first two films. I mean, how great is that cover. And they even came in embossed slipcases. $12.95 each shipped, had to do it.

I've moved your posts to this thread - as our members are glad to help, it wasn't specific to the Hannah steelbook.

 

[Wreck]

Orange = A
Green = B
Purple = C

Anything with the same color as your Country will play just fine.

As for the WB titles on Canada that are unconfirmed. We could simply just make them region free, but we would rather be 100% correct, then have a member or reader of the site(s) pissed because they bought a film we said was region free that wasn't.

We got stuff in the works, that will help fine tune everything and start providing even more region info with help from the community and such.

 

[digs5446]

I've moved your posts to this thread - as our members are glad to help, it wasn't specific to the Hannah steelbook.

woops, sorry about that. i tend to go off on tangents. also i have too many damn tabs open i lose track of which thread i'm in.

thanks for the help.

 

[southam1978]

Hi guys, Great idea, my first post, I have been collecting SB's for around 2 years now, I have over 70 but dis sell a load recently but have re bought a lot of them, I think I have a bit o OCD as I it is not perfect I will sell and I will re buy.
Fav steels I own- Apocalypse now (IT version), hurt locker (Korea edition).
Most Looking forward to Thor ((UK HMV edition) and I'm not sure if it is confirmed but the Disney steels mentioned in another thread, what are you guys most looking forward to ?

 

[Wreck]

:welcome:

I'm looking forward to Scarface, Thor too. (only heard good things.)

 

[surfury]

thanks for the info and quick reply. after seeing how cheap the Wolfman steelbook was on amazon.co.uk, i had to snag it and then found that bluraysteelbooks.com website and researched which UK titles are not available here and are region free.

that district 9 one looks really cool but when i go to hmv.com it's just the standard DVD version. guess i could always grab it for the case since i already have the standard US blu-ray version...but i gotta show some restraint!

Hanna and Source Code have very nice looking steelbooks.

District 9 (UK) is one of those Steels which is "on the list". It is very sought after as it went OOP very quickly. The cover is the same as the German release, it's just the language that's different.

Hanna does look nice, I agree. As does Thor, Priest & Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides (all HMV Exclusives, Hanna isn't mind). Finding a source for Source Code may prove troublesome as it is a play.com exclusive and they are limiting issue to 5 per household, normally there is no restriction. Also they do not ship direct to USA or overseas, just UK and mainland Europe.

 

[southam1978]

I really enjoyed Thor and am so happy that it is getting a steelbook release in the uk, does anyone else get the feeling film studios have cottoned onto the fact that steelbooks are very popular and think that so many are getting released that it kind of makes it less appealing? I love collecting but there are more and more being released all the time and a lot of crap catalogue titles ( also some good one I have to say) in particular the latest wave in Germany! What do you guys think

 

[digitalbabe]

Hey Southam-I am sure the studios are taking note of opportunities to resell catalog titles at a higher margin, and gain margin for new releases, by releasing collectibles, which cost more than the average Amaray. I think each person needs to choose to what extent to collect, and why to purchase Steels over regular releases (favorite movies, art, etc). Some find balance in only choosing one cover, others in picking only the films they don't own yet, or love. Welcome to the site and happy collecting!

 

[digs5446]

ok, it's day 2 of my sudden interest in Steelbooks and i have a general question regarding my strategy for the timing of purchases, risk of waiting, yadda yadda.

Basically i have made a nice wish list on Amazon.ca of about 12-15 titles, but i absolutely want about 5 or 6 of them. They are either in stock for about $19-22 Canadian, or the same price but "temporarily out of stock" and you can order it and have it shipped when available.

First question - are those prices about as good as they're gonna get, or do they usually drop for a while until they go OOP?

Also -for the titles that are "currently out of stock", is that usually a good indicator that those are in short supply and might run out....i.e. should i prioritize those titles now?

