u/CounselMe2Day

The picture of the PCB with no cartridge above it is Super Smash Bros (the one with the battery on the top left side). Mario Party 3 (authentic copy) is on the right side, and the reproduction cartridge is on the left side. All games, minus the reproduction cartridge, are authentic. Hopefully this quick visual reference post will help someone.

With Sony's increasing emphasis on digital distribution, more people are inevitably going to look toward emulation. Because of that, there's an important technical and legal reality people should understand. Keep in mind, this is not meant to be read quickly.

Just to be clear: I'm not against emulation or roms. These are simply the facts as they relate to current U.S. copyright law, the DMCA, and how the hardware itself works. Emulation software itself is legal (thanks to landmark cases like Sony v. Connectix). However, under U.S. law, how you get your games matters immensely. Older cartridge/disc formats can often be dumped passively, while modern systems require bypassing security mechanisms, placing them in a legally complex space under DMCA Section 1201. Owning a physical copy does not automatically grant a legal right to circumvent DRM.

Quick definitions:

• DRM (Digital Rights Management) is a type of copy protection that companies use to control access to games and other digital content and help prevent unauthorized copying.

• The DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) is a U.S. law that, among other things, prohibits the circumvention of certain technological protection measures used to control access to copyrighted works.

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- The "Raw Data / Passive Media / No Modern DRM" Zone (Legal Gray Area) -

These systems rely primarily on raw data extraction from cartridges or media that can be read using dedicated external hardware without circumventing cryptographic protection on the game media itself. Copyright law still protects the game data, meaning unauthorized copying or downloading may infringe copyright regardless of the tool used. However, extracting data from these media using passive external hardware generally does not involve circumventing a technological protection measure under Section 1201 of the DMCA.

• NES / Famicom

• Super Nintendo (SNES) / Super Famicom

• Game Boy / Game Boy Color

• Game Boy Advance (GBA)

• Nintendo DS (Standard DS cartridges are not cryptographically encrypted and dedicated external cartridge dumpers can read the ROM directly.)

• Nintendo 64 (N64) (Although the console uses a CIC lockout chip for authentication, the cartridge ROM itself is not encrypted and can be read through direct pin-level extraction.)

• PlayStation (PS1) (PlayStation discs do not use modern cryptographic encryption. While original discs include sector layout anomalies and subcode data to prevent casual copying—including advanced data-layer checks like LibCrypt used on select European releases—they do not rely on the encrypted access controls used by later consoles, though specialized software or drives are required to capture exact track data.)

• Sega Master System

• Sega Genesis / Mega Drive

• NEC / Hudson TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine (HuCard)

• WonderSwan / WonderSwan Color

• Neo Geo Pocket / Color

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- The GameCube Paradox: Proprietary Media Meets the DMCA -

Although GameCube discs do not use modern software encryption or DRM in the same way as newer formats and consoles, they cannot be read by standard PC DVD or Blu-ray drives because Nintendo used a proprietary disc format and data layout as an access-control measure. To back up a game, users typically need compatible optical drives, modified hardware, console-based homebrew, or custom software to access and extract the data. Because these methods involve bypassing Nintendo's technological access controls, the process can fall under the DMCA's anti-circumvention rules (Section 1201). For consumers in the U.S., there is no clearly authorized general method to back up GameCube games without bypassing those protections, even though the discs do not use conventional encryption-based DRM.

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- The "DMCA / Anti-Circumvention" Zone -

For the systems below, there is generally no practical method for individuals to dump their own games without likely implicating the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions. In practice, personal ripping of these systems is generally not considered legally straightforward in the United States.

These systems generally require specialized hardware, proprietary firmware, or methods that may involve circumventing technological protection measures, hardware authentication, cryptographic encryption, or proprietary media formats in order to extract game data. Depending on the specific method used, this may implicate Section 1201 of the DMCA.

Legal note: The U.S. Copyright Office periodically grants limited DMCA Section 1201 exemptions for video game preservation. However, these exemptions are narrowly tailored and generally apply to qualifying libraries, archives, museums, researchers, and certain preservation activities. They do not create a blanket right for individuals to make personal backups at home. Likewise, there is no broad statutory "backup right" for video games under U.S. copyright law comparable to the archival provision for computer software found in 17 U.S.C. § 117 (which courts have routinely ruled applies strictly to computer programs, not audiovisual works like video games).

