1986-present[]
.png "CMV Enterprises warning (1980s).png (94 KB)")
Visuals: Almost the same as the 1984 variant of the 1978 CBS-FOX Video/Fox Video/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment warning, except the background is blue-black gradient, the FBI seal is removed, "FBI" is smaller, a colon appears after "WARNING," and "FBI WARNING:" has a red underline.
Variants:
- The length of the warning varies between certain releases, ranging from around six to ten seconds.
- On the early version of Sesame Street: Peter and the Wolf, the warning's length is 3 seconds.
- On early CBS Music Video Enterprises releases, the underline is white and extends to the colon, and the background is a darker blue gradient. The text also has a comma after "reproduction."
- On widescreen Classic Media releases and the 2009 DVD of The Fray: Live in NYC, the warning screen was redone in a wider ratio (albeit with very little effort). The original 4:3 format is also compressed and is plastered slightly offset on a stretched version of its gradient, with a period in place of the price value's comma and the underline being stretched to the colon.
- This same variant can also be seen in its usual 4:3 format on certain Classic Media DVDs during the mid-2000s.
- On Sesame Street: Elmo's Easy as ABC, the warning is on a black background, lacks a shadow and an underline, is in a different font, and is much shorter than it usually is, being about four to five seconds. No fading is applied this time around, meaning it simply cuts to the Sony Wonder logo with very little delay.
- On most DVDs, the laserdisc artifacts are present.
- A Spanish language variant exists.
- On U.S. Renditions releases, the background is black.
Technique: A digital graphic with fading effects.
Audio: None.
Availability: Common.
- Seen on American videos released under Sony's music distribution arms, such as Sony Music Entertainment, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Sony Wonder VHS and DVD releases; these include VHS tapes of MTV and Nickelodeon products from the early-to-mid 90s (before Paramount took over distribution), Random House/Sesame Workshop material (such as the animated adaptations of Dr. Seuss’s books, Elmo’s World episodes and Sesame Street direct-to-video specials), Golden Books/Classic Media specials, and Arthur DVDs and VHS tapes.
- It also shows up on various CBS/Columbia Music Video and Epic Music Video VHS and DVD releases such as Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live in New York City, Bob Dylan: MTV Unplugged, the DVD sides of DualDisc releases, Tenacious D: The Complete Master Works, and Indigo Girls: Watershed (10 Years of Underground Video). On RCA Records releases, it can be found on Dave Matthews Band: The Concert in Central Park.
- This was also seen on the 2007 Genius Products DVDs of the Classic Media Christmas Classics library, which includes Rankin Bass’s Christmas specials Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman and The Little Drummer Boy. Conversely, Sony BMG’s DVDs of the Godzilla movies contain Classic Media’s warning screen instead of this one.
- Sony Wonder releases of Big Idea material such as VeggieTales contain Big Idea’s warning screen instead. Similarly, Sesame Street and Elmo’s World DVDs from 2006-07 contain Walt Disney's 2005 warning (described below) instead of this one.
- This was also seen on the 2002 Warner Home Video/Eagle Rock Entertainment VHS of Andrew Lloyd Webber: Masterpiece, the 1995 Morningstar Entertainment Inc. VHS of Experience Canada, and the 1995 WinStruct VHS of Microsoft Windows 95: Getting Started.
- Strangely, it doesn't appear on the 2000 VHS of Mega Babies: Nursery Slimes, Chris Rice: Inside Out, and the DVD included with Axis of Justice: Concert Series Vol. 1.
- Even stranger, the screener tape of Sesame Street: Do the Alphabet and the 1998 In-Store Reel VHS of Sesame Street: Elmopalooza also have no warning, because it shows the 1995-98 funding credits instead.
1991-present (Canada)[]
Visuals: On a black-blue gradient background, we see the WARNING text in large letters and is in the top center, on the bottom is the Interpol warning text. Everything is in a white Helvetica Condensed font.
Variant: A French language version is known to exist, as seen on the 1998 VHS of Caillou: Que Fait Caillou? (translates to English as What is Caillou Doing? or What Does Caillou Do?). It also appears on the Sony Wonder DVD releases of Caillou’s Holiday Movie following the English language version of this warning screen.
