Support NeoGAF

[bheemer]

I just received word via phone today that $ony is now sending C&D letters complete with their legal team contacts to US-based Web sites selling HD Loader! As a result, some sites have already pulled the product while one site we are aware of is attempting to fight it. At this point in time there is no comment from the official HD Loader site


http://www.ps2ownz.com/http://www.ps2ownz.com/

 

[Deku Tree]

Are these letters legal?

 

[bheemer]

won't know until we get the content of em.

 

[Cloudy]

LOL, no wonder ConsoleCorner took it down after the first week!!

 

[MoxManiac]

Not suprised. I'd do the same thing if I was sony.

Wish I had gotten one beforehand.

 

[IJoel]

R0X!

Mine's on the way!

 

[Mairu]

Oh no! That means we'll have to get it from HK sites! OH NO!

 

[DarienA]

Somebody PM me sites that sell this... I haven't even picked up my HD yet but for when I do....

 

[Naked Snake]

Oh no! That means we'll have to get it from HK sites! OH NO!

Are you sure we'll still be able to get it from HK sites? I don't think Lik-Sang carries it.

I MUST get one, but I'd rather delay buying it as much as possible since I don't have a working PS2 right now (plan on buying one later this year), and I thought waiting would be a good idea since they might release an updated version or something. Looks like I have to bite the bullet and get it now. What sites still sell it?

 

[IJoel]

Somebody PM me sites that sell this... I haven't even picked up my HD yet but for when I do....

I ordered mine at Divineo.com and received the tracking number last night. It took them more than a week to process the order. I can update on the status of my order once I receive it, which should be tomorrow.

 

[Wario64]

PIRATES AM CRY

 

[brandonnn]

Are you sure we'll still be able to get it from HK sites? I don't think Lik-Sang carries it.

No, but another very success-ful HK .com business just recently started stocking it.

 

[MoxManiac]

No, but another very success-ful HK .com business just recently started stocking it.

And look at the price! Is the place in question reliable?

 

[Defensor]

"Yee Haw! Score one for the Bad Guys."

 

[Wario64]

And look at the price! Is the place in question reliable?

Yes

Shipping is like $15 though I think

 

[Rockman]

Can't buy it? Download it then. Get yourself a mod like the dms3 and run it off the mem card. No disc needed.

 

[brandonnn]

And look at the price! Is the place in question reliable?

Yeah, they've been around in one form or another since the 16-bit days -- highly reputable source of occasionally disreputable goods.

 

[MoxManiac]

$10 for air mail. Considering the disc was like $30-35 everywhere else I can stomach that.

 

[dark10x]

Ah well, I'd rather not tempt myself to pirate any PS2 games...

I already own over 70 titles, so I take pride in my PS2 collection.

 

[golem]

hmm really tempting.. ps2 load times are teh suck

 

[Lord Error]

Heh, this was just the matter of days. Good thing mine has been shipped as of last night. However, even this C&D is probably too late. There are solutions available for free download now that not only let you run this on modded PS2, but also on the unmodded one (if you buy Sega's Crazy Taxi, that is). So that's not a problem.'

The problem, however, is that almost certainly none of the upcoming games will be installable with this, and there's even the possibility that it won't even run if you have HDD with installed games in your machine. The real problem is that now we might never get any updates to this loader, and be stuck with already released games that can be installed... which is not good.

 

[MoxManiac]

I dunno Marcellony, I don't know if they'd bother. This thing isn't THAT widespread.

 

[Lord Error]

Well, now that it can be donwloaded for free, I don't see why anyone with modchip shouldn't get it...

On the other hand, one line of code can save someone's game from easy rental-piracy, and I'd expect everyone to add that line before the game is shipped

 

[MoxManiac]

Would it really be that easy to circumvent it?

 

[Lord Error]

I think so. Just make a code in your game that on the bootup checks the hard drive, and looks for some kind of system file that HDLoader must have somewhere. If found, the game can just stop loading.

Btw, news update at PS2ownz:

Update: We received a bit more info on this from a victim who does not want to be identified as it could adversely affect his case, but he informed us that these are actual complaints the attorneys for $ony filed in California Federal Court! This goes way beyond what has happened in the past as they are no longer happy with offenders simply shutting down and signing something (C&D) saying you'll never do it again. It appears $ony is now going for damages and more in some cases!

Ouch...

 

[Nintendo Ate My Children]

I haven't been paying as much attention as I should have to this HDloader thing, but know I'm thinking about buying it. Can anyone recommend a good larger sized hard drive that's fully compatible with the PS2?

 

[cybercrash]

Does it work for PAL PS2's?

 

[Fusebox]

It must do - someone has put up ads for it around Nth Sydney. No price though and just a local phone number to contact.

 

[pilonv1]

It works for PAL consoles.