Two arrested for modifying Xbox's by Federal Authorities

ChrisXE

ChrisXE

Banned
hree Pandora's Cube stores in Washington, D.C. were recently raided by federal authorities, in search for modified Xboxes.

The console in question, known as the "Super Xbox" is a Xbox modified with a larger hard drive, software that allows full games to be copied to the hard drive, and up to 15 games pre-loaded. For the console, the stores got $500 dollars, and two unlucky employees got arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and conspiracy to traffic in a device that circumvents technological protection measures.

As you can see, the profit won't be enough to get the arrested employees anywhere anyime soon, so remember, just say no to the "Super Xbox".

credit GAF


Continued.....

The arrests in Maryland and Virginia were a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Justice's computer crimes unit, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Maryland and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

These consoles were on open display, the ESA reported. It is not clear, however, whether the stores were selling the pre-loaded versions of the modified consoles.
 
hahaha losers. pirated thingys should be kept to the black market. those 2 guys are dumbarses that were jhsuting waiting to get caught. im a modder myself, but their are certain cautions you will take. like not tell people about it? i see modding services on craiglist's all the time, with their fone numbers listed. just waiting for a call from the govn.
 
They were arrested for trying to sell it. You made it sound as if someone busted in someone's dorm and got arrested or something.
 
Wow people are dumb. They could have legally sold it if they did not copy the software to it.
 
[quote name='Indiana']Wow people are dumb. They could have legally sold it if they did not copy the software to it.[/quote]

Can a modded xbox be sold without preloaded software?
 
$500? You could do the exact same thing for around 100+the price of the x-box!!! what a rip...

Oh yeah, this stuff is illegal and bad and stuff. Those guys got what they deserve *cough* :roll:
 
[quote name='crystalklear64']$500? You could do the exact same thing for around 100+the price of the x-box!!! what a rip...
[/quote]

In defense of the price tag, it did have 15 games loaded along with the software. Depends on which 15 games. I guess it is a niche market for rich people who want to be pirates but lack the technical know how and dedication.
 
[quote name='gaelan'][quote name='Indiana']Wow people are dumb. They could have legally sold it if they did not copy the software to it.[/quote]

Can a modded xbox be sold without preloaded software?[/quote]

That's my understanding of the law pertaining to modding Xbox's. It voids the warranty but is legal until there is copyrighted software on it. When I first read the title to this story I was like...holy crap they found a way to go after these modding companies and websites. But then I read that these guys were selling them with games loaded on the HD out of frickin' store...pfff...what a bunch of idiots. I'm surprised it took them this long to get caught.
 
[quote name='Indiana']Wow people are dumb. They could have legally sold it if they did not copy the software to it.[/quote]

Wrong. Selling devices designed to circumvent mechanism restricting access to copyrighted material is illegal in the U.S. under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Just like hacking a DVD player to allow playing DVDs from other regions is illegal.
 
[quote name='mousin']hahaha losers. pirated thingys should be kept to the black market. those 2 guys are dumbarses that were jhsuting waiting to get caught. im a modder myself, but their are certain cautions you will take. like not tell people about it? i see modding services on craiglist's all the time, with their fone numbers listed. just waiting for a call from the govn.[/quote]


:?:
 
[quote name='guessed'][quote name='mousin']hahaha losers. pirated thingys should be kept to the black market. those 2 guys are dumbarses that were jhsuting waiting to get caught. im a modder myself, but their are certain cautions you will take. like not tell people about it? i see modding services on craiglist's all the time, with their fone numbers listed. just waiting for a call from the govn.[/quote]


:?:[/quote]

:rofl:
 
[quote name='greydemise']but...i dont get how authorities wud find out....maybe they were advertising it all over?[/quote]

I might have tipped off the feds if I had seen it in the store. A bunch of us called Nintendo about the SuperJoy thingamabobs.
 
[quote name='soulyogurt'][quote name='greydemise']but...i dont get how authorities wud find out....maybe they were advertising it all over?[/quote]

I might have tipped off the feds if I had seen it in the store. A bunch of us called Nintendo about the SuperJoy thingamabobs.[/quote]

Wow, thats some narc status there, you really are a shallow person.
 
Pirates drive prices up for all of us. I have many friends and relatives in the gaming (and other programming) industries. Reporting a pirate is a blow for truth and justice. Nothing shallow about that, friend.

I would hesitate since the beneficiary of my actions would be Microsoft, but in the end I would have a hard time doing the wrong thing by letting villiany go unchallenged.
 
I understand some of you don't exactely like or appreciate the piracy scene, but think about how much money microsoft and all affiliated industries have, you think a little modding here and there REALLY could POSSIBLY even dent their budgets? HA!
 
[quote name='Spawn Of Hell']I understand some of you don't exactely like or appreciate the piracy scene, but think about how much money microsoft and all affiliated industries have, you think a little modding here and there REALLY could POSSIBLY even dent their budgets? HA![/quote]

Ok, well say you make $20/hour.....will you please give me $1/hour just because...well, it's not much of a dent in your budget....only $8/day for you. Please, just let me have your money.....

