A thread to help out some of our newer members (and also some longstanding one’s) with some of the more Frequently Asked Questions for some of the functions on the site…
 

If you are new to the originaltrilogy•com then the following info may also be of some assistance…

 
The Welcome to the OT.com; Introduce yourself in here thread is just that; a good place to make your first post on here - and for more longstanding members to welcome new people to our community.

Secondly, the About and Help sections may be of interest to you regarding this site and what the OriginalTrilogy•com is about.

Thirdly, the Announcements Section - including Site Rules & Guidelines, Fan Edit & Preservation Rules & FAQ, as well info for Signatures, Linking Policy for Downloads, and Plot Spoiler Policy (and much more) that may be of use too.

If you are having any issues with the site, have a question, an idea to improve the site, or would like to give some feedback - then these can be done in the Feedback Forum and General Assistance sections.

There are also several Index Threads pinned at the top of many respective sections of the OT•com - which may help members find various topics of discussion, fan edits, preservations and other projects etc.

To Join the OT.com Discord server! click on the link. There is also the OriginalTrilogy.com Twitter too.

’An OriginalTrilogy.com timeline thread - a history of the site and why & how it came to be…’ chronicles both the history of this site & also it’s continuing evolution.

The ’Complete Comparison of Special Edition Visual Changes’ thread by doubleofive contains many sources of information as to the numerous changes made to the Original Trilogy films over time - as well as serving as an insightful and comprehensive discussion thread on the subject.

And, the ’George Lucas: Unreliable Narrator & Time Travelling Revisionist…' thread attempts to highlight and catalogue some of the revisionism, altering of history and contradictory claims by George Lucas / Lucasfilm as to the formation, planning and history of the Star Wars films and universe therein.

Finally, the A celebration of the Original Trilogy | Some informative threads | How you can help… thread - highlighting just a few of the many discussion threads on this site focusing on countless fans’ love and appreciation for the Original Trilogy - and ongoing dedication in attempting to achieve a modern, high quality, official release of the unaltered theatrical version of the classic Star Wars movies.

Looking to acquire projects on here? Then please read this…

(and take the time to look around to see how this place works - and doesn’t - before posting requests for projects on here - thank you)
 

Many people on here just like to chat Star Wars… whether that’s mainly the Original Trilogy (and also the copious continuing changes made to it over the years), or the Prequel & Sequel Trilogies, the Standalone Stories, various animated tv series, The Holiday Special (shudders), the Ewok films, literature, comics, art, soundtracks & audio, collecting, gaming, and the future of the ‘Galaxy Far Far Away’ - or members who just talk about life in general in the Off Topic sections.

A fair few people join here for a particular the Preservation Project, Fan Edit, documentary, blu ray or dvd cover etc. We ask that those who do… also have a look around; see if there are other Projects, Edits or works of interest to your liking. To give the Star Wars discussion threads a read through, or those in the Off Topic sections. To have a think about becoming a part of the community here; and consider not becoming a one-time poster… asking for a link to a project and to never be seen again.

Many of the projects on here have been undertaken by volunteers or enthusiasts who’ve devoted considerable time, effort, dedication and some expense… to locate, preserve, restore & archive - or edit - films and TV programs in their best possible presentation. This is often with painstaking commitment - yet all projects are available for free; not to mention our members also improving upon & sharing techniques, knowledge, technical assistance, experiences - and a few stories, along the way.

Joining up here and then creating a new thread along the lines ‘Give me the link to X’, ‘Where is project Y’, or going straight into a project thread and posting ‘How do I get these?’ doesn’t really fly on here - and will likely be ignored or deleted. Taking the time to learn about a project - by reading through the project thread - as well as how to acquire them; simply making an effort to be part of the community here, and how this place works, even if just leaving feedback for acquired projects, can go a long way…
 

The OT•com is a place for respect & civility on all of Star Wars - especially so for the Original Trilogy films (obviously) - yet also for everything else from the ‘Galaxy Far Far Away’ too. Yes, even The Holiday Special, maybe…

We’re a diverse and welcoming community - the upshot is ‘Be Civil - Be Cool’; passionate - yet cordial discussion & wide-ranging views are welcome - toxicity, repeated negativity, trolls & WUMs are not.

We hope you enjoy your time on here - as thousands of others already have, currently do, and will - in the future to come 😃

The Index Categories / Queries are…

 
• How to post an image on the OriginalTrilogy•com… (and some useful markdown guides too)

• How to post a ‘spoiler’ on this site…

• How do I embed a video (from YouTube or Vimeo etc) on here?

