Easiest console to make portable!

[hailrazer]

F.) ROMs are not illegal. If you own the original cartridge, you have a right to have a ROM image of it, don't listen to Nintendo's crap, read the backup laws yourself.

Well it's illegal to own or use a device that circumvents a devices copy protection to make a backup.

And it's illegal to distribute a backup to anyone.

So it might be legal to have a backup but there is currently no legal way to get one. make one yourself...illegal. Download one...illegal.

So ummm yea.

[Bibin]

F.) ROMs are not illegal. If you own the original cartridge, you have a right to have a ROM image of it, don't listen to Nintendo's crap, read the backup laws yourself.

Well it's illegal to own or use a device that circumvents a devices copy protection to make a backup.

And it's illegal to distribute a backup to anyone.

So it might be legal to have a backup but there is currently no legal way to get one. make one yourself...illegal. Download one...illegal.

So ummm yea.

It's quite possible to make your own dump, regardless of the "copy protection". Until late disc-based consoles, there was little to no copy protection in regard of dumping.

[hailrazer]

It's quite possible to make your own dump, regardless of the "copy protection". Until late disc-based consoles, there was little to no copy protection in regard of dumping.

I never said it wasn't possible I said it wasn't legal.

[17daysolderthannes]

F.) ROMs are not illegal. If you own the original cartridge, you have a right to have a ROM image of it, don't listen to Nintendo's crap, read the backup laws yourself.

Well it's illegal to own or use a device that circumvents a devices copy protection to make a backup.

And it's illegal to distribute a backup to anyone.

So it might be legal to have a backup but there is currently no legal way to get one. make one yourself...illegal. Download one...illegal.

So ummm yea.

NES cartridges didn't really have any copy protection to speak of other than the proprietary format. Its only illegal to distribute ROMs if you are giving them to someone that isn't legally entitled to posses it. Getting a ROM from someone is no different from owning a CD and downloading an MP3 of a song on that CD. All that matters is that you are entitled to the intellectual property contained on the CD or cartridge, PERIOD. Plus, if you want to get technical, many of the portables are made from NOAC TV games that have pirated games on them which are 100% illegal, so its no different from emulating them. The only time you could really get busted over ROMs is if you were caught trying to sell them anyway. Otherwise, you could just plead ignorance or if you own the games anyway they couldn't do jack to you. But, i digress from the original topic...

As for making portables for money, I highly recommend you pursue something else. What if the batteries get damaged in shipping and the thing blows up in a kids hands? You'd get tagged with a lawsuit so big you'll be paying for it the rest of your life. Portablizing for fun is one thing, doing it for profit is low yield and high risk, especially if you lack extensive experience. No one is going to pay $400 for a slapped together genesis 2 and ps one screen. The ONLY portables I have ever seen sell for a worthwhile part of money are made by skilled craftsmen that made cases with a CNC machine and are good enough to be OEM products.

[Life of Brian]

Portablizing for fun is one thing, doing it for profit is low yield and high risk, especially if you lack extensive experience. No one is going to pay $400 for a slapped together genesis 2 and ps one screen. The ONLY portables I have ever seen sell for a worthwhile part of money are made by skilled craftsmen that made cases with a CNC machine and are good enough to be OEM products.

I kind of agree with your main points, but your negativity is making me sad. To quote a member from the Digital Press forums who just PM'ed me about a post I made concerning my SNESp:

how much would it cost to make me one of those snes? the second version (where the cart is parallel to the screen)


i am completely serious about this. please get back to me. as long as its three digits im interested.

I agree that quality is a must, but if you can find a buyer who wants what you got...

If anyone's intention is to make several portables to sell, the main thing is developing a streamlined process. The way I'm currently approaching making portables for others is more of a custom-made, hand-crafted variety because I only really have time currently to work on one project at a time, but Ben made a decent amount by making a standard Atari portable. I'm willing to bet that he made quite a lot from that, actually.

