College student in hot water for modifying consoles

A California state college student was arrested for modifying gaming console hardware to bypass copy protection technology. Matthew Lloyd Crippen, 27, or Anaheim was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Monday following indictment by a federal grand jury on two counts of violating provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), each count carrying a maximum of five years imprisonment.

Crippen is accused of profiting by modifying Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo video game consoles to enable booting of pirate copies of video games. Investigators seized more than a dozen video game consoles which were found in his home. "Playing with games in this way is not a game -- it is criminal," said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge of the ICE investigations office in Los Angeles.

He continued: "Piracy, counterfeiting and other intellectual property rights violations not only cost U.S. businesses jobs and billions of dollars a year in lost revenue, they can also pose significant health and safety risks to consumers."

The ICE investigation which lead to Crippen's arrested was based on a tip from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

Written by: James Delahunty @ 5 Aug 2009 11:05

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30 comments

SSSJDanny

WTF? Why would ICE come pick him up? He aint Mexican, Matthew Lloyd Crippen... thats a whiteboy name, might as well call him Skyler.

I thought Modifying wasnt really illegal it just voided warranty.

5.8.2009 12:03 #1

barricade

It isn't illegal as long as you are playing backup copies of legit games that you own. Just like when you buy a bong; you are smoking tobacco out of that right? :)

5.8.2009 12:12 #2

Ryoohki

What a bunch of bullshit. So what if he modified them and resold them. They cannot prove the people he sold them to didn't play backups of games they legally owned. They didn't bust him for pirating software or games. Pretty soon they are going to start arresting people for owning modified equipment and it won't matter if they modified it themselves or not. What is wrong with this country.

5.8.2009 12:41 #3

varnull

Reverse engineering to circumvent copy protection.. sadly it's illegal (you know it's illegal to make copies of media you have bought and paid for?.. if you don't then check the wording of the DMCA more closely and you will see it is) and he was caught.

Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work.
I would rather you hate me for who I am than love me for what I am not.
�It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state.� - Bruce Schneier

5.8.2009 12:45 #4

Mysttic

Varnull :

Quote:(you know it's illegal to make copies of media you have bought and paid for?.. if you don't then check the wording of the DMCA more closely and you will see it is)That all depends on the country you are in; but yes in the states it's illegal; in Canada tho, it is legal to have backups of any media you own as long as its not for the purposes of distributing. And as far as reverse engineering, yea it's illegal in any country as far as I can confirm; just in Canada they don't care as much if you do it for your own private use, but will act if they sense you make a business out of it.

I still don't understand why immigrations got involved, and I still don't understand how the guy could get caught unless he went online with everything, which would be DUMB.

5.8.2009 12:50 #5

bam431

"Playing with games in this way is not a game -- it is criminal," said Robert Schoch Ahahahahahahaha worst quote of the year

5.8.2009 12:52 #6

thor999

I honestly thought it was legal to modify in the U.S., are we sure he wasn't providing burned games as well? I mean there are PLENTY of businesses that advertise profusely here and have yet to be hassled in any way...

5.8.2009 14:10 #7

varnull

It's luck of the draw.. 90% of the world signed that stupid DMCA nonsense without actually seeing the consequences.

Plenty of console modders in the UK have been closed down or have stopped voluntarily because of the risks. I have, and I know personally at least 20 others who quit in the last 2 years.

It's all a matter how visible you are. I know somebody (a shopkeeper) who ended up in court for telling a trading standards officer how to copy a bought dvd. Direct entrapment.. I was in the shop at the time and this scruffy looking bloke came in wanting to make a backup of a disney dvd he had bought for his kids.. shopkeeper being nice refused to do a copy for him but told him which programs to get off the net and the procedure.. 3 days later he was busted for "copyright infringement.. disseminating unlawful information on copy protection removal methods".. That's how petty and stupid it is.. when bankers and politicians fiddle us all out of our money by the millions every day and nothing gets done to these real criminals.. yet mod a couple of consoles for a few bucks and get busted...