• I can’t find the Search function on the site - Is there one?

• What is a ‘PM’? (and how do I send one?)

• I see a lot of abbreviations & acronyms on here - what do they mean?

• I would like to report a bug / request a site feature / have an idea…

• What are the Site Rules & Guidelines?

• How do I report an issue? / Contact a Moderator?

• Does this site have a social media page?

• Does the site have a NSFW (Not Safe For Work) Policy?

• I have found a Fan Edit / Preservation I am interested in - but don’t know how to get / acquire / download it?

• Myspleen aren’t currently giving out invites / Can I have a Myspleen invite / Myspleen requests etc…

• Why don’t you guys just have links to downloads (torrents and file share site links etc) on the OT•com?

• What kind of download links can I post on this site?

• What are some of the other Fan Edit / Fan Project sites around?

• Where can I find Harmy’s Despecialized Editions, or adywan’s Revisted Edits, or Hal9000’s Prequel Edits, or Jambe Davdar’s Filmumentaries, or poita’s quality Star Wars projects, or the 4k77, 4K80 & 4K83 projects, or other quality endeavours?

• Why isn’t it easier to acquire Harmy’s Despecialized Editions?

• I don’t have a computer to acquire project X - or blu ray writer to burn project X to disc - please help…

• I have found some online sites and listing selling fan projects from on here…

• Where can I learn a bit more about the OT•com site itself?

• Is there a bullet point thread on here with the inconsistencies and retcons from George Lucas’ (or Lucasfilm’s) revisionism?

• Where can I find sources of information on the many changes to the Original Trilogy films?

• Where can I find sources of information on the film crew who worked on the Original Trilogy films?

• How do I delete a post I accidentally made?

• How do I delete my account on here?

• I would like to change my username on here…

A few reserved posts for future questions and info.

If you have a question, suggestion or would like to submit some info then please post it below - thank you.

And also let us know if you see any errors or broken links etc - cheers 👍

Last updated - 16th September, 2020.

How to post an image on the OriginalTrilogy•com… (+ useful markdown guides)

 
There have been a fair few requests of late from members - both new and erm… not-so-new - on how to post an image on this site, so here goes…

If you’d like to post a picture up on the OT•com - then the following will (should) work…
 

!{}(https://i.imgur.com/dfwJb97.png)

^ instead of the ‘{}’ above, put these two [] in their place, then click on ‘Submit Your Reply’ or ‘Preview Post’ - and the image will appear - like it does below… 😃
 

or…

There is also a couple of useful markdown guides, here:-

https://markdown-it.github.io/ (and scroll down to ‘Images’)
https://github.com/adam-p/markdown-here/wiki/Markdown-Cheatsheet
 

How to post a ‘spoiler’ on this site…

 
Although there is no specific spoiler code for this site… many of the members on here use the following as a make-shift spoiler option - as an example:-
 

x>> Luke blows up the Death Star in Star Wars!

Remove the ‘x’ from the above line of text - so the text reads as ‘>> Luke blows up the Death Star in Star Wars!’ - and it will ‘appear’ as it does below…
 

Luke blows up the Death Star in Star Wars!

 
^ If you click on the ‘Expand’ button you will see the spoiler content. Click on the ‘Collapse’ button - and the spoiler content will disappear.

Alternatively, you can also post a Spoiler like this… (click on the ‘Expand’ / ‘Collapse’ button below)

 > SPOILERS
 > 
 > > Vader is Luke's papa

SPOILERS

Vader is Luke’s papa

 
^ big thanks to ChainsawAsh for that 😃

How do I embed a video (from YouTube or Vimeo etc) on here?

 
Unfortunately the site software doesn’t currently allow for that - though you can post a link to a video on the site.

When you do link to a video - please give a brief description of the content you are linking to.

I can’t find the Search function on the site - Is there one?

 
The site search function is currently disabled - some Mynocks got into the system and it hasn’t worked properly since.

You can search for any of the threads on the OT•com by going to your online search engine of choice (ie, google, startpage, bing, duckduckgo, yahoo etc) and type in:-

site:originaltrilogy.com and then whatever you are looking for.
 

For example - if searching for threads on the adywan edits, type in - site:originaltrilogy.com adywan edits

If searching for threads on the 2006 GOUT DVDs, type in - site:originaltrilogy.com 2006 gout dvds

What is a ‘PM’? (and how do I send one?)

