Cheeky f'er!
- Thread starter Adamaki
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Wait... how does one report this kind of thing? I used to know, but had to stop ebaying after a few years of really bad finances.
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Well its wrong to sell the Universe Bios like this on ebay under two breaches.
1) The Universe Bios homepage clearly states the terms of service with the unibios.
2) Ebay ban the sale of mod chips and the Universe Bios is classed as one becuse it bypasses protections in some NeoGeo Games.
To notify Ebay do two things,
1) Use this link http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/mod-chips.html, at the bottom of the page there is a link to report the listing (you give the auction number).
2) Also email the seller a question (link found on the auctions page) telling them you have reported the auction for the sale of a mod chip.
Don't get me wrong I have no problem with people selling their official Universe Bios if they wish to but that auction is not selling an original Universe Bios.
Raz
1) The Universe Bios homepage clearly states the terms of service with the unibios.
2) Ebay ban the sale of mod chips and the Universe Bios is classed as one becuse it bypasses protections in some NeoGeo Games.
To notify Ebay do two things,
1) Use this link http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/mod-chips.html, at the bottom of the page there is a link to report the listing (you give the auction number).
2) Also email the seller a question (link found on the auctions page) telling them you have reported the auction for the sale of a mod chip.
Don't get me wrong I have no problem with people selling their official Universe Bios if they wish to but that auction is not selling an original Universe Bios.
Raz
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Razoola said:
Done.
Gummy Bear
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Bidding has ended.....
Wish I'd seen this sooner.
Did the twat actually sell it or has he just taken it down?
Wish I'd seen this sooner.
Did the twat actually sell it or has he just taken it down?
Since the UniBIOS is just a modification of the real SNK copyrighted BIOS isn't illegal to sell in the first place?
The only reason Xbox mod chips are legal is because they only ship with completely home made code, and not a modified Microsoft BIOS.
The only reason Xbox mod chips are legal is because they only ship with completely home made code, and not a modified Microsoft BIOS.
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Well, if the terms of service say it's only for use on Neo-Geo hardware then that implies it's only for use by owners of licensed Neo-Geo BIOSes.
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So then... XBox modchips are legal. Except those that get DMCA'd. Your point?Reznor007 said:
Dr. Jigglin
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Reznor007 said:
A mod chip doesn't replace the BIOS, it only overrides it, therefor it is different from the UniBIOS.
Razoola said:
I bet he didn't realise that what he was doing was against regulations, or maybe he just thought no-one would notice and he would get away with it. Ignorance is no excuse though. If he downloaded the unibios code from Raz's site and burnt his own chip, then he should have read the terms and conditions.
Good job the Neo Geo Police are ever watchful
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Like SpamYouToDeath says, because the Universe Bios is for use in real NeoGeo hardware as a replacement bios the user is already entitled to the SNK code held within the Universe Bios so there is no breach of copyright there. A mod chip for xbox is different because it dosent replace the bios, it simply fools it thus knocking out protection.
The Universe Bios is classed as a mod chip with ebay because it removes protections allowing some of the newer games to run in AES mode on MVS hardware and MVS mode on AES hardware.
Raz
The Universe Bios is classed as a mod chip with ebay because it removes protections allowing some of the newer games to run in AES mode on MVS hardware and MVS mode on AES hardware.
Raz
Xbox mod chips completely replace the on board BIOS, so it's exactly the same thing.
Mod chip makers aren't allowed to sell chips with any modified MS BIOS code at all. All mod chips come with the completely home made BIOS's like Cromwell or FlashBIOS. If you use an LPC mod chip(which is pretty much all of them) you can't even access the on board BIOS. It's the same as removing the chip and putting a new one on it just like the UniBIOS. It doesn't just fool the protection. It's a different BIOS, that's why they work on Xboxes that have had their physical BIOS chip removed from the PCB.
The UniBIOS is a modification of a copyrighted work and is now being sold/distributed. It is therefore illegal.
A hack of a console game is just as illegal to download as the original.
