http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6928177.stm

I like that you don't need a mod chip to play 'backups' on the 360.

But I like xbl to much to soft mod my 360's. I just pony up the 50$. But my modded original xbox is much more usefull then i wasn't modded.

Isn't this time/effort/money that could be better spent hunting down Meth labs and whatnot? Basically all they are going to do is push modchip suppliers / purchasers off shore. There is no way the industry is ever going to effectively eliminate piracy.

I wonder how much tax payer dollars is spent trying to eliminate piracy with little to zero effect. Why don't they just get rid of the RIAA and the like and pump that money into the music/film/gaming industry instead.

I like how they come up with these lovely numbers like 250 million dollars loss due to piracy....how the heck do they know this? They can't, it's impossible. How do you know how many people have downloaded a song, movie, game etc, how many copies they made, passed around to friends and what not...you can't know, it's completley IMPOSSIBLE.

I'd be willing to bet that the money they waste on teams of fbi agents travelling all around for ...as this article stated 12 months, their salaries, hotel costs, food, travel allowance etc all TAX PAYER MONEY....anyways, an insane of money for sure. And for what?
There are a lot of other crimes that need more attention. Thanks for wasting our tax paying money I guess.

why even bother saying "backups" in quotes like that when everyone knows the discussion is about mods to let people commit crimes by violating the copyrights of the creators of the game software?

i think that law enforcement has two options, to enforce the laws as they exist or to ignore intellectual property theft. i prefer that they enforce the laws.

people stealing stuff sucks, and i have no tolerance for software piracy in any form, including via modchips. and yes i know there are other uses for mod chips, but what they are most commonly used for is also obvious to all involved. i am totally ok with this news. and as usual, i would prefer if this board had a no tolerance policy to any posts that advocated piracy.

To add to the above. Those of you saying law enforcement shouldn't waste there time and there are other crimes to be solved need to understand that cops are trying to solve other crimes. I'm a state trooper myself and I hear that crap all the time when I either stop someone with a V&T violation or arrest someone for petit larceny. These agencies are very large and capable of chasing down more then one thing at a time. Accept the fact that the FBI as an agency is more apt to enforce these types of crimes along with other computer related crimes. Why, because its federal laws they break which means a federal agency has the resources to pursue it. The whole its our taxpayer dollars being wasted is a bunch of crap. Your individual taxpaying dollar is such a very very tiny fraction of how law enforcement gets money budgeted to them. Just think about this if your a taxpayer and you pay my salary. Guess what I'm a taxpayer too so does that mean I pay my own salary? :rolleyes:

Hey, cstmstyle - what the heck are you on here posting for? Why don't you get out and fight crime. I'm not paying for you to post garbage to the internet all day. Go break up some meth labs or give out speeding tickets to make your quota.

;)

Hey, cstmstyle - what the heck are you on here posting for? Why don't you get out and fight crime. I'm not paying for you to post garbage to the internet all day. Go break up some meth labs or give out speeding tickets to make your quota.

;)
:rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

He was being sarcastic, notice the wink smiley.

Your individual taxpaying dollar is such a very very tiny fraction of how law enforcement gets money budgeted to them. Just think about this if your a taxpayer and you pay my salary. Guess what I'm a taxpayer too so does that mean I pay my own salary? :rolleyes:

Of course law enforcement has other ways of making money. You do hit your quota every month, right? Instant cash :)

I absolutely HATE some of the 100% BS tickets that are out there... Take Seat Belt Laws - I always where my belt but if a person doesn't want to, let them. It does not effect anyone else or there driving! I smoke, its bad for me, I know this. But I don't get a fine every time I light a cigarette!
I got a ticket for blocking an intersection because the back of my car was hangin over the pedestrian crosswalk by 2 feet durring rush hour traffic. The cop that gave me that ticket was the biggest a$$hole I ever met. It was in a ****** area as well where there is lots of crime and drugs but top cop got me for "Blocking an Intersection". Please. I feel like taking 2 hundred dollars out of my pocket, throwing it in his face and telling him to fock off and let me be on my way since I have real $hit to do and the stop was nothing more than a money maker for them...

Sorry, you got me started...
And yes, you do partly pay your own salary, nice :)

-Evangelo2

Hey, cstmstyle - what the heck are you on here posting for? Why don't you get out and fight crime. I'm not paying for you to post garbage to the internet all day. Go break up some meth labs or give out speeding tickets to make your quota.

