The best way to play PS2 imports?

TLB · Post by **TLB** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:42 pm

The forum search function isn't helping; it pretty much just brings up every single topic ever =/
I was thinking about getting a Swap Magic (I have a slim, so I could just get the disc), but then I read something about how softmods are so much better or something? I'm trying to go for the lowest cost option, so any help is ridiculously appreciated (I'm buying DOJ and perhaps ESPgaluda next week and I need something to play them with ^_^).
And please tell me if I'm being unclear; I tend to do that =)

kengou · Post by **kengou** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:48 pm

I've been using Swap Magic for a while now on my fat PS2 and it works great, for the most part. The CD boot disc can be buggy or non-working sometimes but I hardly ever use that one anyway.

You should look up what you need to do to make it work with the slim PS2 though, as I believe you might have to replace the drive cover or something. With the fat PS2 I can just use a slide card but that doesn't work on the slim one.

Still, it's probably the cheapest option.

indstr · Post by **indstr** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:00 pm

Aye I'm pretty happy with the boot disc & flip top for my phat ps2. I've had the same problem with the CD boot disc as kengou, it doesn't boot up as reliably (sometimes takes 2 or 3 resets to get it started), but I suspect that may just be more a problem with an aging CD laser than the disc itself

I used the slide tool for about 3 days and said fuck this and got the fliptop. It does work and you get better with practice (similar to the saturn swap trick, OMG model 2 was a nightmare at first...), but it is still a pain in the ass. Fliptop is nice and clean

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:55 pm

The best way is a chip, of course.

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:05 pm

Best Way: JP PS2

Cheap Way: Tissue/tape mod and some swap discs

Bosnian Way: Who that said they gonna beat Lil' Wayne?

emphatic · Post by **emphatic** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:07 pm

Network adapter with HDD + HDLoader disc = no region check = almost no loading time = win. ESPGaluda from a HDD is milliseconds slower than the PCB between stages.

Emph

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:07 pm

I do use Swap Magic with a flip top cover, but I admit it looks a bit ghetto. If I were to redo it, I'd go for a chip.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:13 pm

Since you're using a slim, Swap Magic is probably the economical way to go. The Magic Key "tools" don't require disassembly and aren't expensive at all. If you're not worried about the warranty, then the CD will suffice.

I've been using mine for a number of years and have encountered no problems. The ability to play DVD-R copies instead of the actual disks is quite nice, as well.

t0yrobo · Post by **t0yrobo** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:27 pm

Swap magic works fine for me on a slim ps2. I ended up having to open it up to get everything installed properly, but that's no big deal. The only qualm I have is that the discs are kinda cheap and they need a bit of extra care to get them fully on the spindle thing or they won't work.

power UP · Post by **power UP** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:41 pm

Most convinient way is to create a backup, patch it with ESR and boot it through ESR then. You'll need a way to run homebrew though so you can patch your memorycard.

TLB · Post by **TLB** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:58 pm

Thanks, guys =) I think I'm just going to get a Swap Magic. I can get one for like $32.xx shipped, so I'm just going to go ahead and do that. Downside; I have to wait until next week to get this shtuff ordered.

Since a Swap Magic lets you run unsigned stuff (right?), would you be able to do the thing you can do with an AR MAX and save some stuff onto a memory card so you don't even have to use a swap disc? That might be safer on the SM disc, as I wouldn't have to whip it out every night...

mjclark · Post by **mjclark** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:11 am

Best way to play PS2 imports?Memor32 with Memento firmware.
See here:http://www.mementoteam.com/index.html
No physical modifications or swapping or nothing!!!!

seattlexc · Post by **seattlexc** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:27 am

mjclark wrote:Best way to play PS2 imports?Memor32 with Memento firmware.
See here:http://www.mementoteam.com/index.html
No physical modifications or swapping or nothing!!!!

I'm using a similar method (ERS) and so far it's worked great. You have to play backed up copies of your import games, but you don't have to mess with the PS2 hardware or use any tools like a swapdisk. One big downside is that it won't let you play import PS1 games, original or not.

themachinist · Post by **themachinist** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:55 am

Maybe there should be a FAQ on the various methods of playing ps2 imports.

Joe T. · Post by **Joe T.** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:25 am

Never_Scurred wrote: Bosnian Way: Who that said they gonna beat Lil' Wayne?

No one outside of South St. Louis know what you talking about.

neonecko · Post by **neonecko** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:12 am

emphatic wrote:Network adapter with HDD + HDLoader disc = no region check = almost no loading time = win. ESPGaluda from a HDD is milliseconds slower than the PCB between stages.

