PS1/2 What PS2 modchip is this and can it play PS1 games?

[Fien]

I bought a cheap PS2 (SCPH-39004). It came with 2 untested controllers (turns out they both are good except sticky thumb caps), EyeToy cam and a bunch of burned games. For 10 euros.

The seller told me it doesn't read discs, so I supposed the laser needed replacement. But it turns out it only needed cleaning and some of the flat cables was not seated correctly. The unit has a modchip.

It can play both burned CD and DVD PS2 games (so the laser is good). Burned games only boot when the disc is inserted and then the console rebooted. It cannot start a burned game from the browser.

But I cannot get PS1 games to boot at all, both originals and backups. If I boot the console with a original PS1 disc in, it boots to the browser saying "no data". If I boot it by holding the power button for 2 seconds, it boots the PS1 original as audio-CD if it has audio tracks (Bust-a-Move 2, Moorhen 3) and gives a red screen saying "no PS1/PS2 disc" if it's a original with only data (Crash Bandicoot 2). The audio tracks plays fine, so it has no trouble reading the disc.

I disassembled the console and can see the modchip, but I don't know what chip it is. Does someone know what it is and if it can play PS1 games?

 

[rmorris003]

Yes it can play PS1 games. Here are some links with different info.

List of PS2 Modchips
How to enable special modes for different chips

I have the Messiah 2 in mine and have to do the following:

ALL PS2 games (Backups or Originals)

• Insert into tray.
• Close tray.
• Everything will boot.

PS1 or dvd movies(Backups or Originals)

• With the PS2 in standby mode and the game or movie in the tray....
• Press and hold reset until the blue eject light comes on, then release reset (only takes about 1-2 sec)

 

[Fien]

I looked on the list of modchip and this chip isn't there.

I already tried to hold the reset button until the blue light comes on or until the bootscreen appears, but then PS1 originals boot as audio-CD if it has audio tracks (Bust-a-Move 2, Moorhen 3) or gives a red screen saying "no PS1/PS2 disc" if it's one with only data (Crash Bandicoot 2).

 

[SylverReZ]

I looked on the list of modchip and this chip isn't there.

I already tried to hold the reset button until the blue light comes on or until the bootscreen appears, but then PS1 originals boot as audio-CD if it has audio tracks (Bust-a-Move 2, Moorhen 3) or gives a red screen saying "no PS1/PS2 disc" if it's one with only data (Crash Bandicoot 2).

You have a Ripper modchip installed.

 

[Fien]

Thanks, that was a good direction to look in how to start PS1 games.

It needs two presses of the reset button after the blue light comes on to get it into PS1 mode. It can boot both originals and backups then :-)

But it's weird that PS1 originals need this too. In the list of special modes The Ripper should boot them in normal mode too.

Also, my chip looks most as a Ripper 2, but it doesn't have the small IC in the corner. The Ripper IV is completely different.

 

[SylverReZ]

Thanks, that was a good direction to look in how to start PS1 games.

It needs two presses of the reset button after the blue light comes on to get it into PS1 mode. It can boot both originals and backups then :-)

But it's weird that PS1 originals need this too. In the list of special modes The Ripper should boot them in normal mode too.

Also, my chip looks most as a Ripper 2, but it doesn't have the small IC in the corner. The Ripper IV is completely different.

The Ripper IV is not based off the Ripper hardware, but instead its a clone of the Prodigy and Magic family of chips.

 

[Fien]

The PS2 still plays fine. But it seem like it doesn't like DVD-R's. While most people say it's the best to burn PS2 backups on DVD-R, this unit reads them very slow and even crashes. Even Verbatim DVD-R.

Then I still had 1 Verbatim DVD+R left from 10+ years ago and tried that... and it's read nearly as fast as an original one. I even tried cheap Emtec DVD+R (CMC Magnetics media) which was 60pcs for free and those are read fast as well.

 

[StrayGuitarist]

The PS2 still plays fine. But it seem like it doesn't like DVD-R's. While most people say it's the best to burn PS2 backups on DVD-R, this unit reads them very slow and even crashes. Even Verbatim DVD-R.

Then I still had 1 Verbatim DVD+R left from 10+ years ago and tried that... and it's read nearly as fast as an original one. I even tried cheap Emtec DVD+R (CMC Magnetics media) which was 60pcs for free and those are read fast as well.

I've experienced this behavior typically with older Phat models, for whatever reason. Tuning the laser and using old discs from thrift stores/yard sales burned as slow as possible worked for me.. though I doubt I'm giving you any new information/perspective, lol.

Congrats on the find!

 

[SylverReZ]

The PS2 still plays fine. But it seem like it doesn't like DVD-R's. While most people say it's the best to burn PS2 backups on DVD-R, this unit reads them very slow and even crashes. Even Verbatim DVD-R.

Then I still had 1 Verbatim DVD+R left from 10+ years ago and tried that... and it's read nearly as fast as an original one. I even tried cheap Emtec DVD+R (CMC Magnetics media) which was 60pcs for free and those are read fast as well.

It might be that the laser is dying, this is a very common issue on earlier phats and newer slims. Best to replace it if you can.

