Legal question

Psy · Post by **Psy** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:42 pm

I was just wondering what legal issues surround making and especially selling portable games consoles?

Post by **Gamelver** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:46 pm

that's been talked about before, I think. check the old forums.

I'm not sure if it was talked about here...

Post by **gannon** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:49 pm

As long as you aren't using pirate consoles like the noac or modding them to play imports or backups, there should be no legal problems whatsoever in my oppinion.

poppe · Post by **poppe** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:59 pm

that's whats great about the dreamcast. you don't need to mod it to play backups

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:03 pm

it's making and using copies that is the problem. You can do it with the PC, too, and we all know that's illegal (though we don't always care)

xxxeagle · Post by **xxxeagle** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:58 pm

there shouldn't be any legal problems especialy if you sell it. Becuase basically you just made a new case for your system with a screen and controlls built in so its realy just and accesorie that you put on the system. Besides i doubt that nintendo or sony is gonna take one person out of the billions on the earth to court over selling a n64p or psp on th internet.

Post by **Sparkfist** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 11:10 pm

The only thing they can get you with on making your own portables is if you use the logo or trademark thats copyrighen. As the law sees it the console is yours to disect, crush, play or mod in any way that doesnt go to the point of trademark laws or copyrighten material (i.e. playing backups you dont own) infringment.

poppe · Post by **poppe** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 11:25 pm

xxxeagle wrote:i doubt that nintendo or sony is gonna take one person out of the billions on the earth to court over selling a n64p or psp on th internet.

good thing the riaa doesn't make consoles

Geebs61 · Post by **Geebs61** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 11:27 pm

eagle, even though some people might agree with that graphic in your sig, it is INSANELY huge. please either resize or remove it.

JackFrost22 · Post by **JackFrost22** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:18 am

Uh.........Oh yeah doing things with the Xbox are highly illegal. Putting a new bios on it a new hard drive believe it or not. my dad worked on the xbox and ps2 chips with the microsoft and sony guys.

Post by **gannon** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:20 am

yeah, ever since the dmca was instated a lot of things have become illegal, like ripping your own roms or making dvd backups even.

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:44 am

Ok time to set things straight.

Xbox modchips- Are legal, the illegal thing you do is replace the bios with an illegal bios based off the stolen xbox sdk, you can legally install linux and many sellers have it preinstalled.
Hard drives, not illegal. Microsoft doesnt like it but too bad you bought the thing its yours now!

PS2 modchops- As I see it they are not illegal either, if you have it installed to play illegally copied games then your breaking the law, you have to have an original copy to prove its only a backup.[/u]

Post by **gannon** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:52 am

according to the dmca, in america even backups are illegal, even if you have the original game.

Post by **Sparkfist** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:59 am

Yeah, but the DMCA under artical 1201 is very interpertive. Its being discussed right now weither or not backing up your own dvd collection is legal. As the RIAA sees the dvds as their property and now yours, even though you paid for it.

Selling backups of games and movies are the only real definet illegal act they can get you on, for modding you systems.

Psy · Post by **Psy** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:05 pm

Thanks for all the feedback, it was really helpful. I won't be making any modifications to the original hardware, such as mod chips and the like, so there won't be any issues as far as that is concerned.