Modding a PS2
February 1, 2006 12:54 PM Subscribe
Modding a PS2.
I'm thinking of getting a PS2 with a modchip. Chip recommendations? A good website (like xbox-scene.com) for PS2 mods? Places in MPLS where I can get one modded?
Sadly, I can't even pronounce solder properly, so I don't have much of a clue.
Thanks for your help!
I'm thinking of getting a PS2 with a modchip. Chip recommendations? A good website (like xbox-scene.com) for PS2 mods? Places in MPLS where I can get one modded?
Sadly, I can't even pronounce solder properly, so I don't have much of a clue.
Thanks for your help!
Oh, and ps2nfo.com is, as far as I understand, the PS2 equivalent to xbox-scene.com.
posted by poq at 1:13 PM on February 1, 2006
posted by poq at 1:13 PM on February 1, 2006
While I have no experience modding PS2s, I have done it on PS1s and an X-Box. I have also used a Dreamcast in the pre-"swapless" days and I can tell you that having to do a disk swap will get real old real fast.
I would go for it, the PS2 chip cannot be that difficult to install. Just do your homework so that you are very familiar with the procedure and practice your soldering. I would also advise you to steer clear of soldering irons with large tips, the smaller the better; Radioshack had sufficiently small ones the last time I checked.
In case you are serious about the pronunciation, it is "saw'd-ehr."
posted by hooves at 11:09 PM on February 1, 2006
I would go for it, the PS2 chip cannot be that difficult to install. Just do your homework so that you are very familiar with the procedure and practice your soldering. I would also advise you to steer clear of soldering irons with large tips, the smaller the better; Radioshack had sufficiently small ones the last time I checked.
In case you are serious about the pronunciation, it is "saw'd-ehr."
posted by hooves at 11:09 PM on February 1, 2006
DMS makes a solderless modchip that looks fairly easy to install. Instructions for it are here (pdf). Dont try to solder a ps2 mod chip if youve never soldered before, there are lots of small connections. I would recommend against buying swap discs and playing from burnt DVDs only because of loading and skipping problems that I and many others seem to have with that method. PS2 lasers can be picky about what they will read from
Currently Im using an exploit on my memory card that will allow me to boot from a hard drive and play all my backups. There is a good tutorial here. In order to do this you need a hard drive, a network adapter, any ps1 game, and some way to access your memory card (swapmagic disc or an action replay, or a friend with a modded ps2) About 70% of ps2 games can be played with this method, there is a compatibility list at http://list.ps2hd.com/
Ps2hd.com is a good site for information, searching the forums can be helpful
Sksapps.com is a good site for most of the tools you might need (BIOS, .elfs, etc...)
This page lists local installers, but i didnt find anyone in Minneapolis
posted by harrigton at 12:02 AM on February 2, 2006
Currently Im using an exploit on my memory card that will allow me to boot from a hard drive and play all my backups. There is a good tutorial here. In order to do this you need a hard drive, a network adapter, any ps1 game, and some way to access your memory card (swapmagic disc or an action replay, or a friend with a modded ps2) About 70% of ps2 games can be played with this method, there is a compatibility list at http://list.ps2hd.com/
Ps2hd.com is a good site for information, searching the forums can be helpful
Sksapps.com is a good site for most of the tools you might need (BIOS, .elfs, etc...)
This page lists local installers, but i didnt find anyone in Minneapolis
posted by harrigton at 12:02 AM on February 2, 2006
Use caution with the DMS no-solder chips. The IC hats normally cost about $400 each for quality units. Theirs, of course, to keep the price reasonable, use made-in-china quality and the unrepairable PS2s with crushed ICs I've seen in my store have paid the price.
Swap CD/DVDs, HDLoader, etc are great utilities but, unfortunately, they're somewhat less compatible with games than a straight modchip usually is. You may find you need to patch your backups to get them to work with swap/HD setups, but it isn't as bad as it used to be, something like 95% of games work ok nowadays.
You'll probably have a hard time finding modchips/installers in the US because, ahem, it's not legal in the USA.
The memory card exploit can be a good way to go. One note: harrington mentions PS2 lasers. This is important: Lasers in the larger PS2 consoles are absolute shite. Do not abuse the laser with cheap DVD-R media, or ANY DVD+R media. I cannot stress this enough! They don't make replacement lasers anymore, so if you blow yours, it's too bad. The slimline consoles are have a bit better laser, but in many versions of that console Sony forgot to put in laser protection, meaning the laser is susceptible to melt down. If you get a slimline PS2 modded be sure you get the laser protection re-installed.
HTH! Yes, this is my job... Oh, don't forget swap discs will wear out the tray twice as fast! :-) Not that the tray usually fails...
Oh, and if you're thinking of making the PS2 your first soldering job, the 95% of customers (including some who claim they took Electronics Engineering in college) who have bought chips from me and not managed to install them properly can tell you that it's a bad idea (about 1 in 3 of their consoles are destroyed from the poor work, and of the rest, sometimes it's not worth the labour cost to fix them). Not trying to put you off modchips, but I would strongly suggest you either get a professional to install it, or find someone who has soldered surface mount parts to put it in for you.
posted by shepd at 6:03 AM on February 2, 2006
Swap CD/DVDs, HDLoader, etc are great utilities but, unfortunately, they're somewhat less compatible with games than a straight modchip usually is. You may find you need to patch your backups to get them to work with swap/HD setups, but it isn't as bad as it used to be, something like 95% of games work ok nowadays.
You'll probably have a hard time finding modchips/installers in the US because, ahem, it's not legal in the USA.
The memory card exploit can be a good way to go. One note: harrington mentions PS2 lasers. This is important: Lasers in the larger PS2 consoles are absolute shite. Do not abuse the laser with cheap DVD-R media, or ANY DVD+R media. I cannot stress this enough! They don't make replacement lasers anymore, so if you blow yours, it's too bad. The slimline consoles are have a bit better laser, but in many versions of that console Sony forgot to put in laser protection, meaning the laser is susceptible to melt down. If you get a slimline PS2 modded be sure you get the laser protection re-installed.
HTH! Yes, this is my job... Oh, don't forget swap discs will wear out the tray twice as fast! :-) Not that the tray usually fails...
Oh, and if you're thinking of making the PS2 your first soldering job, the 95% of customers (including some who claim they took Electronics Engineering in college) who have bought chips from me and not managed to install them properly can tell you that it's a bad idea (about 1 in 3 of their consoles are destroyed from the poor work, and of the rest, sometimes it's not worth the labour cost to fix them). Not trying to put you off modchips, but I would strongly suggest you either get a professional to install it, or find someone who has soldered surface mount parts to put it in for you.
posted by shepd at 6:03 AM on February 2, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
There are two versions of the swap CD -- one for the older, larger PS2s, and one for the thinner ones.
I got mine from here. (no affiliation)
Googling "swap magic" will also give you pertinent results.
posted by poq at 1:07 PM on February 1, 2006