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Xbox To Use Region-Locked Peripherals
Cutriss writes "This newspost over at National Console Supply Exchange seems to leave all the potential Xbox controller-importers in the dust. Apparently the US Xbox will only allow peripherals with a specific USB ID to connect to the console, thus locking out the use of Japanese controllers, which will have different USB IDs."
Update this doesn't mean all peripherals
will be region encoded. Apparently Joypads will
work on both sides of the pond.
but is there a SANE reason for not allowing the use of these imported controllers?
Other than "A Machine We Control Totally", that is.
Is there some kind of incredible controller for the Xbox that is only available in Japan (as the original response controllers for the PSX were)? So that Microsoft doesn't want people to have them because of some other kind of interesting occurance? And how long until someone either finds a way to change the USB ID in the controller firmware, or an enterprising company decides to make their own US-based USB ID controllers that match a local controller that isn't USian? Fairly soon, I would guess.
Brazil has decided you're cute.
The XBOX is a game *console*. It's perfectly reasonable to maintain a closed standard. What MS is trying to do is make sure they get their licensing fees from "official" peripheral manufacturers, instead of having their profits dried up by cheap Taiwanese knockoffs.
When another company does things to try and protect their market share, it's reasonable. When Microsoft does it, it's inherently evil. Remember, Microsoft does *NOT* have a monopoly on the console market, and has to claw it's way into contention.
I'm not a Microsoft fan by any means (MacOS, MacOS X, and Linux all run my household servers/desktops), but I do own an XBox.
-- "Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?"
I'm no lawyer, but to take deliberate steps to subvert an open specification and lock out competition is surely an anti-trust violation.
"Just curious, but why do you think it will drive the prices DOWN?"
;-)
Well, my reasoning goes something like this:
MS would be stupid to charge an outrageous price for a spare controller in a market which they "own". The reason I say this is because if they do, then more and more people will look to alternatives, which will in turn decrease sales of MS's controller. So, by lowering prices, they effectively make it not worth hacking.
That's my reasoning, but it's been a long day, so please take it for what it's worth
Sent from your iPad.
Um, since USB ciructs are easy to program for, has anyone thought about using a USB hub on a linux box to gather packets from the "illegal" controller ,spoof the ID, and send the packets on to the XBOX and vice versa?
Just my two cents... ^_^
Amazing. I remember when they told us the CPUID number would not be a big deal. But others coutered it would.
Now they have done it with USB. This looks like arbitrary restriction, and I can't see why it should be allowed. We really need a strong tech department within the US government to monitor the anti-competitive use of technological advancements.
Of course, lets be sure that department is not the take too...
You will have to pass a political orthodoxy test to get past the boot screen.
Q: What is the role of the US DOJ?
A: A) To promote and smooth the growth of large multinationals; B) To ensure the destruction of subversive whacko religious groups; C)To cuddle up in the Executive's lap and purr contentedly; D) All of the above.
Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
Xbox To Use Region-Locked Peripherals
True, maybe the Japanese controllers will work with the MS consoles, but we need to look beyond the immediate future here.
Hmm, let's think here...
Well, at any rate, it sure makes me nervous. Think about when they start selling region-locked Ethernet, or region locked hard drives, etc. add-ons for the Xbox. Region locking in general is a way for large companies to restrain trade contrary to international agreements. It was never a problem before recently because either (a) nobody thought of it (doubtful) or (b) the technological means to do it weren't around until recently.
DVD's have recently proven (in some people's minds, anyway) that "consumers" (if we're all consumers, who the hell is producing, btw?) will put up with this region locking restraint of trade nonsense. And it's a well known fact that the courts are so far behind in their understanding of technology that they won't figure out what's going on until nobody even remembers the way things used to be. I mean, "Microsoft" and "restraint of trade" -- who would have ever thought of those two words in the same sentence? :-) IOW, this doesn't surprise me in the least.
At least I know which gaming console I won't be buying anytime soon, though! :-)
---Have you crashed Windows XP with a simple printf recently? Try it!
So, what are the chances I can hook my controller into a USB port and read the USB ID that it declares.
"We returned the General to El Salvador, or maybe Guatemala, it's difficult to tell from 10,000 feet"
The PS doesn't allow you to play any game that is not Sony approved. All PS/PS2 games have a special boot system that only Sony can put on a disc. FYI, all PSX/PS2 games are made by Sony, at least the physical copy. As a game developer, you submit a final 'gold' version of your program and then Sony makes X copies of it for you and gives them back to you so you can sell it. AFAIK, you pay them up front for all the copies and if they don't sell then you lose the money. I know this is how the Big N does it as well.