Best Version of PS2, PS2 Modchip, and SNES?

[atheistgod1999]

It's Christmas and I need these for a list my mom is writing down. I got a SCPH 79000X silver PS2 Slim and I want a modchip. I want the best version of PS2 (best laser, most compatibility, and compatible with the best modchip) and a modchip that can play all burned PS2 and (compatible) PS1 games because I don't want to spend over 9000 dollars playing all the good PS1 & PS2 games. Does telling me what modchip I should get count as selling it, though? I read the rules and I'm not sure.

Also, I keep hearing that the SNES mini has the best RGB. I heard from some places that it has graphical issues, though. Is this true? If so, how bad are they?

[austin532]

I don't mess with modchips so I have no clue as to what version you would want. Obviously the later model PS2's will have a better laser. I'm pretty sure every model plays every PS2 game. I have heard in the past that some of the newer PS2 games had trouble on the original 30001 model. Whether this is actually true or if it was just the laser dying is unknown.

Yes, the SNES Mini has the best RGB but it needs to be modded where as most of the original models do not. The only issues are that the whites are much brighter and on some games you can see some very slight graphic garbage.

[Guspaz]

Are you OK with RGB modding the SNES Mini? If so, it's the easiest way to get 1CHIP quality without having to find a 1CHIP. The excessive brightness that austin532 mentions can be taken care of via some resistors installed during the mod. RetroRGB has extensive documentation:

http://retrorgb.com/snesminirgb.html

Scroll down to the "Brightness Issues:" section of the page for information on how to install the extra resistors to get the brightness down to regular levels.

[AndehX]

Modbo 4.0 is the best modchip for your PS2. Beware though, the PS2 modchip is by far the most difficult to install as it has around 20 wires to solder. So unless you have considerable soldering skills, or know someone who has said skills, don't bother trying.

I own a 77000 Slim PS2, and its brilliant. Had no issues playing any games, and the modchip is a straightforward install (well as straightforward as a PS2 modchip can be)

Can't help you with the SNES though. I've not owned once since I was maybe 7 years old, but I personally would prefer an original SNES, as its.... well an original SNES, lol. That and it already has RGB enabled, without any modding.

[atheistgod1999]

I already knew you have to solder a few wires in the SNES Mini to get RGB. Both that and the PS2 modchip will be easy because my dad has been soldering stuff for over 30 years.

[Fudoh]

If you like the idea of using a hard drive instead of CDs and DVDs you might want to consider modding a "fat" classic PS2 instead. In theory it's possible to attach a hard drive to a Slim PS2 as well, but it's a lot of additional modding, while the classic ones already offer a HDD connector on the LAN kits.

[ZellSF]

If you want the best: playing burned discs is not it. Playing games from HDD is a much better experience and using homebrew tools to force 480p rendering is also very nice.

You'll need a fat PS2 to play games from HDD (and IMO, only the SCPH-5000x series are tolerably quiet and those have terrible lasers if you also want to play burned PSX games) and you'll really only need to softmod the console.

[Guspaz]

The fat PS2 also has full hardware support for PSX games. The slim PS2 doesn't, so it uses emulation, and as such is less accurate (and more games don't work).

[PAPER/ARTILLERY]

After an aborted attempt to modchip a ps2 (it really is very tricky) I found it much easier to purchase one of the modded memory cards which as far as I can tell perform much the same functions. Works like a charm, a doddle to install and non-invasive.

[atheistgod1999]

OK, so I guess I'll just get a PS1 and put a modchip in that for PS1 games because I don't wanna play emulated games. I was researching PS2 backwards compatibility and it seems like the original only had the CPU and sound chip or something, so it had to emulate everything else anyway. The PS2 slim seems to have some different hardware, though. Does it use any emulation for PS2 games? I hope not. Also, I would like to get a SPCH-90001 PS2 brand new, but I heard you can't mod those. Is that only with the softmod stuff? I don't wanna softmod it; I want to hardmod it. Also, I read that the slim CPU is a few megahertz faster. Why is it faster? The devs still had to work with the original speed, so what was the point of making it faster?

[FBX]

I've been thrilled with the PQ on my 1CHIP-03 original SNES. Granted, I did have to restore Csync, but that wasn't anything difficult.

The mini has no nostalgia value for me. It came out pretty much when everyone had moved on to next gen like PS1 and N64.

[atheistgod1999]

I've been thrilled with the PQ on my 1CHIP-03 original SNES. Granted, I did have to restore Csync, but that wasn't anything difficult.

The mini has no nostalgia value for me. It came out pretty much when everyone had moved on to next gen like PS1 and N64.

I don't care about nostalgia value. The earliest games I have nostalgia value for are PS1 games, and that's because my dad bought one back in the day and didn't upgrade by the time I was preschool-aged (and even though I only saw PS1 graphics instead of the then-current PS2/Gamecube/Xbox ones, I still thought the graphics sucked :p). I don't even have nostalgia for most of the stuff I grew up with. I freaking grew up with modern Spongebob, Johnny Test, and lots of bad kid's movies.

Is swearing allowed? I got banned for 3 days for saying the S-Word about PAL games a few months ago, and I'm wondering if it's because I insulted PAL games or because I used a strong swear.

[Guspaz]

Oh boy, that timeline means you missed out on the 16-bit generation... You're in for a real treat! There are some fantastic SNES games to discover, and many of them aged much better than the subsequent generation did (late 2D era versus early 3D era).

