I've been planning to chip my PS2 (v5/v6 bought 5 years ago) for quite a while now. What I want to do is play backups of PS2 and PSX games (both PAL and NTSC), as well as their original counterparts. Also I would like to run emulators like SNES Station on the machine for those retro moments =) Ease of use is an important factor - the backups should boot as if they were originals, without messing around with menus or button presses =)
HDD support isn't crucial since I don't know if want to pay for a harddrive, network adapter etc. to get things going. But Crystal Chip 2.0 is the only chip that will allow me to use a HDD to boot games, right? The Crystal website says that both 1.2 and 2.0 has "HDD support", but I guess that doesn't mean booting games and that I need HDLoader to do such a thing...?
Unfortunately, the SLE-version isn't available in my region.
I'm wondering if it's worth modding my PS2, since it's so old (approx. 5 years). I'll try to test the laser today by burning a DVD-movie and see how it works. I might just end up selling my PS2 and buying a new, premodded PSTwo...
Do not get a DMS4 Lite, only the DMS4 Pro SE will have the higher end features like running an internal hard drive, which is built into the ToxicOS that it runs on.
disadvantage is that the Toxic Team no longer seems to exist so no more firmware updates will be coming.
Crystal Chip V2.0 also has programs you canj download to run a hard drive. And it is the only chip as far as i know that has auto patching for playing back ups online, and IGR (In Game Reset) which is real handle for hard drive users. You can press a button combo on the controller which takes you back to the main menu to load your next game.
Quote:Crystal Chip V2.0 also has programs you canj download to run a hard drive
Does this apply for the 1.2 version chip aswell? Or is this by installing HDLoader onto the flash of the chip (which means that it won't fit on the tiny flash of v1.2?)
I do not own one so i do not know how or where the HD Loader program is stored. It is possible that it runs from a memory card the the HD Loader memory card exploit used with the older fat version PS2's.
And you would have to check the crystal chip website, or ask someone who has one, to see if it works with the V1.2 and not just the newer V2.0
Ok, so I will go with a Crystal Chip 1.2 or a Matrix Infinity. The question is now... should I dare chip my 5 year old PS2 original, or should I sell it and get a new, premodded PS2 slimline? My main concern with keeping the old one is the laser. I'd like to keep the console for a few more years, then sell it and get a PS3 when the price is right.
I've tested burning a DVD-R movie and that played just fine. A DVD-R game doesn't boot of course, but it takes about 10 seconds from disc insert to the red "Please insert PlayStation disc" screen. The problems I've had is with audio CD:s. 1 out of 4 burnt audio CD:s started skipping and when trying to change track, the next track wouldn't play. Since the disc was moderately scratched, I tried it in an old CD-player and it worked flawlessly. Need I start getting worried?
What is my best option?
EDIT: the funny thing is that when I tried the skipping CD just now, it worked!
Well if you get a Crystal Chip get the V2.0 not the older one. You always want the newest version, even if it costs you a little more. See with modding you get what you pay for. If you are worried there are two things you can do:
1. when they install the chip pay the $50 and have a new laser installed so you know that you will get many more years out of your system. That is what i did with my V5/6 when i had a DMS4 Pro chip installed. I donated the system to a friend in need and it is still running strong.
2. sell the system and buy a used, premodded V7. In my opinion the best model they ever made. I also own one of those and it still works. The slimline has too many issues. Plus you want to be able to add an internal hard drive rather than an external, because the external drives suck on a PS2.
Visit Teammodders.com who sells the premodded systems, mod systems and can install the laser no problem.
