Matrix Infinity problem & questions

[Sp0rk]

Hi,
I have a silver v9 PS2 and bought myself a Matrix Infinity and attempted to install it during the weekend. Everything went fairly well but when I put my PS2 back together and tried playing any CD/DVD the PS2 would freeze with 'Reading disc' blinking in the browser window or the swirls spinning around on the main screen (depending on the screen I was in) pressing the Eject, Power and controller buttons wouldn't work and I'd have to flick the switch at the back, it would read the mem cards fine though.

I opened the PS2 and noticed the U wire had come up from the via but fearing that I may have caused more harm then good I removed the chip completely and tested the PS2 to find that it works fine.

I'm going to attempt to install the chip again and was wondering if I need to solder the QTUV and R wires to the vias or can I solder them directly to their corresponding pins on the chip?. I see some people have done it with other chips and am wondering if it can be done with the Matrix.

Also I never used a multimeter but am considering it this time, would the multimeter cause harm to the chip or ps2? especially with everything being fairly static sensitive. For example if I was to solder the A wire to the PS2 then to the chip and test the connection between the soldered point on the board and the solder point on the chip would it cause any problems? Does the PS2 have to be powered up to test the connections?

Sorry for my carry on, I have tried finding these answers myself but haven't had much luck.

[oZER0o]

nah, multimeters are ok, just use a low resistance test, and you'll be fine. (if the 2 points are isolated completely, you'll see 0, and it will react if and then go to 0 if there is a direct connection, and if there is high resistance {like between 2 pins of an IC} then you will get a reading for the resistance) it should just be the BIOS chip that you have the most problems with, am i right?

dont worry, i was in the same boat as you a while ago, im a horrible solderer. i just went in the "post your mod pics" thread and found one for a V7 infinity, and copied it directly, and it worked like a nut

[Sp0rk]

yeah those were a real %#$& to solder

I'll just have to try again then, is it ok to solder the QTUV and R wires to the chip directly rather than the vias? I'm guessing it is as they don't appear to go anywhere else but to the chip

[oZER0o]

yeah of course, thats what i did. i found it impossible to get the solder to stick to the flat copper pads. i just put them straight on the IC pins.

[Sp0rk]

cool, thats gonna be my task for tomorrow night then

[oZER0o]

yeah, i had left mine under my bed for months, and just thought to myself, no, i aint procrastinating any longer, I'm gonna do this sh*t, and I just did it. i used razor blades, pins, needles, tape, everything.

[Sp0rk]

yeah i tend to be like that too, ive been kinda putting this off for the past 6ish months and finally decided to buy the chip and tools, can't really stop now...

[lufcfan]

The VIAs are very simple with a bit of practise. The secret is to scrape the laquer off from the VIA so it appears shiny and use PLENTY of flux