To all you PS2 experts

[Burn]

OK, I know this might be slightly off-topic, but I hope the mods don't delete it.

Last weekend I played on a PS2 and now I want one. But since some games are either not available in Europe (pe. RT: Battlecry) or are sort of censored (pe. Vice City) I want a modded PS2 so I can play import games.

I already saw a cool offer, a modded PS2 with 2 games and RGB cable for 269 euros (thats roughly 290 USD). But since I'm a total newbie to everything PS2 maybe you guys can help me with a coupla questions:

1.) The chip they used for modding the PS2 in the offer is supposed to be a chip called "Matrix", but I couldn't find any info about that chip anywhere on the net. Does anyone know something about this chip and its features?

2.) Does a modded PS2 also enable you to play import DVDs (for me everything not RC2)?

3.) Can you play import games on an un-modded PS2?

Thnx everybody...

Edited September 22, 2003 by Burn

[yellowlightman]

Hey Burn,

I'm not knowledgeable enough about PS2's to answer these questions, but one thought did come to mind. Is that PS2 NTSC or PAL compatible? I'm not sure how much it makes a different anymore but the whole PAL/NTSC 50/60mhz differences might play a factor, especially since you'd be importing games from Japan and the U.S.

[JB0]

1.) The chip they used for modding the PS2 in the offer is supposed to be a chip called "Matrix", but I couldn't find any info about that chip anywhere on the net. Does anyone know something about this chip and its features?

2.) Does a modded PS2 also enable you to play import DVDs (for me everything not RC2)?

3.) Can you play import games on an un-modded PS2?

1. Not a clue. Assume it will be obsolete later, as companies start thinking up new ways to detect mod chips.

BTW, I was looking around, nd are you sure it's not a Matrix MESSIAH chip?

2. Dunno. Doesn't look like it does.

3. No.

[Burn]

Hey Burn,

I'm not knowledgeable enough about PS2's to answer these questions, but one thought did come to mind. Is that PS2 NTSC or PAL compatible? I'm not sure how much it makes a different anymore but the whole PAL/NTSC 50/60mhz differences might play a factor, especially since you'd be importing games from Japan and the U.S.

As far as I know, it doesn't matter much if you have an RGB cable and a TV that supports NTSC. I already did that with my first-gen PS1, I played the US version of "Die Hard Trilogy" on my TV, and it's in NTSC. Same applies to my region-free DVD Player, I can play NTSC discs no prob.

[Yoshi]

RT Battlecry is available in Europe on PS2 and GC, or at least in France (the game is still in English IIRC).

[kanata67]

Hey Burn,

I'm not knowledgeable enough about PS2's to answer these questions, but one thought did come to mind. Is that PS2 NTSC or PAL compatible? I'm not sure how much it makes a different anymore but the whole PAL/NTSC 50/60mhz differences might play a factor, especially since you'd be importing games from Japan and the U.S.

As far as I know, it doesn't matter much if you have an RGB cable and a TV that supports NTSC. I already did that with my first-gen PS1, I played the US version of "Die Hard Trilogy" on my TV, and it's in NTSC. Same applies to my region-free DVD Player, I can play NTSC discs no prob.

why didn't you say something when I sent my psx2 to rob in spain?!?!?!

I sent him a ntsc to pal convertor, but it was a while between boxes and rob fried the psx2 trying to mod it. As for the original questions...

1. "Not a clue. Assume it will be obsolete later, as companies start thinking up new ways to detect mod chips.

BTW, I was looking around, nd are you sure it's not a Matrix MESSIAH chip" kind of sums it up. It's not so much that companies think of new ways to conter mod chips as the companies making them are served "cease and desist" orders from lawyers. While there have been software mods that made games "uncopyable"..., innovative minds always find a way around it. It kind of comes down to hardware and sony knows it which is why there are multiple current versions of the psx2 just so hardware geeks can't create a chip that will work on all of them.

2. Region free dvd playback would depend on the chip. Can't say for sure about this particular deal. Some mod chips offer it but it is a bootable selection in such that you would have to turn the psx2 off and on when going from one zone to the other and selecting which country code it "should" be during boot-up

3. Yes, you can play imposrt games on an unmodded psx2... if it is an imported psx2. You won't be able to play local games however which is why rob tried to mod his

Big O could answer your questions much better [if he happens to check MW anytime in the near future] as I have seen his psx2 do things that really should not be possible. He's more into the x-box thing at the moment however. I'll give him a call and tell his slacker butt to give you some insight... if I remember...

ever notice how you can't get a hippie to get another hippie to do anything?!?

[JB0]

It's not so much that companies think of new ways to conter mod chips as the companies making them are served "cease and desist" orders from lawyers. While there have been software mods that made games "uncopyable"..., innovative minds always find a way around it. It kind of comes down to hardware and sony knows it which is why there are multiple current versions of the psx2 just so hardware geeks can't create a chip that will work on all of them.

Remeber the PS1? And the constant "newer better" chip releases as software started being designed to detect mod chips?

Yes, they do think of ways to counter mod chips.

[Jolly Rogers]

OK, I know this might be slightly off-topic, but I hope the mods don't delete it.

Last weekend I played on a PS2 and now I want one. But since some games are either not available in Europe (pe. RT: Battlecry) or are sort of censored (pe. Vice City) I want a modded PS2 so I can play import games.

