PSX mod newbie needs guidance from the wise ones!

[wedders]

Hello there, I know this is probably the kinda topic you loath, but I'm interested in chipping a PSX/One and have been reading Google results on the topic for about two hours, and I have a whole load of information swimming in my head which is only serving to confuse me!

Briefly: I've soft- and hard-modded a few original Xbox's over the years, dab hand with a soldering iron. I'm also a computer programmer. Long story short I'm home for Xmas and only had a retail Xbox, which I soft-modded pretty quickly, and started playing backups. Today I installed PCSXbox (PSX emu) and played a few old favourites, but they have many graphical artifacts and irregularities, and I'm now yearning to play those games again properly!

I have no experience in programming my own chips and obviously don't own any hardware to do it, so guidance on that would be nice. I've also read about many different models of chips used for the mod, as well as a seemingly complex web of issues linked to specific models, and the modchip detection in some later games and how this can trip up older chips, and I have no idea what I should be choosing.

I don't own the console (yet), but they're about £10 on eBay with cables and a controller, so I can probably buy whatever model you might recommend... I like the original, "bulky" PSX myself though! It'll be a PAL/EUR console, and I might play a few NTSC/USA games occasionally. I want nothing fancy: A PS1 that will take a burned CD-R and let me play it!

TL;DR: I want you to tell me which PAL/EUR console model, chip and accompanying software will give me the best overall compatibility Any other info about getting the software on the chip is also much appreciated.
Cheers for any help! I owe y'all a beer
- wedders

[zoomx]

You only need a little PIC and a programmer for it.

You can find binary sources for example here where you can find a simple programmer (but you need a serial port)
PSX/PSone/PS1/PS/Playstation 12F629 modchip Programming and Install [WIP]

Here is a french page with sources and schematics
Pucer vous mme votre playstation