Topic: ELSPA assists in UK mod-chip conviction (Read 448 times)

Xbox-Scene · « **on:** April 03, 2006, 09:27:00 AM »

ELSPA assists in UK mod-chip conviction

Posted by: Xbox-Scene Apr 3 2006, 04:27 PM

ELSPA assists in UK mod-chip conviction-- Posted by XanTium on April 3 11:20 EST
From http://www.gamesindustry.biz/news.php?aid=15815:

Quote

Following a police raid on his shop, DH Wings, Essex resident David Hoang was arrested on 23rd February for handling stolen goods and ELSPA was called in to provide evidence at his court trial after the accused pleaded not guilty to additional charges of chipping offences.

"We're pleased we could assist in this case," commented Michael Rawlinson, deputy director general of ELSPA. "The modification of games consoles, more commonly known as 'chipping', is a criminal offence and so is the possession of modified chips. The successful resolution of this case highlights the very real threat of prosecution and a criminal record to anyone tempted to become involved."
As a result of the input from ELSPA investigators, Mr Hoang's sentence was extended by a month, bringing the total term to eighteen months in prison.

Read More: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/news.php?aid=15815

S1l3nt_N1nj4 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:00:00 AM »

i cant believe a guy just got arrested and going 2 prision 4 18 months for chipoing consoles.Thats just stupid,if u ask me.Like its not his fault that most people get their console chipped to play pirated games.And i still cant believe that chipping ur console in UK is a criminal offense.God,if u ask me,thats just a pile of BS

pcrat · « **Reply #2 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:14:00 AM »

sure is, but hey it will never stop only get better. I mean worse

. We the people of the modding community,
if its for private use not public i can understand. its like owning a car. you can do just about whatever the sam hell ya want to it. BUT u just cant drive it on the public roads legally. unless your car is all legal.

same with xbox. we cant use it in public ( xbox live) but we can for private use. as for piracy, well bill gates better think of something better. or start hiring, people from the scene. since we are outdoing gates. duh!

ohwell, life is shit and so is M$.

Poor bastard has to sit in a prison, ( a place for people who area threat to society ) just for placeing a modification chip in a game counsole. wow whats next prison for throwing your ciggerette but on the sidewalk.

our own govt dont give a crap about us, hell bill gates dont.

Later

dark viper · « **Reply #3 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:58:00 AM »

wot if u want to make hombrew games, thats not a criminal offense is it but u need a chip

PedrosPad · « **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:25:00 AM »

QUOTE(pcrat @ Apr 3 2006, 05:14 PM)

Poor bastard has to sit in a prison

I wonder if he'll in one of the prisons that allow inmates to play video games.

(Wouldnt the playing of free-roaming games kind'a defeat the point of incarceration? )

MaD_mAnIaC · « **Reply #5 on:** April 03, 2006, 11:03:00 AM »

QUOTE

"The modification of games consoles, more commonly known as 'chipping', is a criminal offence and so is the possession of modified chips."

Did i get this right? i can be arrested just by possessing a modchip???
IT'S JUST A F**KING MODCHIP, not a weapon or a drug!!
governments are all going crazy... start catching drug dealers and murderers, and leave us alone...

redwolf · « **Reply #6 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:28:00 AM »

QUOTE(dark viper @ Apr 3 2006, 05:29 PM)

wot if u want to make hombrew games, thats not a criminal offense is it but u need a chip

that too is illigal... unless you use your own SDK

but "am i bothered"

TheRandomDude · « **Reply #7 on:** April 03, 2006, 11:07:00 AM »

The difference between a car having to be inspected and an xbox is that if a car isn't up to par for the rest of the road, your endangering yourself and others. Unless you start screwing around with the power supply of an xbox, there is no law here, just a pocketbook.

redwolf · « **Reply #8 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:41:00 AM »

and don't forget ELSPA is like mostely UK crap.. UK law is soooooo much strict then rest of the world. you can't even buy a CD from HMV then copy it to tape so you can listen in your car

quall · « **Reply #9 on:** April 03, 2006, 11:23:00 AM »

QUOTE(S1l3nt_N1nj4 @ Apr 3 2006, 12:00 PM)

i cant believe a guy just got arrested and going 2 prision 4 18 months for chipoing consoles.Thats just stupid,if u ask me.Like its not his fault that most people get their console chipped to play pirated games.And i still cant believe that chipping ur console in UK is a criminal offense.God,if u ask me,thats just a pile of BS (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Charlie_PS2/David Ball was convicted for basically the same crime and was sentenced 3 years in prison and a 300k fine, Several years back. He chipped and sold chips.

These sentences are ludicrous when compared to other criminal acts.

This post has been edited by quall: Apr 3 2006, 06:27 PM

clogicgmather · « **Reply #10 on:** April 03, 2006, 10:53:00 AM »

QUOTE(redwolf @ Apr 3 2006, 05:41 PM)

and don't forget ELSPA is like mostely UK crap.. UK law is soooooo much strict then rest of the world. you can't even buy a CD from HMV then copy it to tape so you can listen in your car

Actually we have some of the best consumer protection laws out there, just most the u.k public dont seem to know their rights.

He only actually got 1 month for the chipping, which is illegal in the u.k if you provide a hacked bios file. Without this the xbox doesnt play copies and no laws have been broken.
Without knowing what stolen good he recieved it would be hard to judge if 17 months is a harsh sentence, but theres no denying handling stolen goods is a crime.
Although the u.k has new tough EU laws similar of that to the DMCA i have yet to see this enforced on its own, all the news reports i have read of u.k modders going to court is when theyve done something else aswellt

http://news.bbc.co.u...ogy/4650225.stm

This is a good example, im sure the majority of his sentence was for the pirated games he was installing on the hd. In this case it seems as though this charge was tacked on to the handling stolen goods charge.
I highly doubt that if this bloke wasnt on stolen goods charges that he would have been prosecuted soley for modding consoles, has this ever happened in the u.k yet?

I agree that once you buy something you should be able to do what you like with it, buts lets be under no illusion here, the VAST majority of people use chips soley to bypass the protections to play copied games they do not own. (note, the VAST majority of people arent the people who frequent sites such as xs)

throwingks · « **Reply #11 on:** April 03, 2006, 11:38:00 AM »

You think every chip had a legal BIOS?

Joergen · « **Reply #12 on:** April 03, 2006, 11:52:00 AM »

This is why smart people in europe now sell their chips without bioses and leave it up to the customer to find the appropriate files from the net.

Or sell chipped consoles from france where the über-dmca has no rule.

pepe2004 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 03, 2006, 11:54:00 AM »

It is great than this guy got in prison for eighteen months for modding consoles, now, if we can only give a death sentence to the guys than put him there things will be perfect.

Can you imagine?, in prison for eighteen months with rapers, murders, etc just for modding consoles, man, did I heard middle age here?, I'm serious. How will this guy get out? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/uhh.gif)

This post has been edited by pepe2004: Apr 3 2006, 06:55 PM

Chamrock · « **Reply #14 on:** April 03, 2006, 11:41:00 AM »

Who wants to join a fight against ELSPA and cut their dicks with scalpels so they suffer?

Author Topic: ELSPA assists in UK mod-chip conviction (Read 448 times)

Posted by: Xbox-Scene Apr 3 2006, 04:27 PM