best all around ps2 chip available

[sinistan]

What's the all around best ps2 chip that is currently available? Sorry if this has been answered already and realize this is a bit late in the game, but from what I can see it looks like the choice is either matrix infinity (original version not clone), and/or dms 4/pro (?) I have both an older 39000 ps2 fat and a newer 79000 for another room/tv. If necessary i can just go with one, but I prefer to use the ps2 fat probably the most still.

[dlanor]

What's the all around best ps2 chip that is currently available? Sorry if this has been answered already and realize this is a bit late in the game, but from what I can see it looks like the choice is either matrix infinity (original version not clone), and/or dms 4/pro (?) I have both an older 39000 ps2 fat and a newer 79000 for another room/tv. If necessary i can just go with one, but I prefer to use the ps2 fat probably the most still.

If you really have to have a modchip, then I think you already 'nailed it'.

The MI and the DMS4pro are both excellent chips (just avoid using the EZI clips), and should be considered on an equal level.

A few years ago many would have vastly preferred the DMS4pro, because of its ToxicOS game loader, but that argument for it fell some time ago. Today ToxicOS is available for all homebrew users (even without modchip), and even so it is practically useless since it is surpassed in all ways by "Open PS2 Loader" (== OPL).

For myself, at this stage of the game, I would use no modchip at all with those PS2 models, but instead rely only on FMCB for the homebrew booting, and for backup games use ESR (for physical burned discs) and OPL (for games on HDD, USB, or networked SMB servers).

The only real reason to prefer a modchip over FMCB would be the ability to boot PS1 backup discs, which is something FMCB can not offer.

Best regards: dlanor

[cifroes]

sorry for the noob question but I'm interested in understanding the current state of "software" mods for the PS2 slim.

If I get a new ps2 slim today (latest model, firmware, etc) are there any software /fw mods that work? (you mentioned ESR, OPL and FMCB but they don't seem to work in ps2 slim latest model).

thanks

[dlanor]

sorry for the noob question but I'm interested in understanding the current state of "software" mods for the PS2 slim.

If I get a new ps2 slim today (latest model, firmware, etc) are there any software /fw mods that work?

No. For the very latest models with bios v2.30 or higher there is no pure softmod.
(The latest PS2 bios is v2.50, used in the Bravia TV set with built in PS2 console.)

(you mentioned ESR, OPL and FMCB but they don't seem to work in ps2 slim latest model).

Of those programs only FMCB is a softmod booter, and it is indeed blocked from working in the latest bios versions. But ESR and OPL are game loaders, both of which work fine as long as you have some homebrew boot system to launch them.

One such non-mod boot method capable of starting homebrew programs is the commercial program "SwapMagic v3.8 coder". This is a set of two boot discs, one CD and one DVD, with three different purposes.

1: Allows 'swap' from boot disc to burned backup disc to run game backups.
This is the original purpose of all SwapMagic versions, from which they have their name.
But I NEVER do this myself, as I consider it an inappropriate and unsafe way of handling discs.

2: Allows boot of homebrew software either from PS2 MC or from a USB drive (best way to get started).
This is what I use myself to boot one of my consoles which has bios v2.30.

3: Allows use of a cheat engine launchable from the boot disc, in a way that allows use of cheats with some game loaders, such as ESR and OPL. This too is something I sometimes use, and this cheat engine is the only one which works well with homebrew game loaders on the late-model PS2 consoles.


Some important homebrews to remember, that work on ALL existing PS2 models:

1: uLE == "unofficial LaunchELF" == Generic maintenance program for all homebrew purposes, which also serves as a launch center for all other homebrews.

2: ESR == (this abbreviation is arbitrary, without any particular meaning) == A game loader for backups burned on DVD-R or DVD+R discs, which requires no swapping or sensor modding of any kind (as required for the SwapMagic methods). But it does require using a special patcher on backup images before burning them to discs.

3: OPL == "Open PS2 Loader" == Game loader for PS2 with multiple device support including IDE HDD (mainly for old fat PS2s), USB drives, or SMB servers connected by LAN (including normal PCs). The latter is my own favorite method, with over 230 games installed on one of my PCs, all of which can be run from any one of my 3 networked PS2s (including the one with bios v2.30).


So while it is true that FMCB does not boot on the latest consoles, there is still a lot of stuff you can do with them, without requiring any modchip.

Best regards: dlanor

[sinistan]

If you really have to have a modchip, then I think you already 'nailed it'.

The MI and the DMS4pro are both excellent chips (just avoid using the EZI clips), and should be considered on an equal level.

A few years ago many would have vastly preferred the DMS4pro, because of its ToxicOS game loader, but that argument for it fell some time ago. Today ToxicOS is available for all homebrew users (even without modchip), and even so it is practically useless since it is surpassed in all ways by "Open PS2 Loader" (== OPL).

For myself, at this stage of the game, I would use no modchip at all with those PS2 models, but instead rely only on FMCB for the homebrew booting, and for backup games use ESR (for physical burned discs) and OPL (for games on HDD, USB, or networked SMB servers).

