Chips maestro!

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Fudzy

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Be happy you live in care-free SA :D

Console hacker arrested, faces up to ten years in jail

Just when you thought it was safe to get out your soldering irons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants you to know that its agents are still out there, on the lookout for for even more mod chip-wielding nogoodniks and their non-DMCA compliant consoles. According to the AP, a 27-year-old CSU student named Matthew Crippen was recently arrested for "modifying Xbox, PlayStation and Wii consoles in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act" and released Monday on $5,000 bond.
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http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/04/console-hacker-arrested-faces-up-to-ten-years-in-jail/
 
But does maestro put in modchips? I think he mostly just repairs consoles, thats not illegal
 
that dude will get out scott free.:) it aint illegal unless he was selling games
 
lolz yeah here in south africa the authorities think piracy is a soccer team that plays against kaizer chiefs :P
 
Obviously the vested interests who bought and paid for these laws want them enforced. What's the point of owning politicians otherwise?
 
Maestro offers a firmware mod to be able to "play backup games which you own". He makes it very clear that he does not support piracy. This is 100% legal in South Africa.
 
Hi

I do install mod-chips in Nintendo Wii consoles and install custom firmware on Xbox 360 consoles.

It's not illegal in South Africa to have modded console, but of course people do buy games at flea markets and download games which is illegal.

I have a disclaimer on my website stating that the service I offer is so that you can play a backup copy of an original game. E.g. you bought Halo 3 at a store, put it in your display cabinet and play the backup copy on your console.

That is how the law is currently. Once you re-sell your original copy you must destroy the backup copy .

Most of my income is from repairs, unlike most console service places that make mod-chip installs their speciality!
 
Retro said:
Why not use the softmod? No need to even open the console.
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It requires an update every time you update the system firmware (e.g. latest system update is System 4.0) meaning that you lose functionality on HBC (home brew channel).

HBC can work alongside a modchip, which is a plus.

I also own a Wii, a NTSC-J (Japan) and home brew allows me to play local PAL games. Great as importing games is so much cheaper than buying local :rolleyes:
 
maestro_za said:
It requires an update every time you update the system firmware (e.g. latest system update is System 4.0) meaning that you lose functionality on HBC (home brew channel).

HBC can work alongside a modchip, which is a plus.

I also own a Wii, a NTSC-J (Japan) and home brew allows me to play local PAL games. Great as importing games is so much cheaper than buying local :rolleyes:
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How difficult would it be to change a NTSC Wii to PAL Wii?
 
Fudzy said:
How difficult would it be to change a NTSC Wii to PAL Wii?
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Change NTSC completely to PAL or just to have the ability to run PAL software? To change completely to PAL would need a motherboard swap.

To make it region-free (Wii):

Install HBC (Home Brew Channel) and Gecko OS app. Then you can run NTSC-U, NTSC-J and PAL games.

On my Jap Wii, I need to actually change the options in Gecko OS so that the menu is completely in English and not English for games and the menu still in Japanese :o

A mod-chip also gives the ability to run NTSC or PAL games. Voids the manufacturer warranty if you do it in the first year though!
 
maestro_za said:
Change NTSC completely to PAL or just to have the ability to run PAL software? To change completely to PAL would need a motherboard swap.

To make it region-free (Wii):

Install HBC (Home Brew Channel) and Gecko OS app. Then you can run NTSC-U, NTSC-J and PAL games.

On my Jap Wii, I need to actually change the options in Gecko OS so that the menu is completely in English and not English for games and the menu still in Japanese :o

A mod-chip also gives the ability to run NTSC or PAL games. Voids the manufacturer warranty if you do it in the first year though!
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Ah okay, reason I asked is you look at the rediculous price they sell the consoles for here I was wondering if it would be profitable to import NTSC ones and convert them.
 
Fudzy said:
Ah okay, reason I asked is you look at the rediculous price they sell the consoles for here I was wondering if it would be profitable to import NTSC ones and convert them.
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I imported for the exact same reason. Local price is a bitter pill to swallow.

It does mean that you have to hack the console (software or hardware means) to do any type of conversion.

