Clock Ticking For Australian PlayStation Chippers 138
DuncanE writes: "On monday morning it will be illegal to modify playstations in Australia to play pirated games. More info can be found [in
this Australian IT article]. The new law will apply to all electronic devices." This is one consequence of the same Australian law we mentioned last week. Practice? Meet theory. Theory, Practice.
Re:playing pirated games (Score:2)
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Re:I disagree (Score:1)
Here we go again...
It is the lower sales followed after the copying that costs you dumbass! Sure, everyone who copies software wouldn't buy it if they haven't copy it but when pirating goes up, sales goes down. That is a FACT my friend!
You aren't forced to pay for my work, that's right. But then you have no right to use it either you criminal prick! Don't you think I have a family to support to? Do you think you have a moral right to play with my and others life's?
Re:Region coding first, piracy second (Score:2)
The "anti-piracy" version was done by only rewriting part of the data stream coming from the CD rather than generating the whole stream in the mod chip, thus you needed a black disc to generate the rest of the stream.
Just a nitpick. I'd expect the Australian law prohibits both intents equally, however.
New URL (Score:1)
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:1)
use LaTeX? want an online reference manager that
Re:I disagree (Score:1)
Re:European TVs; piracy third (Score:1)
Since the law is Australian and it's hard to find a new TV that doesn't support at least PAL50 and PAL60 (the cheap way of converting NTSC to PAL is to convert it to PAL format but at 60fps) in Australia I don't think that applies here. My cheap, five year old TV supports PAL50, PAL60 and NTSC just fine.
My cheap VCR plays NTSC and PAL just fine.
My (relatively) cheap DVD players plays NTSC and PAL just fine.
My TV capture card captures PAL and NTSC just fine.
I don't need some big brother company protecting me from scrambled pictures, that don't exist anyway.
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:1)
Later
ErikZ
Return policy? (Score:2)
I thought (Score:1)
--
Peace,
Lord Omlette
ICQ# 77863057
Re:Okay, this is bad. (Score:2)
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:1)
When everyone copies the software instead of buying it (you are of cause not forced to buy it but don't use it then) all the development costs are lost and there is no income to make up for it.
If there is 100 individuals who likes to game and think it's worth $50 the income is 100*$50=$5000. If these people can just copy it instead maybe 5 stills buys it because they pay for other peoples work but 95 don't. Now we have 5*$50=$250 income. Still think we haven't lost anything prick?
Re:playing pirated games (Score:2)
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:1)
7. you can barrow it from a friend and see if is suck
8. you can read a review of the game and see if is suck
there are alot of ways to determine if something is suck.
use LaTeX? want an online reference manager that
Re:Okay, this is bad. (Score:2)
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Re:Okay, this is bad. (Score:1)
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Re:Hmm (Score:1)
No, they are also targeting people who have backup copies. Many people make backup copies and play with them rather than with the original so that there is less of a chance of hosing their $80 CD. Under this law, these people would be unable to do that. I don't know what the copyright law is like in Austrailia, but in the US such copies are covered by the fair use doctrine.
Enigma
Re:Draconian society, etc. (Score:1)
America: Everything is permitted, except that which is forbidden.
Germany: Everything is forbidden, except that which is permitted.
Soviet Union: Everything is forbidden, including that which is permitted.
Italy: Everything is permitted, especially that which is forbidden.
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:1)
At the volume they're made in, using 1995 technology (small dies, cheap chips,) these things can't be that expensive to make.
My guess is that this is marketing spin to make the deal sound more inviting. If someone would like to produce some figures to prove me wrong, I'd be happy to see them.
Re:Banning Piracy = Good; Banning Mods = ??? (Score:1)
Slightly offtopic, but I just want to say there had never been a problem finding PS2s in Australia. Literally since day one in November last year every shop i've checked has had them. I guess the $799 price tag helps them not move.
I guess I just see it as odd that the Australian market had heaps of stock, while the USA, which still seems to need more is going without. Perhaps they built a few too many PAL units...
I find it funny though, but then I've always never been a PSX fan. Viva la GameCube!
playing pirated games (Score:2)
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:2)
Re:Already illegal (Score:1)
One word (Score:1)
Re:Banning Piracy = Good; Banning Mods = ??? (Score:1)
--Dox
Already illegal (Score:2)
So you just chip it to play your backups :)
How do they know why you're chipping it??
