PS2 Place - PSX
Place 
PS2 Place - PSX
Place
.
1st May 2002.
Zentex NON-SWAP PS2 Upgrades In stock NOW. Order
HERE..
Well, things are looking up on the XBOX mods front, just as it has
had a 33% price cut... the fastest in console history.... Seems there will be
a NEO-X for the xbox. Capable of playing imported titles on the console... so
again, no waiting for second rate conversions of top titles for six months and
then paying a premium for the privalege. Soon to be available to all.....
Apparently, the legality is being checked before final production
and release gets underway, as NEO had enough problems with Sony a while back.
It has come to our attention though, that if they have done this, then it is
a very simple step (that has probably already been tested) to make fully unsigned
code run on the machine and therefore allow everyone to play anything on their
console and especially home made apps. I guess though that it wont be a (deliberate)
feature of any mod they do. Piracy should not necessarily come into it anyway,
as the discs themselves cannot be read using normal software on a PC. So even
if that function was possible, it should be limited to home brew apps... maybe
vcd playback, etc. Which would be cool. Anyway, that's it for now, more as we
get it. In the meantime enjoy your PS2's with the full
non-swap Zentex Upgrade..
24th April 2002.
Ok, now this site is back.... time to update a few things around
here..... Firstly there is now the brand NEW FULL NON-SWAP Zentex Upgrade available
for the PS2 from one of our Sponsor's shops. Following the Ordering link on
the left for details. These are available for IMMEDIATE Despatch. Working on
ALL PAL Consoles They offer playback of everything games related.
The Messiah as posted last time is official R.I.P. at least as far
as the UK Market is currently concerned..... :( And it seems that there is an
attempt being made by Sony to stop various mod sales in Australia.... however,
they have met a much less apathetic government than the UK's and a government
agency has stepped in to fight on behalf of the consumer. As in Europe we feel
hard done by with slow releases, poor quality conversions and missing extras
in our Games and movies, but despite that being pretty bad, the Austalian Consumer
has it MUCH WORSE. They have to endure much longer lead times and many, many
titles never get released over there. So the consumers ONLY option for many
things is to import them. But with ridiculous regional restrictions this is
not possible, without a mod.... Therefore the Australian government is stepping
in to make sure mods remain legal over there. Good on 'Em!!! And Good Luck!!!!
22nd February 2002.
Now, haven't I neglected this place for far too long.....Anyway,
much has happened since the posts below. The most significant points are:-
1) Neo 4 Was released as a 44 wire mod, working on ALL PAL machines
(of the time. there is now a v5 board). It also worked in US Consoles and was
due for a JAP version as well. This mod did everything non-swap including multi-region
dvd movies/ macrovision disable. However it did require a single swap for dvd-r
booting (veyr easy one though!) and was not compatible with Import Originals.
2) The Messiah mod from Channeltech was released at the beginning of December 2001. This was a truly Full Non-Swap for game mod. If could handle every type of game format, including dvd-r and import originals. It did not have any multi-region dvd movie features though.
3) Before the Messiah was even fully released, Sony Computer
Entertainment, decided to take exception to both of the above mods and issued
them both with a cease and desist letter. The neo4 had already sold loads, but
the Messiah had only taken pre-orders for a few hours..... The case was badly/
unfairly handled by Sony however, as they decided to insist that whatever could
be illegal or bad for their business about the Neo 4 would also be applied directly
to the Messiah design. Despite the fact that the Messiah was done in a very
different way and had some extremely legitimate uses - Import Originals (something
us Europeans have been crying out for, because of crap and slow conversions).
Anyway, this all went to court eventually and Playstationmods/ Neo Technologies
caved in immediately and agreed to some extremely restrictive terms on mod chipping
in the future and paid an undisclosed sum of money to sony in damages. Channel
technologies, however did not lie down and play dead for Sony. They sought legal
advice and got confirmation that there is nothing in law that makes their modification
illegal. So they took it to court. The court was a civil case and not a criminal
case and therefore the odds are evened out at the beginning and it is a matter
of which side can put across the most convincing argument. Now, of course Sony
being a big corporations had a pile of legal 'experts' on their team and mashed
poor Gazza from channeltech in to the ground. As only the amount of money seems
to affect a civil case. It doesn't seem to matter who is right and who is wrong.