Technique: A digital graphic with fading effects.
Audio: None.
Availability: This can be seen only on Canadian VHS and DVD releases from Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Wonder, mainly shows produced by Cinar such as A Bunch of Munsch, Zoboomafoo, Madeline and Caillou. The Sony Wonder DVD of Caillou's Holiday Movie also uses this as well. Strangely, it doesn't appear on Canadian VHS and DVD releases of Beyblade, as those releases simply use the previous warning.
1995–2006[]
Visuals: Same as the 1979 Warner Home Video warning, except it is digitally videotaped, the text is in an Impact font, "WARNING" is larger and the letters are spaced out, and the box has a shadow outline around it.
Variant: On 1995-1998 Kidsongs videos, the original variant is used and it fades in and out.
Technique: A digital graphic with fading effects.
Audio: None.
Audio Variant: On the Kidsongs variant, a whistle melody is heard.
Availability: Seen on Kidsongs episodes using the Warner Home Video variant.
1998–2002[]
Visuals: Same as the 1985 Golden Books warning.
Technique: A digital graphic with fading effects.
Audio: None.
Availability: Seen on Golden Books Video releases distributed by Sony Wonder.
1997-2006; November 28, 2011[]
Visuals: Same as the 1997 Trimark/Lionsgate warning.
Variants:
- On RLJE Films releases, the bottom text is centered.
- On the 2011 Columbia/XL Recordings DVD of Adele: Live at the Royal Albert Hall, the first screen of the 2001 IFC Films Award Consideration warning is used.
Technique: A digital graphic.
Audio: None.
Availability: Seen on DVDs such as Gov't Mule: The Deepest End, Live in Concert and Journey: Greatest Hits DVD 1978-1997. It is also seen on the 1998 Fox Lorber DVD of Pierrot le Fou, Showtime Entertainment VHS tapes such as Queer as Folk: The Complete First Season, the 2004 Hart Sharp Video VHS of Super Size Me, the 2003 Volcano Entertainment DVD of "Weird Al" Yankovic: The Ultimate Video Collection, the 2003 PBS DVD of Chicago: City of the Century, the 2002 Capitol Records DVD of Paul McCartney: Back in the U.S., and the 2002 Ground-Zero Entertainment VHS of Urban Massacre.
Editor's Note: Please note that the word "unauthorized" is missing, just like New Video, Cinedigm and Screen Media Films' warnings.
August 31, 2004-November 7, 2006[]
Visuals: Same as the 2001 Big Idea warning.
Technique: A digital graphic with fading effects.
Audio: None.
Availability: Seen on all VeggieTales VHS tapes and DVDs distributed by Sony Wonder, ranging from Sumo of the Opera to Gideon: Tuba Warrior.
2006[]
Visuals: Almost the same as the early variant of the 1985 Brentwood Home Video warning, except "FBI" is in a red block, the warning text is in an Impact font, and a second warning text added below.
Technique: A digital graphic.
Audio: None.
Availability: This was found on a DVD of Grand Ole Opry at Carnegie Hall.
October 24, 2006–April 3, 2007[]
Visuals: Same as the 2005 Walt Disney Home Entertainment FBI Anti-Piracy Warning screen.
Technique: A digital graphic with fading effects.
Audio: None.
Availability: This warning screen appears at the beginning of the final Sesame Workshop DVDs released in conjunction with Sony Wonder, such as Sesame Street direct-to-video specials, Elmo's World episodes and Sesame Beginnings videos.
December 10, 2021[]
Visuals: On a black background, we see the following text in white:
LEGAL WARNING
This programme is under copyright protection
and may be shown in private homes only. Any
rental, lease, barter deal or repurchase, copying,
reproduction or rerecording as well as public
exhibition or similar commercial acts serving
the same economic purpose, or their sufferance,
unless permitted by the copyright holder or
under applicable law, will result in civil and/or
criminal action being taken.
Technique: A digital graphic with fading effects.
Audio: None.
Availability: This was found on a Sony Classical Blu-ray of The World of Hans Zimmer: Live at Hollywood in Vienna.