Is installing/selling a modchip LEGAL in your country - please share

[eddyb]

I live in the Netherlands, and the following is legal:

Make a backup of your original audio CD, movie DVD, PS2 game for own purpose is legal. Selling copies is illegal.

Almost all CD players, DVD player do play backups !
But the Sony ps2 does not ! (only DVD movie backups)
Sony ps2's also does not play imports.

So Sony has built in an extra protection to:

- avoid people to play their backups
- avoid people to play imports

So from my point of view, you have the law, permitting me to make backups for own purpose, only when I also own the original.
And we have the Sony law, not able to play backups and imports.

We have 2 different kind of chips:
- programmed chips, which enables us to play backups
- empty chips, the so-called homebrew chips, to upgrade to whatever we can/want

In The Netherlands where I live, it seems to be illegal to install/sell modchips, but still a lot of stores are advertising openly with selling/installing modchips.

I have the following questions for you all:

1) Is installing/selling modchips in your country LEGAL or ILLEGAL ?
2) Based on what arguments have the judges decided to make it LEGAL or ILLEGAL ?
3) Is there a difference from the law point of view, in installing/selling programmed modchip or homebrew modchips ?

Other countries:

UK -> illegal
The Netherlands -> illegal
Australia -> illegal
Italy -> legal
Spain -> legal
China -> what's illegal ;-)

[snipersnake]

erm..here..everything is LEGAL... :-)

same case with hong kong and china

[sioivo]

Current in Hong Kong selling premod and moding are still Legal. But it will be illegal in the near future becasue SCEH (HK) did something to try to stop modchip installer.

[hip725]

I live in Canada and its illegal, i heard that a store just got closed cus the cops came in and took everything in the store....ps2 mods, gc mods, xbox mods, and over 500 games (all 3 systems) and over 150 movies....really sucks ass for those who buy copied gms and mods...not that i do

[jockthecock]

in the uk it's ilegal to chip ps2's sony took a company to court over their copyright and they won and it is ilegal to make backups of you'r own games to protect you'r investment of you'r original but luckly in the glasgow area the police don't seem to care much about it since i know of some police how get their ps2's chiped it seems it's ok to sell a modchip that can't play backup's but ilegal to sell one that can

[cubistproject]

Hey hip - modding in canada is LEGAL.
It is legal to buy sell trade and install modchips, but premods are illegal in most countries.

That store likely got busted for piracy, not modchips.

Many bioses are illegal, however, but in hardware I don't think that anything can be done. If you provided M8 in software it would not be legal.