What a crap legal system..... Anyway, I digress. Now the clearly corrupt (IMHO)
judge ruled in Sony's favour and Channeltech had to pay something like £50,000
in costs and damages to Sony. The other extremely bad thing to come out of this,
was that the judge basically made it illegal to play ANYTHING outside of its
original intended region. Now this has implications far wider than a simple
console modification. Effectively they are saying that the fact I can buy legally
from the USA or anywhere abroad a dvd movie or audio cd does not give me the
right to actually watch the movie or play the audio cd. In fact the idiot was
saying that I would appear to be breaking the law by simply listening to something
I have legally purchased because I am outside of the original region it was
intended for.... Now you tell me, how ridiculous is that? How much power does
it give to big corporations seeking to bleed us dry with higher prices, crap
quality releases, and long delays, when because of globalisation it is easy
for me to stop them ripping me off by buying from abroad. The UK government
must surely step in to this and stop this terrible practice and return some
sense to the law.The Australian government isn't standing for it and they have
intervened in another case Sony is trying to pursue in relation to mod chipping
over there. The argument from the government is that globalisation should be
a benefit to everyone and that to prevent lack of choice and high prices, etc
the people should be allowed to buy games from wherever they want. Obviously
pirate games are not to be accepted, but with the regionalisation Sony put in
the PS2 (and psx for that matter) they have basically forced a mod chip to become
a legal entitlement to allow free markets to flow. Good on em and I might just
move there!
Ok, that's enough for now... more when I get a chance...
17th October 2001.
Ok well, final specs for Neo
4 are out on the table. Looks like you will have Direct Boot
Everything EXCEPT dvd-r's and import originals. The dvd-r booting is to swap
with an original PS2 (from your region) that has a table of contents (TOC) bigger
than the copy you are wanting to play. No need for any other products like Datel
discs or anything. Import originals are not supported full stop. Although they
are releasing a dedicated chip for this soon. DVD Movies support includes Multi-region,
including RCE, Macrovision removed and the Green Screen fixed by correct code
injection. Cost of Neo 4 looks to be £55. Fitting instructions have not
been released yet, neither has a final wiring count. There is a very worrying
point however - The plan to allow the Neo 4 to be socketed has been scrapped
and also the cd-upgrade technology that they have included is only for drivers
and will not be able to add extra functionality. Therefore the question begs
- How are you going to be able to add dvd-r direct boot support???? The answer
is not coming from NEO Tech at the moment... I guess the reason is that the
answer is going to be 'Take out the Neo-4 and solder in the Neo-x'. Which not
many people will like. There are plans by NEO Tech to sort out the wiring situation
(which will not be in place for the first batch of chips) by producing a 'clip'
that presumably will have a lot of the wires on it and will clip onto one of
the chips on the PS2 mainboard (presumably the bios). This would greatly reduce
the wiring count which current estimates put at 33 - 43! The way Neo are playing
this, is that when the clip is ready, the wiring should be reduced to somewhere
below 10 I think (Although they have NOT directly said this).
Now, NEW on the horizon and coming in rapidly is the Messiah
Mod from Channel Tech. They were the one's behind the NEO
3 that Neo cancelled, but Channeltech continued with. Their current Bootmaster
3 is the most advanced chip on the market. However it is NOTHING compared to
the MESSIAH. This mod is promised to be the Final Word in Modchips for the PS2,
by attacking EVERYTHING that you could want to through at it. We are talking
Non-Swap PSX titles of all types. Non-Swap PS2 Titles of all types (including
Dvd-r and Import originals). Support for all console version is planned. Price
is promised to be less than Neo-4 and wiring count stands at 26. This is apparently
likely to shrink to just a few using a special something that Gazza is cooking
up.... he wont say what it is though until he is sure it is to be included.
There will apparently be two versions of the Messiah. A 'lite' version
which has ALL the gaming features are mentioned above and a 'Full' version which
adds DVD Multi-Region, Macrovision Off and Green Screen fix on Movies. The tentative
release date for this mod is 1st November, but this is likely to be for the
full wiring version. I think Mid to Late November should see the all-singing
all-dancing 'easy'-fit version released.
Looks like the PS2 backups future is looking very rosy, especially
with the recent major price cut of the PS2 down to £199 and some places
even selling it for £189! Happy Gaming ;-))
I hope that I can get an early version of the Messiah to put up in
a fair test against the Neo 4 that is due back to one of the ADRenalin-UK crew
soon. As soon as we get full details, you will be able to read about it here
and on the ADR-Forums.
29th August 2001.
There is some updated information on the Neo4. Features list as
below is confirmed. Code works on ALL versions of PS2, no matter what region
or model you have! The mod is designed to be socket upgradeable, rather than
having to open the ps2 up again for more soldering. The confirmed main area
that is going to be focused upon, once the Neo4 is released is Import Originals...
Along with this should come DVD-R with no swap as well and the removal of the
need for 'EA' patches to be applied to your games... Also, apparently there
are two secret functions, that Neo Tech are not telling about..... Guesses on
a postcard please ;-)
My thoughts are that one will be a 'Disc Brake' facility, probably
for use with a special DVD-R boot method. Talking about the DVD-R booting, apparently
you will need any PS2 DVD GAME disc and can then do a single swap for your backup.
