Breaking a EULA isn't illegal either - as long as you're not breaking copy protection mechanisms while you're about it. Software companies would like you to think breaking a EULA is illegal - however in all likelihood many of the terms and condition are not enforceable in any court, they may even be illegal themselves, breaking trade agreements and fair trading standards.
But protectionism is alive and well - because the media industry have paid Congress to make it so. So importing products that require mod chips may very well be viewed as some sort of media piracy - who knows?
The use of mod chips (even if they only switched off region coding) is illegal - because region coding is regarded as a copy protection mechanism. The fact it allows the media industry to break international trade agreements through protectionism is neither here nor there - the US government has been properly paid to look the other way on that and many similar issues. Just ask the Antiguans, and they'll tell you more than you probably want to know.
So mostly just chipping your XBox could be enough to warrant a day in court - and in theory a very expensive one at that. The likelihood though is that only the distributors and makers of such equipment will be bothered by law enforcement. Doesn't stop Microsoft or Sony from suing you, but the idea the FBI will be beating down your door because you're playing a grey import is not something to worry about. On the other hand, if you're playing said grey import after taking a break from installing mod chips into a 1000 PS2s, well then you probably do have something to worry about, as this story apparently highlights.
Register
Modding isn't illegal, circumventing is..
Breaking a EULA isn't illegal either - as long as you're not breaking copy protection mechanisms while you're about it. Software companies would like you to think breaking a EULA is illegal - however in all likelihood many of the terms and condition are not enforceable in any court, they may even be illegal themselves, breaking trade agreements and fair trading standards.
But protectionism is alive and well - because the media industry have paid Congress to make it so. So importing products that require mod chips may very well be viewed as some sort of media piracy - who knows?
The use of mod chips (even if they only switched off region coding) is illegal - because region coding is regarded as a copy protection mechanism. The fact it allows the media industry to break international trade agreements through protectionism is neither here nor there - the US government has been properly paid to look the other way on that and many similar issues. Just ask the Antiguans, and they'll tell you more than you probably want to know.
So mostly just chipping your XBox could be enough to warrant a day in court - and in theory a very expensive one at that. The likelihood though is that only the distributors and makers of such equipment will be bothered by law enforcement. Doesn't stop Microsoft or Sony from suing you, but the idea the FBI will be beating down your door because you're playing a grey import is not something to worry about. On the other hand, if you're playing said grey import after taking a break from installing mod chips into a 1000 PS2s, well then you probably do have something to worry about, as this story apparently highlights.