computer devices

anyone out there have info on perfectplay computer devices?are they legal in certain states? is there a big advantage opposed to counting

They are illegal and very small advantage except against single deck.

by using the computer outside the casino.

7up, If all that was needed was a computer off the casino property then it would probably be legal. The only fly in that ointment is that you'd need a way to get the information to the computer. The transmitter sending that information to the computer would most certainly be considered to be a "cheating device". And that my friend will get you arrested. Hit 'em hard, The Side

NOT small advantage even in shoe game

Because of the cramped nature of some European casinos its possible to record every card that comes out of the deck of a blackjack shoe from the roulette or baccarat table.
You could then take this information outside after the shuffle-process it via mobile transmission to a PC, and return before all of the post-shuffle shoe has been dealt, and clean up.
The physical aspect of all this is not a problem-I did a mental "dry run" at an Edinburgh casino once and was left with more than enough time.
You could not do any of this with sequencing-how are you going to remember the information without physical access to a device?-rather you'd be using a derivation-something like the "sequence-counting" method I wrote about in one of the last issues of New Chance & Circumstance. That would give you a % advantage figure associated with the remaining card sequences for the basic strategist, so no mental gymnastics are actually required at the table.