RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Just rebumping this thread. Seems like someone is selling AFP's on Ebay. Read the top of this thread.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

I looked on the aero fly website and the aerofly pro(not deluxe) comes with a simple serial cable so can get an fms serial cable and use it with aero fly pro? The deluxe version has that usb adapter copy protection thing.

What exactly does that protection thing do? How come I can't get the simcom cable and use that? And how come it only works when the original is plugged in?

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Neither of the cables are simple. They have little computer chips inside them that activate the program.

This is the same for AFP, XTR and G3. They all need the original cables to run, there is no way around it.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

I am intimately attached to the computer industry. Hackers are a wide variety of geek types who can be anything from the "fun messing with computers" type, to those who write viruses and worms. World class hackers can hack their way past firewalls. Hackers commit the bulk of the fraud and crime against others on the IP network (Internet) and when you see one of these guys in the news it is always a hacker, not a cracker.

A cracker is someone who specifically concentrates on disabling, or otherwise renderring copyright or copy protection on software, Sattelite communications, cable TV, SS7 networks, etc. They are the "Robin Hood" types who rarely commit crimes against other people, but think nothing of killing some profit for money hungry companies. A cracker will crack a program not to use it himself, but rather just to show his skills and move on to the next thing so the underground "Warez" community can reap the fruits of his labor. The best crackers in the world can disable just about any copy protection scheme these days, even the most sophisticated. The Warez community is huge World Wide and one literally can get ANY mainstream software title if they look long enough.

I watched one of the really skilled crackers once (he worked for Sandia Labs as a security analyst) He cracked the entire MacroMedia "trial" software library in a matter of hours. He then sent his results to the company and they changed their scheme. Of course, the companies have gotten much smarter now and many report keys and IP addresses to a copyright server so if you pilfer the software you may end up on the SPA's hit list.

When I was in college I could disable just about any hardware Dongle I came across. At that time, all one needed was an 8 bit digital signal analyzer. Today, a USB protocol analyzer can do the same thing, but fortunately, for the companies who write software these things are very expensive and most people have better things to do with a few grand than crack software.


I have used Warez in the past to evaluate whether I will buy something, same thing with Napster Music downloads, etc. In every case I used something for a while and if I liked it enough, I bought it. If I didn't, I tossed it. Most companies now though have a try before you buy download so there is no excuse to steal software, music, or really any service any more.


DP

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Well, I think I saw a reflex demo but how can you use it if you need the cable? Maybe the demo didn't need the protection device.
I have fms as well and in there are plans for the serial cable with the chip. My friend is offering me his aerofly pro for $70 but he can't find the cable.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

The demo of reflex is a perfect example against what was just said about Demos meaning that software theft is no longer needed...

You cant try reflex, you can see it...but cant really feel it unless you can imagine that the keyboard is a TX....

As long as people ask rediculous prices for software (like all of the rc sims) people will strive to get them free, think its a lie? Look at what MS did over in the asian market, the theft was so bad, there were supposedly 4 illegal copies of windows for every 1 legal one...they lowered the price to (i forget the real number) around 20-ish bux US, and the theft stopped quickly.....and MS stil turned a profit...

I used to be...and somewhat still am, the "robin-hood" kind of cracker...i never went after any software under 20 bux...but stuff like photoshop and macromedia stuff was the main targets...

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

We've had the pricing argument dozens of times on this forum and it comes down to the same arguement. Price is swayed by demand and volume. RC is a small niche of people in the world ... very small. I also know of thousands of software pieces that are much less complex then AFP, that cost much more. I personally don't think AFP (99) and AFPD (169) are rediculously priced or even close. Think about what your getting too. You get to keep your planes for more then 1 season.

Also when you say MS Windows and Asian market you are talking about the number #1 marketshare of operating systems selling in the #1 population in the world. Of course at $20 a copy they are going to turn a profit. You talking 10's of millions of sales.

