PS2 Slim iLink

[doctorxyz]

It seems possible to enable iLink on PS2 Slim.

I know that this has been already discussed before (here and there), but this nice idea shoudn't be die... This could increase the number of PS2ESDL users over iLink, could help on debugging (and other insteresting stuff)... Hmmm... Who knows this could motivate someone to add ilink feature to OPL.

That's why I am bringing some info in order the community to evolve it.

There are only four iLink pins (among others) used by PS2: TPA+, TPA-, TPB+ and TPB- (IEEE 1394 Serial Bus - Firewire - AllPinouts), and the related registers are mapped to RAM region starting from 0xBF808400.

The SCPH-39001 Service Manual shows where these four ilink pins are located, but with different names: #55 (PINA1), #57 (PINAN1), #59 (PINB1) and #61 (PINBN1) from the IOP (= IC303 = CXD9619GB ).

The SCPH-70000 Service Manual doesn't show theses four pins on IOP (= IC303 = CXD9799GP = ABG815.ORP ) anymore... But they still seem to be present, and at the same place (I am telling you this after doing some comparison with the location of other pins, like the USB ones).

The following SP193 empyricall result on a newer slimline model shows us evidences:
"log generated when I ran my drivers on my SCPH-77006 console. It appears that there is a functional iLink controller on it.

The log indicates that the SCPH-77006 might have a fully-functional LINK layer of a iLink controller, as it can be configured to and can trigger interrupts.
Not only that, it seems to function like it has a functional PHY (A bus reset can be triggered).
...
So... if one could find out how to tap onto the IEEE1394 connectors, it might be possible for all newer PS2s to have a functional iLink port...."
http://psx-scene.com/forums/f169/ps2...58/#post955669 (PS2 Linux Beta kit extras...)

Well guys, some electronic hobbyst could make a small circuit and plug in between IOP pins and firewire connector, based on the SCPH-39001 built-in one, in order to make some iLink tests on PS2 Slim...!

[SkyNet]

Cool findings doctorxyz. I think it can change everything.

ilink has speed of 400Mbits/sec----I think it is very huge improvement over Ethernet---which is 100mbit/sec.

It means that any of us who has Slim PS2---can connect to it HDD through ilink.

So it can revive PlayStation 2 and can create interest to it from ps2 community---in other words ---PS2 can become again interesting to PS2devs.

So , with HDD attached to ps2 through ilink---we can do a lot more----we can install Linux to ps2 and it will work really quickly, also we can play games from ilink HDD.

The possibilities are limitless.

thank you Doc and SP193 for such Discovery. I hope that devs wont wait and will find those hidden points to attach ilinkHDD to ps2...

[SP193]

400Mbit is only achievable in a dream, all thanks to the IOP and the design fault in the i.Link DBUF FIFOs (Can't disable byte-swapping).

DMAC #3 doesn't seem to be present in the slimline PS2, so transfers will be really slow and taxing on the IOP. The SMAP will still rule the day in terms of stability and performance.

Honestly speaking, why would this discovery 'revive' interest in the Playstation 2? Most people won't care about it... like how my i.Link driver has been largely unused by the majority of the users here.

Device compatibility is mostly unknown as few people have i.Link/IEEE1394 enclosures, and not all of them gave compatibility reports for the last version of the driver set that was released.

It will help, however, if people are to help me to continue working on and improving the existing drivers. Other than the broken write support (Since the data has to be re-byte-swapped before it's sent over the IEEE1394 bus), things like the maximum transfer length are currently hardcoded (Poor performance and/or poor compatibility may result).

[doctorxyz]

SkyNet,
I would like this dream become true, however, given the facts mentioned by SP193 and a friend of mine (see below) this wouldn't be feasible.

SP193,
I really would like to help you on this but I have only slimlne models - 70012, 79001 and 90006... Toward to this direction Yesterday I was looking for an 2.5" Firewire Enclosure, and I've found few ones at reasonable price:
2.5" AcomData Ondago USB 2.0 & FireWire External IDE HDD AcomData EN250-310 Ondago
2 5" SATA Hard Disk Drive Enclosure USB Firewire 1394 | eBay
New 2 5" USB Firewire 1394 SATA Hard Disk Drive HDD Enclosure Interfaces | eBay
(I leave these links above for people interested on using Kermit and PS2ESDL on your PS2 with built-in iLink port ;-)

SkyNet and SP193,
Yesterday a friend of mine sent me an email showing the results of his IOP comparison on 39K, 50K and 70K series:
- There is none chip between IOP and iLink on 30000/39000 series... There are only peripheral components instead.
- The iLink connection at 39K is made possible by 5 tracks (from #55 until #63 IOP pins).
- At 50K the IOP chip itself is different; moreover, there aren't any peripheral components between IOP and iLink: The related IOP pins (from #55 to #63) aren't used (NC).
- At 70K the IOP chip is also different from the previous ones (39K/50K) and the #55~#63 pins are connected to ground (GND).
Summarizing, there are complex technical issues for enabling iLink on:
- 50K models when adding peripheral components between IOP and iLink
- 70K models because all pins are connected to GND (map, isolate and sold them is too complex and risky)... Besides the uncertanty of #55~#63 IOP pins have the iLink functionality.
- Models above 70K are more complicated since there isn't leaked service manuals available.

So it's very hard to go ahead... We could go further only on certain models if someone else appears here with give us valuable info.

Have a nice day!

BR,