It's our fault really.. we elect these shysters time and time again.

5.8.2009 14:43 #8

scorpNZ

Put the word out modding consoles for profit isn't illeagal in NZ,you can even advertise in the trade & exchange mag :D,Makes me wonder if it's illeagal for someone states side to import a premod console,i'm get'n dollar signs in my eyes :p

5.8.2009 14:58 #9

DarkElder

"they can also pose significant health and safety risks to consumers." ...how...honestly how??

5.8.2009 16:04 #10

pirkster

Originally posted by DarkElder: "they can also pose significant health and safety risks to consumers." ...how...honestly how??I would assume it would mean doing something stupid (soldering wires on a machine that's still powered on, sloppy soldering, soldering the wrong wires in the wrong place, etc.) that could lead to electrocution or a fire. IIRC, some 360s caught fire without modification, and the original xbox had the well known power cord recall. So, it's not really a stretch to think modification can be dangerous for n00bs and the not-so-wise.

5.8.2009 17:02 #11

homesick

Originally posted by pirkster: Originally posted by DarkElder: "they can also pose significant health and safety risks to consumers." ...how...honestly how??I would assume it would mean doing something stupid (soldering wires on a machine that's still powered on, sloppy soldering, soldering the wrong wires in the wrong place, etc.) that could lead to electrocution or a fire. IIRC, some 360s caught fire without modification, and the original xbox had the well known power cord recall. So, it's not really a stretch to think modification can be dangerous for n00bs and the not-so-wise.lol still total bs. the media has no clue what they are talking about.

5.8.2009 20:41 #12

platdream

wtf????
if i buy that thing, it means i do own it right???
so i have the right to smash it on the floor or throw it away or do anything to this crap..
this is just BS.
how can they do this to customers..

5.8.2009 22:27 #13

varnull

In the UK it is ILLEGAL to sell a modified or repaired piece of electrically powered hardware without it having a valid safety and insulation test.. even though the psu is separate the console has still been opened.. so it needs a valid current test sticker.

The damn 360 is a fire risk out of the box new anyways.. makes a great device for keeping your coffee warm all night.. rather like a maxtor hdd XD

5.8.2009 22:34 #14

KillerBug

Originally posted by platdream: wtf????
if i buy that thing, it means i do own it right???
so i have the right to smash it on the floor or throw it away or do anything to this crap..
this is just BS.
how can they do this to customers..If you are talking about the games that you spent $60 on, or the Blu-Rays that you spent $25 on, then NO you do not own them. You might call it a long-term rental; you do not own them. This is clear as owning something gives you the right to make a backup of it (you own CDs, thus it is legal to copy them to an iPod).

Technicaly moding consoles is not illigal, but the chips used to do it are illigal. Not only that but it is also illigal to backup games, so even if his customers are using backups of the games they own, they are still breaking the law.

Note: If you are using a modded console to play backups of games you purchased, you might as well just download and burn games. It is no more illigal that making backups of your games, and it costs less. This is because of the DMCA.

{edit}
It is also illigal to sell a service by advertising that the service can help one commit a crime. If he was posting fliers that said "I'll make your PS2 play illigal copies of games" ...then he is just as f**ked as a head-shop owner who forgot to call the bongs 'Water Pipes'.

5.8.2009 23:25 #15

Hyasuma

Personally I think this is BS, just because the guy out smart the company to bypass the protection and think outside the box to make himself a living, personally i think thats using your head and think for yourselves. Yes, we pay 60 bucks a game 25 for blue rays, but some people want to play and watch but cant afford that kind of cash, and the companies are ripping people off by selling the games/movies like that.

They made more then 100% of what it cost, and I think most of people from the East probably have their consoles moded, and also in Canada, they have STORES saying "we mod your consoles" for certain amount of money, and they sell bootleg games. Is all over Toronto where I went, my friend's had their PS3 moded.