IT'S STILL WRONG.....MS was losing money on every XBOX they sold, so it's not like it was a cash cow for them.

Even if you do do it, you still know it's wrong....

Ok, so please send me just a little bit of money every month....it wont' put you back anything.
 
I actually live in the DC area, and I've been to the College Park, MD, store on several occasions. Pandora's Cube is basically an import and anime shop, so it never really surprised me that they would carry and/or offer modded systems. What really bugged me about the shop was the level of markup.

A modded Xbox with HDD upgrade for $500?! HD Loader software for $80?! PS2 slide card tool for $20?! Their prices were completely ridiculous, but I guess more than enough ignorant consumers bought this stuff to keep them in business. I also wondered how store management figured they could legally sell modded systems with pirated software already installed. At a reasonable asking price, I might have been tempted, but $500 for one console was way too rich for my blood.
 
[quote name='Spawn Of Hell']I understand some of you don't exactely like or appreciate the piracy scene, but think about how much money microsoft and all affiliated industries have, you think a little modding here and there REALLY could POSSIBLY even dent their budgets? HA![/quote]

Dude, how stupid are you? It's not just about Microsoft. It's about all of the people making the games that those idiots were pirating. Those companies are usually not corporate juggernauts, they are smaller companies who just want to make kick-ass games. Don't confuse the publisher with the developer. Microsoft is not the one you are really hurting.
 
Fact: the store owners were not arrested for selling modding xboxes

Fact: the store owners were arrested for loading up the hard drive of the xboxes they sold with warez.
 
[quote name='Spawn Of Hell']I understand some of you don't exactely like or appreciate the piracy scene, but think about how much money microsoft and all affiliated industries have, you think a little modding here and there REALLY could POSSIBLY even dent their budgets? HA![/quote]

Were talking about people who are addicted to money worse than some people are to crack....... :D
 
[quote name='soulyogurt']Pirates drive prices up for all of us. I have many friends and relatives in the gaming (and other programming) industries. Reporting a pirate is a blow for truth and justice. Nothing shallow about that, friend.

I would hesitate since the beneficiary of my actions would be Microsoft, but in the end I would have a hard time doing the wrong thing by letting villiany go unchallenged.[/quote]

i see ur point, and where ur coming from, but im sure pirating dusnt affect them much, or at all..ppl will still buy their products no matter..in any case, pirating can even give bigger industries a little "push" since they can jack up the prices all they wnt, and when ppl complain, they say .."oo blame pirates" ppl say , "ok" and buy the product with no problem..especially in the holiday season where jacked up prices are all over and people will buy just about everyones item, and there are millions of ppl, so this means millions of sales with boosted prices...
 
[quote name='greydemise']i see ur point, and where ur coming from, but im sure pirating dusnt affect them much, or at all..ppl will still buy their products no matter..in any case, pirating can even give bigger industries a little "push" since they can jack up the prices all they wnt, and when ppl complain, they say .."oo blame pirates" ppl say , "ok" and buy the product with no problem..especially in the holiday season where jacked up prices are all over and people will buy just about everyones item, and there are millions of ppl, so this means millions of sales with boosted prices...[/quote]

I was going to challenge the logic of this statement, but "ur" reliance on gibberish-speak forces me to conclude that it would be a waste of time for us both.
 
[quote name='Fanboy'][quote name='greydemise']i see ur point, and where ur coming from, but im sure pirating dusnt affect them much, or at all..ppl will still buy their products no matter..in any case, pirating can even give bigger industries a little "push" since they can jack up the prices all they wnt, and when ppl complain, they say .."oo blame pirates" ppl say , "ok" and buy the product with no problem..especially in the holiday season where jacked up prices are all over and people will buy just about everyones item, and there are millions of ppl, so this means millions of sales with boosted prices...[/quote]

I was going to challenge the logic of this statement, but "ur" reliance on gibberish-speak forces me to conclude that it would be a waste of time for us both.[/quote]

and ur inability to come up with nothing more than an attack on my internet grammar is also a waste of time
 
[quote name='rockhero'][quote name='Spawn Of Hell']I understand some of you don't exactely like or appreciate the piracy scene, but think about how much money microsoft and all affiliated industries have, you think a little modding here and there REALLY could POSSIBLY even dent their budgets? HA![/quote]

Dude, how stupid are you? It's not just about Microsoft. It's about all of the people making the games that those idiots were pirating. Those companies are usually not corporate juggernauts, they are smaller companies who just want to make kick-ass games. Don't confuse the publisher with the developer. Microsoft is not the one you are really hurting.[/quote]

Even so, these small companies you speak of are still going to make money regardless, you think that the only way a game is going to get played is through piracy? So many people will just buy a game or rent it with no pre-exisiting knowledge of it, and at 49.99 a pop, or sometimes less, those companies can still make a killilng back. I know piracy can in a sense hurt an industry, and that was a good point you made, but the only company I can see piracy really being able to hurt right now is Sierra/Valva/Steam, just because they seem to run out of money every other week, and have had to scrap a few projects
 
[quote name='eldad9'][quote name='Indiana']Wow people are dumb. They could have legally sold it if they did not copy the software to it.[/quote]

Wrong. Selling devices designed to circumvent mechanism restricting access to copyrighted material is illegal in the U.S. under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Just like hacking a DVD player to allow playing DVDs from other regions is illegal.[/quote]

It's legal to sell mod chips as long as they don't have software or if they do, it's just a crappy piece of software that does nothing but be a pain in the arse to uninstall.
 