 
‘PM’ stands for Private Message. This is a useful function for exchanging information you may not wish to put up on the public part of the site - for all to see.

To send a Private Message… at the top right corner of the screen you will see a ‘speech bubble’ next to your avatar. Click on this and then select the ‘Start a Private Topic’ icon. You will also be able to see your past Private Message conversations.

Alternatively, you can click on the name of a member here on the forum that you wish to contact - and select the ‘Start a Private Topic’ option to send them a PM.
 

When the speech bubble at the top right of the screen is filled in (a solid pale blue colour) it means you have received a new PM to read. If the speech bubble is hollow it means you have no new PMs to read.

I see a lot of abbreviations & acronyms on here - what do they mean?

 
Sites like abbreviations.com, thefreedictionary.com, webopedia.com & urbandictionary.com may all be of use for this.

There is also an OT•com ‘acronym buster’ guide, here - link
 

Please note: whilst some abbreviations / acronyms may make it a lot easier / quicker to type or read certain word & meanings - the use of ‘txt spk’ on here is not encouraged - so please refrain from using it, thank you.

I would like to report a bug / request a site feature / have an idea…

 
Nice one, thank you - either of these can be made in the relevant site sections, here:-

General Assistance | Feedback Forum

What are the Site Rules & Guidelines?

 
Forum Rules and Guidelines, can be found here - link

Preservation / Fan Edit Rules & FAQ, can be found here - link

Maximum Signature Size Rules, can be found here - link

The Announcements section is also worth checking out, here - link

How do I report an issue / Contact a Moderator?

 
Whilst you can use the ‘Report’ button for any posts you may take issue with on the site… please note that at present all the ‘Reports’ only go through to Jay (the Site Owner & Admin) - and NOT to the Moderators.

As you can imagine Jay receives a LOT of Reports, PMs and emails to sort through - on top of his other Admin duties - and even a life outside here.

So, if you wish to contact any of the Site Moderators instead with any issues, queries or concerns etc - you can do so by sending them a Personal Message (aka a ‘PM’) by clicking on their respective names below…

Anchorhead | SilverWook | oojason | Tobar

Please do NOT use the ‘Report’ button to ask for project links.

Also, please do NOT PM the moderators to ask for project links.

Thank you.
 

Does this site have a social media page?

 
There is an OriginalTrilogy•com twitter page, here - https://twitter.com/originaltrilogy

There is also the OriginalTrilogy•com Discord server, which you can ask to join, here - link

Does the site have a NSFW (Not Safe For Work) Policy?

 
Images may not contain nudity or graphic depictions of violence, death, etc at all on this site.

If you are going to post something that could be considered NSFW then do so in a NSFW labelled thread - or use the ‘Spoiler Code’ above, AND clearly mark it as ‘NSFW’.

If in doubt as to whether something you are going to post may be unsafe for viewing at work, or if you’re not quite sure that the content is NSFW, then err on the side of caution - and use the above ‘Spoiler Code’.

While there are no specific restrictions on profanity, please exercise restraint. Dropping an F-bomb here and there isn’t going to get you banned, but excessive profanity shouldn’t be necessary to make your point.

I have found a Fan Edit / Preservation I am interested in - but don’t know how to get / acquire / download it?

 
Firstly, take the time to look around to see how this place works - and doesn’t - before posting requests for projects on here - thank you.

Read through the thread of the project you are interest in - there is usually information in there (often in the very first post) on how to acquire a project.

If no such information is in the thread… then send a polite PM to the author / owner of the project (which is usually the creator of the thread on here too) - and after that a little bit of patience is required. It is likely that the Fan Edit author / owner isn’t online every day - or even every week - and may have a ton of queries or other stuff to get through before dealing with your request.

If you haven’t heard back after some time, then let it be known that you are seeking a copy by making a post in the relevant thread; hopefully other members on here may be in a position to help you.

Do NOT simply just post ‘a request’ for links in the project thread (unless asked to do so by the editor or presevationist) - doing so just fills threads up with endless link requests… which often disrupts any ongoing discussions, further ideas & feedback occurring in such threads.

Also, fellow members may be more likely to help you out if you are an active member of the community here - you don’t have to be a fellow fan editor, preservationist, tech wiz, artistic or skilled etc; just a member that has made, or is making, an effort.
 

Joining up here and then creating a new thread along the lines ‘Give me the link to X’, ‘Where is project Y’, or going straight into a project thread and posting ‘How do I get these?’ doesn’t really fly on here - and will likely be ignored or deleted.