Yea, it is illegal to bootleg, but I don't think it says anything about OUTSMART the security or protection in anyway.

6.8.2009 00:06 #16

Marielmx3

Damn may God be with him...
and btw SSSJDanny wdf do you mean by this?
I hope its not prejudicial language
Quote:He aint Mexican, Matthew Lloyd Crippen... thats a whiteboy name, might as well call him Skyler.
I'm sorry but a mexican wouldn't get caught

6.8.2009 00:39 #17

lxhotboy

Quote:Damn may God be with him...
and btw SSSJDanny wdf do you mean by this?
I hope its not prejudicial language
Quote:He aint Mexican, Matthew Lloyd Crippen... thats a whiteboy name, might as well call him Skyler.
I'm sorry but a mexican wouldn't get caughtMaybe he was an illegal immigrant regardless of what race he maybe.

I dont know about the guy being mexican or illegal immagrant or what. Dont really matter to me the only thing that bothers me about illegal immigrants is that I pay taxes every year, have to pay for healthcare, and then illegal immigrants burden the country with billions of dollars lost each year b/c they dont put into the pot with taxes but yet receive free healthcare,welfare and other things. How bout giving some of that money to people who want to educate themselves if you are going to waste it. Hell pay for my college loans so i wont owe sally mae so much money. LOL. Seriously though, If my child needs a kidney transplant, i got to pay but no.... not illegal immigrants. I am not harping on Mexicans in general but the fact is that a huge portion of our tax dollars are wasted on Mexicans, THOSE BEING ILLEGAL IMMAGRANTS, who receive free healthcare. Thats just a fact but it really doesnot matter what your ethnic backgound is, I have a problem with anyone who doesnot pay taxes or has 10 children(includes legal taxpayers as well) without being able to properly provide for them and then uses my tax dollars to get a free ride out of life. I know a 21 years old girl who has 6 kids but six diff men and then lives off the system without ever seeking any education or ways to better her situation. The same goes out to all the dead beat dads or those who father all these childern and then cant put clothes on their backs. I really feel for the children who are brought into this world in situations like this. That is what birthcontrol is intended for. Wake up government and politicians and americans! Wake up! Dont be a burden on society.

1. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Source....... http://rkdpolitics.blogspot.com/2009/03/...immigrants.html

2. Do illegal immigrants cost $338.3 billion dollars a year? More than the Iraq war?
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/do...on_dollars.html

And we wonder why the country is in debt for trillions of dollars. If illegal immigrants payed taxes, if would sure help to alleviate a lot of the problem. It would be a definite start. Sorry if i offended anyone but i am just being realistic. Its the truth. Being a nurse its sad to see so many young women doing nothing with their lives but popping babies and trying to find the most poppin club everynight. A lot of our young men fall into this same trend. Too sorry to work, go to school, and would rather lay in bed all day while their girlfriend works all day. I tried to motivate young people to do well in life and strive to acheive goals. It has made me proud to see people i have motivated to finish school and do something with their life.

On topic ......... This guy had to be advertising too much. Possibly on the internet or something and again why was immigration involved?

6.8.2009 04:13 #18

beanos66

as long as sony nintendo and microsoft feel it is okay to rip off their customers then i will feel it is okay to rip off sony nintendo and microsoft.

6.8.2009 09:58 #19

Tarsellis

Welcome to the new USSA, brought to you by the great thugocracy which now runs our country. They had to use ICE because there's no police arm in america that actually has the authority to enforce another country's laws on american citizens. That's just how they get around and start enforcing UN law on us.

Boys, this is only the beginning! But a true and indicative tell of where we're headed. Look at NYC, Bloomberg just created brown shirts (nazi germany for those who don't know history) with federal stimulus money.