I already saw a cool offer, a modded PS2 with 2 games and RGB cable for 269 euros (thats roughly 290 USD). But since I'm a total newbie to everything PS2 maybe you guys can help me with a coupla questions:

1.) The chip they used for modding the PS2 in the offer is supposed to be a chip called "Matrix", but I couldn't find any info about that chip anywhere on the net. Does anyone know something about this chip and its features?

2.) Does a modded PS2 also enable you to play import DVDs (for me everything not RC2)?

3.) Can you play import games on an un-modded PS2?

Thnx everybody...

1) Doesn't matter what chip you get, eventually it will become obsolete and you will need to replace it because Sony distributes mod-detect lockup schemes to game publishers and this scheme is frequently updated to keep up with new mod chips. There is at least 1 new chip out that uses Flashware to address this problem, but we do not know if Sony will come up with a solution to counter that specific chip (e.g. detecting the presence of the Flashware-ready chip by looking for the chip's presence rather than its content).

2) Generally no. There may be some new mod chips that allows you to view import DVDs but I am not aware of any.

3) No.

If you are primarily getting the PS2 to play import games, might as well buy an import console and save yourself all the trouble. At least it is guaranteed to work with all new games from that region.

[lavinrac]

1. I'd recommend you get a chip called the 'DMS3' It's the best out right now according to many sources. www.dms3.com shows the specs

for the chip you have to buy it elsewhere. Email me if you want some sources to order from. I dont want to be a source of free or unappreciated 'advertising' on these boards.

2. You can play all regions of DVD's on a DMS3 modded.

3. You cannot* play imports on an unmodded PS2.

* - actually some companies i think sell a 'boot disc' that lets you put an import game in. works kind of like the gameshark or action replay,

you put it in first, it loads some stuff, then asks you for your disc. I have never tried one so i don't know how well they work.

As for chips: I personally like the DMS3 a lot. It plays region 2 dvd's on my region 1 ps2 (My $98 japanese DVD edition of Macross DYRL plays great on it. It plays all my PS1 Anime related import games well. (Macross VFX, Macross Plus Movie Edition, Macross DYRL (2d shooter, forgot the exact name, its the one that was out for the Saturn too, Votoms, Gundam Char's Counterattack, Gundam Battle Assault II, etc.) I personally DEPLORE region coding. How many of those games have come out outside of japan? Exactly ZERO. The DMS3 is also flash upgradeable so it should be able to keep up with sony's anti-mod chip 'fixes' for a while. Eventually they will probably find a way around it, but i think that will be a while. (opinion, not fact) Basically the DMS3 will play anything you put into it. I do not know how well it handles the PAL/NTSC issue though, as I have only used NTSC equipment.

Edited September 22, 2003 by lavinrac

[vfxraven19]

Get a DMS3 or Messiah2... I think the Matrix is a clone of the Magic series of chips, is it not?

[Burn]

I did some research on the games I want to play and found out that basically all the games I want are also available in Europe. I don't care so much about the DVD issue because I already own two DVD players, one of them regionfree. I was just curious about for the case that my region free breaks.

So the only problem I still have is playing my old PS1 games, some of which are backups (at this point I should mention that it is perfectly legal in Germany to make backups of games you own or rented from a store for personal purposes, as long as you don't circumvent any copyprotection mechanisms). I wouldn't be able to play them on an unmodded PS2, but then again, the unmodded offer is 70 euros less. (again, 1 euro = roughly $1)

So it's either keep the PS1 and get an unmodded PS2 that's only 199 euros, or sell the PS1 and get the modded PS2 bundle with this "Matrix" chip, RGB cable and two (probably crappy) games.

What should I do?

---edit---

BTW, I found a shot of the bundled games and attached it. The Chip seems to be called "Matrix MXL" and the games *do* look crappy...

Here is some info on the modchip...

Edited September 23, 2003 by Burn

[JB0]

So the only problem I still have is playing my old PS1 games, some of which are backups (at this point I should mention that it is perfectly legal in Germany to make backups of games you own or rented from a store for personal purposes, as long as you don't circumvent any copyprotection mechanisms). I wouldn't be able to play them on an unmodded PS2, but then again, the unmodded offer is 70 euros less. (again, 1 euro = roughly $1)

[/url]

So ACTUAL backups as opposed to "backups of some guy in Taiwan's game"?

In the US backups are legal, but only of your own software, not of Blockbuster's.

[Jolly Rogers]

The unmodded PS2 won't boot any backups, legal or not.

Sometimes you might want to play your PS1 game on the PS2 instead. The PS2's powerful enough for you to run a PS1 emulator on overclocked mode. This allows some of the PS1 games to run with better texturing/graphics and/or smoother. Tenchu 2 was one such game that played much better on the PS2 than it ever was on PS1.

[Burn]

So ACTUAL backups as opposed to "backups of some guy in Taiwan's game"?

In the US backups are legal, but only of your own software, not of Blockbuster's.

Yeah. They changed the laws recently. Before it was even legal to disable copyprotection mechanisms, now its not anymore. Not that I have a lot of PS1 games anyway, just like 7 or so in total.

But I don't care so much about the backups, as I buy most of the games anyway. The prob I have with a modded PS2 is that if I get a one, could the games that can detect modchips refuse to play normal games I bought? The way I understand it, this Matrix modchip isn't that good, at least not as good as the DMS3 or Messiah2 chips. So I wonder if a few PS1 games are really worth all the trouble (and 70 bucks)...

So, can a modchip theoretically prevent me from playing future games (like Vice City 2 or the next Robotech game)?

[estacado06479]

sighhhhhhhhh...click here