Many of the projects on here have been undertaken by volunteers or enthusiasts who’ve devoted considerable time, effort, dedication and some expense… to locate, preserve, restore & archive - or edit - films and TV programs in their best possible presentation. This is often with painstaking commitment - yet all projects are available for free; not to mention our members also improving upon & sharing techniques, knowledge, technical assistance, experiences - and a few stories, along the way…
 

It may also be worth checking some of the other Fan Edit sites around - sometimes it can just come down to good fortune if you acquire a project or not. Being rude, impatient, making repeated requests, or ranting about how unfair it all is - or what a rubbish system this is - won’t likely get you any help that may have otherwise been coming your way…

Some projects also have their own websites, blogs, youtube / vimeo / dailymotion / or twitter and facebook pages etc too - so it’s worth checking your online search engine of choice - to see just what is out there on the internet as well.

• Please remember to leave some feedback…

A great deal of time, love and effort going into making many of the projects that appear here - so if and when you do watch an Edit or project, then please remember to leave some feedback for the Editor / Preservationist etc - whether on a technical level, ideas for additional changes / edits or alternatives, some constructive criticism (keep it civil), how much you enjoyed it, or even just a simple thank you…
 

• A reminder…

Joining up here and then creating a new thread along the lines ‘Give me the link to X’, ‘Where is project Y?’, ‘Give me the download links’, or going straight into a project thread and posting ‘How do I get these?’ doesn’t really fly on here - and will likely be ignored or deleted.

Take the time to read through a project thread - especially the opening post - for information on how acquire a project. Or, if no such advice or info in the project thread exists… follow the information in here.
 

• General Info…

Fan Edit & project authors are responsible for the availability / distribution of their releases - it may well be frustrating that you have found information on a long sought-after project on here (or elsewhere) - and yet have no way of acquiring it, though unfortunately on occasion that is the way it is…

A polite request: that fan editors & preservationists keep their project threads (and thread titles) updated as to their status - whether their project is in the… ‘Planning’ or ‘Idea’ stages, if any ‘Help Needed’ is required, is a ‘Work In Progress (WIP)’, or hopefully ‘Finished & Released’, or even unfortunately ‘Unfinished’, ‘Canceled’ or ‘On Hiatus’ etc - thank you.

An important rule on many a Fan Project site is… ‘Before obtaining any fan project, you must be in ownership of the official retail release’.

Another rule is do not post direct download links to Fan Edits or Preservations etc on this site (though links to a short demo or trailer is fine) - the What kind of download links can I post on this site? post contains more info & details.

Note: OriginalTrilogy•com is NOT responsible for the availability of ANY Fan Edits or Preservation projects that appear in threads on the site - that responsibility lies with the owner / author of the respective project.
 

Myspleen aren’t currently giving out invites / Can I have a Myspleen invite / Myspleen requests etc…

 
Myspleen (a private torrent site) are not currently issuing invites to their site - and haven’t done so for some time.

No-one here is affiliated with Myspleen, we have nothing to do with Myspleen, we are as much in the dark about this as you - and so we cannot help you with invites or other info.

So please ** DO NOT MAKE A POST ASKING FOR A MYSPLEEN INVITE ** - thank you (we’ve already had hundreds of posts about this - and members’ patience on here is understandably wearing thin).

Any invite requests posted in threads on here will be deleted.
 

Myspleen does have its own forum, here - http://www.myspleen.org/forums

 
The above link to the Myspleen forum is also useful for finding out if / why the the site itself may be down or not - or for resetting forgotten passwords and other account queries etc. Again, do not ask for help re forgotten passwords or account info on here - we have nothing to do with the running of Myspleen - and so cannot help you.

It may be worth be trying some of the public torrent sites - and also private torrent sites too - for trying to find an elusive Fan Edit or Project etc. Online search engines are useful for this.

Some projects also have their own websites or youtube, twitter and facebook pages etc - so it’s worth checking for those as well.

Why don’t you guys just have links to downloads (torrents and file share site links etc) on the OT•com?

 
To acquire a Fan Project you will likely have to read the Editor / Author’s thread (usually in their first post) - or PM them for instructions on how to acquire their project. You will also have to own the official retail release - as per the site’s Preservation / Fan Edit Rules & FAQ.
 

‘We ❤️ Star Wars and give it all the moneys. Please don’t sue us.’ - this applies for every Fan Edit on here (not just for Star Wars releases) - we pay for the film/tv/media release beforehand; via purchasing the blu ray or digital download etc.

