Setting up shop: Repairs and mods. Need some advice please

Hi all,

I run my own video game and PC sales and repair business.. It's been running for the better part of a year now and I'm just want to get some advice.

Currently I don't offer modding services (Region free ect) services except for case mods. I'm sitting on the fence of whether to start offering modding services for homebrew as well, I'm only going to mod older discontinued consoles for legal reasons of homebrew and HDD upgrades ect. For example I won't mod xbox 360, PS3, Wii U or any other new consoles just older ones like PS2, Xbox, PS1 ect.....

Any advise on this will help..

PS. I also sell brand new consoles which is why I don't want to mod the newest ones to avoid any issues.


Thanks :livid:

 

Have a look at this - http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2009/08/modder-arrest-a-reminder-that-most-console-hacks-are-illegal/

Whilst the guy arrested was doing 360s (I believe later on the case was dropped), according to the article modding any system to run unsigned code is illegal. Even old generation ones. Of course the chance you'd get picked up on and taken to court is minimal, ebay is full of people selling original xbox's that have been converted to media centres and running emulators/roms etc. But it's something to think about.

 

If you sell consoles new I wouldn't start offering modifications. It's fine if you offer mods on retro, like RGB, S-Video mods etc. There's various mod shops around that seem to be around for a long time, but they don't sell new games, and consoles.
Repairs are fine, just modding I wouldn't attempt if your business is going well.

 

Hmmm. I don't see the harm in doing XBMC conversions and PS1 import mods....
I thinking of killing off selling games and just focus on repairs (most of my sales) and new/refurb consoles and accessories (Modded included), maybe used games... I might do that and see how it goes, a lot less competition that way

 

Most stores that sell games and consoles don't offer repairs. So it's competition on it's own.

 

You can install mod chips in the ps1 that only allow imports, no backups or homebrew.

 

You're tampering with copyrighted code and hardware. They don't like that.

PS1 games are available via download channels. It might be that a game wasn't released in your country, but suddenly it gets a release. Even by doing a region-only mod, you could piss Sony off and lose them sales. Likewise for anything that can be downloaded on Wii.

 

Well nearly all my sales are repairs anyway, as far as selling games and non refurb consoles there is too much competition..

 

It might help to know what country you are located in.

 

Australia, don't know why it doesn't show up??

 

Didnt ozmods win a case over there? pretty much allowing modding....

 

How I understand is: You're allowed to do modchip service here, but not allowed to bundle it with games, or any other copyrighted material.