Bringing DVDs and CDs to Singapore

[uscate]

We're getting our stuff together for the move, and spoke with the relocation logistics person at my SO's company.

We were advised that we can NOT bring in any CDs or DVDs (nothing racy - Seinfeld, The Office, The Sopranos, The Godfather, etc. as well as basic classical and pop music CD's and nothing pirated).

Is this true? Is there any way to get this stuff in, or will we be forced to live without Tony Soprano and Don Corleone for the duration of our assignment?? Because that will truly be a hardship!!

Thank you for any feedback!!

[nakatago]

Only because the MDA would want to inspect them for inappropriate material. Bringing in a handful of disks with you in your luggage however, decreases the likelihood of customs wanting to inspect them (they're not pirated anyway). How many of you will you be moving here, anyway?

[guyg]

We have been told the same and that we will be charged by the hour for watching all the films. What I don't understand is why they don't say the same about digital media on other forms of storage, eg iPod or hard disk seems a flawed policy to me.

[uscate]

Hi Nakatago - there are just 2 of us moving. I guess we'll each have to squirrel away a few dvd's in our luggage, and figure that our iPods will have to carry all of the music we'll want to listen to.

How frustrating - I wish they'd just have a list of banned films, etc., instead of this second guessing the authorities stuff.

I guess it's a good thing we like to read!!

[x9200]

We have been told the same and that we will be charged by the hour for watching all the films. What I don't understand is why they don't say the same about digital media on other forms of storage, eg iPod or hard disk seems a flawed policy to me.

I am pretty sure they (the relevant law) do. The DVD/CDs is just to get the message across. As with many things in Singapore the authorities act very reasonably so if you are not planning to bring a truckload of porn or any amount/character suggesting commercial purpose you should be fine.

[sensei_]

Only because the MDA would want to inspect them for inappropriate material. Bringing in a handful of disks with you in your luggage however, decreases the likelihood of customs wanting to inspect them (they're not pirated anyway). How many of you will you be moving here, anyway?

yet thousands of DVDs are being brought over into singapore via the causeway. such is the idiotic thinking of the sg gov't.

to the OP, i reckon just chuck a few in your bags, and the majority in your carry on (you can work out whats best for you) and you should be good

[x9200]

It's not idiotic. As a matter of fact it's very clever and this philosophy applies actually in many every day areas of Singapore local life including your beloved road traffic

[nutnut]

I brought in 2 boxes of CDs and 2 boxes of DVDs/Blu-rays when I came, it's best to pull out any pirated stuff and films with a lot of sex in. Other than that it's fairly flexible I think. There is a chance they will check every DVD and CD and charge you money for each, when I moved over I think the going rate was around $3 each. Just to note, I didn't have any checked! All came through without issue.

Stuff on Hard drives and iPods etc, if pirated is probably not going to get picked up, but, be careful all the same, we trashed all of our upon leaving our home country so we didn't get caught.

[uscate]

Thanks to all for your advice. This is just an odd little bump in the road, I guess....

[nakatago]

Thanks to all for your advice. This is just an odd little bump in the road, I guess....

On another note, it may be worth it to rip your disks. You bought them anyway, and although Big Content would want you to pay for the same things again (albeit in digital form), a lot of experts believe you are not morally wrong if you want to rip them so that you don't have to keep popping disks into players to avoid wear and keep the digital copies just for your personal consumption.

Also, 1's and 0's are easier to pack than disks.

Just sayin'.

[v4jr4]

According to my friends' testimony, the probability will raise if you take dozens of them, especially if you bought them at Johor

[Steve1960]

I received the same sort of advice prior to moving here back in April.

However, the shipping agent responsible for relocating our belongings said that we should make a list of every title and that there would be no problems clearing through customs.

We shipped almost our entire collection of 100+ DVD's and CD's (although we did scrap a few illegally copied ones).

Reminds me of the mistakes my wife made when listing the titles.

Ever heard of 'K19 the window maker'? A double glazing masterpiece

And 'Best film of the year the Sun 18' I think she was reading the back of the DVD case for that one!!!

[sensei_]

It's not idiotic. As a matter of fact it's very clever and this philosophy applies actually in many every day areas of Singapore local life including your beloved road traffic

in what way is it clever? im not sure which part of the world you call from, but at least in australia, i have the right to watch (and therefore import) what i want within a specified parameters (ie. no kiddy porn or X rated stuff)

[x9200]

It's not idiotic. As a matter of fact it's very clever and this philosophy applies actually in many every day areas of Singapore local life including your beloved road traffic

in what way is it clever? im not sure which part of the world you call from, but at least in australia, i have the right to watch (and therefore import) what i want within a specified parameters (ie. no kiddy porn or X rated stuff)

Here you got it too (within some specified parameters) and the rules are pretty clear yet many chose not to follow them and the gahment choses not to chase them on the daily bases. Still they may use this against you one day at their own discretion.

[sundaymorningstaple]

See, in both cases, subject to specific parameters. Different countries, different parameters. Sounds okay to me. If I don't like the parameters, I can leave or adjust. My choice.