We are not pirates - and this is not a torrent or download site.

 
The site and community would prefer not to raise our profile any higher than it already is. We have a nice thing going where people are being allowed to work on Fan Edits & Projects and then share them with others who own the retail release - without the copyright owners bringing the hammer down. Let’s keep it that way.

Posting links to torrents and file share sites is a sure way to bring the wrath of Disney and other film companies here. We’ve been around since 2003 - so let’s not do anything to jeopardise our future - and likely that of the Fan Edit community as a whole.
 

For a list of allowable links for this site please click on this link and scroll down to the ‘FAQ Section’ - Number ‘9. What kind of links can I post?’

or click here - What kind of download links can I post on this site? - for info too.

Also, joining up here and then creating a new thread along the lines ‘Give me the link to X’, ‘Where is project Y’, or going straight into a project thread and posting ‘How do I get these?’ doesn’t really fly on here - and will likely be ignored or deleted. Take the time to learn about a project - read through the project thread(s) - as well as how to acquire them; simply making an effort to be part of the community here, and how this place works, even if just leaving feedback for acquired projects, can go a long way…

Many of the projects on here have been undertaken by volunteers or enthusiasts who’ve devoted considerable time, effort, dedication and some expense… to locate, preserve, restore & archive - or edit - films and TV programs in their best possible presentation. This is often with painstaking commitment - yet all projects are available for free; not to mention our members also improving upon & sharing techniques, knowledge, technical assistance, experiences - and a few stories, along the way.
 

What kind of download links can I post on this site?

From the FAQ Section of the ‘Fan Edit / Preservation Forum Rules and FAQ’ (number 9)…

 
The only direct media links allowed are for short trailers or samples to demonstrate quality. You may also post links to fan-made DVD artwork, subtitle streams and unreleased/obsolete audio or video (this is NOT the same as rare/out-of-print. If in doubt, ask a moderator first.) Do not post torrent files, NZB files or Rapidshare links for downloading copyrighted materials, nor links to sites hosting such files. You are however allowed to mention names of websites or newsgroups where fan edits or preservation projects can be found.

Do not link to websites selling bootlegs/silvers or eBay auctions for non-official media.
 

In summary:-

“PM me for the download links to my project” - is acceptable.

“Now available on a.b.starwars” - is acceptable.
“Click HERE for NZB” - is not.

“Torrent uploaded to piratebay” - is acceptable.
“Get the torrent at www.atorrentsite.com” - is not.

“Mega links are available at fanedit•info” - is acceptable.
“Mega links can be found on this page” - is not.

“look for the Star Wars Fixhund file with pcm audio in 1080p” - is acceptable.
“Star.Wars.IV.1977.MULTI.VFF.1080p.PCM.AC3.x264-Fixhund” - is not.

Furthermore, obfuscated or hidden links (ie, links behind an icon or a single character in the post text etc) are still considered direct links, will be removed - and will result in a ban.
 

What are some of the other Fan Edit / Fan Project sites around?

 
Some useful info / links…

A Master List of Fan Edits, Preservations and Restorations - over 1700 films - a superb compilation by ^…^

FanEdit.org - A large online database of Fan Edits (with forum)

IFDB.com - FanEdit•org’s own Masterlist of Edits - The Internet FanEdit Database

FanRes.com - A forum focused on home made movie restorations - and more…

Reddit’s R/FanEdits - A reddit page for Fan Edits

FanEdit.info - An independent site for providing ‘your daily Fan Edit fix’.

OriginalTrilogy•com’s much overlooked ‘How-To’s and Technical Discussions’ section

There are also the OT•com’s ‘Index Threads’ for many Preservartions, Fan Edits and other Fan Projects etc that feature on this site:-

Star Wars Preservation - Index

Star Wars Fan Edits and Other Projects - Index

Preservation of Other Properties - Index

Fan Edits and Projects for Other Properties - Index

as well as the…

a few useful links; some old, some new, some forgotten, some that may interest you… thread in General Assistance

It’s also worth trying some of the public torrent sites - and also private torrent sites - for trying to find an elusive Fan Edit or Fan Project etc. Online search engines are useful for this.

Some projects also have their own websites or youtube, twitter and facebook pages etc - so it’s worth checking for those as well.

A general, yet important, rule on many a Fan Project site is… ‘Before obtaining any fan projects, you must be in ownership of the official retail release’.

Another rule is do not post direct download links to Fan Edits or Preservations etc on this site (though links to a short demo or trailer is fine) - see the post above this for more info & details.