I'm trying to figure the most economical way to get this hobby going while not being overly risky and missing out. But i think they charge a whopping $10-$11 for a single title to ship to the US but not much more if you order a few more (right?), so i'm thinking of pulling the plug on those 5-ish titles. i will just be bummed to see them end up like The Wolfman which is on the UK site for like 7 British pounds.

 

[ocielz]

Sometimes amazon.ca gets deals for steelbooks, like recently they had some titles going for $12 to $14 and Troy for $8.00 plus shipping @__@

 

[digitalbabe]

digs, I'll do my best to answer some of your questions-the answers and solutions can vary widely depending on what type of collector you are, your access to funds, your preference for original releases, or whether you care about "resale" value, re-releases, etc. See my answers in green, but with "collecting", a lot of info is subjective, can change at a moment's notice, and you can pretty much take anything with a grain of salt.

ok, it's day 2 of my sudden interest in Steelbooks and i have a general question regarding my strategy for the timing of purchases, risk of waiting, yadda yadda.

Basically i have made a nice wish list on Amazon.ca of about 12-15 titles, but i absolutely want about 5 or 6 of them. They are either in stock for about $19-22 Canadian, or the same price but "temporarily out of stock" and you can order it and have it shipped when available.

First, I think you've done yourself a favor by thinking about collecting Steelbooks with some "priorities" in mind. Early on, years ago, there were a few world-wide releases, but now with the increased popularity, and the studios catching on to the fact that there is a "collector community" that may re-invest money in movies released years ago, "completionist" thinking has fallen by the wayside for many collectors. This is partly due to the fact that some "Exclusives" or 1st releases, are suddenly getting "re-released" with the same, or different covers, and or are getting released at different times throughout the year, or after a pause, making it hard for most collectors who set out to "get 'em all".

[/B][/COLOR]

First question - are those prices about as good as they're gonna get, or do they usually drop for a while until they go OOP? This really depends-some releases stay at a certain price, and for others, the price drops rapidly. Generally,there is no rime or reason, though generally, it seems that many of the "re-released" German Steelbooks (previously released as "Exclusives" at other retailers, but now on Amazon.de, or those that perhaps had another release in another country already, and get released later on, drop in price, or see a sale here or there. I'd say your best strategy is to buy the movies you really want when they are released and make a "tiered" list with those most important at the top. This hobby includes a lot of risk-the Steelbook you purchased today, may be significantly cheaper, or more expensive tomorrow, so balance, staying tuned to the forum, and watching the "Price Drop" thread in the Trading area can help.

Also -for the titles that are "currently out of stock", is that usually a good indicator that those are in short supply and might run out....i.e. should i prioritize those titles now?

Again it all depends-I've not seen the Canada Steels restocked at Amazon.ca or Futureshop (most are exclusives, and they don't ship outside of Canada, so you need to find a forum member to help you), but sometimes Germany , the UK and other areas see restocks. Other times, they don't-again, I'd say buy upon release, and then accept the fact that the price may fluctuate, otherwise you'll constantly be annoyed.

I'm trying to figure the most economical way to get this hobby going while not being overly risky and missing out. But i think they charge a whopping $10-$11 for a single title to ship to the US but not much more if you order a few more (right?), so i'm thinking of pulling the plug on those 5-ish titles. i will just be bummed to see them end up like The Wolfman which is on the UK site for like 7 British pounds.

Express shipping is only a little more at Amazon.ca, Amazon.de has a flat shipping rate, and Amazon.UK is pretty economical. Generally it makes more sense to buy more than one title.Be aware that Steelbooks can dent easily, so you may need to occasionally contact Amazon for replacement and sometimes they will only issue a partial credit.

As far as prioritizing, I think that is entirely up to you. I'd encourage you to ask as many questions in the forums, as you have been, and try to determine what it is about a Steelbook that you feel you have to have. You can easily spend $1000's collecting, especially those that are now Out of Print (Rambo, Iron Man, Crystal Skull, and some of French Steelbooks and others). It will come down to your own set of priorities of what are "must haves", and whether you want or need mulitple covers,or are content in choosing one cover/film.

Hope this helps-Good luck & Happy Collecting!

DB
Staff