This disc could also be a demo disc, but there is one proviso - The original
disc you use, must have a bigger TOC than the backup.... Therefore, GT3, will
be pretty useless as it is only 2.3gb(Jap) or 3.5gb(EURO/US). Currently recommended
title to have is DOA2, which is 4.5gb and as 4.7gb is the maximum, this should
work for quite a while.... hopefully they will bring out the no swap upgrade,
before it becomes a problem. Expect DOA2 to top the charts though, until something
bigger is brought out or the non-swap dvdr comes out ;-))
For those thinking about getting a DVD-R burner (Now coming under
£600 in the UK) and blanks dropping in price nearly daily.... I would
give a word of caution. The current writer out is by Pioneer (A-03). This writes
DVD-R and DVD-RW discs. DVD-R do work on most current dvd players... However,
as at the beginning of September HP are releasing a DVD+R/ DVD+RW drive. Notice
the + instead of -. The formats are different... DVD+RW is supported by the
likes of Sony, Ricoh, HP, Philips, Verbatim and a whole host of other companies.
(Check www.dvdr.com) for details. The point is that this format seems to have
much better industry backing and therefore, there is a good chance that this
will become the format of choice. DVD-R is supported by Pioneer and Apple and
that's about it.... You have been warned!
14th August 2001.
More news is flowing on the Neo4! Following a leak of the private
resellers page to a complete idiot of the PS2 scene, PSMods has now officially
confirmed more of the features available in the first batches of the Neo4. These
are:-
JAP/US/EU/UK/AU Models supported
PSX Original Imports - NO SWAP
PSX Silvers - NO SWAP
PSX CDR Backups - NO SWAP
PS2 CD Silvers - NO SWAP
PS2 CDR Backups - NO SWAP OR PATCH
PS2 DVDR Backups - SINGLE SWAP - NO PATCH
PS2 DVD Silvers - SINGLE SWAP
MACROVISION OFF
In progress:
DVDR NO SWAP
DVD SILVERS NO SWAP
ORIGINAL IMPORTS (Either Swap or No Swap)
Reducing Number Of Wires / Ease Of Installation
So there you go, they are very nearly there... congratulations on
an extremely good job to PSmods. Release of this looks to have slipped to mid
September, but I am sure everyone can wait a little longer as they finalise
this mod.
One of the best features/ ideas implemented with the design of the
NEO4 is that you should hopefully never need to do any more soldering to upgrade
the chip... it is designed so that the main chip on the baord is socketed and
can just be pulled out and swapped over to a newer one, without any effort.
If they find that they really need to add more wires, then it would only be
a matter of adding the couple of extra wires and then changing the socketed
chip, so again it should be a simple to handle upgrade.
All this, should mean that although the initial install will have
somewhere in the region of 22 to 28 wires, this should be a one time install......
31st July 2001.
Ok the big news around town, has got to be the successful cracking
of ALL Versions of PS2 to allow a NON-Swap mod to be fitted. This will not be
out till around the end of August, but has been tested in EVERY PS2 Version
so far, including All Jap, US and EURO/UK consoles. 100% success at booting
CD games copies. It still cannot handle directly, booting of DVD-r, but that
is in progress and will hopefully be cracked before it's release..... Also cannot
handle import originals for PS2, but that is not such a big problem if you can
just buy the original, make a backup and use that instead!!! The company responsible
for the single most impressive hack of the PS2 ever is Playstationmods, who
have led the game all the way through with their series of Neo chips. Neo4 will
touch down (currently with a very hefty 28wires!!!) at the end of this month...
Neo 3, which was developed by channeltechnology will go on-sale in the meantime
as the best chip currently available!
19th July 2001.
Sorry about the lack of updates recently. Quite a lot has been happening
though, so here goes.....
NEO3: Still not out and about for DIY installation, although channeltech
are fitting it, but only to V3 machines (ten screws underneath console). Not
sure whether DIY version patches DVD multiregion on V4 PS2's..... but no matter
because....
Datel: Have launched a whole load of new products. The one I like
the best is the DVD Region X. This allows any Pal Ps2 playstation to play ANY
dvd region films including RCE protected titles, by using just a boot disc and
a Memory Card Dongle. This does NOT require you to open you PS2 and even enables
RGB Output on DVD video titles. There is also a rumour of codes coming out to
allow Macrovision to be turned off as well!!! All for just twenty quid... Excellent.
Sticking with Datel, they have had to stop making the extreme fm
as they could no longer source the components for the radio bit of it (so the
official story says anyway.....). Therefore, this can no longer be obtained
and used as a boot disc for the many modchips around. However, don't despair...
