NEWBIE ALERT!!!

[GunBlade]

Hi! I just bought a PAL PS2.
What do I need to do to make it be able to run NTSC games?

Thanks.

[Charlie]

There you go.

I'll assume that you have an original game to copy such as one you have bought (including an NTSC game) and wish to protect. You will need a modchip for your PS/PS2, copying software & the right PC hardware for the burning job. I recommend the Yamaha 2100/2200S (or E) CD-RW for optimum compatibility for read & write with the recommended copying software. If you take an EIDE connected burner, ensure that it is placed on the secondary IDE channel else the device will slow down the hard disk & buffer under-runs are likely to occur on non-burn-proof devices.

Go to ####://www.megagames.com or ####://www.sgt-dan.com/ or ####://www.psxcopyworld.co.uk for detailed advice.

The basics are as follows:

1/
You’ll need to get the PS/PS2 chipped to allow backups to play. Go to website ####://www.playstationmods.com or ####://www.madeiragames.com whence you can buy a mod (UK). An internal mod is recommended & if you live in the UK, they'll do it for you if you are not a soldering whizzo.

2/
You will then need copying & patching software. I recommend just two programs; in my view you need them both: they are CLONECD & CDR-WIN. The former makes 1:1 copies (you'll need the tutorial from one of the above mentioned sites). Thus if you have an unprotected game (megagames.com lists games for which there are patches & the type of patch required; you could also visit ####://www.sgt-dan.com/ and ####://www.ps2ownz.com for lists/databases of games & their patches). If the game is of the same denomination as your PS/PS2 (e.g. PAL), CLONECD does the job perfectly. CDR-WIN stages the CD copy to your PC's hard disk so that you can patch the game as necessary (per PPF-O-MATIC.EXE downloaded from megagames.com together with the patches); then you burn the game back to the CD with CDR-Win.

3/
For the above to work properly, your CD-R MUST be compatible with the burning programs. The sites from which you download the programs list the compatible devices. CDR-WIN requires an ASPI layer to be present and this can be downloaded from ####://www.goldenhawk.com

4/
If you copy games from one TV standard (like NTSC) to play on another standard (like PAL) then the game may or may not play in colour. There are patches to change this or you could buy a convertor that sits between your TV and the PS/PS2. I have one of these because I hate patching & the patches don't always work.

5/
Your biggest challenges will be DVD games & Protected Games. DVD games can be backed up with PrimoDVD on Pioneer A03. Sgt Dan's site describes how to boot from a DVD backup using the NEO2 modchip solution. Nero 5.5 will burn DVDs in a suitable fashion but I haven't tried it. The cheapest DVD burner & the cost of media make it still worthwhile to buy the damn DVD game! Protected games are likely to be an increasing issue. Megagames, Sgt Dan and PS2ownz are usually cute here but for EA games, go to ####://www.eapatcher.com; With NEO2 and OrigaChip, EA games play bestif copied with CloneCD - no patching needed unless you have NTSC/PAL problems.

6/
Finally an explanation of why the foregoing is necessary. Sony have gone to a lot of trouble to stop people backing up their games. Sony accomplish this by going through some clever pre-boot stuff that identifies from data pressed intp the CD/DVD whether or not the media is original. So we have to boot with compliant media (developed, for example, with the Sony OEM kit), pause the process, swap in the copy game (patched for NTSC/PAL or copy protection defeat), & carry on.

This forum has more than 22,000 subscribers. I'd bet that the bulk of them started off like you. It's not that difficult when you've done it once, especially with CloneCD.

Good luck & I hope this reply has been helpful.

[GunBlade]

I have a PAL PS2 and a LEGALY PURCHASED NTSC GAME.
How can I just play the game on my Mod Chipped PS2 without the need to start burning it?

[Dal]

M8,

What modchip do you have??

I think for NTSC originals you have to make a backup of it and boot that, a PAL modded PS2 will not play NTSC Originals. I may be wrong never had a ntsc orignal game.

have you tried to boot it??? what happens??

Cheers

Dal

[GunBlade]

I haven't tried it yet, I'm away from home at the moment.
Damn! So I bought the PS2 for nothing???

[Charlie]

If you want to play the NTSC original on your PAL PS2, have the PS2 re-chipped with the OrigaChip for PAL. This will play import originals (JAP/US) no swap. I have this chip as it happens.

####://www.madeiragames.com

[GunBlade]

Oh my god! So there is a Chip that can play NTSC games on PAL??? So why do I need the NEO chip? Why haven't I heard of this Chip before? What are the disadvantages?

[Charlie]

Oh my god! So there is a Chip that can play NTSC games on PAL???
ANSWER: Yep - NTSC originals is what you mean

So why do I need the NEO chip?
ANSWER: Who said you did need a Neo chip? No Neo chip will play NTSC originals on a PAL PS2

Why haven't I heard of this Chip before?
ANSWER: You don't look hard enough around the web, the forums etc.!

What are the disadvantages?
ANSWER: None that I'm worried about. It requires you to do a swap for backups (not for originals). NEOO4 and the up-coming Messiah are non-swap on backups.

So, what are you going to do? Give Madeira Games a call?

[GunBlade]

I already entered the site, but still... I'm having my doubts... Every experienced person I talked to haven't even mentioned that chip.
I'm wondering why everybody are recommending the NEO chip!?

[Charlie]

Because they don't look beyond the end of their noses! There's all the hype about NEO4 - and hype and hype and 33 wires, 33 wires and where was it since August until last week and does it boot import originals? But the Origa people keep quiet - God knows why. I came across it because I'm in the special position of having a JAP PS2 and I needed to break out of the Utility Disk constraints. So I went looking. You went looking and got a reply and now you're having doubts.

If my 900+ posts are worth anything it might be that I've made the right chip decision and the same chip (actually with one ore two additional facilities) works on the PAL PS2 (it didn't two months ago).

[GunBlade]

Thank you.

[Charlie]

Do let us know what you decide.