Microsoft, ESA and Nintendo Press Release on U.S. 'ModChip' Raids Options

[C o s m o]

Illicit devices like the ones targeted today are created with one purpose in mind, subverting copyright protections," Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for ICE, said in a release. "These crimes cost legitimate businesses billions of dollars annually and facilitate multiple other layers of criminality, such as smuggling, software piracy and money laundering.

Un-real. Unreal. Guru, you're a money launderer?

[KilluminatiStyle]

Maybe this is why the TeamModders web site went down rather quickly yesterday?

[0794]

The Xbox 360 modchip (or firmware flash) is the best way to run Linux on the system right now, so there is a legal use for it right there.

Same for the Wii chips, since it allows you to run Gamecube homebrew on the system.

hey, good point, thanks for the correction...

[tylerdurden]

Please, don't tell modchip should be legal since it allow us to play our backup copy of the game we bought... This is true you can use it for this but actually, maybe 0.0001% of people who have a modchip use it for this...

Modchip is great for stuff like XBMC...

Modchip is bad for piracy...

but the money they clame to lose is not correct... People would not buy all the games they have a copy for... for 5$ you can buy a game... try it... play 1-2hours and finally, you don't like it... you've lost 5$... no big deal!!

I'm quite ambiguous about modchip as you can see...

[sownow]

Anyone know yet who was hit?

I know that these 4 sites are now in accessable and in the case of norcal I know it was working yesterday morning then that afternoon it was gone.

http://www.teammodders.com/
http://www.team-xecuter.com/
http://norcalmods.com
http://otbmods.com

pesonally I think they are FoS ...

First both the Dept of Homeland Security and the DMCA shouldnt exist.

Second the "Losses" that the industry claims are bunk most people I know that have modchips of any kind wouldnt buy many games anyway. Heck I have a total of 9 games for the PS2 and have had it since release

Personally i only have the xbox modded and that is primairly for XBMC. I really dont play games on it much only once in a while when the mood strikes and I find a decent game on clearance for 5 to 10 bucks.

This post has been edited by sownow: Aug 2 2007, 02:15 PM

[0794]

come on you guys are so full of shit. Homebrew stuff my ass, you really want to play homebrew use your PC. There is only 1 reason and 1 only for using mod chips. Get off your high horses and quit worrying if you are next. The people selling them are very aware of the risk, so are those that buy and use them. You all sound like the perverts on Dateline claiming they weren't really going to do anything with the teenager.

you are actually quite short-sighted in your assumption that modchips are only used for piracy. maybe that is true in the circles that you usually travel in but here at x-scene we primarily appreciate the truly creative and innovative uses of modchips for the many systems to include linux or homebrew like XBMC. also, blatantly inflammatory and accusatory remarks here are not welcome.

[sabbath_dude]

Just to backup what 0794 way saying CLICKY.

[omega2468]

So are they only going after the sellers or also the buyers?

[brocher]

The Xbox 360 modchip (or firmware flash) is the best way to run Linux on the system right now, so there is a legal use for it right there.

Same for the Wii chips, since it allows you to run Gamecube homebrew on the system.

Unfortunately, under the DMCA even if the chip you're selling has legal uses, if it bypasses the protection then it's against the law. I don't know if they can arrest photocopier salesman or VCR/DVD-Recorders. It's a stupid law, full of contradictions, but there it is.

This post has been edited by brocher: Aug 2 2007, 03:20 PM

[1080p or bust]

just as long as they dont do this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjDp036b1lM
Ill continue to buy them

If that is what they are using to "scare" everyone out of not downloading music..I think that they have to try a more realistic PSA because that is just rediculous

[Eksyte]

This is just a flexing of muscle for M$.

The original XBox is dead. Sure, there are still stores that carry XBox games, but M$ made their money when the retailers (WAl-Mart, GameStop, etc) bought the games. The 360 is what's making them profit right now, and since circumventing the 360's security isn't typically done through chips, these raids will do little (if anything) to preserve their profits. (Same thing with the PSP. Odd how that wasn't mentioned.)