The action replay is still out and about, now on version 1.8! Also the Mega
Memory 16 product comes with a memory manager disc that can be used as a boot
disc. This disc does not support the EA boot method, although this should not
be a problem (see story later about this). Also the DVD Region X, as mentioned
above, can also be used as a boot disc, including the EA Method! This is presumably
going to be a VERY HOT product for Datel.
EA Games Booting: Well, most of you will be aware that EA sports
titles had extra checks on the disc to detect the disc swap, and therefore to
boot these you used to require a Neo2 style chip and use a special boot method
(which was a pain in the arse). However, there are now patches out for all EA
games and these games can now be booted in the normal boot method. There is
also a Universal EA patcher (beta version currently) that can patch any EA game
for you. This now means that a Neo Key, is FULLY functional for booting PS2
backups and also product like the MM16 from Datel are fiune to use, because
the EA method is not required anymore! ;-)
Neo2.2: Although the DIY install for the Neo3 is still awaiting release
(currently in manufacture), Neo technologies have released the source code to
an updated Neo2. This now has a few added features, including a Disc Brake when
using EA method on V4 consoles and even more time to swap disc when using EA
method. It also adds improved reliability when booting backups. If EA method
is not required, then you can wire this in a 5 wire mode, instead of the usual
8. Skipping some of the most difficult to solder points. It now directly supports
PSX original games booting without the need to disable the chip!
DVD-r: Ok, most games seem to be out and about on rip, even the DVD
games have been ripped to a single cd or even multiple discs if necessary (Ominusha
is 4 CD's!!!). However, a much better backup, would be allowing you to make
a backup of your original DVD game and using that, so that your original does
not get damaged and you do not lose any movies, or quality by getting the CDR
DVD Rip.
Up until now it has not been possible to boot DVD-r backups, because
a DVD boot disc would be required and does not currently exist. However a person
called gi1 has managed to boot dvd-r's using a double swap method. They are
a little flaky (some intro movies, etc don't work), but the games are apparently
playable. Now mod chip development on making this easier is full steam ahead
at psmods/channeltech and hopefully an easier way to boot these will be available
soon. In the meantime, at least it is possible and therefore means that the
Pioneer-A03 drive will become a popular item, as it is the first consumer price
level dvd writer, that can write discs compatible with current players and 4.7gb
as well. Disc prices are tumbling and should reach very low prices fairly quickly.
I have been keeping an eye on the prices and in the last 6 weeks they seem to
have dropped from £12, through £10, to £8.50 and I have even
heard reports of below a fiver+vat for singles!!!! This will be the future of
backups......
Ok, that's it for now... more when time allows ;-) Take it easy.
14th May 2001.
Ok, final announcements have been made on NEO3. The official announcement
is as follows:-
The NEO3 is a huge step forward in the search for the perfect
PS2 modchip. It works completely different to NEO2 and will be the architecture
and basis for a future no swap mod (this would be impossible with the current
design) The NEO3 does still require AR2 or GS2 for the PS2 swap - but the XtremeFM
is recommended as this works absolutely perfect inc direct boot of all EA games.
The main step has been the full patching of the BIOS to finally fully
support PSX - next step is to do the same with PS2.
The mod is not a simple PIC chip but 2 devices including a CPLD Lattice
chip. The whole mod is professionally manufactured on a PCB with several components
- there may be two different mods for PAL and US NTSC machines.
There is no current plans to support the JAP 3000x although we may
look at it in the near future.
The mod does not currently support PS2 import originals.
The DVD mod is NOT for games so stop asking! It is for MOVIES and
works with all films inc RCE protected titles. PAL machines only at present.
We have no idea how the mod will cope with future games/DVD games
as they haven't been released yet so again STOP ASKING
The mod boots PSX originals / imports / backups absolutely perfect
with no swap trick needed. The PSX part of the bios is now fully patched and
we are currently working on the PS2 part of the bios.
The EA Intelligent control is a very clever function that shows its
true colors when using the XtremeFM device (this is really what it has been
designed for). AR2/GS2 v1.4+ is not quite compatible yet (work in progress)
- although these wont be used anymore once the XtremeFM has been released in
the US.
All NTSC PSX games will play in 60Hz on a PAL machine
There is currently 12 wires in total BUT the features of the mod
have been separated so you get to choose what you want (e.g if you don't want
DVD then there are x amount of wires you do not need to solder)
Now this mod hasn't been released as the next huge thing and everyone
must upgrade. It is the best mod yet but no where near a full mod - so what
I don't want to hear is some of you lame asses saying its crap blah blah blah
I'm sticking with NEO2 Well that's fine we are not forcing anyone to buy this
mod - but when its released and you actually see how reliable and solid it is
- believe me you'll upgrade - and yes it is a world ahead of the Star Chip before
any of you ask.
So there you go, the new mod looks very interesting. It is probably
going to be a bugger to fit, but then Sony' weren't going to let us get away
with a quick fix on their latst console!! I will sell these when they become
available. Pricing is yet to be announced so keep an eye out here for details!