;)


Ah because i'm too busy monitoring the internet for law breakers!!! :p

Big brother is real get out your aluminum foil hats.

Since your paying me, I need a raise. I have kids to feed and taxes to pay. :o

I wear my tinfoil hat 100% of the time. Not even one of those homemade ones, but a true legitimate sealed and certified ebay version. Can't be too cautious these days.

Of course law enforcement has other ways of making money. You do hit your quota every month, right? Instant cash :)

I absolutely HATE some of the 100% BS tickets that are out there... Take Seat Belt Laws - I always where my belt but if a person doesn't want to, let them. It does not effect anyone else or there driving! I smoke, its bad for me, I know this. But I don't get a fine every time I light a cigarette!
I got a ticket for blocking an intersection because the back of my car was hangin over the pedestrian crosswalk by 2 feet durring rush hour traffic. The cop that gave me that ticket was the biggest a$$hole I ever met. It was in a ****** area as well where there is lots of crime and drugs but top cop got me for "Blocking an Intersection". Please. I feel like taking 2 hundred dollars out of my pocket, throwing it in his face and telling him to fock off and let me be on my way since I have real $hit to do and the stop was nothing more than a money maker for them...

Sorry, you got me started...
And yes, you do partly pay your own salary, nice :)

-Evangelo2

I will not try and monday morning quarterback your particular situation. I will tell you this. In NY contrary to what you and others and the media think. QUOTAS ARE AGAINST THE LAW. Does revenue get generated from tickets yes indeed same as when people get arrested. Cash seized from major crimes Drug busts etc. Most people I come across always have an a$$hole cop story. 9 times out of 10 this a$$hole cop story was there only time they have dealt with a cop and it was at least 5 years or so ago. I'm not saying this happened in your case. Writing you that BS ticket as you say. Tells me one of two things during your conversation you were not pleased with the fact that the cop even brought to your attention that you were blocking the intersection. Unknowingly to you, you may have been just as much of an a$$hole back to him with your body language and tone. BS tickets like that allow us to stop you and question you. Its a high crime area as you say so i guarantee he was looking for something other then the fact that you were stoped over the pedestrian walk. And the other thing cops are people too. If I could let people ride with me who bitch about the job cops do I think they would get a major wake up call with how the public views us.


I also want to add that seatbelts do in fact save your life as I've been to enough accidents. This is why they are written. Are you hurting other drivers for not wearing them no not really. If you rolled your car/truck and didn't have your seatbelt on I pray that you realize your body is like a rag doll if your not secured. I couldn't imagine having my drivers side window break which almost always happens in a roll over and guess where your body goes, yes out that window but never in a simple throw in one simple movement sort of way. Usually your only partially ejected as the car goes rolling and you get squished between the car and the ground a couple of times. Not very appealing to me. I would rather deal with putting a seatbelt on. And amazingly if you wear them enough you stop noticing that there not comfortable. Usually there uncomfortable because there not adjusted correctly. If your a large person they make extenders so its not rubbing against your neck

He was being sarcastic, notice the wink smiley.

Really? No kidding! Thanks for the lesson Amon!

:rolleyes:

Ah because i'm too busy monitoring the internet for law breakers!!! :p

Big brother is real get out your aluminum foil hats.

Since your paying me, I need a raise. I have kids to feed and taxes to pay. :o

You're damn right he's real!

I will not try and monday morning quarterback your particular situation. I will tell you this. In NY contrary to what you and others and the media think. QUOTAS ARE AGAINST THE LAW. Does revenue get generated from tickets yes indeed same as when people get arrested. Cash seized from major crimes Drug busts etc. Most people I come across always have an a$$hole cop story. 9 times out of 10 this a$$hole cop story was there only time they have dealt with a cop and it was at least 5 years or so ago. I'm not saying this happened in your case. Writing you that BS ticket as you say. Tells me one of two things during your conversation you were not pleased with the fact that the cop even brought to your attention that you were blocking the intersection. Unknowingly to you, you may have been just as much of an a$$hole back to him with your body language and tone. BS tickets like that allow us to stop you and question you. Its a high crime area as you say so i guarantee he was looking for something other then the fact that you were stoped over the pedestrian walk. And the other thing cops are people too. If I could let people ride with me who bitch about the job cops do I think they would get a major wake up call with how the public views us.