Where can I find Harmy’s Despecialized Editions of the Original Trilogy…?

Some basic info for Harmy’s Despecializd Editions can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link
 

The Despecialized Editions: ‘Please help me find & download’ | ‘How-To’ Help Index & more… thread may also be of interest.

Where can I find adywan’s Revisited Editions of the Original Trilogy…?

Some basic info for adywan’s Revisited Editions can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link

Where can I find Hal 9000’s Edits of the Prequel Trilogy…?

Some basic info for the Hal 9000 Prequel Edits (and more) can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link

Where can I find Jambe Davdar’s Filmumentaries of the Original Trilogy…? (and lots more)

Some basic info for the Jambe Davdar’s Filmumentaries (and lots more) can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link

Where can I find info on poita’s Star Wars projects…? (and more)

Some basic info for poita’s Star Wars projects (and more) can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link

Where can I find info on the 4K77, 4K80 & 4K83 projects on the Original Trilogy…

Some basic info for the 4K77, 4K80 & 4K83 projects can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link

Where can I find info on mverta’s Star Wars Legacy preservation project…

Some basic info for the mverta’s Star Wars Legacy preservation project can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link

Where can I find info on Puggo’s Grande 16mm Preservations for the Original Trilogy…

Some basic info for Puggo Grande’s 16mm preservation project can be found in this ‘Signpost’ thread - link

The above projects - as well as many other quality preservations, fan edits and fan projects can also be found in…

Star Wars Preservation - link

Star Wars Fan Edits and Other Projects - link

Preservation of Other Properties - link

Fan Edits and Projects for Other Properties - link

The various Index threads located in the above sections will also hopefully be of use in finding specific projects.

Also, joining up here and then creating a new thread along the lines ‘Give me the link to X’, ‘Where is project Y’, or going straight into a project thread and posting ‘How do I get these?’ doesn’t really fly on here - and will likely be ignored or deleted. Take the time to learn about a project - read through the project thread(s) - as well as how to acquire them; simply making an effort to be part of the community here, and how this place works, even if just leaving feedback for acquired projects, can go a long way…

Many of the projects on here have been undertaken by volunteers or enthusiasts who’ve devoted considerable time, effort, dedication and some expense… to locate, preserve, restore & archive - or edit - films and TV programs in their best possible presentation. This is often with painstaking commitment - yet all projects are available for free; not to mention our members also improving upon & sharing techniques, knowledge, technical assistance, experiences - and a few stories, along the way.
 

Why isn’t it easier to acquire Harmy’s Despecialized Editions?

 
Firstly, you MUST own a copy of the Original Trilogy on blu ray or the Digital Download to be able to acquire the Despecialized Editions. Please see the Preservation / Fan Edit Rules & FAQ - and Harmy’s own requirements and reasons.
 

It IS quite easy to acquire the Despecialized Editions. There is some effort involved in obtaining them - yet this pales into insignificance the efforts, dedication, time, mistakes - and learning from them, money invested, sacrifices made, and ‘blood, sweat & tears’ that Harmy and his fellow contributors undertook to bring about these Editions - as well as the work and projects that went before - all of which are available for free.
 

Many, many people with hardly any IT / computing skills at all (and also those for whom English is NOT their first language - or may have struggled with)… have managed to acquire a copy of the Despecialized Editions - by following HanDuet’s clear and concise The Ultimate Introductory Guide or solkap’s superb Guide / Instructions in his thread, here - link.

A little patience and effort is often all that is required (as well as a pc and an internet connection 😉) Don’t be intimidated or overawed - just take your time and follow the instructions - one step at a time.
 

If you get stuck on a particular issue / step… as Section 10 of HanDuet’s superb guide states:-

'If you find any errors, have feedback, or can think of ideas for improving this guide, please leave a comment on my Facebook page. I will also post on that page when a new version of this guide is published, so please “like” the page if you’d be informed of future updates:

https://www.facebook.com/HanDuet.SWDE/’

Alternatively…

Bluto’s comprehensive and quality ’Guide to Downloading Projects from Usenet’ thread, in the How-To’s and Technical Discussions section of the site, may also be of interest for those members looking to acquire certain projects.

solkap’s ’NJVC Custom Blu-ray Set of Harmy’s Despecialized Editions now available on Mega’ thread - with helpful and concise step-by-step guide - is a great option on how to acquire this particular Set.

