I would personally start saving my money for a no hassle Mod like the messiah 2 and be done with it. You WILL need a Mod to play backups. Sure you could shove a knife into your system but you would have to replace your PS2 because you'll eventually destroy it. If your not a soldering whiz there are people who can do it professionally. When your all done you be glad that you've made the investment. I've been through some sub-par mods like the USB mod and the No-solder mod. In my opinion they are a waste of money. Messiah 2 however, worth every penny you spend.