I know what you mean. I have a few buddies that are either NYPD cops or Port Authority Cops and I hear some of the crap they have to deal with from people. This blocking the intersection though was not fo questioning. It is a trap how the lights are and I am always looking out for it. This one day I just got stuck 2 feet over. And the cop was a condesending ahole so I gave him some attitude back. At that point, I could care less about the fine. Not all cops are bad (most are really good people, and most I have come across are really good people) but just like any other field there are aholes. Im thankfull that in my whole life Ive only run into 3 of the jerkoff type ones.

I had a guy ask me if my mommy and daddy bought me my car when I had my //M3. I let him know that my mommy and daddy cant afford my car. What a douche bag that jealous prick in Long Beach was :)

I also want to add that seatbelts do in fact save your life as I've been to enough accidents. This is why they are written. Are you hurting other drivers for not wearing them no not really. If you rolled your car/truck and didn't have your seatbelt on I pray that you realize your body is like a rag doll if your not secured. I couldn't imagine having my drivers side window break which almost always happens in a roll over and guess where your body goes, yes out that window but never in a simple throw in one simple movement sort of way. Usually your only partially ejected as the car goes rolling and you get squished between the car and the ground a couple of times. Not very appealing to me. I would rather deal with putting a seatbelt on. And amazingly if you wear them enough you stop noticing that there not comfortable. Usually there uncomfortable because there not adjusted correctly. If your a large person they make extenders so its not rubbing against your neck

Yeah, I agree with that, I wear my seatbelt :) Just saying that it shouldn't be a ticket for those who understand the risk and do no wear them.

Coincidentally, I never had 1 unjustified or BS experience with a State Tropper :)

-Evangelo2

Of course law enforcement has other ways of making money. You do hit your quota every month, right? Instant cash :)

I absolutely HATE some of the 100% BS tickets that are out there... Take Seat Belt Laws - I always where my belt but if a person doesn't want to, let them. It does not effect anyone else or there driving! I smoke, its bad for me, I know this. But I don't get a fine every time I light a cigarette!
I got a ticket for blocking an intersection because the back of my car was hangin over the pedestrian crosswalk by 2 feet durring rush hour traffic. The cop that gave me that ticket was the biggest a$$hole I ever met. It was in a ****** area as well where there is lots of crime and drugs but top cop got me for "Blocking an Intersection". Please. I feel like taking 2 hundred dollars out of my pocket, throwing it in his face and telling him to fock off and let me be on my way since I have real $hit to do and the stop was nothing more than a money maker for them...

Sorry, you got me started...
And yes, you do partly pay your own salary, nice :)

-Evangelo2

I can't stand people that block intersections. Gridlock is a big problem where I"m from, mostly due to idiots who think the 20 cars in front of them on the other end of an intersection will magically move up one car's length before that yellow turns red. Pay up! If there isn't a full car length free on the other side then don't move through the intersection until the next green.

As for seatbelt laws, I know it's different in the US but here in Canada if you get in a car accident then you go to a hospital and the taxpayers have to pay thousands of dollars to make you better (we have publically-funded healthcare). So forcing everyone to wear seat belts theoretically reduces the amount of money the government (or I guess insurance carriers in the USA?) pay to hospitals and doctors. In Canada, same goes for cigarette smoking, which is taxed to keep the cost as high as possible to 1) deter people from smoking and/or 2) to put tax dollars back into the healthcare system that has to treat all that smoking-related lung cancer etc. Some doctors in Canada even refuse to treat people with lung cancer if they are smokers. So, here in Canada there actually is a small fine (tax) for every cigarette one smokes! I bet all of this makes you happy you live in the US and not Canada haha.

Lastly, all public servants partially pay their own salaries (like me, an IT person in the public service) but it's like a fraction of a penny a year so it's basically meaningless.

I like how they come up with these lovely numbers like 250 million dollars loss due to piracy....how the heck do they know this? They can't, it's impossible. How do you know how many people have downloaded a song, movie, game etc, how many copies they made, passed around to friends and what not...you can't know, it's completley IMPOSSIBLE.



I think that's all part of the "Spin"

I'm guessing they'll start using to vast resources to eventually crack down on region-free DVD players. ;)

Trust me, we're fined every time we light up in the states too.

We have a seatbelt law in PA too...but motorcycle helmets are optional. :rolleyes:

Back to the topic...I have zero interest in modding my consoles. I like Xbox Live too much, and don't really dig stealing, although I'll admit to running MAME. :o

I can't stand people that block intersections. Gridlock is a big problem where I"m from, mostly due to idiots who think the 20 cars in front of them on the other end of an intersection will magically move up one car's length before that yellow turns red. Pay up! If there isn't a full car length free on the other side then don't move through the intersection until the next green.

