To play an Xbox game you need a mod chip. I guess this is overriding a security feature built into the xbox that identifies a certain aspect of a disk. This aspect is not replicatable with a burner, correct? What exactly is the security detail here that is at once readable by the xbox, and yet not burnable by a consumer dvd burner? Apply this question to PS2, or whatever...

The modchip/exploit loads a hacked bios that allows the reading of unsigned code. Basically.

And nobody can release a firmware update that would allow the writing of that code to a disk...?

If someone could, there would be no need for a mod-chip/swap magic.

I know, but in the details I wonder what the problem was. I also assume that blu-ray/HD-dvd will adopt the same thing, so that going forward you'd need a mod-chipped dvd player to run backed up blu-ray.

Most times is not only a BIOS issue, but a hardware too. Console BIOS are usually heavily encrypted, so no mod are possible without expecting secondary effects (blinding moding). If someone try to re-write a BIOS, and fails, could make the mainboard to autokill hitself (see CPS2/3 (Capcom Play system 2/3) principle for most details). Console BIOS are not prepared to be changed by users, like a PC, and considering it is the heart of its protection, expect lots of anti-cracking countermeasures here.

morg