For non-Despecialized projects…

ZigZig’s kind & generous Monthly shares thread may be of some assistance for members looking to acquire certain projects.

It may also be worth reading through the respective threads on here to see if it has already been addressed/answered - and if not, then there are usually a good few members on here who’ll try and answer any questions - to help you along the way.

Please also see the ‘Why don’t you guys just have links to downloads (torrents and file share sites etc) on here?’ Q&A, for more information.
 

Note: As many modern tv sets have USB ports built-in… you don’t even have to burn the Despecialized Editions to blu ray discs any more to be able to watch them. A simple and relatively cheap USB Drive (aka a flash drive - or ‘thingy stick’ 😃) will play the films just fine - in an mkv or mp4 format etc.

Others often use devices such as Chromecast or WDTV, XBox, Plex or other ‘media centre’ style setups (or just a pc with a video cable to the tv) to play back their catalogue of film, tv and music etc.
 

For those who do wish to have the Despecialized Editions on blu ray discs - yet do not have a blu ray re-writer on their computer… they now cost around $50 / £45 for an internal burner, and $80 / £70 for an external burner. Prices continue to drop over time… and pre-owned writers are available at even lower prices.

Alternatively, a friend, neighbour, colleague, or family member with a blu ray writer (or other equipement) can be worth asking if they are able to help - or maybe even trying the local internet cafe or library etc.

The Despecialized Editions: ‘Please help me find & download’ | ‘How-To’ Help Index & more… thread may also be of interest.
 

I don’t have a computer to acquire project X - or blu ray writer to burn project X to disc - please help…

 
Computers are easier and cheaper to come by than ever before (even with blu ray writers installed) - especially for pre-owned computers - whether from a high street shop, an online store, independent pc or electric store, charity or thrift shop, advertised in a local paper, or on sites like ebay, gumtree or pre-loved.

Friends, family, neighbours, acquaintances, your local internet cafe, public library may also be options… to be able to acquire somme the great projects here, and also burn them to disc - if need be.

Some smart phones and tablets may also be able to acquire projects that appear listed here too.
 

As mentioned elsewhere in this thread… many modern tv sets have USB ports built-in… you don’t even have to burn project X to a blu ray disc any more to be able to watch it. A simple and relatively cheap USB Drive (aka a flash drive - or ‘thingy stick’ 😉 will play the films just fine - in an mkv or mp4 format etc.

Others often use devices such as Chromecast or WDTV, XBox, wireless harddrives, Plex or other ‘media centre’ style setups (or just a pc with a video cable to the tv) to play back their collections of film, tv and music.
 

For those who do still wish to have project X on a blu ray disc - yet do not have a blu ray re-writer on their computer… they now cost around $50 / £45 for a new internal burner, and $80 / £70 for a new external burner. Prices continue to drop over time… and there are many pre-owned burners also available at lower prices.

Alternatively, a friend, neighbour, colleague, or family member with a blu ray writer can be worth asking if they are able to help - or maybe even trying the local internet cafe or library etc.

I have found some online sites and listing selling fan projects from on here…

 
Please know and remember this - the people who sell these freely available projects do so on the backs of the Fan Editors’ long, arduous & hard work - all given for free. The same applies to those who designed the cover and disc art, and also the people who put together any extras such as interactive menus or bonus / additional content made for these projects as well.

Many of these sellers make considerable money from selling these Fan Edits - despite often claiming that they are only charging ‘for their time and to cover costs’. These claims are false - they substantially profit from their actions.

The quality of product you see in many sellers’ ‘unboxing’ or ‘promotional’ videos on youtube etc may be nowhere near the quality of what you actually receive; some people have received non-working discs, cheap quality discs, poor quality covers printed on standard letter paper, low quality ink settings used, broken disc cases, just being sent the discs themselves instead of in their protective boxes - and without disc covers and artwork too (despite some ‘review’ videos showing the contrary).

They also endanger the future of any and all future projects too. It is a golden rule of owning these freely available Edits that you must own the official retail release (or digital download) - and that no-one profits from the making & distribution of them.

Some sellers have even deleted comments on their sites from Harmy and other Fan Editors letting people know the above info - and that all these projects are freely available elsewhere…

Harmy, the author of the Despecailized Editions, released a 4 minute video on the subject to youtube - just to remind everyone that Fan Edits & Projects must never be bought or sold:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrwKZHv4OS0

There is a thread to discuss such issues, here - Dealing with People Selling Fan Projects - in the ‘Star Wars Preservation’ forum. Please keep discussions on the matter confined to the above thread - thank you.