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Your both right.. and both wrong (Score:2)
It's nieve to assume anyone who pirates would use the software if they had to pay for it.
On the flip side.. not everyone who priates wouldn't pay for it. It's nieve to assume everyone who pirates has a problem with the pricing structure.
People want the software. Some can not afford the stupidly outragous pricetags. Some wouldn't pay the price to use the software.. it's to expensive. Some would if thats what they had to do but sence they don't they won't.
and some try out the game "peeew" and erase.. or try out the game "kick ass" and buy it....
There are problems all the way around...
Microsoft is really the only software company to make larg sums of money like they do. They do all this monopolistic BS so they can be sure everyone who uses the software pays for it. The only way they know to do that is just make sure everyone pays for it.. want or no.... Thats how they make money. It's the only way they know...
On the other hand... software is to expensive. The Commodore 64 equal to Microsoft Office might cost $50 but for the PC it costs $200 and up...
Why? To make up for lost sales due to software piracy. That only drives up the piracy.
The solution is free software, open source, and public domain. Apple makes software but they make money on HARDWARE. Sun makes software but they make money on hardware. IBM makes money on hardware and uses Linux... they add code back to Linux... and why not... They are only helpping themselfs.
The short story is the money isn't in software. It probably never was.
Laws to prop up software sales aren't going to help matters.
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:1)
I can enlighten you right away that if he HAS bought the game and just chip the machine for some other purpose than to steal no judge in the world would convict him of anything. And no content-provider would be interested in doing so either.
The laws (chipping and copying) are there to make sure the content-providers are paid for their work and nothing else.
Oh my god!! (Score:2)
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:2)
I would... I'd also say the price of a Rolex watch is insain.
I don't buy the watch... I don't get the watch... I don't buy the game.. I don't play the game.. It's that simple....
It's imposable to know if a software pirate would buy software if they had to. I don't think even the pirate him/her-self really knows.
Maybe they would... if they considered it worth the price... maybe they wpuldn't....
But they don't have to.... and thats a fact...
Re:Hmm (Score:1)
Enigma
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:1)
Solution: Remove the need for this chip. (Score:1)
If imports and backups are a legitimate use for a modchip, and the modchips are made illegal, Sony should be forced to do two things.
1) Make their consoles able to play discs from all regions. Import problem solved.
2) Provide replacements for damaged games at a reasonable cost ($1.00, the cost of one CDR). Backup problem solved.
This is just to counteract my inability to use the chip for legal purposes. Not that I think making the chip illegal was right in the first place. The fact that I own the hardware and should be able to do whatever the hell I want with it should preclude the passing of this in the first place.
These two things should happen anyway, regardless of the legality of the mod chip. Why does Sony care if I import a game? I'm not pirating it, hell, I'm giving them money that they wouldn't be getting if I didn't import the game.
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Kevin Mitchell
Re:playing pirated games (Score:1)
Chipping it should not be illegal, not even having the intent to buy pirate games should be illegal, but actually buying or making pirate games should be.
The fact is however, that the person that buys or makes pirate games for personal use (read, criminal), is the same person who is also going to ignore this law!
I want the actual *law* (Score:2)
Apparantly, something is illegal to do. And now we're embarking on a load of speculation as to legitimate uses, loopholes, the exact interpretation of the law etc. And despite this, nowhere do I see the actual text of the Act which is coming into effect. And I see no indication that anyone else has either.
Personally, I don't have the time right now to trawl through the entire act. But you'd think the AustralianIT article, at least, could have mentioned the specific section of the Act that prohibited this. Even if they found the nearest chipper down the road and interviewed them, Sony probably mentioned it in their threatening letter.
We could have had cold hard facts, but all we have is spoonfed propaganda and hyperbole. It's sloppy "journalism."
Sony used to endorse the use of mod chips.. (Score:1)
The letter he got back with his replacement said something like this.
"To ensure long playing of your Playstation games, Sony recommends you have your Playstation modified and your Playstation CD's backed up."
They let things go, and it got away from them, so they go and bribe^H^H^H^H^H lobby the government to change laws.
Oh yeah, and the Australian federal govt is a joke with technology. Their experts are all corporate sponsored lackeys. The only true protector of rights us Australians have is the ACCC.