[Voultar]

A hard-modded PS2 is excellent as you maintain the ability to play PS1 backups. This is what primarily differentiates soft-mod from hard-mod.

In this day and age, I recommend a v1.93 Modbo clone. Incredibly stable, and offers all of the great features.

It takes more than proficient soldering technique to obtain a clean installation.

Just to give you an idea:

Spoiler

I hope you're comfortable with super fine-pitch work:

Spoiler

[ZellSF]

Main reason to modchip a PS2 today is to play PSX games and really I'd get a dedicated PSX for that. They're cheap and easy to mod.

[atheistgod1999]

No, I want to mod a PS2 so I can play PS2 games. PS2 games are awesome, too. I'm also gonna mod a PS1 to play burned PS1 games.

[atheistgod1999]

Should I get a SCPH-30001? I hear they don't last long, but I also hear that pretty much everyone turns them off by flipping the switch in the back without putting it on standby first, which is probably why they died early.

[austin532]

No need to get the 30001 PS2. All first gen Sony systems are known to have problems. The 39001 seems to be the most durable and the 50001 is super quiet compared to previous models.

[Voultar]

Just swap the laser KHS-400B laser assembly with a KHS-400C.


All of those "problems" in the pre v-7 systems will vanish.

[ApolloBoy]

You'll need a fat PS2 to play games from HDD (and IMO, only the SCPH-5000x series are tolerably quiet and those have terrible lasers if you also want to play burned PSX games) and you'll really only need to softmod the console.

This is the route I took with my PS2, I even modded my Network Adapter to use modern SATA hard drives since large IDE drives are getting harder to find.

[ZellSF]

No, I want to mod a PS2 so I can play PS2 games. PS2 games are awesome, too. I'm also gonna mod a PS1 to play burned PS1 games.

If you're planning on going with separate systems anyway... do what I suggested:

1: Get a SCPH-5000x.
2: Softmod it with Free McBoot and install OPL.
3: Get a network adapter and a IDE HDD.

There is very little reason to hardmod PS2s. It's mostly only for people that care more about the physical aspect of handling discs than the actual experience of playing the games. Sure there are a few games that will not work with HDD loading, but:

1: You have the alternative of using softmod methods of playing burned discs (which should get piracy compatibility to 99%).
2: You can just buy the games. I don't have a problem with piracy, but IMO everyone should at least pay for 1% of the games they're playing.

[BuckoA51]

Last time I checked you still needed a modchip to install original import games to the hard drive, that or a PC over the (slow) network link?

[Xan]

The fat PS2 also has full hardware support for PSX games. The slim PS2 doesn't, so it uses emulation, and as such is less accurate (and more games don't work).

FWIW, the differences I have outlined in this thread apply to both slim and fat PS2 revisions, according to posters there.

[ZellSF]

Last time I checked you still needed a modchip to install original import games to the hard drive, that or a PC over the (slow) network link?

Last I tried installing games over network was actually faster than trying to install from DVD. And from the sound of it, this guy won't have DVDs in the first place.

But yeah, I forgot, you don't want to be dealing with any of that: get a USB to IDE adapter.

[Ed Oscuro]

Interesting link, Xan. I find the line about the "slimelines" being more responsive pretty interesting - those are the only PS2s I've used so far, and I like them. That said I don't deal with backups.

Also, from that link, it looks like we have to be really careful about using the dreaded Big E word in discussing the PS2 Slim, because most of the negative things people associate with emulation don't seem to apply here.

[Xan]

Sony actually did make a software PS1 emulator for the PS2, it was available for HDD owners in Japan. It's apparently called POPS-00001 and is said to be an early version of what they had going on the PSP.

[Voultar]

The fat PS2 also has full hardware support for PSX games. The slim PS2 doesn't, so it uses emulation, and as such is less accurate (and more games don't work).

Not quite. ALL PS2 consoles lack the PS1 GTE/GPU chipsets. The graphics are emulated (not micro-code compatible) and rendered by the 1st Vector Processor on the EE chip. That's why you have a " texture smoothing" option for PS1 titles.

Slim PS2 models SCPH-7500x and used an Embedded Power PC chip "Deckard" that also emulates the functions of the IOP R3000A (PS1 CPU). The R3KA is present on all systems prior.

^This is primarily why PS1 compatibility with the SCPH-7500X+ revisions fall considerably.


I recommend a V7 (SCPH-39001) equipped with a KHS-400C laser assembly. The V10 SCPH-500X are great, too. But the MECHACON is booby-trapped and requires a couple of additional mods to safely play burned media.

[Guspaz]

My solution to the problem was to just buy a PSOne.

[atheistgod1999]

My solution to the problem was to just buy a PSOne.

I thought I posted that I was gonna do that. Guess it didn't reach the site for some reason.

[Xan]

Not quite. ALL PS2 consoles lack the PS1 GTE/GPU chipsets.

The GPU is a seperate chip on PS1 anyway, but the GTE is embedded in the R3000A chip there. They must have really gone out of their way to strip that (and MDEC?) out of IOP. And there's also the question how this affects sound, as I've been told SPU2 has been integrated into IOP as of SCPH-5000x. So who knows if they kept that hardware around for Deckard?

But really good information, the existence of Deckard doesn't seem to have been publicized until quite recently.