Lik-Sang Back Online, Minus Modchips

DrEldarion writes "Lik-Sang is back, and it turns out that it wasn't just Microsoft that filed the lawsuit - Sony and Nintendo both joined in. The end result is that the modchips are gone."

Comments

So now they

[fred911]

will sell cheap programers,instructions and blank bios chips and show ya how to find the code.

the disclaimer

[exhilaration]

However, Lik Sang is not committed on selling the questioned products in the future

Are they waiting for a final ruling from the court? I guess the sentence above means that they'll wait to see which way the court leans before they bring the mod chips back.

Whoah

[Apreche]

I can understand Microsoft and Sony going against Modchips, but why Nintendo? A mod-chip isn't going to do anything to a gamecube. I haven't seen anyone be able to bootleg gamecube games yet. AFAIK they are mini-dvds that spin backwards. That's a tough one to copy.

It's also interesting how they go after lik-sang, but http://www.modchips.com aka http://www.gamegizmo.com is still up, and selling the best chips around. We modded our PSOne with one, and it works great.

It's just like the Napster thing. They go after Napster, but Kazaa, Morpheus, WinMX all get to live.

If 10 companies are breaking the law can't you sue them all at once?

Make that Extra Crispy.

[RatBastard]

I don't know why anyone would be surprised. Sony is very much behind DRM technology and is a supporter of the DMCA. I guess people think that because Sony decided to sell a Linux kit for the PS2 that they aren't the Japanese Microsoft.

Re:Hmm....

[Jucius Maximus]

"Time to set up a non-profit to pass out chips from foreign countries... or just relabel them as accessibility devices."

I think that the accessibility devices idea has merit. The same strategy is used to sell macrovision removal devices in the north american market without trouble from the mpaa.

Good to have 'em back.

[stratjakt]

They're a great site for console game freaks like myself, I've ordered a ton of hard-to-come-by and import stuff from them over the years.

I can understand why certain mods are illegal, but not all of them.

Ie;
The xtender mod for xbox should be illegal. It's a bios replacement that contains a hacked copy of MS's copyrighted BIOS.

The openxbox/pc-bioxx 'mod' is a blank flashrom with a parallel header. It could not only be used on an xbox, but on any motherboard that uses 8mbit bioses and has an LPC bus. It has tons of uses aside from piracy or running linux on xbox. Ever want to try that crazy bios hack for your mobo that unlocks freakishly high FSB and vCore settings? Here you go.

Why can't they use the "primary function" clause to their benefit in this case?

Why not just say the primary function of the device is to replace/play with the bios on the mobo in your PC, and not mention xbox?

This isn't some shady trick to keep selling them, but frankly the truth. It really is a poor mans flashrom writer.

Anyhow, anyone who really wants his xbox modded (provided he has the early revision that can be) can do so himself quite simply, if he has a mobo around with a socketed bios that he can use to flash the xbox' chip with.

I worry the next step will be MS, Sony and Nintendo getting an injunction to stop them from exporting Japanese software to American/European markets. That'll really suck eggs.

Re:They still sell freeloaders.

[mccalli]

Datel, the makers of Freeloader for the Gamecube, are currently having problems getting the disc produced.

Their trouble is that Nintendo control the manufacturing process for the mini-DVDs, and Nintendo don't want Freeloader to exist. Consequently, they're blocking it.

There have been ads for Freeload for a while, but the release date constantly 'slips'. My opinion is that we'll never see a release at all.

Cheers,
Ian

Re:So is this the end of X-box modding?

[aGeMo]

Nope the X-box modding scene is still alive and kicking. In fact the new no-solder mod (Matrix/Xodus) has been selling like crazy from easybuy2000.com. Since this chip comes with out any bios, i.e. free of any of Microsoft's copyrighted code, I believe they are free from Microsoft's wraith but that is yet to be seen.

Huh?

[Rogerborg]

• At September 16th a lawsuit against Lik Sang International Limited and it's directors has been filed in the High Court of Hong Kong by the companies Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft on infringing on copyrighted material and selling Mod Chips or other development and backup devices for the Plaintiffs consoles.

Why would Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft buy mod chips for their own consoles?

Oh, wait, I see what they mean. They mean "consoles made by the Plaintiffs, but then sold to purchasers with EULA's prohibiting modification in 2 point italic WinDings font on page 32 of the manual."

I see where the confusion is coming from. Well, now that we've cleared that up, perhaps Lik-Sang could just explain Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft's mistake, and we could get back to doing whatever the hell we like with the piles of plastic and copper that the Plaintiffs chose to sell to us, and which we now own.