I posted a contribution on a future release with a cover scan from DVD EMpite.  It was declined beacuse it had a watermark.  Since I am a self admitted "Newbie", how can you tell if a image has a watermark.  Also, am I overlooking a rule that limits where scans can be copyed from?

Here is one from DVD Empire...



See where it says Copyrighted Material... that is a watermark. And not allowed per Rules...

Rules Quote:

Quote:
Before submitting new scans of cover art, make sure your new covers are of significantly higher quality than the existing online images, and meet the following criteria:

    * The covers must match the profile exactly, including the UPC and locality.
    * Image size must be at least as large as the existing online covers. If you don't have a premium registration, you will be unable to verify this. Therefore, submit only images you have personally scanned at 100 DPI or higher.
    * If you scan images for your personal database at a quality that are higher than 100 DPI, you may still submit them. If accepted, they will automatically be downsized for inclusion in the main database.
    * Image quality must be at least on par with the existing online covers. Covers that are larger than existing images but are of inferior clarity will not be accepted.
    * Images must not contain extra watermarks, autographs, or site links.
    * Images must be of the front and back only. Do not include the spine in either the front or back image.
    * Make sure neither front nor back is of lesser quality than the existing scans.
    * If a DVD is packaged in a keep case, within a slipcase of some kind, scan the Cover Images from the outer slipcase. If, however, the Slipcase is reflective, and the inner cover art is identical, use the Keep Case art to scan, as it will give a better quality image.
    * If a title is re-released with the same UPC, but different cover images do not contribute the new images. This includes cases where a DVD was initially released in a slipcase, which was later removed. As explained in the introduction you may use your personal images in your local database, but they will not show online.
    * Do not contribute generic "Coming Soon" images. If the back image is not yet available (as in a pre-release), use the front images in both places.
    * HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs in either HD Slim or HD Keep Case type cases without slip covers should be scanned without the HD banner.

Credits

See Rule I put in Bold.

Quoting Addicted2DVD:

Quote:
Here is one from DVD Empire...
<snipped images & extra text>
See where it says Copyrighted Material... that is a watermark. And not allowed per Rules...

See Rule I put in Bold.

It's probably best to avoid `Empire entirely for images... they nearly always have the watermark (except sometimes for very old releases) and they have become very subtle about it.  The example by Addicted is of an older type that was quite apparent, but recently they are using semi-transparent text of a darker color, varying size, and move the location to an apparently random position... sometimes very hard to spot.  Dunno why they are doing it this way now... seems if they are trying to deter image scraping the mark should be more obvious.   

Example: (can you spot it? hint: close to an edge)

Off topic of this thread... but I have to comment. I been dying to see 30 Days of Night!... so hoping to get it on my next order... I am now even more excited to see it now that I see Melissa George is in it. I really liked her in both the season of Alias and the remake of Amityville Horror!

Yeah... I know... I do want to try to lower my expectations some before I watch it. I probably won;t be ordering it for a few days yet. probably early next week. But yeah... my high expectations ruined a few movies for me in the past. At least the first viewing. usually if I watched it again they would grow on me with the multiple viewings.

big chance that those watermarked pictures do carry a digital watermark, what could cause a lot of problems for Invelos.

Thanks Rory... And I am sure you know I am definitely a horror buff.

Quoting 8ballMax:

Quote:
Quoting Giga Wizard:

Quote:
big chance that those watermarked pictures do carry a digital watermark, what could cause a lot of problems for Invelos.

Doutful that they have a digital or covert watermark. That costs money and I highly doubt someone would go to all that trouble and expense to covertly watermark a low quality DVD cover scan .

Would a digital watermark still be there after photoshopping/painting out the visual watermark, or would it be lost as the new file would be different? I've actually not heard of a digital watermark until now, but it doesn't surprise me that it exists. It would surprise me to be on a low-res promo pic.