No kidding. There are plenty of *******s out there that put themselves ahead of everyone else. I'm a dick to those people when I get the chance. When a lane is ending and some jerk wants to pass traffic all the way up to the end of it during rush hour, I don't let him in. I'll pull halfway into the ending lane and cut him off.

It sounds as though we've got a self-important jerk in this thread.

I can't stand people that block intersections. Gridlock is a big problem where I"m from, mostly due to idiots who think the 20 cars in front of them on the other end of an intersection will magically move up one car's length before that yellow turns red. Pay up! If there isn't a full car length free on the other side then don't move through the intersection until the next green.

I agree with you. My bumper was 2 feet into the CROSSWALK, not the intersection. This happened a while ago and I was not causing gridlock. I payed the ticket. Legally where my car was is breaking the law but that spot is a definite trap as they camp out there... so if you are ever in Hempstead New York by Front Street and Penninsula/Hemp Tpke, be carefull ;)

So, here in Canada there actually is a small fine (tax) for every cigarette one smokes! I bet all of this makes you happy you live in the US and not Canada haha.

We pay that fine here too my friend :) I pay $8.50 a pack in the 5 burroughs and 5.5 on Long Island :) Too bad it doesn't go to health care here in the US. Now, tell me where I can get my fake Canadian Health care card incase I ever get sick :)


As for the current topic, no interest in modding here either. I buy my games. I am a software engineer and I would be pissed if someone was pirating my software that I worked hard on.

-Evangelo2

What a load of crap.

I work in a large hospital that is a level 1 trauma center so I see it all. And there is a lot to see. People hurting people night and day.

So thank God our tax dollars are working to stop this techno-violence. We can all sleep better tonight. I know I feel safer.

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/8/21515204415.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6195664)

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/8/21516381685.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6196362)

LMFAO at the storm tropper pic :)

I got a thread related question actually...

What legal advantages (not playing copied games) are provided when modding your xbox?
With the PSP, the mods used to let you play full res video but I am not sure what you get with the 360 mods besides playing copied games and getting banned from Live (which is definitely not worth it!).

-Evangelo2

I know what you mean. I have a few buddies that are either NYPD cops or Port Authority Cops and I hear some of the crap they have to deal with from people. This blocking the intersection though was not fo questioning. It is a trap how the lights are and I am always looking out for it. This one day I just got stuck 2 feet over. And the cop was a condesending ahole so I gave him some attitude back. At that point, I could care less about the fine. Not all cops are bad (most are really good people, and most I have come across are really good people) but just like any other field there are aholes. Im thankfull that in my whole life Ive only run into 3 of the jerkoff type ones.

I had a guy ask me if my mommy and daddy bought me my car when I had my //M3. I let him know that my mommy and daddy cant afford my car. What a douche bag that jealous prick in Long Beach was :)



Yeah, I agree with that, I wear my seatbelt :) Just saying that it shouldn't be a ticket for those who understand the risk and do no wear them.

Coincidentally, I never had 1 unjustified or BS experience with a State Tropper :)

-Evangelo2

Anyone with common sense should know better than to block a crosswalk. I see this occasionally and sometmes you see a handicapped person and the car is impeding their travel. If you parked 2 feet into the crosswalk you definitely deserved the ticket. i personally would never even consider blocking any part of acrosswalk for even a minute. I'll park several blockas away if I have to and just walk. Nothing is too important that I need to block the travel path of the pedestrians. Blocking the walkway or parking in a handicapped spot are both offenses that are just as bad in my opinion.

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/8/21516381685.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6196362)

So that's you in the middle cm? ;)

Those chips are technically in the gray area of legal, when sold by the companies they are legal because they don't have the "firmware" installed (talking about the xbox 1 chips) The wii chips are drive chips, so they are legal also, its only illegal if you modify the bios. So great.. yea.. they busted down the little guys in their mom and pop shops.. I guess that happens because custom agents can't find any real criminals so they have to start cracking down on people who have a solder iron in their hand. :rolleyes: I myself, love running homebrew on my xbox 1, and playing my xbox 360 "backups" on xbox live. :D

We bought the console, we didn't rent it, we can do the hell what we want with it. I hope they find a loophole somewhere.