Like the PS3 and 360, the power unit of the Wii auto-detects the voltage of your wall socket, so you can just buy a local AC adapter instead of using a power converter.
 
There's a bit of a grey area when it comes to modding. I think as long as you don't sell games then your safe. (If you do then your a complete idiot looking to get caught)

AFAIK you are legally allowed to mod your console to play backups you own. There was a case in Italy where they tried to get a guy for modding consoles - the judge threw it out as he said you should be allowed to play backups of games you own.

I've also been repairing PSX/PS2/XBOX/360's and modding them for a while. The 360 stretches the grey area even further as its a softmod and not a actual mod chip.
 
gregmcc said:
There's a bit of a grey area when it comes to modding. I think as long as you don't sell games then your safe. (If you do then your a complete idiot looking to get caught)

AFAIK you are legally allowed to mod your console to play backups you own. There was a case in Italy where they tried to get a guy for modding consoles - the judge threw it out as he said you should be allowed to play backups of games you own.

I've also been repairing PSX/PS2/XBOX/360's and modding them for a while. The 360 stretches the grey area even further as its a softmod and not a actual mod chip.
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There is enough flea-market and backyard operations modding consoles and selling games in most towns across SA. Which is piracy plain and simple!

As for the grey areas, till it is made illegal - I'll continue to mod consoles so that you can play backup and import games.

Every day is a challenge though, as there are so many variables in repairing gaming consoles. You fix one problem, and sometimes another issue comes up.

I tend to look at it from an economic viewpoint. If its unreasonably expensive to fix ... rather let the customer buy a new console at a store or I will let them trade in the usable parts of the console and organise either a brand new or refurbished console.

At the end of the day, you spent a good amount of money on your console and should have a restored machine as easy on the budget as possible.

However, parts have to be imported and a mark-up put on it so that I can make a living. Its a fine line between good service and shafting the customer (making a quick buck).

There are far too many service companies in the industry messing people around :mad:
 
maestro_za said:
There are far too many service companies in the industry messing people around :mad:
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+1

I mostly repair them for friends and don't really make money of them. But I know what your saying - parts are sometimes difficult to get hold of and they aren't cheap.

There comes a point where repairing isn't worth it - rather for a few hundred extra but another console and get the warranty what comes with it.

I've repaired a few PS2's and you should see see how some of these backyard people mod them - their soldering skills are frightening!!! :eek:
Sometimes the console can hardly close with the wires they use!
 
gregmcc said:
+1

I mostly repair them for friends and don't really make money of them. But I know what your saying - parts are sometimes difficult to get hold of and they aren't cheap.

There comes a point where repairing isn't worth it - rather for a few hundred extra but another console and get the warranty what comes with it.

I've repaired a few PS2's and you should see see how some of these backyard people mod them - their soldering skills are frightening!!! :eek:
Sometimes the console can hardly close with the wires they use!
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Some established companies (which I won't mention) also have frightening skills, then I must resuscitate these machines :(

Not always successful .. but a give it my best shot!

Beyond laser replacements, I don't touch the PS2 though.

I source parts from the most reputable suppliers I know (no dodgy Chinese sites though) through trial and error. I have 5 or so suppliers that I'm happy with and use on a monthly basis by importing the various parts I need.

I have enough work to keep myself and an associate busy, but the trouble is that consumers want their consoles fixed yesterday at the lowest price.

Then they take it to someone that can fix it same day, the console works for a couple of days or hours, breaks then they want to come to me to have it sorted.

I open the console, and either its second hand parts or workmanship befitting a 2 year old. Frightening!

As an example, an optical block for a PS2 slimline costs me R200 excl. shipping to bring it into SA. I charge R500 to put in.

Issue: Nah dude, its too expensive I'll go to XYZ that will put it in for R300. I say go ahead.

The PS2 works for a month, then the laser dies again. I get a phone call, will you sort it out please? I say didn't you have a warranty? Yes, but abc is an issue.

Then for messing me around, I charge R650 and the guy pays and is happy with what I know is top quality replacement part.

People ...
 
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