UK bans PlayStation 'chipping'

[allroad]

The chips allow imported copies of PS2 games to be played
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 thought to be one of the first brought under a controversial European Union directive on copyright.

Sony brought its case against a man called David Ball who was accused of selling about 1,500 "Messiah" mod chips.

In the High Court, Mr Justice Laddie ruled that Mr Ball was acting illegally in selling the chips which get around the built-in copy protection system on Sony's console.

As well as declaring the sale of the mod chips illegal, Mr Laddie said that the use, advertising or possession of them for commercial purposes should be considered illegal too.

Thrown out

Sony brought the case under the EU Copyright Directive which was enacted in the UK in October 2003.

Under that directive, it is illegal to circumvent copy protection systems. But some cyber-liberties advocates claim that such laws only enshrine existing monopolies.

They say that neither professional criminals nor technically savvy users will be deterred by such legislation.

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.

 

[gareth]

shocking, just reduce the price of games to a sensible level and most peeps would go for genuine game.

 

[Bronto]

shocking, just reduce the price of games to a sensible level and most peeps would go for genuine game.

LOL gareth m8, I bet peeps would still pirate them if they was a tenner

 

[wasnotwasD]

I think you're both right.

 

[powerband]

U gotta remember chipping does encourage people to enjoy themselves which our leaders obviously wish to stop.I think if we all have too much fun the gov will have to put a tax on it,lets face it there aint much left they can put taxes on to.

 

[lone.gunman]

The thing with this is, where's the 'ownership' of intelectual property going to stop? If I buy a piece of equipment, that uses software inside it to work, then surely by default I've bought it with no strings attached as to it's use.......The same as if where buying a 'dumb' item, like a light bulb. I'm not told that I can only use my light bulb to light a room of a certain size or function am I????
I don't see car manufacturers up in arms over the 'after-market' tuners making 'mod-chips' for ECU's etc, in fact alot positively encourage it!!! Look at some of the Alpina/Schnitzer bits for BMW's, you can buy them from a BMW dealer with the manufacturers blessing!!!
Are Nokia going to start saying we are not allowed to put 'our' logo's on the screens because it infringes their IP? I don't think so...........
As I see it if I buy a piece of hardware then what I do with it after I've purchased it is my business. Fine, I'll accept that the manufacturer can say no warranty if I've fiddled with it, but thats my choice.
I'll grant that stand alone piece of software falls into a category, then fine I don't own it just permission to use it. But, if software is inside/embedded in a piece of hardware as part of the integral system, then it should be classed as part of the system I 'own', to do with as I wish! :Cheers:

Here endeth todays rant....lol :toiletcla

 

[Spikeman]

ok so we need to develop a plug in mod then!!!

Seriously I knew this was coming but there is something I've noticed recently and that's the amount of Joe Public who own a PS2 and don't have them chipped. Most are now put off by the higer cost in comparrison with the older PS1.

Sony are quite rightly trying to defend there income but again as Gareth said, reduce the cost to a reasonable level and more people will buy them. I think they may be falling into a big hole though. I don't recall Micr0s0ft ever taking anyone to court over a modchip? So expect sales of X-Box to increase while MS play catch up!

 

[Mick]

oh well i guess my new site (hosted in america lol) might break uk laws

what a shame