New laws target modchip users

luro · Post by **luro** » 18 Sep 2006 07:31 pm

Users of modchipped gaming consoles could face fines of thousands of dollars when new copyright protection laws are introduced this year by the Federal Government.

The new laws, which were released in draft form last week, are being introduced to honour Australia's free trade agreement obligations with the US, and will effectively prohibit the use of devices and services designed to circumvent copy control technological protection measures (TPMs).

Until now, it has only been illegal to distribute or sell services or devices seeking to disable or override copy control technologies, but now users of such tools will also fall foul of the law once the legislation is introduced later this year.

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Anyone found to have used technology to circumvent copy control TPMs will face fines of up to $6600, while those guilty of distributing enabling devices and services to others through a variety of means face imprisonment for up to five years and possible fines of $60,500.

Timbo · Post by **Timbo** » 18 Sep 2006 09:20 pm

I've got to say, I reckon the xbox (not 360) is probably gonna be the last console I mod anyway. Online gaming is probably one of the best cures for console piracy ever.

Misly · Post by **Misly** » 18 Sep 2006 09:24 pm

I am half way through writing a major essay on intellectual property right laws and the negative ramifications these laws have to society and culture.

This shit pisses me off!!

pilonv1 · Post by **pilonv1** » 18 Sep 2006 09:32 pm

Timbo wrote:I've got to say, I reckon the xbox (not 360) is probably gonna be the last console I mod anyway. Online gaming is probably one of the best cures for console piracy ever.

Probably the same here - unless it's the only way to go region free. If I had region free machines with 100% region free games there would be no reason to mod.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » 18 Sep 2006 10:06 pm

pilonv1 wrote:
Timbo wrote:I've got to say, I reckon the xbox (not 360) is probably gonna be the last console I mod anyway. Online gaming is probably one of the best cures for console piracy ever.
Probably the same here - unless it's the only way to go region free. If I had region free machines with 100% region free games there would be no reason to mod.

Ditto on that, remove the region coding, remove my reason for console modding.

General Chaos · Post by **General Chaos** » 18 Sep 2006 10:08 pm

we'll that pretty much seals the deal not to take a modded box anyway near skynet!

Who's taking bets on the PS3 being easily soft modable?

Twiztid Elf · Post by **Twiztid Elf** » 18 Sep 2006 11:06 pm

I've haven't really been a console/pc pirate since way back in the Megadrive/SNES days, as I just see no point in having a heap of games I'll never play, but yet I can't agree with these laws.

They used to say that piracy was killing the games market way back in the C64 days, and boy, that piracy sure did kill the market.

Anyhow, for devices that have legitimate purposes of getting around illegal region locking and allowing creative homebrew on hardware people own, to be made illegal due to their allowing of piracy just smacks of big business getting in the ears of lawmakers.

It just sickens me that the government and the courts can outlaw what should be a legitimate and legal product at the whim of big business. It scares me actually.

Sonic Jam · Post by **Sonic Jam** » 19 Sep 2006 12:23 am

I blame large american corporations controling their gov which then controls our gov.

This law is fucking ridiculous, so I should pay $6600 if I want to use XBMC?

Pat · Post by **Pat** » 19 Sep 2006 09:27 am

I only want the ability to play any game from any region. That way we dont have to pay exhorbitant prices.

Also, good luck on getting everyone with modded consoles. I can see that working.

lestat · Post by **lestat** » 19 Sep 2006 09:55 am

This is just a consequence of that shitty free trade agreement. Which looking at it now, was a shitty deal for aussies cause we now have these draconian laws being pushed onto us. Somehow i see the FTA as just a way for America to push themselves onto us further.

Kabal · Post by **Kabal** » 19 Sep 2006 09:59 am

lestat wrote:Somehow i see the FTA as just a way for America to push themselves onto us further.

Thats the whole point of it.

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 19 Sep 2006 10:03 am

Just asked the Ex about this, she's a lawyer. She says it's just like the laws that make it 'illegal' to record TV shows or use an iPod, unless you are making SERIOUS money from it they won't really care. Add to that the legal precedence that has already been set in the modchip area and it will be a tricky case to prosecute.

Gamma · Post by **Gamma** » 19 Sep 2006 12:21 pm

I hope there's no police raids, we'd have a hard time flushing our modded Xboxes down the toilet in a pinch.

I agree with everyone on the region-free point. Homebrew stuff's cool and all, but I really wouldn't bother with a chip if I could play games from any region. I'm not all that interested in online gaming, but obviously a lot of people are, and like Timbo said that's got to be changing people's minds about modding.

Kreghor · Post by **Kreghor** » 19 Sep 2006 08:20 pm

I modded all the consoles I could, just so I could get games from overseas, quickly. Don't give a rats about getting games for nothing anymore. i never played them much anyway.
If the game was worth my money - I always parted with the cash, even though I could get it for nothing.

Make all consoles and games region free, and we will all be better off. I think Microsoft are onto a good thing with the 360 region coding. just need all the publishers to start making their games region free.