6.8.2009 12:32 #20

ZippyDSM

ICE is not very busy these days, you think they are working to get illegals out when the nobles in charge are looking at all those potential votes >>

IMO there is no such thing as illicit hardware(well perhaps explosives or spying).

6.8.2009 15:25 #21

Opticon

So, if I buy a car with a tapedeck and install a CD deck, am I going to jail? I mean, I've modified the equipment by wiring components to get a desired enhancement not necessarily intended by the manufacturer. What about playing a home movie on a 360 console? It's impossible without modification, but if I can't afford a DVD player capable of running burned dvds because I spent all my cash on the 360 and games, it doesn't really seem fair to have a perfectly good dvd player right there that I can't use. And piracy isn't the only reason someone would want to modify their console. There's nothing illegal with running homebrew. I think Sony is starting to get it after the rampant homebrew/piracy that took place with the PSP. They responded by giving us immediate access to Linux on the PS3. Pretty smart move, because it gives the homebrew people something to toy with so they don't end up hacking it for the pirates. I know some of these arguments may not reflect the majority of activity going on, but these corporate douchebags have to get over themselves and realize there's nothing they can do to stop piracy and homebrew. Next thing you know they'll want us paying some sort of fee just to look up a picture of the Mona Lisa (bad example, but you know what I mean).

6.8.2009 18:19 #22

pmshah

I am now waiting for the auto companies to start suing people who modify - like having the heads and over sizing the pistons)and soup up their cars for maximum performance.

"significant health and safety risks" only after they get caught and thrown into prison with other hard core elements.

7.8.2009 14:02 #23

scorpNZ

Quote:Quote:Damn may God be with him...
and btw SSSJDanny wdf do you mean by this?
I hope its not prejudicial language
Quote:He aint Mexican, Matthew Lloyd Crippen... thats a whiteboy name, might as well call him Skyler.
I'm sorry but a mexican wouldn't get caughtMaybe he was an illegal immigrant regardless of what race he maybe.

I dont know about the guy being mexican or illegal immagrant or what. Dont really matter to me the only thing that bothers me about illegal immigrants is that I pay taxes every year, have to pay for healthcare, and then illegal immigrants burden the country with billions of dollars lost each year b/c they dont put into the pot with taxes but yet receive free healthcare,welfare and other things. How bout giving some of that money to people who want to educate themselves if you are going to waste it. Hell pay for my college loans so i wont owe sally mae so much money. LOL. Seriously though, If my child needs a kidney transplant, i got to pay but no.... not illegal immigrants. I am not harping on Mexicans in general but the fact is that a huge portion of our tax dollars are wasted on Mexicans, THOSE BEING ILLEGAL IMMAGRANTS, who receive free healthcare. Thats just a fact but it really doesnot matter what your ethnic backgound is, I have a problem with anyone who doesnot pay taxes or has 10 children(includes legal taxpayers as well) without being able to properly provide for them and then uses my tax dollars to get a free ride out of life. I know a 21 years old girl who has 6 kids but six diff men and then lives off the system without ever seeking any education or ways to better her situation. The same goes out to all the dead beat dads or those who father all these childern and then cant put clothes on their backs. I really feel for the children who are brought into this world in situations like this. That is what birthcontrol is intended for. Wake up government and politicians and americans! Wake up! Dont be a burden on society.

1. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Source....... http://rkdpolitics.blogspot.com/2009/03/...immigrants.html

2. Do illegal immigrants cost $338.3 billion dollars a year? More than the Iraq war?
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/do...on_dollars.html

And we wonder why the country is in debt for trillions of dollars. If illegal immigrants payed taxes, if would sure help to alleviate a lot of the problem. It would be a definite start. Sorry if i offended anyone but i am just being realistic. Its the truth. Being a nurse its sad to see so many young women doing nothing with their lives but popping babies and trying to find the most poppin club everynight. A lot of our young men fall into this same trend. Too sorry to work, go to school, and would rather lay in bed all day while their girlfriend works all day. I tried to motivate young people to do well in life and strive to acheive goals. It has made me proud to see people i have motivated to finish school and do something with their life.