Either way sim sales go up every year, I know this because I've seen the data for the last 10 years. Personally I don't set the price of the sim, it's given to me from IPACS and I must sell it at a set price. But either way the demand is there or the prices would be going down.

Oh and Casipak .... if your looking for a copy of AFP we sell them for only $99 shipped. Brand new in the box and full warranty. I don't mean to bump your friends potential sale and if he finds the cable buy it, but for $30 more you'll be getting piece of mind. Just an FYI.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

I've had Reflex for about three weeks now, and I absolutely love it. The first time I started it up and experienced what it had to offer - an incredibly realistic feeling expereince - my jaw dropped. Wow!

I've read that the heli modelling is more accurate than the fixed wing, but I wouldn't know, as I'm not a heli man yet (although I've started practicing in the sim). The planes feel good, the overall suspension of disbelief is there, and you forget that you're watching a screen instead of "being there." reflex accomplishes its goal, which is simulating flying an R/C model plane, not simply "flying a plane." There's a difference, that's for sure.

Chris

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Well, I think peaple from OMP should be better informed about what happens in real world. G2, AFP and AFPD are all cracked ( Reflex and G3 not, at least still not ). To fly G2 you need a interface for your radio, this interface is not the same used by FMS. In Brazil some peaple produces this interface and sell the interface specific for your radio ( sq Futaba, round Futaba, JR etc) for 50 Reais ( about 20 US Dollars ) and buyer receives for free 8 CDs with G2 plus with all five adds plus AFPD .
http://www.mercadolivre.com.br/jm/it...LB&id=29585852

AFP also works with this cable, with just two small pieeces of software, VSPDXP http://www.eltima.com/products/vspdxp/ that can be found in internet and a dongle emulator, DongleEmu Pro, that also can be find easily in Internet. But easy of all is AFPD, it works with any cable, including the simple cable for FMS. AFPD was cracked and this crack as well the program itself can be easily found in Internet.

I think the potential scale of this market is much bigger then people from OMP or Ikarus thinks, if these simulators costs 1/4 of its actual price the sales would be at least 4 times bigger. See the case of Brazil, that has tens of thousands RC Airmodel aficionados but the average wages are not more then 500 USD per month. How can you imagine someone will spend almost half of you month salary to buy a sim? These people flyes with Brazilian engines and models that costs much less than OS engines or Top Flite Planes, but they doesn't produces RC sims, so every brazilian RC aficionado I know have pirated sims copies in their computers. The same must occour in countries like Poland, Turkey, Argentine, Russia etc.. Countries that have similar economic situation. I'm pretty sure that if these sims weren't so high priced the sales volume would be much higher, everybody prefer a original product, with original cables, manuals, CDs and even boxes than a pirated software.

Regards
Aurelio

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

I saw someone say that they were using aerofly pro deluxe without the original cable but this thing:


http://www.helihobby.com/html/aerofl...simulator.html


Gamebird-last item down

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

i'm betting they lied

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Oh stipilot, I didn't notice that last post. I actually bought aerofly pro from the marketplace here for $80 and I'm already flying although I don't think I calibrated the thing correctly. When I try and calibrate the throttle, instead of one bar moving, about 4 or 5 bars move so I don't know which to pick. I posted a thread about this.

Any tips?

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

As a matter of fact AFPD works with any cable.

[]'s
Aurelio

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

what exactly do you mean?

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Would you care to make a wager on that?

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

I was speaking to the moral audiences of this forum. Let me rephrase that statement just for you.

It is illegal under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) to circumvent anti-piracy measures built into commercial software or any media device. Outlaws the manufacture, sale, or distribution of code-cracking devices used to illegally copy encrypted media. To broadcast these circumvention techniques, technologies or devices in any public domain, either written, spoken, videotaped or any other media broadcast.

It does protect Internet and service providers, including websites like RCU, from copyright infringement liability for simply transmitting information over the Internet. Service providers and websites, however, are expected to remove material from users' web sites that appears to constitute copyright infringement immediately.

So Rick, I will not wager you. Instead I dare you.

