MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

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Gunstar
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MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Gunstar »

Breaking this discussion out of the Tony Hax thread. (discussion started here)

https://github.com/MechaResearch/MechaPwn

igniz wrote:This has just been done one better, if you happen to have a PS2 from the 5000x model and up:

https://github.com/MechaResearch/MechaPwn

The PS2 disc drive mechacon was recently cracked. This is a tool you can use to flash the firmware on it to make it think it's a developer debug unit. This allows you to run retail imports, and PS1 backups most significantly. There is a way to run PS2 backups as well by burning the PS2 ISO as a "master disc" but there's not a lot of info yet floating around on how to do that, there is a patcher tool that people seem to have mixed reports on. Regardless, the PS1 functionality and region unlocking are the real killer apps here, particularly since disc based piracy is kind of the last resort for PS2 titles. It takes all of 5 minutes to install and then you can burn PS1 games to your heart's content, no more disc swapping or etc.
Bassa-Bassa
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Bassa-Bassa »

Thanks for a new thread. I'm quoting myself here for PAL users sake:
you can't run NTSC games on PAL PS1s at the original vertical refresh even with a mod chip. The MechaPwn thing has twice the value in PAL land (we need a dedicated thread). Sadly, you need to region-patch every NTSC ISO if you happen to have a 5000x or 7000x model.
PAL PS2 does indeed run NTSC PS1 games at the original refresh, as other users verified on that thread.
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BuckoA51
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by BuckoA51 »

PAL PS2 does indeed run NTSC PS1 games at the original refresh, as other users verified on that thread.
It runs PS2 games at the right refresh but PS1? I'm 100% sure I tried that before on a chipped system and it was still way off.
OSSC Forums - http://www.videogameperfection.com/forums
Please check the Wiki before posting about Morph, OSSC, XRGB Mini or XRGB3 - http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/Main_Page
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Konsolkongen
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Konsolkongen »

The wording on that GitHub is really confusing. I think that for PAL systems it only does regionfree from 75004 consoles and onwards...?

My DMS4 Pro chip causes all kinds of issues with MechaPwn so I removed it, and regardless of region of dev console I tried it never would boot any US or JAP PS1 or PS2 games. This is a 50004 console.
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Lux
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Lux »

Quoting myself from the Tonyhax thread :
Lux wrote:
Konsolkongen wrote:[...]

What model PAL PS2 do you have and if you have an OSSC would you mind checking the refresh rate for US/JAP PS1 games when you have time?
59,82Hz during gameplay on 263p with both Saga Frontier (NTSC-U) and Klonoa : Door to Phantomile (NTSC-J) with component. PS2 is a SCPH-77004.

[...]
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Konsolkongen
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Konsolkongen »

Lux wrote:Quoting myself from the Tonyhax thread :
Lux wrote:
Konsolkongen wrote:[...]

What model PAL PS2 do you have and if you have an OSSC would you mind checking the refresh rate for US/JAP PS1 games when you have time?
59,82Hz during gameplay on 263p with both Saga Frontier (NTSC-U) and Klonoa : Door to Phantomile (NTSC-J) with component. PS2 is a SCPH-77004.

[...]
Is this a response to me? Your PS2 is a higher model than 75004, so yeah that should work.
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Lux »

Sorry, I was reacting to Bucko's message.
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Konsolkongen
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Konsolkongen »

No that was pretty obvious actually. I missed his post, sorry :D
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by daskrabs »

Can anyone verify PS1 and PS2 backups will work using this mod on a US console (fat or slim)? The Github readme doesn't mention from what I saw.
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Lux
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Lux »

MrMario2011 shows in this video how you can run PS2 backups thanks to the Force Unlock option (haven't tried it myself as I have no CD backups).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzKVcpjugCE
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by nmalinoski »

daskrabs wrote:Can anyone verify PS1 and PS2 backups will work using this mod on a US console (fat or slim)? The Github readme doesn't mention from what I saw.
It works like a TEST system, so PS1 backups should boot without issue, and PS2 games need to be patched to be master discs in order to boot.

Don't bother with the Force Unlock thing; it creates more problems than it solves. I also saw the Mr. Mario coverage, and, while I appreciate the demonstration of Force Unlock and how to boot games with it, I find it dumb that he decided to recommend that and save the master patching information for another video. First of all, master patching has been common knowledge regarding the TEST systems; secondly, having to use FMCB to launch games is so much more time and work; and, on top of that, Force Unlock breaks compatibility with PS1 games, Audio CDs, and DVD Videos. It would've been so much more useful to his viewers had he lead with the master patching.
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by daskrabs »

nmalinoski wrote:
daskrabs wrote:Can anyone verify PS1 and PS2 backups will work using this mod on a US console (fat or slim)? The Github readme doesn't mention from what I saw.
It works like a TEST system, so PS1 backups should boot without issue, and PS2 games need to be patched to be master discs in order to boot.

Don't bother with the Force Unlock thing; it creates more problems than it solves. I also saw the Mr. Mario coverage, and, while I appreciate the demonstration of Force Unlock and how to boot games with it, I find it dumb that he decided to recommend that and save the master patching information for another video. First of all, master patching has been common knowledge regarding the TEST systems; secondly, having to use FMCB to launch games is so much more time and work; and, on top of that, Force Unlock breaks compatibility with PS1 games, Audio CDs, and DVD Videos. It would've been so much more useful to his viewers had he lead with the master patching.
Thanks. It seems that someone that already has a chipped PS1 and a FMCB PS2 has little to gain with this mod, but I guess if you are starting from scratch it's nice.
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Lux »

It's still useful if you're in PAL territory and want to play legit copies of NTSC PS2 games, for example.
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Lux
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Re: MechaPwn - PS2 softmod

Post by Lux »

So I installed MechaPwn in at least two slims but looks like I didn't store the nvm.bin files in a way that I would know later from which console they came from. Is there a way to, I don't know, grab information from the file that could help me better identify them ?
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