On topic ......... This guy had to be advertising too much. Possibly on the internet or something and again why was immigration involved?
Is that for real do you really not know what service the majority of illegals perform for the U.S year in year out,jeeez i have never been there & even i know the answer to that,hell we have a large unemployment rate here in NZ of 55000.00 & climbing(pop 4.5 mill,to us 55 is a lot...lol..)anyway would you think any of them dole bludgers would want to pick fruit or run behind a garbage truck etc,etc, you guessed it,nup! they'd rather stay home playing vid games or boozeup,well most would,use your common sense,anyway illegals here are mostly samoans,tongans,niueans amongst others,these people do the jobs no one else wants just like your illegals,the majority are there for work to help themselves & family back home,in your case the majority would be exploited coz who can they turn too,when working sweat shops for nothing.The reason your guys economy is in the crap is mis management worse still providing subsidies to industries that have no incentive to improve themselves & why would they when they get a free handout,your farmers are a perfect example not to mention the motor industry what a bloody joke & don't get me started on Iraq how much is the bottomless hole sucking in & now your deploy'n to Afghanistan that's a huge mistake should let the Euro poofs take care of it..end rant.. *mutley laugh*

just for the record i can say euro poof coz i am a pom just that i was only there two years before bailing,glad mum n dad did get me outta there the place has gone to hell if the BBC is anything to by..lmao..

PS: If i offended anyone then good i obviously hit a raw nerve

Edit:I won't comment further on this subject perhaps if a topic regarding illegals or Euro poofs is made then yes i'll be happy to oblige :D..hahaha

7.8.2009 23:32 #24

inagasake

Originally posted by varnull: It's luck of the draw.. 90% of the world signed that stupid DMCA nonsense without actually seeing the consequences.

Plenty of console modders in the UK have been closed down or have stopped voluntarily because of the risks. I have, and I know personally at least 20 others who quit in the last 2 years.

It's all a matter how visible you are. I know somebody (a shopkeeper) who ended up in court for telling a trading standards officer how to copy a bought dvd. Direct entrapment.. I was in the shop at the time and this scruffy looking bloke came in wanting to make a backup of a disney dvd he had bought for his kids.. shopkeeper being nice refused to do a copy for him but told him which programs to get off the net and the procedure.. 3 days later he was busted for "copyright infringement.. disseminating unlawful information on copy protection removal methods".. That's how petty and stupid it is.. when bankers and politicians fiddle us all out of our money by the millions every day and nothing gets done to these real criminals.. yet mod a couple of consoles for a few bucks and get busted...

It's our fault really.. we elect these shysters time and time again.Yes the public is to blame. They vote for these shill politicians and they get what they deserve. There is a lot of Obama mania right now with the young internet generation but Obama is pro-DMCA just like the rest of them. If DMCA is an important issue to you and you don't support it, don't vote for any politician that supports it. Don't give legitimacy to the corrupt political system. Of course, unless a person is a puppet, they're unlikely to agree 100% with any politician.

8.8.2009 18:07 #25

lxhotboy

Quote:Quote:Quote:Damn may God be with him...
and btw SSSJDanny wdf do you mean by this?
I hope its not prejudicial language
Quote:He aint Mexican, Matthew Lloyd Crippen... thats a whiteboy name, might as well call him Skyler.
I'm sorry but a mexican wouldn't get caughtMaybe he was an illegal immigrant regardless of what race he maybe.