[quote name='doubledown'][quote name='Spawn Of Hell']I understand some of you don't exactely like or appreciate the piracy scene, but think about how much money microsoft and all affiliated industries have, you think a little modding here and there REALLY could POSSIBLY even dent their budgets? HA![/quote]

Ok, well say you make $20/hour.....will you please give me $1/hour just because...well, it's not much of a dent in your budget....only $8/day for you. Please, just let me have your money.....

IT'S STILL WRONG.....MS was losing money on every XBOX they sold, so it's not like it was a cash cow for them.

Even if you do do it, you still know it's wrong....

Ok, so please send me just a little bit of money every month....it wont' put you back anything.[/quote]

You can do stuff with a modded xbox that's not illegal. In fact, that's what I plan to do.
 
[quote name='Spawn Of Hell']I understand some of you don't exactely like or appreciate the piracy scene, but think about how much money microsoft and all affiliated industries have, you think a little modding here and there REALLY could POSSIBLY even dent their budgets? HA![/quote]

Argumentum ad misercordiam.
 
i see ur point, and where ur coming from, but im sure pirating dusnt affect them much, or at all..ppl will still buy their products no matter

argumentum ad ignorantiam


..in any case, pirating can even give bigger industries a little "push" since they can jack up the prices all they wnt, and when ppl complain, they say .."oo blame pirates" ppl say , "ok" and buy the product with no problem..

post hoc ergo propter hoc
Subverted Support
Non-support

especially in the holiday season where jacked up prices are all over and people will buy just about everyones item, and there are millions of ppl, so this means millions of sales with boosted prices...

post hoc ergo propter hoc
Subverted Support
Non-support
 
[quote name='Fanboy'][quote name='greydemise']i see ur point, and where ur coming from, but im sure pirating dusnt affect them much, or at all..ppl will still buy their products no matter..in any case, pirating can even give bigger industries a little "push" since they can jack up the prices all they wnt, and when ppl complain, they say .."oo blame pirates" ppl say , "ok" and buy the product with no problem..especially in the holiday season where jacked up prices are all over and people will buy just about everyones item, and there are millions of ppl, so this means millions of sales with boosted prices...[/quote]

I was going to challenge the logic of this statement, but "ur" reliance on gibberish-speak forces me to conclude that it would be a waste of time for us both.[/quote]

HAH HAH
 
[quote name='greydemise']and ur inability to come up with nothing more than an attack on my internet grammar is also a waste of time[/quote]

And if you can type like a non-monkey, why wouldn't you do so when you're trying to make a point?

More on-topic, I agree about many uses for a modded Xbox than just piracy:

1) Cheap media centre that's already integrated into your setup.
2) Copy your legally purchased games to the HD to speed loading times.
3) Backup copies of your software to save wear/tear on discs (especially helpful if you are running an Xbox in a house full of kids).
4) Turn your TV into a big screen photo album.
5) Homebrew software.
6) Install Linux to live out your open-source dreams of nose-thumbing MS.

And surely there are more uses than this for a medium-powered computer sitting in your living room.
 
[quote name='greydemise'][quote name='Fanboy'][quote name='greydemise']i see ur point, and where ur coming from, but im sure pirating dusnt affect them much, or at all..ppl will still buy their products no matter..in any case, pirating can even give bigger industries a little "push" since they can jack up the prices all they wnt, and when ppl complain, they say .."oo blame pirates" ppl say , "ok" and buy the product with no problem..especially in the holiday season where jacked up prices are all over and people will buy just about everyones item, and there are millions of ppl, so this means millions of sales with boosted prices...[/quote]

I was going to challenge the logic of this statement, but "ur" reliance on gibberish-speak forces me to conclude that it would be a waste of time for us both.[/quote]

and ur inability to come up with nothing more than an attack on my internet grammar is also a waste of time[/quote]

There's no such thing as "internet grammar." The rules don't change if you touch a computer. :roll:
 
[quote name='Scorch']They were arrested for trying to sell it. You made it sound as if someone busted in someone's dorm and got arrested or something.[/quote]

that's what i thought..i was like "woah, why are they going after some random guy?"
 
[quote name='Fanboy']
1) Cheap media centre that's already integrated into your setup.
2) Copy your legally purchased games to the HD to speed loading times.
3) Backup copies of your software to save wear/tear on discs (especially helpful if you are running an Xbox in a house full of kids).
[/quote]

This is what I want to do. Besides that, the new LCD screens they have that can display all kinds of things and have lots of different functions is awesome! In a way, modding an xbox is like a geek electronics kit that's great for hobbiests like myself. It's fun!

Oh yes and I want to copy my own games to my HD not just to load levels faster, but so that I don't have to keep swapping games out. It's a pain in the arse for me to go to another room where I store all my games and search for disks especially when they're not in the right cases. I do this with my computer games right now.
 
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