Hi all,
I have a question regarding the right to modify the PS3 Eye camera of even using this camera with a PC. Is it legal to build a commercial product with a modified PS3 camera? Of course I assume I will buy the commercial version of driver.
The driver and SDK are great, so it could be a real alternative to dedicated CV cameras since the hardware is very feature-rich.

Looking at related projects our customers are doing, it seems that is ok to sell and use PS3Eye camera in commercial projects.

If you buy a vehicle and convert it into a hotrod and sell that - is that illegal? No - the original manufacture warranty will probably be void. Sony is going to retail a lot more of these cameras than they expected. Standby for a whole bunch of high frame rate usb cameras to be available from other big name brands quite soon.

Paweł Augustynowicz - 04 July 2012 12:17 AM

Hi all,
I have a question regarding the right to modify the PS3 Eye camera of even using this camera with a PC. Is it legal to build a commercial product with a modified PS3 camera? Of course I assume I will buy the commercial version of driver.
The driver and SDK are great, so it could be a real alternative to dedicated CV cameras since the hardware is very feature-rich.

Once you buy something you own it and can do whatever you want with it; if that means modifying it and reselling it, then that’s what it means. You should be careful to explain that the cameras are modified and won’t have a Sony warranty.

With all that said, if you are not convinced then you should still consider consulting a lawyer, rather than relying on the opinion of some guy on the Internet.

chromeANPR - 14 July 2012 11:11 PM

Sony is going to retail a lot more of these cameras than they expected.

And that should be the OPs concern (or any of ours) why exactly?

chromeANPR - 14 July 2012 11:11 PM

Standby for a whole bunch of high frame rate usb cameras to be available from other big name brands quite soon.

Perhaps, but for now please queue next to the line for the hover cars.

ha ha - NikB you already own a zen powered hover car? There is no way one should package these cameras with a 3rd party solution and try to pass on the SONY warranty or leverage their brand in any way - that would be asking for trouble. Anyway, I guess you imply that it could be a problem in certain highly regulated regions and one should check that out if it is a concern. Good advice.

And yet, how many years, if ever, for a legal case to see a courtroom? If the SONY brand is removed, the warranty voided and the retail price of the product paid - SONY would be hard pressed to prove any harm. By then the world would have moved on and many brands of low-priced high frame rate USB cameras will exist. What? not so you say! Ok then - we will see.

In the meantime, lets concern ourselves with the present and thank Alex once again as we all put this great technology to use and to the advantage of our customers. One more thing - these cameras are so low priced that we regard them as consumables and will simply dispose of damaged ones and (lucky for SONY) replace them.