PS2 Magic 2 MOD Big Snags
 

Blimet this MODCHIP game is a painful process. I've just finsished installing a Magic 2 Chip (with a little help) into my PS2 V7 PAL. After re-assembly i tried an original. No problems. After this I tried a DVD backup; it didn't work and gave a message something like "insert Playstation 2 cd"). I ejected the backup and went for another try and after that the tray would not close. I stripped the console down to see if there was any obvious errors and am confident that the solder job was good. I disconnected the chip (I bought the clip kit to go with it) and the tray closed fine. I re connected and tried again and found that with a little tweeking of the standby button I could get the tray to close and open. So now I plug it all into the telly and guess what (no picture). I don't suppose anyones got any ideas have they???
I'm thinking of returning the chip as faulty and getting a MODCHIP 3.5. Is this a good idea??

First thing to do m8 is calm down. If it was easy everybody would chip their own machines and there would be no need for this website!

Ok, there is a chance you have a dud chip, but, consider it a small chance.

Uninstall ur chip and check ur machines operation. If all is ok, start again, SLOWLY.

All the info is available here, read the stickies, do a few searches, but rest assured, very few peeps succeded the first time they tried this task. Most of those that did succeed, said OMG when they saw just how fine some of the solder points actually are.

Thank you for trying to calm me down (which I must say you did simply by posting a response), but please be aware that the solderring work was done by a complete professioanl (a PACE instructor/examiner) and more to the point with very good equipment. He let me inspect every joint (forgive the pun) and they were all perfect (all visual work was supported by video microscope equipment). Surely the average MODCHIPPER, and please believe me I am not one (I am the mechanical engineering instructor), does not have access to such sophisticated eqpt that my colleague has.

Maybe the average chipper doesn't have the equipment you had on hand, but, what we do have is technique!

Ok, there is no doubt that you have the gear, if you like, email me piccies of ur install & I'll look over it for you.

Did you follow the instructions precisely, ie thicker gauge wire, fiberglass pencil, flux etc?

Flux was used. I saw it. And cleaned up with alcohol afterwards. The terms "thicker gauge wire, fiberglass pencil" I am not familiar with but honestly I looked at these joints under a microscope and they were all good. Perhaps the more reallistic problem is that I may have done some damage during disaassebly reassebly; I notice the reset button ribbon had some unconventional looking bends and dents in it.

Ok so you didnt use thicker gauge wire on the power & gnd points and you didn't scratch all the points first to remove the laquer off the board. It doesn't matter how good your soldering skills are if you dont get a good connection.

Always, always scrub the points on a ps2 before chipping or it won't work! If you don't use the thicker gauge wire then you'll blow a fuse, which may have happened already going by what you have described.

hey hull... my magic 3 works great my bro. did a great install... i was jus woundering whut gauge wire should be use on the power and gnd points?

thanks!

22awg is recomended for magic2/3. Only once did I not use 22 gauge (the first time) and all went black in less than an hour! I've always used the 22 since & never had any more probs. Coincidence? maybe, but I think most peeps probs with magics are because they don't use the thicker gauge.

Whaaat. Nobody told me I have to use a thicker gauge wire. I used those really thin purple wires that they gave me. Man I wish I had known about this before. I have been using the chip for 2 months now. I hope I don't eventually have the problem that you described.

All the magic instructions I have seen specify 22 gauge wire - If ur machine stops working Lusec don't jump on the bandwagon & start shouting about how bad magics are!

http://www.china-magic.com/install.html

Hehe. I get your point. Guesss I'll have to make another trip to the local electronic shop to get the fine solder tip again. Lost my old one.