Modding PS2 Slimline/Emulation

You guys seem to know quite a bit about this kind of stuff.

I want to mod my PS2 Slimline, so I can play games without having to spend money on games. I'm talking about downloading ps1/2 iso's and burning them to cd/dvd, and playing them in my PS2 Slimline. Well, really only PS2 games. I can emulate any PS1 game I want to play on my computer, but PS2 emulators don't seem to be coming along too quickly.

...Or are they? You think my iMac i7 could handle it? I have Snow Leopard AND Windows 7 on it.

But if I WERE to mod my PS2 Slimline...
There's gotta be someone on here who's done this before. Any preference as to chips? Messiah 2?
I'm very comfortable taking things apart and soldering, I've done modding and part replacement on my Wii before, just not on the PS2.

An i7 is a more than enough powerful CPU to emulate a PS2, but it depends heavily on what graphics card you have. Ex. I Have a Radeon 4670 and I can run a game like SSX 3 in 1280x720 with minimal slowdown.

I have a Radeon HD 4850.

If you want to try a test run, get PCSX2 and pop one of your PS2 games in your dvd drive and run it off there. Dick with the settings if it doesn't work, 99% of the time it's the emulator that's confused as to what to do rather than your PC being unable to handle it. Try a common game rather than JAP RPG X204920940 so the emulator might be optimized to be able to run it, ala Final Fantasy X and Metal Gear Solid 3.

And if you want i'll upload my version of the emulator that I got FFX running almost perfectly on.

At the moment the settings make a huge difference, and for many games they're different. The settings that make SSX 3 run great for me in turn make SSX Tricky (different engine) run like crap, and half the time my character disappears. Tuning it to make tricky run great makes 3 run at a snail's pace. The PCSX2 forums are full of recommended settings and guides to tweaking and stuff like that =o

PCSX2 is working alright. I get great speed, and all that, but every now and then there's a weird issue, or random scanlines.

I got a shell top for my PS2 Slimline, and bought Swap Magic. It was only like $30.

I posted about getting the small tool to block the sensors and buy Swap Magic, since the tool means the PS2 didn't need to be opened or messed with internally. But then I deleted it when I noticed you said you wouldn't have minded PCSX2.

:X

I know, I saw that post and it's how I found Swap Magic. :p But online, I found a neat little cover thing that replaces the flip top on the Slimline PS2. It allows you to eject without tripping the tray sensors, and all you need is a screwdriver. Sure, I could have just stuffed some straws and toilet paper into it, but I didn't really want to, lol.

The pieces I linked to were shaped to stick neatly into the PS2. It's what I use.

Oh, I must have overlooked that. Wel, it's too late now. :p

Got my flip top, and GOOD LORD the damn SCREWS in the back of the PS2 are IMPOSSIBLE to get out. I need a set of those precision screwdrivers. Argh, more things to buy.

I know, I saw that post and it's how I found Swap Magic. :p But online, I found a neat little cover thing that replaces the flip top on the Slimline PS2. It allows you to eject without tripping the tray sensors, and all you need is a screwdriver. Sure, I could have just stuffed some straws and toilet paper into it, but I didn't really want to, lol.

Swap Magic Disc? I want that ._. Is that the thing that allows you to, if you plug a flash drive/USB in, you can access it?

No.

You see, PS2's CAN run burned cd's and dvd's. They're just programmed NOT to. When you put one in the PS2 and start it up, it recognizes that the disk is home-made, and it's like "NOPE I WONT PLAY THAT."

What Swap Magic does, is gets you past that burned cd/dvd check that the PS2 does, and then STOPS spinning itself, so you can take it out of the disc tray and put in the burned cd/dvd, press X, and then start playing your dvd-r or cd-r burned game.

HOWEVER, there are fail-safes in the PS2 against this. First of all, the eject button cuts power to the PS2, so you can't just press eject and swap disc, it will reset the PS2. There are also one or two other mechanical sensors that trigger when the tray is opened that do the same thing. If any of these things are tripped, the PS2 reset's, and you have to start over, so you see it prevents you from swapping out discs.

UNLESS you buy and install a flip top. It's simply a replacement for the tray cover on the PS2 (SLIM), but it has a hole in the top (with a cover that flips down). It allows you to switch out discs without tripping the PS2's sensors. You have to disassemble your PS2 (and void your warranty) to install it, but there's guides online, and it isn't TOO difficult. But you'll need some precision screwdrivers (ask for exactly that at a hardware store).

Total cost: ~$40.

That's for the PS2 Slim. The fat PS2 requires a bit more work, I hear.

edit: This also allows you to play imported games.

http://freemcboot.psx-scene.com/swapmagic.php

But this uses Swap Magic. :3

Okay? It does more than one thing.