Mods please do not delete these last 2 posts. As a distributor of software for over 20 years now, it bothers me to see someone challenge the developers once again. Also to show that my company and the company I distrubte for takes protecting our software seriously and will prosectute anyone to the fullest extenet of the law who does or does not take us seriously.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

You dare me to what?

You said "They all need the original cables to run, there is no way around it"
and that is completely false!

I haven't broken any laws:eek:

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

@Rick

"They all need the original cables to run, there is no way around it" In an ablosule kind of sense, this may not be right but in a moral kind of sense, this is right. The only way to make a better formulation: "They all need the original cables to run, there is no LEGAL way around it"

If you do a search here and on other forums, there are plenty of posts discussing ways around and I am pretty shure if you invest abt. 50 hrs research, you will find hints to ways around it. Still, you have to get the components, do some soldering, programming, troubleshooting ... Even if you could find that thrilling, at the end to make it run you still have to STEAL the software. "and that is completely false!" and there is no way you can argue around that.

Robbing a bank is prohibited by law and that seems to common and accepted knowledge. We can certainly start a discussion about the technical issues of robbing a specific bank. According to US law and some european laws, this would be a criminal act of preparing a crime. There could be some folks around here from greater London area who could tell some stories about police actions going on theses days to find out about "preparations of acts of terrorism".

I admit, a different scale but still the same moral dimension. As we all know that any kind of code and security device could be cracked sooner or later (it just depends on the amount of manpower = money you throw into the bowl), we still have the open question if we want this discussion here.

I have read all the discussions about the price issue and all the other "arguments" for those who try to justify their doings. Some arguments may be right for a Bill Gates discussion with all the money accumulated in the back. But if I look into the MODEL HOBBY SIMULATOR "INDUSTRY" I can't see someone driving a Ferrari or just getting his second Porsche. That "industry" still is a very small scale biz with real people at the front end. You are not illegally taking a copy of WinXP from Bill Gates, you are actively stealing from 6-9 guys known by name and face. That is as good as robbing grand ma at the bus station. Nothing to be very proud of, don't you think?

Let me finish with a very obvious idea: If you are brilliant and have some spare time, why don't you take that time to develop a free sim that stands competition. This will enable you to finally bring a free product to the market and plenty of people will love you. You may end up sleeping under bridges but at least you have done something nice.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

never mind

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

I not interested at all in details, explanations, discussions related to that subject.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Oh I thought you might be one of the AFPD guys -sorry.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

Unless you tell me that G3 or AFPD or XTR will work without the original encrypted cables attached then there is nothing to discuss. The programs that activate the software are protected under the DMCA for all 3 software packages. If you know something that does not circumvent the DMCA and still makes it possible to enjoy these 3 programs without the use of their original Interface cables please share it with all of us. Because just passing information via PM's on circumvention of the DMCA is ILLEGAL.

One more time, software that utilizes encryption mechanisms to be used as protection for illegal use or copying are protected under the DMCA. This is different then basic software that you can find a crack for from a Warez site. This law was written to protect the companies that took the extra step to protect themselves and spent more money doing it by utilizing encryption mechanisms.

There is nothing to hide here Rick. If you know something ... then share it, why PM it?

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

You sorta lost me on that last post?

Anyway I was gonna help you out w/a little heads up but it sounds to me like your just tryin to pin something on me:eek:

I am not the one who made it possible to use the software w/out a dongle
I am not the one who made it freely available for download
I have not told anybody anything w/PM's
I am not the one whos losing $

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

I'm not trying to pin anything on you and I know there are people out that that have tried to and have successfully cracked all 3 programs, but as long as people don't publish this information or pass it along in PM's, emails, websites, newsgroups etc. then it doesn't go any further then the person who originally commited the initial crime.

I see you deleted your comment about PMing you for the information. I guess you did understand my last post better then you though you really did.

RE: Warning to Ebay shoppers of simulators!
 

arguing just for the arguing sake eh? hehe