Diary of an Amateur Chipper

[Gurm]

Diary of an Amateur Mod Chipper

Part 1: The Early Days

When I was a kid, we had to WALK to school. UPHILL, BOTH WAYS! Err... no wait, that was my grandfather!

Back when the NES came out, I didn't know much about pirated console games. After all, this was a relatively new field and I was only 15. I was lucky to afford an NES. But them times, they were a'changin'.

By the time I bought a Super Nintendo, I knew that games could be copied. I just didn't know how. Enter college, and the Internet.

By happy coincidence, my first real job came after my freshman year in college - causing me to take a semester off. It was with a video game company. I shan't name the company - they're out of business now anyway. There I was introduced to the world of CONSOLE BACKUPS (cue stirring music).

{ Insert cute story about early Game Doctor devices here... }

The First PSX:

{ Insert cute story about my first PSX mod here... }

The Second PSX:

{ Insert HORROR story about my second PSX mod here, if possible include digicam pics of the dremel hole and gigantic switch... }

The Third PSX:

{ Insert cute story about the trepidation with which I approached my third PSX mod here... }

Other PSX's:

This is the really boring part. I won't even go into specifics, other than to say that I chipped a whole bunch of these things. Done and done.

Part 2: It's Thinking!

The Dreamcast was a joy to mod. No real protection, we were just beating region coding and whatnot. I have nothing amazing to say about these installs. They were really straightforward. One interesting note is that my Japanese Dreamcast (imported well before the US release of the system) was watercooled! Who would have guessed?

Part 3: PSWho? PSNew? PS2!

Neo... NEO...

{ Insert my experiences with a couple different NEO class modchips here... }

Magically Delicious?

{ Insert my experience (hopefully the only/last) with a Magic 3.x chip here... }

Apples and Oranges

Previously...
Need a new chip for my PS2. Finally got some games on DVD that I want to ... err ... back up. Yeah, that's what it's called. Anyway, tried booting a couple of them with this POS Neo2.5 I've had in here for the last year and a half (see the above section for details), and decided enough was enough.

Plus, I just KNOW it's ass-ramming the laser, and the laser isn't even getting to enjoy it.

Did a little research, got shot down on the whole "spending $60+ to play one game" thing by the wife (so no Messiah2), decided NOT to press the point and decided on an Apple. Now where to get it for this v4 box?

Wednesday, April 9th 2003:
Ordered an Apple today. Ought to get here sometime next week. Not gonna say where I bought it, forum rules and all. But it was a well-recommended place, and the TOTAL was $33 including relatively quick shipping.

Coming soon:

{ Insert Install Here... }

Part 4: It's from Microsoft... and you want me to do WHAT to it?

Prelude:

So the guy next door has an XBOX, and he wants me to mod it. God, the XBOX people are impossible to deal with. (No offense, guys!) Nobody wants to give a fella a straight answer. So I basically discover:

1. You have to program your own chips.
2. The XBOX is hopelessly and stupidly complex.
3. The chips are super easy to install, but come in about 100 flavors, and you must install your own switch.

I told him what to order, hopefully he doesn't ignore my advice. I'll keep y'all updated.