UK bans PlayStation 'chipping'

[Vincent]

From the BBC

The selling of "mod chips" for Sony PlayStation 2 game consoles has been ruled illegal by a UK high court.

A PlayStation 2 with a modified chip installed can play imported or pirated copies of the console's video games.

Mr Justice Laddie backed Sony's legal argument that its intellectual property was being infringed by people selling the chips to console owners.

....

The ruling is not the first victory Sony has won against makers of mod chips. In Belgium it also won a similar case against another mod chip seller.

However, in Italy a judge threw out Sony's case saying it was up to owners of a console what they did with it.

Similarly in Spain, mod chips are seen as legal despite the EU copyright legislation.

I agree with Italy.  If we pay the money for something we should be able to do what we want with it.

[bloodline]

I agree with Italy. If we pay the money for something we should be able to do what we want with it.

I agree! when I buy a carving knife, I should be alowed to use it for any purpose my sick twisted mind can dream up :-P

[Vincent]

bloodline wrote:
I agree! when I buy a carving knife, I should be alowed to use it for any purpose my sick twisted mind can dream up :-P

:lol: Ok, we should be able to modify it to our own needs, just like when people buy PC's they end up buying new hardware for it.

[bloodline]

Vincent wrote:

bloodline wrote:
I agree! when I buy a carving knife, I should be alowed to use it for any purpose my sick twisted mind can dream up :-P

:lol: Ok, we should be able to modify it to our own needs, just like when people buy PC's they end up buying new hardware for it.

I was just being stupid, but I prefer (and agree with) your new wording :-)

[KennyR]

Uhm, which law can they use to ban the use of chipping? I don't agree with piracy but I don't agree with simply decreeing 'this should be illegal' without due process and following proper law.

For instance, buying a 'chip' doesn't break copyright law, or any other kind of law, including intellectual property. There are no laws against modifying hardware that you own. So you can't break the law by fitting one.

The only illegal part here is actually buying the pirate DVD/CD in the first place, and whether or not chipping makes that possible is immaterial. Maybe they'll make DVD-R and CD-R illegal next. Pffh!

[redrumloa]

Agreed, this is stupid. Why are they stopping at the chip? Why not go whole hog and ban the PS-2 itself? I mean the PS-2 may be used to play illegal games.

[Speelgoedmannetje]

and how about perfectly legal expansions?
Or do they need a license from Sony to develop such?
I can't see the illegalaty in making expansions (for legal purposes) without specific licence.

[Vincent]

KennyR wrote:
Uhm, which law can they use to ban the use of chipping?

It's not the actual use of the chip, it's the advertising/selling of it that's now against the (most probably draconian) law.

So, if you want to read a little further into it, it's illegal to sell it and advertise it, but it's legal to own it and use it.

It'd probably be easy to set up a compulsory donation type thing to get round the actual selling of the chip if you want everything to be above board, but the chips themselves are still going to be sold no matter what happens.

[swift240]

I agree with Italy, its up to me as I own a PS2 then I see it as I can do what I like with it.

How many cars do you see on the road that have been moded in some way?
Do you see Ford up in arms saying you cant do that.
Sony know very well if you pass a law that says you "cant" do this or that then people will go ahead and do it any way.

To be honest my PS2 is not chiped but having said that if I get a chance to get it chiped then I shall do so, I dont need any judge telling me I cant.  Hey Sony why dont you drop the prices, then perhaps people wont need to chip them.

Mike....

[that_punk_guy]

swift240 wrote:
How many cars do you see on the road that have been moded in some way?
Do you see Ford up in arms saying you cant do that.

It's not quite the same thing. Modding a car in that way doesn't make it easy for you to steal petrol.

That said, I'm totally against this. Regional lock-out is bullpoo, for a start.

[Speelgoedmannetje]

modded cars? there are enough modded cars:
extra spoiler, better suspension, new colour, etc etc. and yes, modded car engines to drive faster than the speed limit (wich is, of course, illegal).

[Vincent]

swift240 wrote:
To be honest my PS2 is not chiped but having said that if I get a chance to get it chiped then I shall do so, I dont need any judge telling me I cant.  Hey Sony why dont you drop the prices, then perhaps people wont need to chip them.

I forgot to say, I don't have my PS2 chipped, and I don't intend to get it chipped either, I've known too many people that've had problems playing bought dvd's after getting their's chipped.

I do have a chipped PS1 though (MKII) that works better than the unchipped one for reasons unknown.

[T_Bone]

KennyR wrote:
Uhm, which law can they use to ban the use of chipping? I don't agree with piracy but I don't agree with simply decreeing 'this should be illegal' without due process and following proper law.

For instance, buying a 'chip' doesn't break copyright law, or any other kind of law, including intellectual property. There are no laws against modifying hardware that you own. So you can't break the law by fitting one.

The only illegal part here is actually buying the pirate DVD/CD in the first place, and whether or not chipping makes that possible is immaterial. Maybe they'll make DVD-R and CD-R illegal next. Pffh!

Exactly.

I hate laws designed to prevent crime by making legal activities "conspiratorial" to illegal activities. The crime itself is already illegal, that's as far as the law itself should concern itself with.

[iamaboringperson]

From what I gather (correct me if I'm wrong), a 'mod chip' is simply a replacement ROM chip. It's software.

And like with all software, selling copies without the copyright owners permission is called piracy. Software piracy has pretty much always been illegal.

And so, in reality, there is nothing new here.

The same has occurred in Australia, and I support it.

'MOD chips' seem to have no use other than to run pirated software IMO.

[Vincent]

iamaboringperson wrote:
'MOD chips' seem to have no use other than to run pirated software IMO.

Yes and no, the current run of mod chips allow your PS2 to be region free aswell as playing US and Japanese imported games (both PS1 and PS2) and copies.

--edit--

Earlier this year, the Italian court ruled that mod chips are legal on the basis that it's up to the user, not Sony, how they use their PS2. It even went so far as to name mod chips as crucial tools to "avoid monopolistic positions".

From here.  That last part is the most interesting thing in the article :-D