28th April 2001.
NEO3 is coming soon..... to a PS2 near you. That's right, announcements
have been made that the new chip will support Multi-Region DVD playback! This
mod is apparently far more complex than the previous NEO2, but will be installable
is sections depending on what features you are looking for. Direct Boot of PSX
games is now fully supported apparently.... including ORIGINAL Imports and backup
imports, with no more patching required! This is good news. Now, PS2 is a little
more uncertain as to exactly what benefits this will bring. More info when we
have it
14th April 2001.
The version 4 board is looks like ti is Sony's attempt to get all
regions on to the same style of board. Presumably to lower manufacturing costs.
Anyway, NEO2 is confirmed working on this board, you just need an Action Replay
disc 1.4 and above or a new device called an Xtreme FM. This is by the same
company (Datel) and allows booting of backups, etc as per the AR2 method. So,
now it is possible to get something more useful for your money. This is because
the xtreme FM comes with a USB FM radio plugin for your PS2!!!!
27th March 2001.
There is a new PS2 Board out and about. Version 4. this board apparently
does not work with the Action Replay 2 v1.3 and the Neo2 Mod Chip using the
EA boot method. The way to tell if you have a version 4 board, is by how many
screws you have underneath your console. If you have 10 screws, it is the older
board (and compatible with current modchip) and if you have only 8 screws, then
this is thenew board. It will then require you to use the Action Replay v1.4
and this does not allow the EA swap method to work! Neo3 is apparently on its
way, so you'll just have to wait a little bit I'm afraid. I also know of at
least one other source that is apparently doing quite well in their attempt
to produce a 'proper' modchip, that can boot games directly, instead of requiring
swapping. Now this is what we want to see. Once this is out, I am sure there
will be a rush to buy new PS2's!!!
25th March 2001.
Ok, those of you wondering about a Multi-Region DVD mod, will be
happy to hear that at least one company has had success in flashing the bios
in the PS2 and allowing Multi-Region Playback! Now, they can't sell this, as
it would mean changing Sony copyrighted software. Therefore, they are working
on porting it to the next gen modchip - Neo3.
There is also a mod for the PS2, to allow full colour RGB
output when playing back DVD's! It's about time, I still can't believe that
Sony saw fit to disable the best quality playback in the PS2 of DVD's. Diagram
will go up on the Mods Page soon.
12th March 2001.
I am starting up a section dedicated to Patches - Mostly PS2 Patches.
If anyone wants to contribute patches for posting here, feel free to contact
me at:- wp-admin@bigfoot.com
The first of the patches will be uploaded later this week.
10th March 2001.
A mod for your PS2 to allow FULL RGB Playback of DVD's has been released.
The diagram will be uploaded to the Mod Info page later in the week.
5th March 2001.
Ok, supplies of the Action Replay 2 v1.3 have become extremely limited.
It seems that your last chance to get the current mod is upon us. Hopefully
shortly after the demise of the AR2 -v1.3, we will see a decent mod that does
the full job. Now, I know something about the architecture involved with this
and it is no easy task. However, there is ALWAYS a way round these things. A
little more time, will see a full PS2 mod allowing direct booting of backups
and imports.
The other mod yet to be fully realised, is a DVD Region Hack (and possibly a
fix for that damn Green Screen RGB output on DVD's). This I believe has been
developed, just not quite fully released. This is probably because the DVD playback
has been a complete cock-up on the PS2. Some titles play, some don't - No decent
quality output, Dodgy picture quality on those titles that do play. I mean,
it is almost unbelieveable that a company as big and as experienced in DVD machines
should make such a half-hearted effort at DVD playback. This is probably the
reason, that after the initial surge, PS2's are not going quite as quick as
they might. I know plenty of people who wanted a DVD player and held off thinking
this would be a good excuse to get PS2, but with all the problems, it seems
that everyone is going for fully featured stand alone players and not getting
a PS2 at all. Hopefully a new model with improved playback and compatibility
will be released soon.
20th February 2001.
The Neo2 Mod is out and about, but it doesn't look like it is destined to last
very long, for the UK market anyway. As it seems that Sony have got just a little
upset over the release of this chip and have put some serious pressure onto
Datel who make the Action Replay 2 (Required in the UK/ European market for
booting PS2 Backups) and unfortunatey Datel have recalled most of the Action
Replay 2 v1.3's and are replacing them with v1.4 - Which does NOT work with
the NEO2 mod. This is sad news, however, hopefully it will mean that a full
mod will be released that much quicker, as soon the NEO2 will be useless in
the UK/ European Market.
10th January 2001.
Sorry for the lack of updates, I have been rather busy in the Encryption Place.
