Do not fuck with your Xbox

Nickatilynx · 07-05-2005

Man convicted for chipping Xbox

The Xbox was fitted with a 200GB hard drive packed with games
A 22-year-old man has become the first person in the UK to be convicted for modifying a video games console.
The Cambridge graduate was sentenced at Caerphilly Magistrates' Court to 140 hours of community service.

The man had been selling modified Xbox consoles which he fitted with a big hard drive containing 80 games.

"This case sets a major precedent which marks a milestone in the fight against piracy," said games industry spokesman Michael Rawlinson.

Bypass controls

The conviction is the first of its kind in the UK, where the modification of video games consoles has been an illegal practice since October 2003, when the UK enacted the EU Copyright Directive.

It sends a clear message to anyone tempted to become involved in chipping consoles that this is a criminal offence and will be dealt with accordingly

Michael Rawlinson, Elspa
Under that directive, it is illegal to circumvent copy protection systems.

Consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation 2 can be modified by chips that are soldered to a console's main circuit board to bypass copyright controls.

The chips allow people to play games purchased legitimately in other countries, as well as running backup copies or bootleg discs.

In this case, the man was tracked down by an investigator working for the UK games industry trade body, the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association, (Elspa).

The man, who has not yet been named, was selling modified Xbox consoles, fitted with a 200GB hard drive and 80 pre-installed games, via his website for £380.

Elspa informed Caerphilly County Borough Council Trading Standards and Gwent Constabulary, as well as helping to collect forensic evidence used by the prosecution.

The man was sentenced to 140 hours community service and ordered to pay £750 in costs. The court also seized his equipment - three PCs, two printers, three Xbox consoles and 38 hard drives.

"It sends a clear message to anyone tempted to become involved in chipping consoles that this is a criminal offence and will be dealt with accordingly," said Mr Rawlinson, deputy director general of Elspa.

"The modification of consoles is an activity that Elspa's anti-piracy team is prioritising. It is encouraging to see the UK courts do the same."

In July last year, Sony won a legal battle to ban the selling of mod chips in the UK.

TheEnforcer · 07-05-2005

Modified boxes is a pretty prevalent thing here in the states, especially with the XBox.

ThrobX · 07-05-2005

Correction... Do not SELL modified XBoxes, particularly packed with copyjacked games.

brand0n · 07-05-2005

ive got a modded and non modded xbox.

you cant take the modded 1s online to play the multiplayer games, so i bought a new 1 just for that

grimm · 07-05-2005

ive resorted to playing poker on my xbox. halo defeated me. im not too worried about prison. lol.

Trev · 07-05-2005

I must be missing the bigger picture because there's a small shop in my local mall that specialises in wiping network phones so they can accept other network sim cards, plus they chip and modify PS2 and X-Box systems

07-05-2005	#4
brand0n Members Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 711	ive got a modded and non modded xbox. you cant take the modded 1s online to play the multiplayer games, so i bought a new 1 just for that __________________ whats the sig rules?

07-05-2005	#5
grimm Cramming 3 people in a Room to Attend Show Stop Lurking and start posting! Register now! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 5,306	ive resorted to playing poker on my xbox. halo defeated me. im not too worried about prison. lol. __________________ Think horses, not zebras.

07-05-2005	#6
Trev Cunty Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 10,150	I must be missing the bigger picture because there's a small shop in my local mall that specialises in wiping network phones so they can accept other network sim cards, plus they chip and modify PS2 and X-Box systems __________________ Sucks to be you.

07-05-2005	#1
Nickatilynx Banned Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 15,115	Man convicted for chipping Xbox The Xbox was fitted with a 200GB hard drive packed with games A 22-year-old man has become the first person in the UK to be convicted for modifying a video games console. The Cambridge graduate was sentenced at Caerphilly Magistrates' Court to 140 hours of community service. The man had been selling modified Xbox consoles which he fitted with a big hard drive containing 80 games. "This case sets a major precedent which marks a milestone in the fight against piracy," said games industry spokesman Michael Rawlinson. Bypass controls The conviction is the first of its kind in the UK, where the modification of video games consoles has been an illegal practice since October 2003, when the UK enacted the EU Copyright Directive. It sends a clear message to anyone tempted to become involved in chipping consoles that this is a criminal offence and will be dealt with accordingly Michael Rawlinson, Elspa Under that directive, it is illegal to circumvent copy protection systems. Consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation 2 can be modified by chips that are soldered to a console's main circuit board to bypass copyright controls. The chips allow people to play games purchased legitimately in other countries, as well as running backup copies or bootleg discs. In this case, the man was tracked down by an investigator working for the UK games industry trade body, the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association, (Elspa). The man, who has not yet been named, was selling modified Xbox consoles, fitted with a 200GB hard drive and 80 pre-installed games, via his website for £380. Elspa informed Caerphilly County Borough Council Trading Standards and Gwent Constabulary, as well as helping to collect forensic evidence used by the prosecution. The man was sentenced to 140 hours community service and ordered to pay £750 in costs. The court also seized his equipment - three PCs, two printers, three Xbox consoles and 38 hard drives. "It sends a clear message to anyone tempted to become involved in chipping consoles that this is a criminal offence and will be dealt with accordingly," said Mr Rawlinson, deputy director general of Elspa. "The modification of consoles is an activity that Elspa's anti-piracy team is prioritising. It is encouraging to see the UK courts do the same." In July last year, Sony won a legal battle to ban the selling of mod chips in the UK.

07-05-2005	#2
TheEnforcer Scored VIP to Anton's Piss Tank Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 8,781	Modified boxes is a pretty prevalent thing here in the states, especially with the XBox.

07-05-2005	#3
ThrobX Members Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 431	Correction... Do not SELL modified XBoxes, particularly packed with copyjacked games.