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PS2 DVD Backup/Modchip/Laser Questions (help!)
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FRES
Newbie
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16. August 2005 @ 10:52 |
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Hello Afterdawn forums, I have been browsing your site for months already gaining some really useful information about backing up ps2 and VHS to DVD projects and thanks! Now, I have gotten into a bit of a bind regarding my PS2 DVD backups. First ill tell a somewhat brief history and give you my questions and hopefully anyony who can, will help me out. Here we go:
I have a modded PS2 (model 7 or 8, i think 39001), done say about 2 years ago. It has been working fine, playing backup CD-R games with no problem. I dont know what kind of modchip it is, but it's not a swap-disk modchip. I just put the disc in and play. In March, I finally bought a new computer with a dvd-burner. So, naturally started burning (with Nero) all my ps2 dvd's and sold them back. I burned mainly Memorex 4x or 8x and every single one of them worked perfectly. I now know that 1x is recommended, but I repeat - all of them worked like a charm. I was in my glory, and resulted in burning so many games, i had a great collection going.
Now the mightmare begins. The laser starts acting up, making noises and whizzing. Which, now I would guess was because the burning speed wasnt 1x and was messing up the laser or maybe its just old. So I bring the console back to the store that modded it. They say the laser was the problem and fixed it, or replaced it? I dont know, but im guessing they replaced it ($75). I bring the console home and play some games, they get up to the load screen (black with "Playstation" in white on it) and then to the default screen for the ps2. Now, I havent checked all of them but I can say none of my DVD backups work at all now.
Howevever, regular games work, and CD-R backups (maxells) work perfectly. I bring it back to the store under the 90 day warranty and the guy gives me a hard time. I just want him to check it out, but he doesnt want to. I show him my backups which dont work, and he tries a game, it doesnt work either, but this guys insists that nothing is wrong. He says, try different discs, burn slower speeds, etc.. Ok, fine, I ask "what kind of dvd media, -R, +R, -RW, etc?" He says "generic" I ask again "but what kind?" He relies "rewrite, i just told you, why are you asking so many questions". I now realize this guy was being a d@#k and left the store telling him to shove the ps2 up his ass. I cant go back there and they have impossible customer service.
So I go home, backup some original games on memorex & maxell 4X DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW at 1x-2x speed using DVD Decrypter. None work at all, same thing with the PS2 screen or just straight to the default screen. I get some "generic" dvd-r, dvd+r's, burn at 1x speed and... nothing. I use Nero with the same speeds and..nothing. I dont want to go out and buy a million different DVD media. So here I am, ready to give up on the whole mess and im hoping you guys can give me some hope. Ill throw you some questions:
1) How do I know what kind of modchip I have?
2) What the hell happened where all my DVDbackup used to work, then after they fixed the laser, none do, while my CD-R backups work fine?
2) How do I know what kind of laser I have? does it matter? do some work differently than others?
3) Do Modded PS2 play DVD+/-RW's at all? The guy did say "rewrite" to me, I still didnt try DVD-RW.
4) I understand that wires may be loose on my chip, any instructions on opening a ps2 and checking this?
5) Is the laser the problem? If so, it's supposedly new so what can I do about this?
6) Ive heard "try different media" a million times, but what gets me is that all of my DVD game backups already worked perfectly..until the laser was fixed. So, Im clueless as to what kind of media I shoudl use.
7) So are different lasers compatible with different DVD media? Where can I fund this out.
8) I still have my collection of backups, are these discs still good for backing up? forexample, saving the image to my hard drive then burning at 1x?
9) Can modchips wear out/be outdated? Do they need to be updated/replaced after a while? Again, my CD-R backups still work and the DVD backups all worked fine prior to the laser being fixed. So my modchip did work with with memorex dvd+r backups.
10) Did these guys mess up my PS2 or what?
Sorry its so long, but I want to give the whole story so you can give the best ansers. Feel free to ask me any questions. Much appreciated ThAnks!!
