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Mod Your Old X Box for Charity

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    #2
    OfflerCrocGod
    Registered Users Posts: 6,294 ✭✭✭OfflerCrocGod


    It's difficult and expensive to do this on a large scale - modding my Xbox required me to open it up and connect a few wires no soldering but with the required install of an operating system it took quite a while (2 hours at least if you are doing a lot of them). There is the expense of the mod hardware to take into account as well, of course you can use a mouse and keyboard either........it sounds nice but not a very likely or cheap thing to do. Also what is charity going to do with a modded console; they are not all nerds! If there any problems they may have some difficulty dealing with them.


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    #3
    maidhc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,473 ✭✭✭maidhc


    Make sure that you dont do it in the United Kingdom:

    BBC, Man convicted for chipping Xbox (4th July 2005)
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4650225.stm

    BBC, UK bans PlayStation 'chipping' (22nd July 2004)
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3915179.stm

    Sony v. Ball [2004] EWHC 1738 (19th July 2004)
    http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2004/1738.html

    Instead move to Australia

    BBC, PlayStation loses chipping case (6th Oct 2005)
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4315172.stm

    Stevens v Sony [2005] HCA 58 (6th Oct 2005)
    http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/high_ct/2005/58.html

    ... from yesterdays decision of the HC in Australia:

    "From the foregoing it follows that a PlayStation CD ROM sold and distributed in one global region cannot be played on an unmodified PlayStation console sold and distributed in another region. Thus, the purchaser and owner of a PlayStation CD ROM, lawfully acquired, say, in Japan or the United States and brought to Australia, could not play that CD ROM on an unmodified console lawfully acquired, say, in Australia or Europe[123]. By their line the Popes of old divided the world into two spheres of influence. Sony, it appears, has divided the world (for the moment) into at least three spheres or markets. By the combined operation of the CD ROM access code and the Boot ROM in the PlayStation consoles, Sony sought to impose restrictions on the ordinary rights of owners, respectively of the CD ROMS and consoles, beyond those relevant to any copyright infringement as such. In effect, and apparently intentionally, those restrictions reduce global market competition. They inhibit rights ordinarily acquired by Australian owners of chattels to use and adapt the same, once acquired, to their advantage and for their use as they see fit.


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    #4
    damien
    Registered Users Posts: 4,290 ✭✭✭damien


    Interesing maidhc. So, what prevents an Irish person complaining to the Competition Authority about these restrictions?


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    #5
    maidhc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,473 ✭✭✭maidhc


    Nothing prevents them complaining! :) I dont think the CA do much though apart from arrest farmers and complain about the legal profession :)

    Whether such a case would succeed in Ireland is questionable. The main ground the case was decided on appears to be the meaning of "technological protection measure"

    "On the interpretation of the s 10(1) definition of "technological protection measure" that I favour, Sony's device of the Boot ROM chip and the access code or either of them does not constitute a "technological protection measure" by virtue of the device's deterrent effect on the copying of computer games. That is because the console's inability to load the software from an infringing copy does not make it impossible or more physically difficult to make an infringing copy.

    Ireland uses the terminology "protection-defeating device"
    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA28Y2000S370.html

    "(2) A person who makes available to the public or re-utilises the copies referred to in subsection (1) has the same rights and remedies against a person who—

    (a) (i) makes,

    (ii) sells, rents or lends, or offers or exposes for sale, rental or loan,

    (iii) imports into the State, or

    (iv) has in his or her possession, custody or control,

    a protection-defeating device, knowing or having reason to believe that it has been or is to be used to circumvent rights protection measures, or

    (b) provides information, or offers or performs any service, intended to enable or assist persons to circumvent rights protection measures,

    as a rightsowner has in respect of an infringement of any of his or her rights under this Act.

    The terminology as you may note seems to be very very broad!

    Kirby J's comments about Sony carving up the world are valid, but I'm not sure if much weight was attached to them. They can't of course carve up various countries within the EU, but apart from that I'm not sure if much is to stop them. However selling mod-chips for the express purpose of allowing foreign imports be played seems reasonable enough.. (although there are probably issues relating to items being imported from outside the EEA that I cant be bothered informing myself about :) )


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