Anyway, it looks like the PS2 has been hacked and that a Swap Method Chip will
be released in the next few weeks. This is expected to be cheap, as the more
expensive chip will come in the form of a Full Non-Swap hack allowing PS2 and
PS1 game backups to be booted directly. The Full hack is expected in the next
couple of months, but there are already signs that Sony may have changed some
design on the PS2's already and therefore, the effect this will have on any
cjip is uncertain. However, I would have confidence in the hackers to get round
pretty mch anything Sony do...... Hopefully.
28th October 2000.
Well the Release of the PS2 in America has been and gone along with all the
consoles in half an hour apparently!!! Pretty Impressive. Apparently the brand
new modchip for the latest edition of the PS2 in Japan can be used on the US
version of the PS2. This will apparently allow PS2 JAP and US to be booted with
a single swap and PS1 games to boot straight off. This is great news and hopefully
bodes well for the European release in less than a month. There is still a way
to go before the modchip is all encompassing as you still have to swap PS2 titles
and it doesn't sort out region changing for DVD movie playback. Still it is
early days yet and there is nearly a month before the European release, which
will hopefully mean that at least the swap for PS2 titles has been fixed. Keep
yours eyes peeled and we will keep you informed.
22nd October 2000.
The PSONE has been causing many people problems when it comes to chipping the
machine for Import games to play. We have previously mentioned two methods of
attack, either a newly coded mod chip or a change of the bios. However it has
recently come to our attention that there is a third method of getting round
this vulnerability - An Import Bootloader CD. We have manage to aquire these
and they are for sale on our ordering
page. Basically they work with the chips that we sell and once the PSONE
has been chipped using one of our chips, then you switch on the PSONE with Import
Bootloader CD inside. A screen will then appear giving you the chance to change
the cd for your import and then close the PSONE to continue to boot the import
cd as if it was a normal original!! This is tried and tested, so get your orders
in quick to avoid dissappointment.
20th Ocotober 2000.
The PS2 is just days away from release in the US. Some US PS2 games have apparently
already appeared and have been patched and are playable on Japanese chipped
machines. This is great news as the rush for a fully functional chip continues
on. The release of the second region console is bound to result is some far
better mods for the PS2, that do not require a swap of the disc. So, we at WhatPlace.co.uk
are hopeful that a fully functioning chip will be available when the European
release of the PS2 hits on November 24th. Stay Posted.
The ORDERING Page is finally up for
those wanting chips.
10th October 2000.
Speculation continues as to whether the US release of the Playstation 2 will
be the same as the Japanese one and more importantly - will the existing Mod
Chip work? There is no doubt, that the US release of the Playstation 2 on the
26th October will be a complete sell-out. It will also answer the question as
to whether the mod chip code needs changing or will work outright. The UK market
will at least benefit from the experiences of the US market and should mean
that come release date in the UK (November 24th) chips should be available very
quickly. llowing continued use of all your Original Import games.
5th October 2000.
There appears to be two ways of attacking the multi-region problem with the
new PSONE console. One has been done by hacking the bios of a PSONE to make
it work in the same way as previous models. This is however illegal to do, because
the hacking on SONY's own code/ chips is copyright protected. The second attack
is coming in the form of some modified Mod Chip code. This has been done and
reports are good for compatibility. The code for this is likely to remain fairly
restricted at first, as some companies try to cash in on the new code. Whatplace.co.uk
will be attempting to get a copy of this code and will inform you all of where
to get it, when we know. If anyone reading has this modified code, please send
it to us.
We will also be adding the updated mod chip diagram for the UK edition of the
PSONE as soon as we have it.
1st October 2000.
The PSONE is out and about in the UK selling for around £80 standalone.
Watch out through, for all of you looking to chip the machine to play backups
and imports, because it turns out that if you use a standard mod chip, then
you will not be able to play games from other regions. This (I believe) applies
to original import games, as well as any backups you may have made of those.
You will however be able to play your UK/ European backups without a problem.
25th September 2000.
Playstation 2 Mod chip update. The only mod chip available for the Playstation
2 as far as we can verify, allows Playstation 1/2 Backups and Originals from
all regions to be played. It does NOT allow DVD region changing. It also requires
a swap for Playstation 2 games. Rumours persist of two other chips/ hacks. These
are firstly for a no swap version of the current chip. Secondly for a DVD region
hack. I personally believe that a region hack should be possible without a hardware
change, as the DVD player is loaded on to a memory card. Therefore the most
logical place for an attack on the region would be the player on the memory
card. However, we cannot find any verified Multi-Region hack for the DVD side
of the PSX2. I believe that multi-region should be made available anyway by
Sony. This is especially true in the UK/ European market when so many already
buy their DVD's from the US.
1st September 2000.
Updates for this site will be suspended for a few weeks as I disappear off on
holiday. Should be backup around 24th September 2000.