Cheers,
leroy.
save me. (Score:1)
Re:practitioner, meet theoretician (Score:1)
Re:I wouldn't think this would be a problem (Score:1)
Re:The operative word is "intent" ^.~ (Score:1)
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Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:1)
What is the matter with you people? The laws only apply if you steal, do you know of any civilized country where someone is convicted without a criminal intension when it comes to IP? Have you ever heard of anyone forced to stand trial for copying something that he owns an original of? I can tell you right away that none will be convicted for modding their PS if they do it for some other reason than to steal something. Witch content-provider would be interested in such a thing? Witch judge would do such a thing? They are not dumbasses you know.
Re:I disagree (Score:2)
Adobe Photoshop is a prime example to make such a case. I am not sure of it's current cost, but 5+ years ago it was very far out of my price range as a high school student making minimum wage. So "maybe" I pirated it (back then). Was I using it to make money selling graphics? No. But I was using it. And because I was using it, I gained skills with it and became VERY brand-loyal. Now that I CAN afford to pay several hundred dollars for a copy of PS, I buy it. But using it for free in the past is the reason they have me as a customer in the present. Otherwise I would never have spent hundreds of dollars on a graphic editor...if anything I would probably be using some $40 knockoff P.O.S. and be in idiot bliss as I remove red-eye with a magic button.
No, this arguement does NOT apply to games, or to things that cost a lot less. But I honestly feel that Adobe has gained a decent sized part of their non-professional client base through teenagers using pirated copies of PS. Sure you could count that as "lost sales," but realistically, at least in the case of PhotoShop, I can't imagine more than 3-5% of the pirates could really "afford" to buy the software when they first started using it.
Fuzzy law (Score:2)
"It does not go after consumer but after the source. We're going after the bigger guys who earn $500-$2000 a week chipping consoles. Some of them are registered businesses."
He should relly _think_ about what he is saying, that just not make sense. I would say that the distribute and manufacture but would go after the "source", but that last bit is worse.
Anyway, if I lived there, I could be breaking the law by modifying some of my hardware in a way that could be used for unlawful purposes, even if that was not the intention? So I install a MPEG encoder/framegrabber I could be breaking the law because I could use it for copying movies? Or the installation of a graphic card with video out could be used for playing copied movies on my TV?
I'm surpriced they not just didn't put a tax on the chips
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Re:playing pirated games (Score:1)
Re:fuck "ip" (Score:1)
"I have no opinion 'Intellectual Property'"
Draconian society, etc. (Score:4)
"Failure to purchase at least one of the items presented on this web page is a violation of applicable laws"
or
"You are in violation of the patriotic consumer statutes. Your wages will be garnished to make minimum payments on the credit card charges we are incurring on your behalf. You will also be sent products our surveys indicate that you need to have."
feh. Police state nothing. We need a new word for this governmental dictactorship by commercial interests.
Re:playing pirated games (Score:1)
Exactly! There don't seem to be many here on slashdot who have heard of fair use or read the laws. If your motivation isn't to steal something it isn't illegal.
Re:Anti-Piracy Measure (Score:1)
-thanks
Wrong wrong wrong... (Score:1)
6. you can rent the game and see if is suck
That's all very well in the big city, but for people in small towns, this simply isn't an option, plus the fact that those places that DO rent have a very limited selection so even if you find somewhere you may very well not find the game you want.
7. you can barrow it from a friend and see if is suck
Fair enough, I'll give you that one, but say you're in the position of being the FRIEND, you don't have option 7.
8. you can read a review of the game and see if is suck
This is the biggest crock of shit I've ever read. Reviews are pointless, subjective, and ultimately worthless. Most reviews sites lack any real integrity and it's practically impossible to find impartial reviews these days. Those who do write accurate reviews tend to get a kicking from the companies involved and get removed from the reviewers list (I speak from experience). Need proof? Head to www.gamefaqs.com and check out any game, at random, and read the user reviews. For every "This game sucks" you'll find a "this game rules". Plus whose to say you'll like what the majority like? For example UmJammer Lammy got amazing reviews across the board, yet I personally feel it is one of the worst games ever written. Yeah, reading a review really helped me make a decent purchasing decision. Thankfully I managed to return it claiming it didn't work.
So, all your arguments are invalid. Thank you, and have a nice day.
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Re:playing pirated games (Score:1)
Re:Okay, this is bad. (Score:1)
Whith that licence in hand we ought to get a new copy for manufacturing cost only.
This is obviously valid for anything with a copyright of sorts attached, like OEM software.