I dont know about the guy being mexican or illegal immagrant or what. Dont really matter to me the only thing that bothers me about illegal immigrants is that I pay taxes every year, have to pay for healthcare, and then illegal immigrants burden the country with billions of dollars lost each year b/c they dont put into the pot with taxes but yet receive free healthcare,welfare and other things. How bout giving some of that money to people who want to educate themselves if you are going to waste it. Hell pay for my college loans so i wont owe sally mae so much money. LOL. Seriously though, If my child needs a kidney transplant, i got to pay but no.... not illegal immigrants. I am not harping on Mexicans in general but the fact is that a huge portion of our tax dollars are wasted on Mexicans, THOSE BEING ILLEGAL IMMAGRANTS, who receive free healthcare. Thats just a fact but it really doesnot matter what your ethnic backgound is, I have a problem with anyone who doesnot pay taxes or has 10 children(includes legal taxpayers as well) without being able to properly provide for them and then uses my tax dollars to get a free ride out of life. I know a 21 years old girl who has 6 kids but six diff men and then lives off the system without ever seeking any education or ways to better her situation. The same goes out to all the dead beat dads or those who father all these childern and then cant put clothes on their backs. I really feel for the children who are brought into this world in situations like this. That is what birthcontrol is intended for. Wake up government and politicians and americans! Wake up! Dont be a burden on society.

1. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers.
Source....... http://rkdpolitics.blogspot.com/2009/03/...immigrants.html

2. Do illegal immigrants cost $338.3 billion dollars a year? More than the Iraq war?
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/do...on_dollars.html

And we wonder why the country is in debt for trillions of dollars. If illegal immigrants payed taxes, if would sure help to alleviate a lot of the problem. It would be a definite start. Sorry if i offended anyone but i am just being realistic. Its the truth. Being a nurse its sad to see so many young women doing nothing with their lives but popping babies and trying to find the most poppin club everynight. A lot of our young men fall into this same trend. Too sorry to work, go to school, and would rather lay in bed all day while their girlfriend works all day. I tried to motivate young people to do well in life and strive to acheive goals. It has made me proud to see people i have motivated to finish school and do something with their life.

On topic ......... This guy had to be advertising too much. Possibly on the internet or something and again why was immigration involved?
Is that for real do you really not know what service the majority of illegals perform for the U.S year in year out,jeeez i have never been there & even i know the answer to that,hell we have a large unemployment rate here in NZ of 55000.00 & climbing(pop 4.5 mill,to us 55 is a lot...lol..)anyway would you think any of them dole bludgers would want to pick fruit or run behind a garbage truck etc,etc, you guessed it,nup! they'd rather stay home playing vid games or boozeup,well most would,use your common sense,anyway illegals here are mostly samoans,tongans,niueans amongst others,these people do the jobs no one else wants just like your illegals,the majority are there for work to help themselves & family back home,in your case the majority would be exploited coz who can they turn too,when working sweat shops for nothing.The reason your guys economy is in the crap is mis management worse still providing subsidies to industries that have no incentive to improve themselves & why would they when they get a free handout,your farmers are a perfect example not to mention the motor industry what a bloody joke & don't get me started on Iraq how much is the bottomless hole sucking in & now your deploy'n to Afghanistan that's a huge mistake should let the Euro poofs take care of it..end rant.. *mutley laugh*

just for the record i can say euro poof coz i am a pom just that i was only there two years before bailing,glad mum n dad did get me outta there the place has gone to hell if the BBC is anything to by..lmao..

PS: If i offended anyone then good i obviously hit a raw nerve

Edit:I won't comment further on this subject perhaps if a topic regarding illegals or Euro poofs is made then yes i'll be happy to oblige :D..hahaha

Actually, illegal immigrant cause a lot of problems here in the US they dont help the country in any way at all. I dont know what makes anyone think they do. Your thoughts are a little misguided and shallow as to see the big picture. 338 billion dollars a year is lost on them b/c they dont pay taxes on any money they make. Tax dollars is what helps to pay for a lot of their food, and all their healthcare is free. If they payed taxes on the money they made from those jobs that are supposedly jobs no one wants to do then they would be pitching in with the rest of the country who is carrying their load by paying taxes.

