Modding Legality

[SantMat]

Just thought I would ask here as its a question that bugs me.

Is it legal to Modify actually open and change your Xbox 360?

I know if you buy a Sky box or a NTL box you are legally allowed to do whatever you want to it as you officially own the thing. But your not allowed to watch programmes on it. To reiterate you can modify it to receive sky/cable legally but you cant use it to watch cable or sky. Is it the same with Xboxes you are legally allowed to modify just not play copies on it once modified?

Also with game copies you are legally allowed to back up a game you own, so how can they stop you playing them, as in the Xbox doesnt play copies to begin with? They cant prove you dont have an original aswell.

Obviously M$ dont want you to play copies and are trying to combat piracy, but I dont give a sh!t about M$.

Just makes me wonder how M$ can ban people from XBL for Flashing their boxes if this is legal and they have no proof the person they are banning isnt using a backup of a game they legally own

 

[lang]

Is it legal to Modify actually open and change your Xbox 360?

It's completely legal to open your 360 and do whatever you want to it. It's yours, you paid your hard earned money for it, you can do what you like with it.

Also with game copies you are legally allowed to back up a game you own, so how can they stop you playing them, as in the Xbox doesnt play copies to begin with? They cant prove you dont have an original aswell.

They don't stop you from playing the backups, they simply prevent you from playing on Live. There's a big difference there.

Just makes me wonder how M$ can ban people from XBL for Flashing their boxes if this is legal and they have no proof the person they are banning isnt using a backup of a game they legally own

Again, it's completely legal to flash your box, but there's no law that says M$ has to allow you online if they detect some sort of mod. This is all stated in plain english in the TOS that we all agree to when signing up for Live. Granted, no one actually reads that thing but that's what it's there for and that's what you're agreeing to. It lays out the terms under which you will be allowed to play on Live, one of which is that you will not modify your console in any way.

 

[Xion]

Nice answer BigD.

 

[thepagan]

It depends which country your from because some countries don't allow backups like here in UK it is illegal to copy from CD to tape still.

The Live ban thing is in MS terms it's the reason they can do it you agree the terms when you go on Live.