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ismith
Suspended due to non-functional email address
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16. August 2005 @ 12:13 |
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I sort of skimmed over your post and i think i might know the problem. Correct me if i am wrong, but older versions of mod-chips cannot play DVD games, and i dont believe the ppl at the shop messed it up. To check the chip, open the PS2. To open it, there are millions of guides, just google for them.
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AfterDawn Addict
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16. August 2005 @ 12:20 |
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Holy Moly!!!
ok i will do my best
1) How do I know what kind of modchip I have?
you should already know, but you will have to open your
PS2 up and look at it. then go to sites that sell then and
try to figure it out by what chip looks the same.
2) What the hell happened where all my DVDbackup used to work, then after they fixed the laser, none do, while my CD-R backups work fine?
Could be that they did not adjust it right. It can cause those
types of problems. Look online at guides for adjusting the laser,
it is pretty easy to do yourself
2) How do I know what kind of laser I have? does it matter? do some work differently than others?
you can look online at stores that sell them. They will tell you which laser should be in which version pS2, and yes it
matters what type it is.
3) Do Modded PS2 play DVD+/-RW's at all? The guy did say "rewrite" to me, I still didnt try DVD-RW.
i have heard that they do not. Stick with DVD-R for best results
4) I understand that wires may be loose on my chip, any instructions on opening a ps2 and checking this?
you will have to tear it down, unless you know what your
doing i do not suggest you try it without getting a guide online
i am sure there is one around, and i know you can buy them.
5) Is the laser the problem? If so, it's supposedly new so what can I do about this?
same as above, try adjusting it. When mine stopped working
right that is what i did.
6) Ive heard "try different media" a million times, but what gets me is that all of my DVD game backups already worked perfectly..until the laser was fixed. So, Im clueless as to what kind of media I shoudl use.
If they worked before the it should not be your media
Unless this laser just has problems with that type.
The only way to tell is to copy your back up on something like
Verbatim and see if it works
7) So are different lasers compatible with different DVD media? Where can I fund this out.
no real way to know, it is trial and error for
most people. I have used Philips, TDK
and a lot of people use Verbatim and Ritek G04 with great results
8) I still have my collection of backups, are these discs still good for backing up? forexample, saving the image to my hard drive then burning at 1x?
yes, it would work the same as burning from the original
still taking the ISO from one disc and burning to another
9) Can modchips wear out/be outdated? Do they need to be updated/replaced after a while? Again, my CD-R backups still work and the DVD backups all worked fine prior to the laser being fixed. So my modchip did work with with memorex DVD+R backups.
Memorex are just crap, and i have had many problems with them
as have many other people. Your new laser may also not like +R
discs. I always use -R and they work on my V7 and V12
if you have a good mod chip you can update it so no it will not
go out of date. Good chips like Matrix Infinity and the DMS4 chips
have flash upgrades so they stay up to date. You download them and burn them to a CD and play them in your PS2 and it updates the chip
other chips that do not have this feature will only ever have the
features they came with and nothing more.
10) Did these guys mess up my PS2 or what?
there
it is possible, they could have knowck a wire loose from the chip
or just did not adjust the laser right. does this still work with your DVD original games? If so then it is not the laser and could just be those Crap-o-rex+R discs
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FRES
Newbie
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16. August 2005 @ 13:18 |
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Holy moly is right~ thanks for the responses! Very helpful.