That's why it is legal to re-install a crashed W9X box using a full copy of W9X instead of trying to take the (unnecessary) hurdles of the OEM disk's installation.
Re:Your both right.. and both wrong (Score:1)
What the Law Says (Score:1)
The law specifically allows backups, reverse engineering, interoperability, security testing.
The law doesn't allow removal of digital rights management info on a program or music etc and before anyone says "how will they know' the short answer is they won't but they won't care unless you transfer the unmarked copy to another person.
This of course is of no concern to those who believe that copyright is an anethma and IP does not actually exist. But to others, the law is wide but seems to be targeted at commercial level operations.
And why wouldn't it. If you want to stop something make it more expensive.
Outrageous (Score:2)
Re:The operative word is "intent" ^.~ (Score:1)
All copyright laws only applies when there is a purpose of stealing. The laws are there to make sure people get paid for their honest work and nothing else.
Re:Banning Piracy = Good; Banning Mods = ??? (Score:1)
Modify them... improve them.. even... oh wait... thats illegal now isn't it....
false presumptions.... (Score:2)
The fact of the matter is, piracy IS wrong, and violaters should be prosecuted. However, it's simply riduculous to create concise, quick-fix "all or nothing" laws that Australia (and perhaps even the MPAA w/ the Napster case) implement, by blaming abitrary services (thus ruining it for everyone else), where it is more the fault of the prosecuters for their inability to incorporate proper laws that allow theives to be caught - who cares if it's hard to do? At the end of the day, its justice).
How many gun shops get shut down in Texas, because every sixth month a phsycho teenager decides to go on a rampage?
Re:The operative word is "intent" ^.~ (Score:1)
What about free software? That's a valid intent. (Score:2)
You can't write free software for the PlayStation unless you need a special mastering process to put the boot code on a real PSX disc. A compatibility chip allows you to burn and run Free Software(TM) designed for PSX using a garden-variety Orange Book conforming CD-R burner.
All your hallucinogen [pineight.com] are belong to us.
Re:Okay, this is bad. (Score:3)
In a matter of fact, copying or modding is only illegal if it is done for the purpose of stealing.
You can copy all you like as long as you don't steal anyones product.
How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/Sega (Score:4)
VHS tapes are relatively easy to copy, and look how vhs sales are STILL thriving. CDs are easy to copy, and the RIAA has been making more money than they ever have been.
Look at the time when Kalisto and UTOPiA started releasing their boot discs and Dreamcast ISO's. Suddenly, within a few weeks, the Dreamcast consoles are starting to finally SELL, instead of collecting dust on the shelf. I PERSONALLY know of six people who bought a DC at that time, and for that reason. One simple demonstration on how my purchased copy of Virtua Tennis was identical to the burned cdr version was all they needed. But look what happened when Sega started going after these people, and the people with just the INFORMATION on it online. Sega's console sales suddenly drop (and that's WITH some big-name titles being released)!
Besides, backups have become an ESENTIAL part of my gaming life, both console and PC. Anyone who's ever watched their young cousin SNAP Jedi Knight or Quake II in their bare hands knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about.
I wonder when these companies finally learn that, as much as it goes against traditional business practices, GIVING more things away will most likely increase your profit. And with the millions (rough worldwide estimate) of "pirated" Playstation games alone, Sony and all of the 3rd party developers (ESPECIALLY Squaresoft) managed to do pretty damn well from '95-'00 with their PSX sales. Hm...coincidence? I think not.
Re:Banning Piracy = Good; Banning Mods = ??? (Score:1)
In other words you can mod all you want as long as its done for playing imported games, backups and so on.
The laws are there to make sure people are paid for their honest work, not to make your life harder.
Re:A H E M (Score:1)
Its a product, not a service (Score:1)
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:1)
This is only true if they don't buy any games at all.
But if they do buy some games, then all of a sudden there's an income that wouldn't have been there otherwise...
/Mikael Jacobson
"But surely we won't be still stuck with Linux in 25 years!?"
European TVs; piracy third (Score:2)
It's basically same as the DVD regions, except only 3 - one for each of Japan, America, and Europe
This is for a good reason. Console software is optimized for a particular television hardware standard. European games are optimized for 50 fps PAL, while North American and Japanese games run on 60 fps NTSC (that is, until 2006 when the USian FCC kills NTSC). Games that don't conform to the television will fall out of sync and produce a scrambled picture. For example, take NES games. The NES is easy to mod-chip (simply cut the power line) but the more timing-sensitive games (especially Rare games such as Rad Racer that use Pole Position-style raster scrolling [everything2.com]) crash when played on a different style of television.