Mod chip makers aren't allowed to sell chips with any modified MS BIOS code at all. All mod chips come with the completely home made BIOS's like Cromwell or FlashBIOS. If you use an LPC mod chip(which is pretty much all of them) you can't even access the on board BIOS. It's the same as removing the chip and putting a new one on it just like the UniBIOS. It doesn't just fool the protection. It's a different BIOS, that's why they work on Xboxes that have had their physical BIOS chip removed from the PCB.
The UniBIOS is a modification of a copyrighted work and is now being sold/distributed. It is therefore illegal.
A hack of a console game is just as illegal to download as the original.
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Reznor007 said:
If this is true (I have no idea cause I don't own a xbox) then it just hilights that the unibios should not be sold on ebay seperatly.
As for the Unibios being Illegal, this is not true because there is no law saying that reverse engineering code before the DCMA age is illegal. You must note the Unibios homepage clearly states that the bios contains original SNK code and you must own an original NeoGeo System to be able to use the Universe Bios legally, quote
'You can use the UNIVERSE BIOS as long as you own original genuine NeoGeo hardware. Failure of this may result in you the user violating international copyright laws. New program code within the UNIVERSE BIOS is (c) Razoola, original BIOS program code remains copyrighted to SNK.'
Raz
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That, plus the Xbox modchips are intended primarily to play xbox games you don't own (which is illegal, if you didn't know). A unibios acts more like a game enhancer, to unlock features of a game you couldn't normally access (which is legal, if not supported by the original manufacturer -- see also GameShark, Game Genie, Action Replay) .
If someone wanted to play a copied (aka bootleg) game on their Neo, it doesn't matter what Bios you have in, as they both will treat it the same -- therefore the UniBios is not a Modchip.
That said, on Razoola's EULA (that's not what it's named, but that's what it is) for the UniBios, it says you are NOT allowed to distribute burned copies of the UniBios for profit (I'm assuming by itself -- including one in a system you're selling is OK). Anyone who downloads the dump of the UniBios is bound by that agreement, and must abide by it. I've burned a few as a favor for friends here in the LV neo scene (as I'm the only one that I know of with an eprom burner), but not for profit. (I got lunch for them. ^_^)
If someone wanted to play a copied (aka bootleg) game on their Neo, it doesn't matter what Bios you have in, as they both will treat it the same -- therefore the UniBios is not a Modchip.
That said, on Razoola's EULA (that's not what it's named, but that's what it is) for the UniBios, it says you are NOT allowed to distribute burned copies of the UniBios for profit (I'm assuming by itself -- including one in a system you're selling is OK). Anyone who downloads the dump of the UniBios is bound by that agreement, and must abide by it. I've burned a few as a favor for friends here in the LV neo scene (as I'm the only one that I know of with an eprom burner), but not for profit. (I got lunch for them. ^_^)
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So you're saying... Razoola should distribute diff files from the original BIOSes to ensure that people legally own a Neo-Geo (and therefore rights to use the BIOS)?Reznor007 said:
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Reznor007 said:
Actually the XORs were removed at the request of the HOST. This was because a certin org complained about the AvsP artwork on the site. Its funny how the artwork was allowed to stay but the XORs were not. If I were the host I would have kept them on the site as they are pre DCMA again.
This topic is going nowhere. The entire copyright issue you bring up is questionable. I can agree with you if I were selling the bios with no mention of the original code in the chip but its clear that I'm not. The chips go to people who already own the Bios (they already have a legal right to the SNK code). If you download it and don't own the original Bios then you the downloader are breaking the law.
Raz
It doesn't matter if you own the original or not. You are distributing a modified copyrighted work. Sites can't have hacked Mario ROM's for people that own the original, and this is the same idea. Providing diff's for different rev BIOS's would be fine since the person would have to do it, but providing the entire copyrighted BIOS is illegal.
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Actually the Mario stuff gets shut down due to the TM and not the copyright.
I sopose we'll just have to wait for somone to take us to court over it if you see it as Illegal. You have to ask yourself... What company again owns the Bios code now?
Raz
I sopose we'll just have to wait for somone to take us to court over it if you see it as Illegal. You have to ask yourself... What company again owns the Bios code now?
Raz