The only real reason to prefer a modchip over FMCB would be the ability to boot PS1 backup discs, which is something FMCB can not offer.

Best regards: dlanor

Hey thanks for the reply and extra information. I had been away from this stuff for a while (since the psx, dreamcast very early ps2 days), so just playing catchup a bit. Ill probably go with a modbo4 or duo3 if I can't find the others, just to have one console a simple game play device for anyone other than myself. Definately will want to research home brew and the hdd loader especially. cheers

[AlexaDenise]

I have a MI chip and only use HDloader via freemcboot. Works perfectly

[cifroes]

Thanks dlanor, great explanation but I'm still a bit confused

In 2.30 I can run "SwapMagic v3.8 coder". And from swapmagic I can run OPL or ESR?

I'm most interested in running backups from HDD (not sure if slim still supports this) or network as my main concern is that the PS2 will be for children and I don't want them swapping DVDs and scratching them.


"The latter is my own favorite method, with over 230 games installed on one of my PCs, all of which can be run from any one of my 3 networked PS2s (including the one with bios v2.30)."

That's the source of my confusion

[[C*]]

To counter Dlanor's comment about PS1 backups being the only useful feature of modchips, you can even pretty much run them using homebrew using disc swapping.

There is a homebrew called PSXLauncher which asks you to put in a genuine PS1 game. It spins it up and then it will stop. Swap it out with a backup and then press X and it will run. On your fat PS2 you can only swap by forcing the drive open with a swap tool, but with your Slim you can just swap a game normally!

Thanks for the info. about the Swap Magic Disc on newer PS2s Dlanor. I think I mixed up the whole "FMCB doesn't work with newer PS2s" in my head to mean "homebrew doesn't launch at all" (silly of me, as I remember seeing a guy in the PS2TV thread using ULaunch ). It's reassuring to know particularly as I'm interested in getting the PS2 TV (will double up as a monitor if I upgrade from this single core 512MB ram laptop soon ).

[dlanor]

Thanks dlanor, great explanation but I'm still a bit confused

In 2.30 I can run "SwapMagic v3.8 coder". And from swapmagic I can run OPL or ESR?

Yes, you can.

The ESR elf is to be installed in a folder named "BOOT" on your MC, just as for FMCB.
When you insert an ESR disc in the disc tray of the PS2 uLE will go through its normal disc detection procedure and stabilize with the message "Stop Disc == ESR DVD (off)" shown near the top left corner of the screen. At this point you can either use the uLE FileBrowser to launch the built-in uLE command "MISC/PS2Disc", or simply press a menu gamepad button that you've defined to lead to that command. Either way this will invoke the ESR elf for running that backup disc. Note that the same "PS2Disc" command can also be used for launching original discs (without ESR) or DVD movie discs (then invoking the DVD player rather than ESR).

NB: The above assumes that you do NOT block the disc sensors as would be done for use of SwapMagic-style disc swapping. Such blocking can prevent ESR from working correctly, and is sure to do so if you use the SM3coder CD disc for booting (rather than the DVD). But without sensor blocking it should work fine using either of the SM3coder boot discs.


The OPL elf can be installed anywhere you please and will work the same way regardless of where it is stored, as long as you have some way to launch it from uLE using FileBrowser or a menu gamepad button you've defined for OPL.

I'm most interested in running backups from HDD (not sure if slim still supports this)

A slim PS2 has no interface for directly connected HDD, though some expansion kits do exist for that purpose (essentially as complex as a modchip install, which is included with one of the kits).

But they can without need for any modifications use both USB drives and LAN connection.

or network as my main concern is that the PS2 will be for children and I don't want them swapping DVDs and scratching them.

Then the best choice is to have a 'childproof' version of OPL on one MC, with another MC holding an unlimited version that you use to maintain the whole setup. The 'childproof' version is necessary to prevent the kids from using the OPL GUI to delete stuff on your PC, while still allowing them to access both game images and virtual memory card files (for gamesaves).

The latter is my own favorite method, with over 230 games installed on one of my PCs, all of which can be run from any one of my 3 networked PS2s (including the one with bios v2.30).

That's the source of my confusion

There's no need for confusion as I meant exactly what I said.

Any one of my PS2 consoles, including the one with bios v2.30, can use OPL identically to each other. The only difference lies in how I do the initial booting into uLE.

For my v7 I either use DEV1 mode of a DMS4pro modchip, or FMCB with modchip disabled.
For my v15 I always use FMCB.
For my v18 I always use SM3coder.

But once I've reached uLE this allows me to use OPL identically on all of them, with the one exception that I only can use internal HDD on the v7, since the others have none.

And using network is best of all, since this allows all of the consoles to access a single repository of game images, and also to share the same VMC files for gamesaves (no need to carry MCs back and forth between consoles anymore).

Best regards: dlanor

[p3nnyw1sd0m]

Honestly, Either go with FCMB or get a Crystal Chip. It's reliable and won't fail on you. Also, it has BootManager, and if you know how to correctly write APP.PBT files you will be fine for homebrew. I use mine with OPL and it works wonders.