4th August 2000.
The Playstation 2 mod chips have arrived and work perfectly for Playstation
1 backups, Playstation 2 backups and Imports, however, the promise of Multi-Region
DVD is still not available. There are 8 connections to solder in place. I have
been having some words with the suppliers over these mod chips, because as you
will have read previously, we were expecting DVD region changing. Unfortunately,
I am finding out, that apparently there would need to be extra connections for
the DVD changing to be possible. We will continue to look for an Ultimate mod
chip, but in the meantime, These mod chips are available to handle most requirements
for only £13 each or if ordering more than 10 @ £8 each. The ordering
page is currently not available, so please contact us using the Contact button
above for ordering information.
The release of the new revision of the Playstation 2 in Japan (SCPH15000) has
not caused any problems with the mod chips that WhatPlace.co.uk is able to supply.
It appears that the change has been done to stop the original (Region Free)
DVD software being used on the newer models.
16th July 2000.
Sony have confirmed that the Playstation 2 will only be available by pre-ordering
initially. The procedures will be to either order directly from their web site,
or go to a retailer and fill in a form and pay a deposit. Sony will then contact
you, telling you when you can expect to pick up your new machine. Ordering should
be open from the 14th August for delivery late October onwards. The massive
demand expected, probably means that you will not be able to walk into a shop
and buy a Playstation 2 over the counter before next year.
14th July 2000.
A new mod diagram for the new PSONE (so far only released in Japan) has been
added to the Mod Info page.
4th July 2000.
Sony have confirmed their plans to release the Playstation 2 in America and
Europe simultaneously on October 26th 2000. This has stopped the rumours that
the European release was going to be delayed. Excellent!
1st July 2000.
Although this site is supposedly dedicated to the Playstation, anyone interested
in gaming could well have got themselves the Sega Dreamcast. Well, it seems
that this machine has been well and truly hacked......... The supposedly unreadable
discs have had their information extracted in a fairly simple method, thereby
allowing copies (umm I mean backups) to be made of Original discs. If there
are some requests, I may cover the details on how to do this shortly.
24th June 2000.
NEW Playstation 2 ModChip - The chip that the gaming world has been waiting
for. The PS2 modchip is the worlds most advanced Playstation modchip. Whatplace.co.uk
is proud to announce the imminent availability of this mod. Using the very latest
v3.0 code on genuine Microchip PIC chips - the PS2 Modchip is compatible with
the SCPH 10000 model Playstation 2, Plays all imports and backups from both
the Playstation 2 AND Playstation 1 consoles, (DVD MULTI-REGION with NO SWAP
TRICK - apparently not) and requires only 8 wires. This chip comes "bare" with
no wires or solder - it is assumed that you already have wire and solder at
your disposal. Please refer to the installation section for fitting tutorials
and diagrams. All chips are shipped in anti-static packaging and encase in air-tight
bubblewrap for maximum protection. Chips are expected to arrive mid July. Pricing
available shortly.
19th June 2000.
Sony Unleashes Two Amazing New Pieces of Hardware: Sony has, as expected, announced
the new version of PlayStation. The portable console gets a smaller name that
fits its diminutive stature -- meet PS One.
The new console
is a third of the size of the original gray box and will boast online capability
with a mobile phone connector (for Japan at least) and the ability to connect
to an LCD screen, sold separately.
PS
One will ship in Japan in July for 15,000 Yen ($140) and reach U.S. shores in
October. However U.S. gamers will have to wait until next year for the LCD screen.
Could the recent shortage of LCD screens plaguing Nintendo be something to do
with Sony snapping up available components? "This new product marks our renewed
commitment to the games business after our PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game
consoles have become big hits," said SCE President Ken Kutaragi.
Main Product Features
Product Name: PlayStation (PS one(TM))
Logo Type: PS one(TM)
Available: September 2000
Suggested Retail Price: North American price to be determined
Production Forecast: 8 million units worldwide for FY '01 (PS one and PlayStation
game console combined)
Dimensions: 193 mm (W) X 38 mm (H) X 144 mm (D) Weight: 550 g
Formats Supported: PlayStation CD-ROM, Audio CD Interfaces: Controller port
(2) Memory Card slot (2) AV Multi Cable output (1)
Accessories Included: DUALSHOCK(TM) analog controller (1) AV Multi Cable & AC
Adapter
Basic Specifications: (same as existing PlayStation game console)
CPU: 32 bit RISC (R3000 custom)
Clock Speed: 33.8688 MHz
Main Memory: 16Mbit Graphics:
PlayStation GPU Graphics Memory: 8Mbit
Sound: SPU 24 channel
Sound Memory: 4Mbit
Disc Drive: CD-ROM 2 times speed
More excitement for PlayStation2 owners came in the shape of the PS2 hard
drive, surprisingly an external device. As Sony promised it also includes network
connection in the shape of an Ethernet socket, allowing players to use a wide
variety of online connections, including cable modem and ADSL. The system will
be on sale in Japan this October, with a US/EURO redesign and launch to follow
soon after. It may be that the US/EURO version will be an internal device. We'll
have lots more on this story.... Here's a couple of views of the comparatively
bulky external PS2 hard drive.
