Playstation 2 Recalled In Japan

silvergun writes: "According to FGNonline, the 1.25 million Playstation 2 units sold in Japan have been placed under a mandatory recall by Sony, due to the fact that they can play DVDs for territories other than they were intended. I'll say ouch for Sony." Update: 03/31 02:04 by CT : Several people noted that the recall was on the DVD Playing Software, not the actual PS2 hardware itself. Sorry about the confusion.

Comments

Story is vague but...

[trims]

... honestly, how can it be illegal for someone to sell a non-region encoded device?

Even in the US, assuming that the DMCA stands (which is a big if), I would have assumed that several things occured in the manufacturing of the PS2:

1. Sony paid the DVD Forum (or actually, is already a member) the required licensing fees for the decoding algorithm, and the right to use it.
2. The PS2 does NOT make available the method for "cracking the CCS". They already legally have bought the rights to decode it, and are not "circumventing" it in any way.
3. You can't claim the PS2 is in any way a DVD-copying machine, any more than a standard, fully-region-encoded DVD player is.
4. Simply by ignoring the region encoding flag, I don't see how they could construe this to be actively circumventing the copyright protection of the DVD. Region encoding has absolutely nothing to do with copyright; it's all about distribution control, nothing more.

If Sony would be in trouble for anything, it might be for failing to adhere to the terms of the DVD CCS license contract (which undoubtable says something like "You are supposed to enforce Region Encoding"). However, this is contract (ie Civil) law, certainly not criminal law.

Of course, IANAJL (I'm not a Japanese Lawyer), so things may be different there.

Certainly, if the case is Civil, people who bought the PS2 aren't legally forced to return it. They can keep it. If it's criminal (wherein the possession of such a device is illegal), well, then, guess you have to give it back.

I'd be interested to see what this turns out to be...

-Erik

Software (DVD driver CD) recalled - not hardware.

[SuperKendall]

Other people have posted this already, but since few seem to be noticing I thought I'd mention it again. It's only the CD's that come with the Playstation 2 that are being recalled - these hold the software which you load into the Playstation 2 memory cards, which is in turn used to play DVD's.

The software was buggy, and I believe not only would not play Japanese DVD's (though I could be wrong about that part), but it definatley let them play Region 1 (US) DVD's - quite a no-no in Japan!

You do have to wonder though how many people would return software that would let them play US DVD's. Perhaps Sony will refuse to support the systems at all until the CD's are returned.

DailyRadar (yes the site is a bit juvinile but it has pretty good PS2 coverage) has a story about this as well - they mention that Sony might have to recall all the actual PS2 hardware if the ability to copy DVD's from the component output is not resolved.

THINK of the CONCEQUENCES!

[Mathonwy]

Just think! A black market filled with DANGEROUS CRIMINAL MASTERMINDS will soon spring up, centering around ilicit "original PS2 trade". PS2 cartels will come into power, and rule japan and other countries with an iron fist of TERROR , doling out favors and original PS2s to those that please them, and curry favors... While they ruthlessly withHOLD these blessed units from those whom do NOT please them, condemning such individuals to an eternety of region coded gaming and DVD watching. OH THE HUMANITY! OH THE PATHOS.
Ok, I'll stop.

features.

[tingalingusob]

Sony:
"Sorry guys, the software we gave you is too good. You'll have to return it for an inferior copy. I'm sure you understand."

Customers:
"Fuck off."

translated from Japanese by,
tingalingusob