This also has the side effect of making it possible to play burned copies of games.
Which may or may not be illegal, depending on the license [gnu.org] the game is released under. Backup first, free software second, piracy last.
All your hallucinogen [pineight.com] are belong to us.
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:1)
If you mod you PS to play backups, imported games or you mod it alot and make an robot out of it it isn't illegal.
In all developed countries like USA, Europe and Australia the consumers case is very strong when it comes to copyright law and there is no chance in hell that you will ever stand trial if you haven't stolen big time.
Re:Okay, this is bad. (Score:1)
The general law says it's illegal but the exception of fair use always apply (it applies to all copyright laws so it's not specified) so it is not illegal to mod it for import or backups. As long as you have the originals for the backups you can sleep well.
Re:Hmm (Score:1)
Fair use is applied to ALL copyright related laws, including this one. You may always play backup copies (you must of cause have the original); this always falls under fair use.
So what? (Score:1)
Do you see my point?
This law will really affect those who sell pre-burned chips in Australia or who sell modified boxes in Australia.
How are they going to know if you order a blank or pre-burned chip from the U.S. or Europe (or, since you are in Australia, you'll most likely get it from Asia)? They can't know unless they confiscate it and read the code (which can be easily avoided since I know many of the microcontroller chips allow the person burning them to encrypt the code).
This law really is moot unless you are a for-profit pirate.
Re:Anti-Piracy Measure (Score:1)
Re:The operative word is "intent" ^.~ (Score:2)
So, you'll basically end up with a situation where it will stay legal to use modchips, but effectively illegal to sell, make, import whatever them. At that point, it makes no difference for the consumer that technically they are still legal to use, because he won't be able to get them any longer from any reasonable source.
By reading this reply, reader agrees not to modify (Score:3)
That's crap. I haven't read the article yet... thought I'd look at a few responses of those that have first, but if it does indeed state this, then I don't see what right Playstation can have (beyond voiding the warranty) to take legal action. Especially if it cannot be proved that piracy is occurring. In fact, the only way I can see them making a legal claim is after someone has misappropriated software (I hate the term pirate), they throw that term/condition at them.
IMHO, once you buy a piece of equipment, it's yours to do with as you wish. This seems similar to the attempts of Digital Convergance to keep people from opening their CueCat... If you don't want someone modifying your product, MAKE IT RIGHT TO BEGIN WITH! Let's face it, chipping a PS2 to play import games is a reasonable modification to an unreasonable limitation. Today's world is just to small not to be expected to pick up an imported game either through travels, on the internet, or by trading games. When I lived in Germany, one of the first things I did was buy a TV that was able to understand both European and the American formats.
So I guess I'm off to read the article. I would imagine it indicates that Playstation has in their purchase agreement that the game system is purchased with the agreement that the user will not modify.... blah, blah....It goes against the American way: Inventor has idea, makes prototype, patents idea; consumer buys product, has an idea, changes product to suit needs, is happy; inventor scratches head, states "hmmm...", improves product.
BTW, the reason I hate the term pirate and piracy, is software misappropriation takes away the glory of being a true pirate! When KeWl Hax@rs start impaling each other with swords and typing code with a hook on one hand, then they can modify the term "pirate." Until then, the user agrees that to be considered pirate, they must brandish steel, wear an eyepatch and have a close, personal relationship with a parrot. Said parrot must have a foul mouth and/or belittle female passers-by, hereafter referred to as wenches.
Ciao
cfeagans
Be advised: by reading this message, you agree to not change it's content by design or accident. Modifications of punctuality and spelling are included in this agreement, though they may improve the overall readability. Modifications to grammer and syntax are also prohibited, as they take away from the original designer's intent. Failure to comply with this agreement is punishable by fine or imprisonment or both.
Practice and Theory are different (Score:2)
Three words (Score:2)
Okay, this is bad. (Score:2)
Mod chips are not necessarily going to be used to break copyright laws. Yes, with a mod chip, you *can* copy a friend's game for your own use, but they are many of us (myself included) who have modded Playstations that use burned discs for backup purposes. Allow me to clarify.