[hailrazer]

NES cartridges didn't really have any copy protection to speak of other than the proprietary format. Its only illegal to distribute ROMs if you are giving them to someone that isn't legally entitled to posses it. Getting a ROM from someone is no different from owning a CD and downloading an MP3 of a song on that CD. All that matters is that you are entitled to the intellectual property contained on the CD or cartridge, PERIOD. Plus, if you want to get technical, many of the portables are made from NOAC TV games that have pirated games on them which are 100% illegal, so its no different from emulating them. The only time you could really get busted over ROMs is if you were caught trying to sell them anyway. Otherwise, you could just plead ignorance or if you own the games anyway they couldn't do jack to you. But, i digress from the original topic...

Sorry but that is completely and totally wrong.

You are repeating stuff that others have said for years to justify downloading roms.

It is 100% illegal to distribute roms. As such that means that EVERY rom (Thats not of a copywrite free game) on the internet is there illegally. Therefore none of those roms on the internet can legally be downloaded.

Just because they are currently not prosecuting people who download them doesn't mean it's legal.
The easiest thing to compare it to is stolen goods. 99.9% of the time if you buy stolen goods from someone on the street you will not get prosecuted. they will just tell you it was stolen goods and take it away. They are after the "big fish" , those who stole it in the first place and distribute it. same with roms.

And as for the CD / MP3 analogy, for goodness sake. Haven't you seen the commercial at the beginning of almost every DVD saying it's illegal to download movies and MP3's?

That is all I will say on the subject. Everyone here must make up their own minds on what they do. But ignorance of the laws and justification doesn't make it "legal".

That being said I still think it is morally fine to download roms if you own the carts, I'm just saying it is NOT legal.

[Dr. KillGood]

The easiest thing to compare it to is stolen goods. 99.9% of the time if you buy stolen goods from someone on the street you will not get prosecuted. they will just tell you it was stolen goods and take it away. They are after the "big fish" , those who stole it in the first place and distribute it. same with roms.

So true. but still not legal.

[17daysolderthannes]

Portablizing for fun is one thing, doing it for profit is low yield and high risk, especially if you lack extensive experience. No one is going to pay $400 for a slapped together genesis 2 and ps one screen. The ONLY portables I have ever seen sell for a worthwhile part of money are made by skilled craftsmen that made cases with a CNC machine and are good enough to be OEM products.

I kind of agree with your main points, but your negativity is making me sad. To quote a member from the Digital Press forums who just PM'ed me about a post I made concerning my SNESp:

how much would it cost to make me one of those snes? the second version (where the cart is parallel to the screen)


i am completely serious about this. please get back to me. as long as its three digits im interested.

I agree that quality is a must, but if you can find a buyer who wants what you got...

If anyone's intention is to make several portables to sell, the main thing is developing a streamlined process. The way I'm currently approaching making portables for others is more of a custom-made, hand-crafted variety because I only really have time currently to work on one project at a time, but Ben made a decent amount by making a standard Atari portable. I'm willing to bet that he made quite a lot from that, actually.

well, if that portable in your sig is one you made, you fit into my small demographic of quality portable makers. I would buy something like the one in your sig, I personally wouldn't pay more than $100, but I'm sure others would be willing to. The same could not be said for a slop job in a pine box assembled with duct tape.

[17daysolderthannes]

NES cartridges didn't really have any copy protection to speak of other than the proprietary format. Its only illegal to distribute ROMs if you are giving them to someone that isn't legally entitled to posses it. Getting a ROM from someone is no different from owning a CD and downloading an MP3 of a song on that CD. All that matters is that you are entitled to the intellectual property contained on the CD or cartridge, PERIOD. Plus, if you want to get technical, many of the portables are made from NOAC TV games that have pirated games on them which are 100% illegal, so its no different from emulating them. The only time you could really get busted over ROMs is if you were caught trying to sell them anyway. Otherwise, you could just plead ignorance or if you own the games anyway they couldn't do jack to you. But, i digress from the original topic...

Sorry but that is completely and totally wrong.

You are repeating stuff that others have said for years to justify downloading roms.

It is 100% illegal to distribute roms. As such that means that EVERY rom (Thats not of a copywrite free game) on the internet is there illegally. Therefore none of those roms on the internet can legally be downloaded.