It’s worth remembering that people profiting off bootlegs and other people’s work has always taken place - from Con halls, merch stalls, car boot sales to under-the-counter deals at disreputable videos shops (and now glossy looking websites and ebay). It doesn’t make it right, it is annoying and frustrating - yet there is only so much we can do. eBay doesn’t seem to care along as they get their cut - though they will take listings down when reported (despite a reluctance to ban or sanction the sellers; £$€s) - so keep on reporting the leeches on there as you see fit.
 

Where can I learn a bit more about the OT•com site itself?

There is ‘An OriginalTrilogy•com timeline thread - a history of the site and also how it came to be…’ that may be of interest and help - containing some useful info, here:-

https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/An-OriginalTrilogycom-timeline-thread-a-history-of-the-site-and-why-and-how-it-came-to-be-/id/63479

Is there a bullet point thread on here with the inconsistencies and retcons from George Lucas’ (or Lucasfilm’s) revisionism?

This bullet-point style compilation thread may be of interest…

George Lucas: Unreliable Narrator & Time Travelling Revisionist…

An array of various OT•com threads over the years discussing the many contradictory and somewhat hypocritical statements - and the rewriting of Star Wars history - by George, can be found in the ‘Archival / Historical Discussions’ section of this thread, linked below:-

An Index Thread for Original Trilogy Discussion…

Where Can I find sources of information on the many changes to the Original Trilogy films?

‘Complete Comparison of Special Edition Visual Changes’ - OT•com thread by doubleofive - with many sources of information…

 
‘Star Wars Visual Comparisons’ - website by doubleofive

‘Star Wars Special Edition Visual Comparisons’ - blog by doubleofive; with links to Photo Galleries here - SW : ESB : ROTJ

‘Star Wars Special Edition Visual Comparisons’ - twitter page by doubleofive

‘Disney+ Should Offer the Star Wars Original Cuts’ article on the Wired website by doubleofive : #ReleaseTheOriginalTrilogy : OT.com thread on doubleofive’s article

'A Visual Guide to Changes, Fixes & Tweaks in the Disney 4K Version - article by doubleofive on The Digital Bits : SW : ESB : ROTJ

StarWars•com Official 2004 Changes Preservation : SW : ESB : ROTJ - compiled by doubleofive

StarWars•com Official 1997 Changes Articles : SW: SE : ESB: SE : ROTJ: SE - via the Internet Archive’s WayBack Machine website

A helpful overview of the changes to the OT - and surrounding issues - from zombie84’s SaveStarWars•com’s FAQ Page

‘Special Edition Changes’ - 2010 article on the changes made for the 2004 DVD release - from zombie84’s SaveStarWars•com

‘Star Wars Changes’ (Original Trilogy) - YouTube Videos by 13las : SW : ESB : ROTJ : Disney+ : The Prequels

‘All Changes Made To Star Wars’ (Original Trilogy) - YouTube Videos by Marcelo Zuniga : SW - Part 1 : SW - Part 2 : ESB : ROTJ

DVDActive•com’s ‘Star Wars - The Changes’ articles (via the Internet Acrhive’s WayBack Machine) - SW : ESB : ROTJ : The Prequels

‘The Big List of Changes to the SW films’ OT•com thread on the FromScriptToDVD site’s comparison articles - by Gregatron

‘Who Shot First? The Complete List Of Star Wars Changes’ - an Empire film magazine article

Wookieepedia’s ‘List of changes in Star Wars re-releases’ page

‘List of changes in Star Wars re-releases’ - from the IPFS•io website

Star Wars Comparison’s YouTube video channel for comparing theatrical cuts to official blu ray and various fan projects.

and also reading through these superb OT•com threads (by doubleofive):-

’Sources on the Special Edition’ - in the Theatrical Cuts vs. Subsequent Releases section of the site.

’Modern SE Revisionism’ - in the Theatrical Cuts vs. Subsequent Releases section of the site.

as well as these Index Threads - which link to many topics of discussion here on the OT•com regarding the changes made to the Original Trilogy films:-

An Index Thread for Theatrical Cuts vs. Subsequent Releases…

An Index Thread for Original Trilogy Discussion…
 

Where can I find sources of information on the film crew who worked on the Original Trilogy films?

The Original Trilogy Film Crew & People Behind The Scenes: Profiles, Info & Links… thread may be of some interest for this - and also contains links to many other resources of information on many of the talented people and crews who worked on the three original landmark and groundbreaking films…