I have a modded playstation, as well as about 50 or so games. Whenever I purchase a new game, I will immediately burn a copy for use and put the original in storage. You see, I have a tendency to become violent towards the playstation when I don't do too well in a game, and often, I will throw things at the game after a tough loss. This tends to break things. The fact is, CD's get scratched, rendering them unplayable, and I feel a lot better knowing that I have an extra copy around. This is not illegal, nor should it ever be illegal because I am making copys for my own personal use.
Re:The operative word is "intent" ^.~ (Score:2)
My point is this : so it's illegal to sell the modchip, but is it illegal to sell a pre-chipped playstation in a store ? Just say "it's a pre-owned pre-chipped playstation". I don't quite expect shop owners to crack open the used playstations they buy off customers just to see if it's chipped or not, so it might be safe under the law. Sorta like how pawnshops can claim immunity for having one of their henchmen bust up a guy and steal his tv. "We didn't know it was stolen *snicker*". Well "We didn't know it was chipped" should be just as valid.
Region coding first, piracy second (Score:5)
This also has the side effect of making it possible to play burned copies of games. Oh well.
In australia, I'd bet that the main focus is to get foreign games to play, as australia probably only gets european releases (confirmation?), where far fewer games come out. In america, the main concern is playing japanese games that will never come out here, such as dating sims and music games.
A good technical breif on modchips is availible here:http://www.modgalaxy.com/modchip.htm [modgalaxy.com]
BBK
Re:Wrong wrong wrong... (Score:2)
you say that with such athority. i come from a small town and the selection at the local video store is pretty high. granted there are smaller towns, but they are a short drive to a large one with a rental outlet.
i would also like to add:
9. start your own reviewing site with contributions from the users.
10. with this new thing called the internet you can meet people from everywhere and discuss topics that people in your small town are not familar with. like for example if the newest game for the playstation is sucks, and the different ways to determine weather games is sucks.
use LaTeX? want an online reference manager that
What is legal: (Score:2)
Fix not your gaze where it is required the least (Score:2)
All this about piracy when there is one, very legitimate use for mod chips... Imports! You cant play Japanese games on an American playstation without modchips or other trickery!
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Clock ticking? (Score:2)
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:2)
This is true, but if someone has a unit with a mod chip and access to a burner, how many games do you think they are going to buy? Most of the people that I know have not bought a single game after their mod chips were installed. They simple go rent or borrow a game, and then burn it. I'm not saying that all people are this way, but the majority of modded units are primarily used for playing pirated games.
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:2)
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:2)
Personally, I don't have a copy of a game that I have not purchased myself. But, I use copied games as backups, plus, modchips allow me to play import games that either never make it to the states, or only after a few months. Most people wonder why I've had a copy of The Bouncer since its release in Japan a few months ago, even though the US release is in a few days (hint: its not worth it, trust me). But, ESPECIALLY since I (used to) cover games on my site, I needed to make sure I had the biggest and the best...FIRST. People loved me for the fact that they could watch me play though the whole game in less than an hour on a streaming video channel, while IGN is still releasing a few screenshots and "rumors".
Going back to your question, I'm not saying one way is more "right" than another. BUT, if you look at the statistics, and how consumers behave, its easy to see why this is a bad move on Sony's side. I'm saying that Sony would not have had the system with the popularity and sales that it did if it hadn't been for easy copies. Yes, that allows people to just search the net for half an hour to download the game they want. But you know what? In order to play that game, they would have to AT LEAST have purchased the Sony console in the first place. So, even though Sony is not making any money off the game (they're not "losing" it either), they would have at least gotten the $100/$150/$200 or whatever for the price of the console. Volume is underestimated in today's business. Groups like the RIAA think that they need to sell CDs for $20 to make a profit, when they'd probably make the same profit if they were $8. There IS some kind of curve to explain this (I forgot what it was called), and it does almost always equal out. But, if you sell them for less, not only will you make the same amount of money, customer satisfaction will rise. Trust me, you'll be a lot less pissed if you buy a crappy cd for $8 than if it was $8.
This is why Nintendo will probably be screwing themselves too, with their own kind of dvd/mini disc-like format for their Game Cube. Obviously, they didn't learn their mistake the first time. Then again, not only are they refusing to publish Squaresoft titles unless its on their own terms (BIIIIIG mistake), they're also going to go the same route in marketing it to the 6-13 crowd, which controls a relatively small share of console buying power today.
