Bighap? Help for the Elderly?

[Frankie4Fingers]

You young kids, really put us to shame with your knowledge of this stuff. Bighap I've been lurking a while, and you seem rather knowledgable, so mind the dust from my brain as I try to gather all this information.

As the father of some younger kids, but no means a spring chicken myself, I'm trying to protect the live of their DVD collection, and now their PS2's.

I've recently purchased DVDXCOPY 1.4.1, and I'm extremely happy with it. Such a breeze to use with my new Sony 500ULX firewire burner...plus I have a cloneCD able Sony Expressa external firewire also for cd's plugged into my Audigy. Anyway, to cut to the chase...

In regards to PS2 Backups, my Sony came with Recordnow DX, which is simple and looks easy to use. I've backed up their CD based games with CloneCD as well, no problems. My questions now, now that I am moving into the DVD arena...

They have 2 PS2's, one is a Version 1(not 010 bios) and another is either a 4 or a 5, but I'm more thinking of the 4. I think, I shall definitely verify it. My question is...they have the USB Mod/NeoKey for both, but it won't do DVD-R backups as you know, and I have a fresh 100 pack of Ritek's just waiting anxiously. And with the wear and tear they all put on them(plus clumsy handling tendancies, but I'm trying to be a little more stern and have them handle equipment properly!) is wanting me to get busy in backing up their existing games. I know that I will likely have to upgrade to a new mod chip, so I am asking what is good to use with the Version 1, if applicable...I know there are no-solder ones likely for the 4, 5, 6, 7 models, but...will these even play above 650 meg discs? I'm very confused on that point, and haven't seen a nice and easy cross reference chart for us old folks who aren't into the scene much. I'm not a terrible hand at soldering, but it's been a while. I am not completely adverse to it. If I should say...get an Messiah/Magic 3.1, and put it in the Version 1, will it even work? That's my main concern, I suppose. For the no-solder one, will it play their cd backups that are bigger than 650 megs? What about DVD-r? I'm quite lost, if you haven't gathered.

So in a nutshell...for movie backups, DVDXCOPY. For PS2 games, Recordnow DX. Now my question is about the mods, and what you might recommend, for a version 1(definite) and I think either a 4 or a 5. I gotta find out for sure about that. Which chip would you recommend?

I greatly appreciate your help to instruct the unenlightened elderly :P