How exactly do these mod chips, programs, and emulators work?

Wait a minute, aren't mod chips and emulators (not the program itself but the content it uses) ...illegal?

------------------
Snail racing: (500 posts per line)
---@%

Mod Chips are a violation of the warranty/T.O.U. set by microsoft. No, you won't get in any trouble for installing one (just voids your warranty).

Emulators aren't illegal, as they can be used to play homebrew games. That is, unless they were made by reverse engineering. These are both legit questions.

Unfortunatly, I'm off to do hw

no

(rule 10 of lying: never, even when faced whith clear evidence, admit you're lying)

------------------
Life and death are equally jests
-Poe

The ROMs and Emulation software are simply installed onto the hard drive of the Xbox.

All of it wouldn't have been possible without first breaking the encryption on the Xbox, of course.

The encryption was broken by a bug found in the 007: Agent Under Fire save file. Whoops!

How they actually technically work, I've no idea.

------------------
To think that once I could not see beyond the veil of reality, to see those who dwell behind. I was once a fool.

ROMs are just data dumps from old cartridge systems. They include all of the execution code from the cartridge. This counts as a backup and most companies don't care about it, although Nintendo (the only company that still actively produces cartridge games) tries to fight it.

Emulators just emulate a computer system. You can run an executable from a foreign platform with one. They're totally legal, although some of them require a BIOS ROM dump (like Playstation, Ti calculator and Mac emulators).
If you own the hardware and the games, emulation is a good and legal way to experience your old favorite games with modern hardware and controllers. Starfox, for instance, looks and sounds a lot better than it ever did on a SNES (and it runs at a good framerate, too).

No clue how they work, but my brother's friend has gotten a few XBoxes banned from XBox Live for using a mod chip. So you gotta know what you're doing if you plan on using a mod chip and xbox live.

------------------
"And when I vest my flashing sword And my hand takes hold in judgement I will take vengeance upon mine enemies And I will repay those who hase me O Lord, raise me to Thy right hand And count me amoung Thy saints." - Il Duce, The Boondock Saints

Just acquire a 2nd x-box, purely for modding.

Stay away from bad grammar kids you'll end up in the worst part of life ever; you'll end up like Glyde

------------------
O_o
o_O

Some mod chips might be legal. Example, some mod chips are installed on Playstation so you can play imported Japanese games on the American system if I remember correctly.

------------------
I can't think of anything to put here right now.

They all void warranties though.

------------------
"The future is not determined by a throw of the dice, but is determined by the conscious decisions of you and me."
I am addicted to ellipses!!! AHHH!!! ...

While Emulators aren't illegal, ROMs are VERY illegal if you don't already own the cartridge or CD/DVD of the game. According to copyright laws though, you can legally own ROMs only if used as a backup copy of the game you already have. Anymore than one copy though would make if illegal because that would count as piracy. Owning the ROM without having the game is obvious piracy since you didn't pay a single dime to have the game in the first place. So, in conclusion, only download a ROM of a game if you already have the game and just want to have the ROM as a backup or as an alternate way of playing the game on another platform (such as your computer). Otherwise, it's consider warez.

Also, I believe ISOs is also under the same rules as ROMs so be aware of that too when handling ISOs.

-- SavageX

------------------
"...and if you don't like that, then you need to be slugged in the face repeatedly, until my hands are soaked in blood. Have a nice day!"
http://www.savagex.net

I dont know the legal viewpoint but in my opinion for games and consoles which you can no longer buy (SNES, Sega Mega Drive etc..) or buy games for the compaines are not going to lose any money if you download roms. Infact its hard to find some games for old consoles now. I don't see anything wrong with downloading games for old consoles.

------------------
WARNING: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF PEANUT!!!

I dont think he's wondering about the legality of it, I think he just wants to know how they work.

------------------
^^
00

Actually you aren't allowed to download ROMs at all (with one exception). The backup copy you are legally entitled to must be produced from your own legal version of the game.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/help/hmisc_1.html
http://www.siia.net/piracy/copyright/24hr.asp
http://www.emulationzone.org/ece494/law.doc