• Sega CD

• Sega Saturn (Relied on BIOS validation, proprietary optical disc authentication, and the physical "Ring of Saturn" protection.)

• TurboGrafx-CD / PC Engine CD

• Sega Dreamcast (Uses the proprietary GD-ROM format, which standard PC optical drives cannot directly read. To extract data, users typically must rely on alternative methods such as running homebrew via the MIL-CD self-boot exploit, or using specialized hardware modifications like serial/broadband adapter dumps, which require navigating access controls and hardware-level workarounds.)

• PlayStation 2 (Uses proprietary disc authentication and physical media characteristics that typically require specialized methods for dumping.)

• PlayStation Portable (PSP) (UMDs use proprietary hardware and authentication mechanisms that standard PC optical drives cannot directly access.)

• Nintendo DSi-Enhanced and DSi-Exclusive Cartridges (Unlike standard DS media, DSi cartridges feature digital signatures and cryptographic encryption. Dumping them typically requires bypassing a modified DSi or 3DS console's security mechanisms, raising direct anti-circumvention questions under the DMCA.)

• Nintendo Wii (Wii optical discs use encryption and authentication systems. Dumping Wii games typically requires interacting with the console's security architecture or using specialized methods that may involve circumventing technological protection measures under the DMCA.)

• Nintendo 3DS

• Nintendo Switch

• PlayStation 3

• PlayStation 4

• PlayStation 5

• Xbox

• Xbox 360

• Xbox One

• Xbox Series X/S

Within the U.S. legal framework, owning a physical copy of a game does not automatically override the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions. While making personal backup copies is often discussed under copyright law, circumventing a technological protection measure used to control access to copyrighted material may raise separate legal issues under Section 1201 of the DMCA, regardless of ownership.

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- Using Homebrew to Rip Games: A Real-World Example -

To see how these laws interact in practice, consider a common scenario: backing up a physical GameCube game you legally own using a Nintendo Wii.

* The Game (Legal Gray Area): GameCube discs are not protected by modern software-layer cryptographic encryption. Reading the raw game data for archival purposes is generally viewed differently from circumventing an access-control system.

* The Tool (DMCA Anti-Circumvention Concern): A standard Wii cannot run homebrew software out of the box. To use homebrew tools such as CleanRip to dump a GameCube disc, the Wii's security mechanisms must first be bypassed through software exploits. Under a strict reading of DMCA Section 1201, bypassing those security controls to install and run unauthorized software may constitute unlawful circumvention, even if the sole purpose is to back up a game you legally own.

From a practical legal standpoint, using homebrew on systems such as the Wii, Dreamcast, or 3DS to back up games commonly requires bypassing security mechanisms that may implicate the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions. As a result, it is generally not considered a legally straightforward method for creating personal backups in the United States.

Thanks for reading.

Applying the anti-glare screen protector really helped me out. I think this phone is top tier in the No PWM (and more) department. Sadly, the newer Moto G Phones use MediaTek chipset (not good) rather than Snapdragon. It's old school, but it's legit. It also has sRGB too (Set color profile to Natural (sRGB mode). Obviously, there are modern phones out there ... but if you want to buy a phone that isn't going to break the bank and you need it for just typical everyday stuff (emails, banking, etc), I would highly recommend it. Here is a video showing that this phone has no PWM with "disable HW overlays" disabled. It's better to have it enabled.

Video link: Moto G Power (2020) Smart Phone. No PWM detected. Also, my thoughts in the comments. : r/PWM_Sensitive

This probably has been asked so many times ... I get it. If anyone knows, please share your information here. Thank you.

Tell us what works for you :)

For iPhones, it's going to be either the iPhone 11 or iPhone SE Gen 3. Look at the comments here: https://www.reddit.com/r/PWM_Sensitive/comments/1ourq8g/whats_the_best_iphone_thats_giving_you_no_issues/

A solid meme. Enjoy :)

Any MacBook Neo owners that can answer these questions? Ty :)

YouTube Link if you don't know about the Thermal pad mod: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hPFgffH6m0

Picture taken from this link: https://www.amazon.com/SUPCASE-Military-Grade-Protection-Anti-Scratch-Protective/dp/B0GY4GC777

Any recommendations? Ty :)