It has to be something with the laser. I really dont think its the modchip simply because the DVD+R's did work with the older laser and my CD-R's and original games still work, but I notice a slight delay with the originals before starting. It could be normal, but can it also mean the laser needs adustment? That might be the problem or like you said the new laser doesnt like DVD+Rs. I will check out some other DVD-R media you suggested (not Crap-o-rex) to use and I'm going to look into the laser adjustment and the modchip upgrade. I will try to open it tonight and see what kind of laser and modchip I have and i'll post it in case you know anything. Also, if anyone has any links concerning laser adjustment and modchips, please post. Ill be baaaaaaaaaack. =)
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AfterDawn Addict
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29. August 2005 @ 13:09 |
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Your mod chip is working if the cd backups are working. Lasers will wear out quicker because they have to work harder to read backups. The store could of done 1 of 2 things with your laser. 1, they could have just lowered the resistance running through the laser so it'd pickup the dvd's again. The resistance for cd's and dvd's can be adjusted separately. If that's what happened, then he just put a bandaid on a fatal wound hoping it'll outlast his warrentee. 2, he could have replaced the laser and it just isn't adjusted properly. I've had to replace lasers in modded ps2's and they've always needed tweaking to read right. Hopefully, this is what is wrong with yours. Google ps2 laser adjustment and you should get a few hits. There are a few guides out there, I just don't have the link for them. Once
And don't throw out those backups!! And don't use rw's.
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jashsu
Member
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29. August 2005 @ 13:46 |
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1) How do I know what kind of modchip I have?
It would help if you could just ask the place that modded it what chip it is, otherwise open your PS2 up and compare with modchip selling sites. If it was done about two years ago it was probably Magic or Duo.
2) What the hell happened where all my DVDbackup used to work, then after they fixed the laser, none do, while my CD-R backups work fine?
Looks like they didn't really fix it in as much as... well.. break it. You were using poor quality discs (Maxell), and poor quality discs will cause a PS2 laser to wear out more quickly.
2) How do I know what kind of laser I have? does it matter? do some work differently than others?
Supposedly some generations of PS2 have two variants of laser. One made in Japan by Sony, and one by OEM.
3) Do Modded PS2 play DVD+/-RW's at all? The guy did say "rewrite" to me, I still didnt try DVD-RW.
I believe the 39xxx series of PS2 could read DVD-RW (just look on the case, it should have a logo if it does). Might require a compatible modchip though. Its best not to use -RW media in any case though, as it has a lower reflectivity, which is as bad as using bad -R media.
4) I understand that wires may be loose on my chip, any instructions on opening a ps2 and checking this?
Just Google "ps2 disassembly".
5) Is the laser the problem? If so, it's supposedly new so what can I do about this?
Well from what you've described about the repair shop, it doesn't sound like they replaced anything at all. Probably just turned some potentiometers and pocketed the $75.
6) Ive heard "try different media" a million times, but what gets me is that all of my DVD game backups already worked perfectly..until the laser was fixed. So, Im clueless as to what kind of media I shoudl use.
In many cases, bad media won't just stop a disc from playing, but it will cause your laser to work harder. How? Well it will spend longer seeking, focusing, and tracking the signal. All this translates into dead laser quicker. Search the backup forum for threads about best media. If you're lazy to do that, just get Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim Datalife PLUS. (Google for online retailers. Can find the Taiyo Yuden as "Made in Japan" fujifilm in brick and mortar stores.) Also, get DVD-Rs if you can. Some people say PS2 prefers those to DVD+R.
7) So are different lasers compatible with different DVD media? Where can I fund this out.
::shrug::
8) I still have my collection of backups, are these discs still good for backing up? forexample, saving the image to my hard drive then burning at 1x?
Technically if you sell your originals, they're not "backups" anymore. Most copyright laws permit backup copies only when you own the original.
9) Can modchips wear out/be outdated? Do they need to be updated/replaced after a while? Again, my CD-R backups still work and the DVD backups all worked fine prior to the laser being fixed. So my modchip did work with with memorex DVD+R backups.
Can they wear out? No. Be outdated? Of course. Things go obsolete all the time. Do they need to be replaced? That depends on whether or not you decide you want a modchip with new features.
10) Did these guys mess up my PS2 or what?
Well, if your PS2 could partially play DVD+Rs before and now it can't, something must have gone wrong.
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