Now, the encryption/copy protection on the M$ X-Box hasn't really been discussed. But, if it is relatively easy to copy X-Box games compared to PS2/GC games, then Microsofts console WILL SELL, and it will sell WELL. I can guarantee that. Personally, I think Microsoft should basically ADVERTISE that their system lacks copy protection. Do you have ANY IDEA how many people will, upon hearing that, run out to their nearest EB to buy one? There would be an X-Box in almost half the homes in the country within a year or two! Of course, the chances of that happening are pretty slim, but I always wonder when these companies will start thinking with their heads and not their wallets. Only THEN will they know the true meaning of profit.
*Tonight at 11: Nintendo sues Jack Valenti for his phrase "Gotta catch 'em all!" in reference to anyone using DeCSS. Valenti runs looking for shelter from an industry that is bigger than his. Film at 11.*
You know what this means? (Score:2)
It doesn't have a territory lockout, so no worries about imports.
Only thing remaining is backups. Which I never saw the need for BTW, I've never had a disc break that I didn't intentionally do myself.
Re:playing pirated games (Score:2)
Well, you can't paint it green and add racing stripes. That's a fashion crime !!!
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:2)
What pirating tells us is that the price structure is all wrong for games. If the price on games were fair, then there would be little or no pirating.
Re:playing pirated games (Score:2)
What is illegal is the chip that goes into the playstation.
To know why, you have to understand why copied games need the chip.
Official games have playstation boot code on them, in a place that cd-r drives cannot burn to. So when a copy (or "backup") of a game is written, the boot block code is not where the playstation expects it to be, hence the game will not boot.
The chip contains the code, and feeds it to the playstation, in place of it being read from the cd.
The code in the boot block is copywrited. Therefore, the chip contains an illegal copy of the code and anyone that creates the chips or sells them is breaking the law, exactly the same as if they were selling pirate software.
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I disagree (Score:2)
That's not true at all! Because software costs nothing to replicate. If you have no intentions of buying the game. Then go out and find a pirated copy, no one has lost any potential money and you've gained a nice game.
This happens with windows 2000. Do you think most people need DATACENTER? how much does it cost again? A lot. If someone who can't afford it pirates it, M$ hasn't lost any money!
I think your main problem is counting your chickens before your eggs have hatched. The money is does not belong to the developers until and not before it's handed over.
Not only that but I believe developers get a tiny fraction of what the companies, publishing houses etc. get. Just like in the music industry.
"just connect this to..."
BZZT.
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:2)
The Anandtech forums are about as influential as the contents of the crap you took last night.
Precious Moments, PAL, and all your base (Score:2)
I'm sorry but I have a modded PS One
When I saw that console, my first thought was "What? This is the kind of console that would be packed in a Barbie playset." Then, after a bit of pondering: "No, that's too cute to be Barbie. It looks more like Precious Moments [preciousmo...munity.com] style."
and my Japanese games look just fine.
What region are your console and TV designed for?
The screen corruption I mentioned requires that 50fps software be run on 60fps TVs or vice versa. (See other comments nearby about PAL60 TVs; however, it's very hard to find a 50fps TV in the US unless you have a video capture card in your PC.) Because NTSC-U/C and NTSC-J regions use identical 60 Hz NTSC television standards, there is no graphical corruption.
I wrote: "European games are optimized for 50 fps PAL, while North American and Japanese games run on 60 fps NTSC ... Games that don't conform to the television will fall out of sync." Did you miss this part?
But I agree that keeping Japanese games out of American hands, especially when not a lot of text is involved and the community accepts bad translations as humorous [planetstarsiege.com], is a result of outright greed.
WHAT YOU SAY !!All your hallucinogen [pineight.com] are belong to us.
Re:How Sony is screwing themselves a la Nintendo/S (Score:2)
I'm not sure about the PS, but I know almost every other console ever has been sold below cost. They recover the loss by selling games, and making a few dollars per game. This is necessary since a $500 console won't sell very well.
So please, DO NOT justify piracy of games by saying that the company still sold you the console. They really are "losing it" when you pirate games.
Re:Okay, this is bad. (Score:2)
(I can't believe my previous post got modded as a Troll for trying to explain the difference...)
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Re:playing pirated games (Score:3)
You wrote: The code in the boot block is copywrited.
I shall present this mysterious, "copywrited" boot code for you: SCEA. That's it. Four letters. I doubt it's possible to copyright four letters.