16th June 2000.
According to Sony representatives in Tokyo, the internal PlayStation2 hardware
is being slightly remodeled to defeat PS2 modchips which allow users to play
copies of pirated software. In sections of Taiwan and Hong Kong, pirated copies
of PlayStation2 software and modchips are now openly available. What's worse,
the PlayStation2 piracy isn't limited to CD-ROM titles. Some pirates have copied
DVD-ROM games, and by stripping music tracks, fit them on standard 74min CDR
media. The standard PlayStation2 unit is model number; SCPH 10000. However,
a new version of the PlayStation2 system is scheduled to begin shipping next
month in Japan, model number; SCPH 15000. The internal differences between the
systems remain unknown, but we'll keep you posted.
4th June 2000.
OK, we are going to start covering the Playstation 2 developments from now on.
Starting with the news that the very first Playstation 2 Mod Chip has just become
available. Here it is !!! Its an
8 wire mod using a 12c508 on a small PCB. Its EASIER to install than on a standard
Playstation - you don't even need to take out the mainboard - just unscrew the
10 screws on the bottom of the PS2 and the mainboard is right there in your
face ready to be chipped. Apparently this chip will not enable DVD format games
to boot (yet) and it is still a little buggy - but it DOES enable backups of
PS2 games, PS1 imports and backups of PS1 imports to be played with no fuss.
2nd June 2000.
The Multimode code has been updated to handle the Wild Arms 2 problem. So Stealth
Codes will be on their way for free downloads soon.
23rd May 2000.
It appears that Wild Arms 2 has broken the Multimode and Stealth code that has
been working solidly on all new releases for many months. The effect is mainly
on US Consoles. PAL consoles do not appear to have been affected by this. However,
the stealth code does contain he so called 'Dino Modes'. These were designed
for playing Dino Crisis and were expected to never be required again. However
it appears that anyone having a problem playing Wild Arms 2 should activate
Dino Mode 1,2 or 3(try until it works) to bypass the protection problems.
9th May 2000.
Stealth Code may have been broken by the latest release games in the U.S. Verification
of this is currently underway. More news as soon as it is available.
17th February 2000.
Updated the Mod Info page. Added another diagram for 9002.
5th February 2000.
The new millenium is here and so is the new site. It is only just starting out
again. I will add a few more diagrams and codes to this area soon. Currently
I am working on the Money Place. Which is getting us all a nice steady flow
of money. Feel free to check it out here.
20th December 1999. Ok the new millenium
is coming up and it is time for a site overhaul. Expect some big changes and
hopefully(time permitting) many more updates. and information available from
this site.
5th October 1999.
I now have a definitive anti-mod code avilable for sale. It can defeat all the
known games with protection. It can also be fitted as a standard chip and then
the wiring upgraded later to allow 'Stealth' mode to be activated. You can then
decide whether or not you want to chip a PSX with the full or partial mod.
21st August 1999.
Looks like there are two ways to tackle the anit-mod chip code. Firstly get
your PSX chipped with the new anti-mod chip code. I have stealth code available
which looks to be pretty good at defeating the various types of code. The other
way to deal with it, it to wait for a patch to come out for the game. This then
allows the game to be converted into a standard playstaion game, so that it
can be backed up safely.
15th June 1999.
The playstation hacks are now becoming avilable for the various anti-mod games.
However the mod code that is protecting these games keeps chaning. Stay tuned
for more.
22nd February 1999.
It seems that the Japanese FF8 has also got the Anti-Mod Chip code in it. New
Code has been developed and is currently under test. Expect to find it here
in a few weeks time.
2nd February 1999
A new type of game has just been released for the Playstation. The game has
been written with Mod Chips in mind and will Apparently stop any Modified Playstation
from booting it. The game (Poporogue, S&R/Japan) is the first of what is
likely to be the future of games. The game specifically comes up with a red
hand/circle "stop" icon and will not boot further. However it has
been discovered that the 'Anti-Piracy' Mod chip will still play the game and
it is hoped that a loophole will be found to enable all these games to be played.
It is very likely however that any mod chip currently fitted will have to be
taken out and replaced with an 'Upgraded' version. I will post more news as
it becomes available.
21st January 1999
Latest Console (7502) Diagram Added. More to follow.
15th January 1999
This page is being upgraded as and when I get the time. I will have lots more
information available soon.
Copyright by Stargate.