Emph

You are a godsend. Definitely going to try this method.

jonny5 · Post by **jonny5** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:28 am

its the best way....bar none....

and great if you have your ps2 running in a cab, cuz then you dont have to switch disks or anything.....very convenient

neonecko · Post by **neonecko** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:35 am

Does it really matter what version HDloader i have in order to play imports?

This site sells it for $15 but version is not stated so I'm going to assume its an older one.

http://www.ps2cover.com/hdloader.shtml

Where as the actual HDloader site sells the latest version(3.8C) for $40.

http://www.hdloader.org/ps2order.asp

Octopod · Post by **Octopod** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:55 pm

themachinist wrote:Maybe there should be a FAQ on the various methods of playing ps2 imports.

Great Idea.

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:46 pm

Joe T. wrote:
Never_Scurred wrote: Bosnian Way: Who that said they gonna beat Lil' Wayne?
No one outside of South St. Louis know what you talking about.

hahaha...LOL
I can't believe someone actually got that...

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:47 pm

Never_Scurred wrote:
Joe T. wrote:
Never_Scurred wrote: Bosnian Way: Who that said they gonna beat Lil' Wayne?
No one outside of South St. Louis know what you talking about.
hahaha...LOL
I can't believe someone actually got that...

I dont get it! can someone explain it to me please

MR_Soren · Post by **MR_Soren** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:51 pm

Swap Magic on a slim requires a flip-top lid or some other mod to cover up the sensors.

The flip-top lid I got was cheap and was not hitting the internal sensor, so I ended up having to tape that one down.

antron · Post by **antron** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:54 pm

neonecko wrote:Does it really matter what version HDloader i have in order to play imports?

This site sells it for $15 but version is not stated so I'm going to assume its an older one.

http://www.ps2cover.com/hdloader.shtml

Where as the actual HDloader site sells the latest version(3.8C) for $40.

http://www.hdloader.org/ps2order.asp

wow, I didn't know you could get the latest versions in a pressed disc. there is one import that will not work with the original, Psyvariar Complete. Neither will Gradius V. They work with the updates.

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:00 pm

MR_Soren wrote:Swap Magic on a slim requires a flip-top lid or some other mod to cover up the sensors.

Tissue......Tape
...and a screwdriver.

You don't need the fliptop. I like to run my PS2 lidless to show fools how to game with swagga. Sometimes in the middle of a game, i'll start scratching the disc like i'm a dj just to show niggas how real it gets.

neonecko · Post by **neonecko** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:22 pm

antron wrote:wow, I didn't know you could get the latest versions in a pressed disc. there is one import that will not work with the original, Psyvariar Complete. Neither will Gradius V. They work with the updates.

Thanks antron, I'll probably get the updated version just to be safe. Do think Thunder Force VI will be compatible with the updated release?

TLB · Post by **TLB** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:40 pm

Never_Scurred wrote:
MR_Soren wrote:Swap Magic on a slim requires a flip-top lid or some other mod to cover up the sensors.
Tissue......Tape
...and a screwdriver.

You don't need the fliptop. I like to run my PS2 lidless to show fools how to game with swagga. Sometimes in the middle of a game, i'll start scratching the disc like i'm a dj just to show niggas how real it gets.

lol'd

I was planning on just getting a disc and taping down the contacts myself, and I guess I'm still doing that, from what's been said =P

Thanks again, guys, I was really getting OCD over that whole magilla, and I didn't want to think later that I'd made the wrong decision. And I keep saying "magilla" wtf.

Sly Cherry Chunks · Post by **Sly Cherry Chunks** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:16 pm

antron wrote:Neither will Gradius V.

I read somewhere that swap magic can't play games that are CD based.

So is TFVI CD or DVD? It looks like a very small game, might fit on CD.

Never_Scurred · Post by **Never_Scurred** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:23 pm

Sly Cherry Chunks wrote:
antron wrote:Neither will Gradius V.
I read somewhere that swap magic can't play games that are CD based.

So is TFVI CD or DVD? It looks like a very small game, might fit on CD.

Swap magic comes with a cd bootdisk as well as the dvd bootdisk.

Post by **Ghegs** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:23 pm

Sly Cherry Chunks wrote:So is TFVI CD or DVD? It looks like a very small game, might fit on CD.

It's DVD.

indstr · Post by **indstr** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:08 pm

Never_Scurred wrote: You don't need the fliptop. I like to run my PS2 lidless to show fools how to game with swagga.

Yeah. I used to think that was so badass with my Saturn, too. Now it doesn't work anymore because dust killed it

Never_Scurred wrote: Sometimes in the middle of a game, i'll start scratching the disc like i'm a dj just to show niggas how real it gets

I didn't used to do that, because I'm not fucking retarded lol