Have a look here for some modchip details [angelfire.com]. If you look around you can also find the source code for a number of modchips if you're into doing it yourself. It would be trivially easy to remove the alleged "copywrited" SCEA and distribute the source without it. You then could add any boot code you liked and put it in your own machine. (Obviously only the "SCEA" would make any sense.)
Note that modchips also have a legitimate purpose: allowing you to play import games. Asian consoles look for SCEI, European ones look for SCEE and NA ones look for SCEA. If the modchip is inserting these "codes" then the playstation will play discs from any region. Note that anti-piracy modchips are also possible, by letting through the first three letters from the disc and inserting a fourth. This type of modchip only allows one to play import games, but not CDRs. (Figuring out what SCEA stands for is left as an exercise for the reader.)
Re:playing pirated games (Score:3)
1. Tape down the sensor that checks to see if the disk door is open. Masking tape or duct tape works best. This makes the PlayStation think the door is always closed.
2. Insert a legitimate game and wait for the SCEA screen to appear. At this point, the PlayStation is checking the boot code.
3. Leaving the system powered up, open the door, remove the real game, and insert a burned game. Since the boot code is already loaded, the game will play fine.
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:3)
Most people who buy pirated games won't buy games legally, even if they're worth retail price.
And considering how much trouble it is to produce, promote and distribute a game I wouldn't say $50's unfair for a good product.
Flavio
Banning Piracy = Good; Banning Mods = ??? (Score:2)
I realize that this is probably splitting hairs, but there is a slight problem with the law as referenced in the article:
Modchips, if I understand them correctly, can be used to unlock the region encoding to allow a player to play imported games; one of the side effects is that it also allows someone to play pirated games burned onto a CD. So, installing a modchip specifically to play pirated games is illegal, but what of chipping a PS2 to play import games? According to the article, just opening the PS2 voids the warranty; installing a modchip could land you with jail time and a fairly hefty fine...
Not all of us can afford multiple PS2s, for example, let alone find them...
Anti-Piracy Measure (Score:4)
Personally, I have no problem with the idea that people who flout copyright law (in the generic sense, not it's DMCA guise) should be punished - after all, the GPL relies on copyright law to keep people honest.
What bothers me is that it fails to take into consideration that chipping doesn't necessarily mean somebody is going to be playing pirated games. What about those "grey imports", games shipped in from other countries like the US or Japan where a release of a game in Australia may never see the light of day? A chipped playstation might *never* be used to play a pirated game.
Although Joe Consumer isn't targeted this time round, it doesn't take a great leap to see how a law such as this might be misapplied in the future.
This story once again boils down to enabling corporate control through a government sanctioned law. A disturbing trend, and one which seems to be applied to more and more situations these days.
Unfortunately, I believe things are going to get worse before they get better. Chipping a DVD player is another classic example. I chipped my DVD player in order to be able to play the new "R1E" format DVDs on my R2 player. I don't have *any* pirated movies, and don't intend to buy any. I just want to be able to watch movies. And don't even get me *started* on DeCSS. Boycotting DVDs is not the answer, if it fails as a format we'll only end up with something worse.
There is one possible glimmer of light, however. And that is that every one of these laws is a house of straw. Legal precedents have yet to be made. I'm not giving up hope yet. People can still be educated. Let us hope we can get there in time.
Re:Australia is doing the right thing. (Score:3)
You have no right to purchase devices that facilitate stealing.
I disagree. The problem with making ROM'ing illegal is that it makes illegal more than simply the piracy itself, because lawmakers are working on the same flawed assumption you are. There are aspects of ROM'ing that are both legitimate and legal. One of my friends is really into playing import games. Nothing wrong with that. He pays for the games and then he plays them. I guess he gets a kick out of bad translations [rmitz.org]. Anyway, to do this, from what I understand, he has to modify his playstation. I don't know technically if he needs to use a ROM chip. Either way, he needs to make modifications to his playstation that aren't going to hold up in court under this law, as I understand it. And that's what the problem is.
Take napster for example. I think that for the most part, anyone with a reasonably convincing/plausible theory about the wrongs of banning napster isn't trying to argue that piracy isn't illegal and shouldn't be prosecuted as such. They're arguing that the means that napster uses to propogate pirated information is also used as a way to propogate legitimate information, and therefore cannot be shut down just to stop piracy. The same goes for ROMs.