Just because they are currently not prosecuting people who download them doesn't mean it's legal.
The easiest thing to compare it to is stolen goods. 99.9% of the time if you buy stolen goods from someone on the street you will not get prosecuted. they will just tell you it was stolen goods and take it away. They are after the "big fish" , those who stole it in the first place and distribute it. same with roms.

And as for the CD / MP3 analogy, for goodness sake. Haven't you seen the commercial at the beginning of almost every DVD saying it's illegal to download movies and MP3's?

That is all I will say on the subject. Everyone here must make up their own minds on what they do. But ignorance of the laws and justification doesn't make it "legal".

That being said I still think it is morally fine to download roms if you own the carts, I'm just saying it is NOT legal.

at this juncture, I'd like to call crap and ask for some real documented evidence i.e. a court case or some very black and white legislature. Of course, if you do, put it in a new thread and link to it because this thread has been steered WAY off topic.

[Adam G]

at this juncture, I'd like to call crap and ask for some real documented evidence i.e. a court case or some very black and white legislature. Of course, if you do, put it in a new thread and link to it because this thread has been steered WAY off topic.

We don't need a new thread.

Code: Select all

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2006/02/riaa-says-ripping-cds-your-ipod-not-fair-use
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071211-riaa-those-cd-rips-of-yours-are-still-unauthorized.html
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071002-sony-bmgs-chief-anti-piracy-lawyer-copying-music-you-own-is-stealing.html
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/29/riaa-suing-citizen-for-copying-legally-purchased-cds-to-pc/
http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/scm/copy_cd_crime_20060818/

All I had to do was search Digg for "Copy CD"...

Dr. KillGood, might I recommend a NES portable? I'm mak--wor--I started one back in September and everything was really easy (Yobo NES, NOAC).

[ShockSlayer]

You said something about a genesis right? was it your first console? your favorite retro console? do you like its games? Go for that one. Even if its hard, go for it. If you like the console, and its your first time(you may/will err) it's worth it.

to end the other arguement:

Portables are worth a lot of $$$. Parts alone are a lot. The majority of batteries used are not the kind that easily explode(lets see a nimh explode).
EXAMPLE:
assuming an n64 portable:
N64: $25(just unit, no controllers or games)
PSone screen $50 + shipping
decent batteries + charger: $50 + shipping
misc parts(switches, tacts, resistor, caps):$30 at radio shack

thats ~$155. Assuming that it has no case and no controllers.

17daysolderthannes, you have only been here a little while. I'm assuming you spend the majority of your time in f42(essentially a spam forum to me, but its fun). The majority of people speaking against you, including an admin, are correct, as they have more experience and have actually built portables(including me, who has built 6 working units, i know a lot more than you think.) We all know and agree on how much a portable is worth. It may be worth less to you, but anyone who has built one wouldnt be stupid enough to sell one to you for your price range. Stick to your illegal roms and your pitiful n-gauge thing, your not good enough to play/build/own/speak of a portable.

SS

[timmeh87]

We don't need a new thread.

Code: Select all

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2006/02/riaa-says-ripping-cds-your-ipod-not-fair-use
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071211-riaa-those-cd-rips-of-yours-are-still-unauthorized.html
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071002-sony-bmgs-chief-anti-piracy-lawyer-copying-music-you-own-is-stealing.html
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/29/riaa-suing-citizen-for-copying-legally-purchased-cds-to-pc/
http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/scm/copy_cd_crime_20060818/

All I had to do was search Digg for "Copy CD"...

I wouldn't call that proof anything. All of those articles are about what the RIAA, which is known for BS legal cases is TRYING to prove in court. IIRC they are losing.

Anyways this whole argument is stupid.

[Life of Brian]

Well, the truth of it all is (concerning price) is finding a buyer who thinks that what you have is worth what you want to sell it for. Folks who think a handmade portable isn't worth more than $100 obviously aren't the audience an entrepreneur is looking for. Those are the same people who say, "Why don't you just put ROMs on a PSP?" Cost and time compared to gross income are naturally the largest inhibiting factors, but if for example someone were to make three simple SNESp's a week and sell them for $300 each then that's decent money! That's like $450 a week net income. I'm probably shooting a little bit high, but you get the general idea.