@ scorpNZ.... illegal immigrants raise the unemployment rate here in the US by taking away jobs for others when they are taken advantage of by working for pennies like people do in other countries and industry jobs are lost when other countries are able to make a product such as, particle board, cheaper than the US can. China has put most of our particle board plants out of business and hurt those plants that still remain in the US b/c they are able produce it a lot cheaper by paying their countries workers lower wages. Same thing the illegal immigrants do here. Dont know about you but i would rather get a steak tossed to me after i leave my job then a bone. See my point?

PS. If illegal immigrants in your country are doing jobs for less than what they deserve, uhh... doesnot that take away from the next man who could have a job making decent wages? That drives unemployment rates up in any country. Every country has their flaws and most people who have traveled the world agree that this is the land with the most opportunity available to provide a good quality of life for a family. I am not knocking any other country nor do i result to childish remarks, i am just speaking the truth. Wink Wink... i have family members enlisted in the Navy and Army who are currently stationed in Germany and Iraq, know doctors from africa and other countries b/c i work in the medical field, and have friends who came here to the states from other parts of the world to get an education and give their children a better opportunity in life. I dont think any of them prefer their homelands as a place to raise their families but to each his own.

9.8.2009 06:56 #26

Emilio123

oh.no! why??what if he modified them and resold them? If they didnt have proved that it was his fault, they couldn�t arrest him!!

9.8.2009 23:32 #27

varnull

DMCA is quite specific about modifying devices to circumvent copy protection methods.. It's illegal.. and even more so when done for profit.

9.8.2009 23:36 #28

lxhotboy

10.8.2009 00:27 #29

KillerBug

Originally posted by varnull: DMCA is quite specific about modifying devices to circumvent copy protection methods.. It's illegal.. and even more so when done for profit.Yes, even providing chips that could theoreticly be used for piracy is illigal. There was a PS2 modchip that was widly used for linux installs a few years back. It could be used for playing game backups, but only with a custom software flash. It's primary use was for linux and homebrew software. Despite this, it was made illigal by the DMCA because a few people were using them for piracy (even though much cheaper pirate chips were available to do the same job without flashing the chips).

HDMI computer tuner cards are legal, but units with HDCP support are not. So, if you want to record your PS3 gameplay in digital HD, you cannot do it without buying an illigal card. Technicaly, it is even illigal to watch an orriginal Blu-Ray movie on a non-HDCP screen! If you want to use your computer as an HD-DVR, you cannot (unless it was built by one of the OEM's that bribed the right people).

We live in a republic, not a democracy. A democracy lets the people make the decisions (as far as I know, there is no country on earth that does this). A republic has puppets elected in staged elections, and operated by the corporations that pay for the staged election campaigns. The judges are appointed by other judges, or by politicians working for the same corporations. This means that all three of the governmental branches in the USA (as well as most other 'free' countries) are all run by the corporations's puppets. Public descent and protest will not change anything, and your vote is worthless come election time. In spite of all this, they still manage to blame others for all the problems (notice how this thread went to imigrant bashing for a while).

The price of medicine is too high...lets blame the mexicans (even though the only way to get cheap drugs is to go to mexico).

Current System: Windows 7 RC1, DFI M2RS, ATI 3870HD, Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600, Athlon 9950, 6GB Corsair DDR2, 3TB RAID 5, 750GB Raid-1, 500GB RAID-1, 640GB RAID-0 Boot, 3ware 9690SA, Adaptec 2610SA, Adaptec 1430SA, Intel Gigabit NIC (PCI), LG 20X Lightscribe DVDR, Coolmax 1200w Power Supply, Logitech G15(first edition), Logitech G5(Second Edition), modified dell poweredge 1800 server case.
Overall configuration: Perfect chair, two 22" widescreens overhead, Logitech 5.1 Audio

11.8.2009 06:16 #30

AfterDawn: News