Maybe I should get a premod instead, help?

[Cyber Akuma]

Ok, after a LOT of debating, I think itll be better to get a premod. I have been thinking about modding my PS2 for quite some time, and have the money for it. But its a V4 (from what I can tell) and it already has DRE problems with CDs. plus I play FFXI on it and dont want to risk messing that up. Itll take me a lot more time to save up money for a premod but itll probably be better.

Anyway, I know very little about premods. What is the best version of PS2 to get premodded? I heard the slims arent good and that people seem to prefer the V7s for some reason, I thaught people would prefer the V9 or V10 since those can play antimod PS1 games.

And anyone know of any good stores (preferably within the US to avoid customs problems, I had my psx modcart seized once when being shipped form hong kong) that are reliable? (And offer a good price).

A friend of mine recently was debating a DMS4 or Matrix Infinity Premod, the guy claimed that the only difference between them was that the DMS4 chip has ToxisOS which gives you HDloader (I dont really give a damn about that) and that the Matrix Infinity shuts itself off when not in use to prolong it's life, now THAT I care about.

Im sure both support DVD9 and the EA games and everything, but what about PAL games? When I first asked about the DMS4 vs Matrix Infinity you said that the MI was better but at the time was having some issues with PAL games. So how is it now in playing PAL ps1 and ps2 games on NTSC tvs?

Also, would my Gameshark, Action Replay, and Codebreaker disks work? My old gameshark disk no longer works even on ym unmodded ps2 if my modem is plugged in but the new one (which is now called action replay MAX) does.

Thanks..... and sorry for yet AGAIN dragging on the question of modding.