So that's you in the middle cm? ;)

Sorry no :cool:

I'm not trying to stir things up, but I'm not sure what's 'illegal' about the technology at all. Can anyone clarify? Isn't it the use of it that is potentially illegal (i.e. by the people who actually use it to pirate games)? Based on what they are doing, should they be sending the FBI to Taiwan or Japan to break down the doors of those CD and DVD writer drive manufacturers? It's illegal to make copies of discs, but how is the copying technology itself illegal? We all have CD writers these days, but they're not considered illegal, just using them to duplicate copyrighted material is.

From what I understand its the modchips that contain parts of the bios which violates the DMCA. Modchips have been deemed illegal by the DMCA. Others with more technical knowledge could chime in and explain better. The reason ICE got involved was mostly for the other crimes that are occurring associated with these types of modchips. Smuggling, money laundering and pirated software. I know the media, as usual, makes you think little timmy down the street just got arrested because his console is modded but it looks to me they went after specific groups who are into more then whats being reported. With the fact that homeland security has been partially involved should tell you something.

I used to poop on my neighbors yard when I was a kid. Is this illegal?

Of course law enforcement has other ways of making money. You do hit your quota every month, right? Instant cash :)

I absolutely HATE some of the 100% BS tickets that are out there... Take Seat Belt Laws - I always where my belt but if a person doesn't want to, let them. It does not effect anyone else or there driving! I smoke, its bad for me, I know this. But I don't get a fine every time I light a cigarette!
I got a ticket for blocking an intersection because the back of my car was hangin over the pedestrian crosswalk by 2 feet durring rush hour traffic.

-Evangelo2

Am I reading that right? The back of your car was hanging over the crosswalk? So you were either driving backwards :D or you were just out in the intersection and couldn't go any further? Or was this crosswalk in the middle of a street? You should always stay out of intersection if traffic is backed up but I know so many people don't.

And as far as the seat belt thing. When I was 2 years old back in 68 when few cars had seat belts, an empty horse trailer came loose and hit out car head on. Killing my mom and throwing me out the window. I am sure if you had to sign something with you life insurance and car insurance and medical insurance waiving any lawsuits or claims then they could change the law. But I bet if you were killed due to not wearing a seat belt you would want your family to be taken care of with your insurance?


Now back to the thread. I am glad to see the busts being done. I do agreen the lost income figures are pulled out of thin air. Most people who pay for such things usually have no intention of paying $60 for a game in the first place.

I modded my original xbox for many reasons. Not to play backed up games. I buy two of every game so I can play on xbl. But the all region dvd player is handy sometimes. The xbox becomes a media server. I can store and play music, movies, and pics. Modded, a xbox is very powerful. I would like to make one a nas server. I think it would be small and use little power.

LMFAO at the storm tropper pic :)

I got a thread related question actually...

What legal advantages (not playing copied games) are provided when modding your xbox?
With the PSP, the mods used to let you play full res video but I am not sure what you get with the 360 mods besides playing copied games and getting banned from Live (which is definitely not worth it!).

-Evangelo2

Really? No kidding! Thanks for the lesson Amon!

:rolleyes:


Anytime man, just let me know!!

Jeez, you guys are sensitive here :) Come live in a busy metro area and tell me you never not once moved up and were caught short. You guys make it sound like I killed someone because I got caught 2 feet out at a notoriously famous intersection trap one time in 10 years (I never block the intersection thinking Im getting ahead on purpose like some d1ck).

And jgibo1, you totally missed my point about the seatbelts... and yes, if I pay my insurance premiums then my family better get payed. Now if someone chooses to not wear a seat belt (ps I WEAR my seat belt so Im with you on it saving lives) then they should pay higher premiums, same way my life insurance is more because I smoke. The insurance industry is another scamfest so don't get me going on that now before I end up inadvertently insulting some insurance salesman on this board :)

Now, back to the modding question, I totally understand legal uses of the mod on the old XBox (media center, region free dvd player) but I still dont get what it brings to the table for the 360...

-Evangelo2

the mod scene doesn't really seem to bring much functionality to the 360. obviously there will be some hoping for the pirated games and emulators and whatnot, but with a little free time you can get the 360's media capabilities almost up to speed with xbox media center, very close but not quite.

I used to poop on my neighbors yard when I was a kid. Is this illegal?

Only if you get caught.

We used to light smoke bombs on our neighbor's front stoop and run, so that that the inrush of opening the door would suck most of the resulting smoke inside.

I know that's illegal. Or it should be. :D

you guys have to remember that it's only a crime if you get caught.....well....maybe it's a crime to be this fat:
http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/8/21817363960.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6236650)