I can only tell you my experience which is:

1 I use the modchip.com (original chip) in the SCHP 15000 Jap model
2 I use a Maplins NTSC to PAL converter & connect with AV cable
3 JAP copy games work immediately with the modchip swaptrick
4 UK PAL games have to be stage copied:
a) CDR WIN from CD to hard disk
b) Universal Patcher to mod the .bin file from step (a)
c) CDR WIN from hard disk to CD
5 UK PAL copies play in colour when the PAL convertor is not used

My experience of PAL4U is that it doesn't work in any mode using the above configuration. Others may have better results