The Best PS2 For Modding

[Simon Tibbett]

What is the best PS2 for modding. I have a V4 and it has a No-Solder, which I am selling ( the chip) because I want a more powerful one. However, is V4 any good?

[Canabal]

a V4 other than the laser is i say the best for modding because you can put in a messiah although u should wait for messiah 2 should be out this month (thats what i'm doing)
but as i said some of the lasers have problems
i have tried 2 and so far none read blue back CD's
but they do read normal CD's lol
just need to get the messiah 2 now and i know someone who will install it free if i get him one

[ian]

the best&easiest to mod i'd say are v5/v6. they have the best laser out of the other versions so far.

[gokuguy]

Doesn't the v7 have the same laser as the one in the v5?

[ian]

nope, totaly different laser, and much worse than v5 lasers.

[SledDog]

Yes. The v5-v7 use the same laser head. The newer revision can read DVD-R and DVD+R whereas the v1-v4 versions are DVD-R only.

Interesting side note: While having LOD update my old v1-0D to a newer red Magic 2 v3, we took a gamble while we had the unit open and decided to swap just the laser head from a defunct v5 he had there into the drive on the v1. Although a bit smaller in dimensional size than the original v1 laser head, it did fit right in.

Upon first testing, we could hear the drive straining to focus in on the discs and it wouldn't reliably boot DVD-Rs, failing 8 times out of 10. As the v1 drive used an auto-focusing mechanism (non-adjustable white cog) LOD gave the height adjustment screw an ever so slight tweak to bring it a tad closer to the disc surface and Presto! - it booted everything we threw at it afterwards. Originals, CD-R, and DVD-R (we didn't have any DVD+Rs, so no results on that.)

So, for you folks with older units who's laser lens may be on it's last legs, this should be welcome news.