 

[Fien]

When I got the console I tried to "pot tweak" the laser, but it didn't read DVD-R better, so I set it back to the original 1600 Ohm. I even tried the HD-7 laser from my SCPH-50004 which is used for less then 100 hours and never saw burned discs, but it was more bad then this original KHS-400C (I used Lenschanger after putting the HD-7 in). So I end up putting back the KHS-400C in and start playing DVD+R which are fine.

Is a aftermarket laser a lot better?

 

[SylverReZ]

When I got the console I tried to "pot tweak" the laser, but it didn't read DVD-R better, so I set it back to the original 1600 Ohm. I even tried the HD-7 laser from my SCPH-50004 which is used for less then 100 hours and never saw burned discs, but it was more bad then this original KHS-400C (I used Lenschanger after putting the HD-7 in). So I end up putting back the KHS-400C in and start playing DVD+R which are fine.

Is a aftermarket laser a lot better?

Lenschanger honestly has never worked for me on my phat PS2, it just instantly stopped working once I reprogrammed the EEPROM. You should be fine without Lenschanger if the laser is supported for that specific model.

 

[SylverReZ]

Lenschanger honestly has never worked for me on my phat PS2, it just instantly stopped working once I reprogrammed the EEPROM. You should be fine without Lenschanger if the laser is supported for that specific model.

Remember to remove the anti-static blob before you install it. PSA.

 

[Fien]

I think I don't need to replace the laser too soon.

Earlier I wrote it only plays backups fine on DVD+R and was reading DVD-R very bad. But it seem like it can play DVD-R, but not the ones burned with the HP TS-H653T burner in my modern PC. If a burn a DVD-R with the old NEC ND-3550A burner in my P4 which I also use for burning PS1 games, they read fine

I tested it with SingStar:
DVD+R loading 27sec.
DVD-R (burned with the NEC ND-3550A) loading 35sec.
DVD-R (burned with HP TS-H653T) loading 107sec. (and most songs not playable).

I must say the DVD+R was also burned using the NEC. Somehow it seem to be a quite good burner, even it wasn't a expensive one back then.


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The Ripper chip looks most like "Ripper 2 Gold" missing the small chip in the corner, but Ripper 2 Gold (https://www.metagames-eu.com/forums/playstation-2/ps2-v9-ripper-2-gold-9209.html) should be able to play DVD-video using RGB without green screen, but the one in mine doesn't seem to have that function. Is it a clone of The Ripper 2?

 

[SylverReZ]

The Ripper chip looks most like "Ripper 2 Gold" missing the small chip in the corner, but Ripper 2 Gold (https://www.metagames-eu.com/forums/playstation-2/ps2-v9-ripper-2-gold-9209.html) should be able to play DVD-video using RGB without green screen, but the one in mine doesn't seem to have that function. Is it a clone of The Ripper 2?

@Fien I agree with this, the PCB looks very identical to the Ripper 2 Gold, most likely a different revision. I'm not 100% certain tho if clones existed of this type, most cloners tend to use the name of the chip for completely different designs, like I mentioned earlier with the Ripper IV that uses the Magic Ice as a base.

Examples:

I tested it with SingStar:
DVD+R loading 27sec.
DVD-R (burned with the NEC ND-3550A) loading 35sec.
DVD-R (burned with HP TS-H653T) loading 107sec. (and most songs not playable).

I must say the DVD+R was also burned using the NEC. Somehow it seem to be a quite good burner, even it wasn't a expensive one back then.

Personally, my ASUS and Plextor drives have been amazing for burning most of my backups. Others like the NEC drives, nah, those burn darker donut rings which causes a lot of read errors.

 

[cvskid]

At this point since you have a fat ps2 and having issues you might be better off installing a hard drive inside of it and playing your ps2 and ps1 games on it with no more disc needed to play. For ps1 games you would use popstarter to play ps1 games and open ps2 loader for ps2 games.

 

[Fien]

Personally, my ASUS and Plextor drives have been amazing for burning most of my backups. Others like the NEC drives, nah, those burn darker donut rings which causes a lot of read errors.

Plextor is maybe the best, but I don't have one. I do have 2 ASUS DVD-burners but didn't tried them so far I remember. One is never used and another one sits in a old C2D in the basement. And I also have a Sony one, not tried. Because the NEC works fine, I don't want to risk burning more coasters

You mean "donut rings" some color difference in the written area of the disc? I checked the discs burned with the NEC ND-3550A and they don't have those rings.

At this point since you have a fat ps2 and having issues you might be better off installing a hard drive inside of it and playing your ps2 and ps1 games on it with no more disc needed to play. For ps1 games you would use popstarter to play ps1 games and open ps2 loader for ps2 games.

It does have a internal HDD. But a small amount of PS2 games doesn't work with OPL. And it's good to know the optical drive is working fine.

And for PS1 games a burned CD works best. Popstarter isn't compatible with one of my played games, Tekken 3.

 

[SylverReZ]

You mean "donut rings" some color difference in the written area of the disc? I checked the discs burned with the NEC ND-3550A and they don't have those rings.

That's what I'm eluding to.