Australian Guy Beats Sony in Law Suite over Modchips!!!

[Jynks]

Australian court rules 'mod chips' legal

By MERAIAH FOLEY
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

SYDNEY, Australia -- Australia's High Court ruled unanimously Thursday that modifying Sony PlayStation consoles so that they can play cheaper overseas versions of the company's games does not violate Australian copyright laws.

The decision ends a four-year legal battle between entertainment and Japanese electronics giant Sony Corp. and Sydney-based business owner Eddy Stevens, who supplied and installed "mod chips" in PlayStation devices.

Sony divides the global gaming market into regions and programs its PlayStation consoles so that games sold in the United States or Asia cannot be played on consoles sold in Australia. The so-called mod chips bypass Sony's regional coding and allow users to run cheaper games made for markets outside Australia on their PlayStation machines.

The High Court ruled that while making a pirated copy of a game is illegal, playing a game using a mod chip is not.

A lawyer for Stevens, Nathan Mattock, said the ruling would allow Australian consumers to buy lower price versions of games overseas and play them on their Australian-bought PlayStation consoles, provided they have a mod chip installed.

"It's a victory for consumers, but also business people as well," he told The Associated Press. "It will likely increase competition in the market and possibly reduce prices in the market for gaming."

Mattock said Thursday's ruling could force Sony to rethink its regional coding system and make game prices more uniform around the world.

A spokeswoman for Sony Australia, who declined to be named, said the company did not have any comment at this stage.

[mxyzptlk]

super,it's about time

[spudthedestroyer]

shame that its illegal to modify consoles in the uk though

Sony must have spent more £ pushing the issue over here

[Jynks]

you could prob legaly buy a modded box from an aussie owner on ebay??

Sony must have spent more £ pushing the issue over here

I am sure they will apeal.

[spudthedestroyer]

you could prob legaly buy a modded box from an aussie owner on ebay??

Nope, its illegal to modify any equipment to bypass security features, even if you own it or buy it already modified.

Its only been enforced like twice, but its still the law here.

Sucks don't aint.

[d0c]

who said you have to follow that law... anyone here give a shit anyway... hehe

[maxpayne2409]

spud if your worried about being done for modded equipment then follow this simple plan (not endorsed by rock band of same name) when the pigs turn up just say "i saw some arabs over there with suspicious backpacks" and theyll soon forget about you