Essentially, they're just cheering on the ESA so they look like they're being proactive in the fight against piracy. ("We WILL get you!!!!11")

Nintendo has room to speak on this since chips are the primary method of circumventing the Wii's security, and since the Wii seems to be getting the brunt of current-system piracy.

Those of you who're whining about the "loss exaggerations" need to pull the panties outta your ass. It's not like these exaggerations hurt anyone. They're comatting the dishonesty of software theft with dishonest statistics. Boo-fucking-hoo. You're not gonna get arrested because they bumped the numbers up. You might get arrested for having pirate games, but how is that THEIR fault?

This post has been edited by Eksyte: Aug 2 2007, 05:08 PM

[asnagrim]

If i was in the U.S i would be lobbying for fairer laws in relation to modchips.
In Australia, the law basically states that if it does something else other than circumvent copy protection (ie homebrew or allowing imports) its legal. Read here for More Info and also Here

[macwest]

come on you guys are so full of shit. Homebrew stuff my ass, you really want to play homebrew use your PC. There is only 1 reason and 1 only for using mod chips. Get off your high horses and quit worrying if you are next. The people selling them are very aware of the risk, so are those that buy and use them. You all sound like the perverts on Dateline claiming they weren't really going to do anything with the teenager.

You are full of it. That statement is like saying anyone who buys a gun is buying it just to kill someone. It is very short sided and the reason we have problems in the first place. A console is nothing more than a dedicated machine in a smaller case. If I wanted to modify my pc to run linux I can and should be allowed to change my console over to linux if I so desire. I bought it. same as I did my pc.

In this case from what I have read and who so far seems to be busted it was not as much chip but that they were loading it with, a bios which is a big No NO. At some poit I believe the chip debate will work its way through the courts and the big guys will lose just like phone companies did with the whole locked to a carrier argument.

[BrutalDeathRaver]

good thing i got my wii chip yesterday.

[Alkane]

speak for yourself you douche, the only thing in your ridiculous post that has any shred of FACT is perhaps that YOU mod your stuff for 1 reason and one reason only,
I have 3Xboxes, all 3 modded and all 3 running XBMC
they are my media servers used to stream Music, movies,Pictures to the 3 TV sets I have at home,
NONE of my Xboxes have EVER even played a single game, it was literally open the box, install mod chip and XBMC and plug into TV

or you to come up in here all high and mighty, and TRY to paint ALL Modders with the same brush is just retarded,
so please STFU, and go be a Douche somewhere else

A software pirate and a homebrew user both generate no money for Microsoft. In fact, you've caused them to lose money on those machines. You've caused as much damage as a pirate has.

you are actually quite short-sighted in your assumption that modchips are only used for piracy. maybe that is true in the circles that you usually travel in but here at x-scene we primarily appreciate the truly creative and innovative uses of modchips for the many systems to include linux or homebrew like XBMC. also, blatantly inflammatory and accusatory remarks here are not welcome.

It's quite short-sighted to believe mod-chip companies make mod-chips for use with homebrew. You think Team Xecuter sells mod-chips because of homebrew? Fact is most people who purchase mod-chips do so with the intention of pirating games. Mod-chips owe their existence to the piracy market, you my friend enjoy the perks (homebrew).

Seems Team Xecuter is taking some precautions:

We were sad to discover that many stores were raided yesterday in the USA for selling modchips. Due to all the recent uprise of hacks-out-of-the-box like Wii mods and Pre flashed Xbox mods and pre-flashed 360 consoles we feared this would probably happen.

We feel our mods are shipped in a legal format with Linux pre loaded and any other products we make contain no copyrighted code and no circumvention of copy protection.

However, due to these crazy times we have taken the decision not to supply any linux based modchips (X2 and X3) to any USA stores in future and we will be concentrating on non-modchip products that will benefit and add enjoyment to gaming in general.