PS2 Mod 2016-19: USB & HDD Loading, PS1 via POPS, Emus

[Sarge]

I think you can do the rename through HDLDumb.

[Jagosaurus]

Regarding downloading .iso files... I had previously DLed 4 .iso files and only 1 worked via USB loading. All 3 of those files that did not work via USB, I can confirm they did run via HDD loading! In fact, I put 20 .iso files on my HDD (All DLed, not ripped from my collection) and 19 of 20 of these files worked fine. The one did not work fully loaded fine but hung up after opening FMV (Cold Fear was the title).

So as a whole, seem compatibility is higher on HDD, or the HDD is less touchy with files. I even just renamed a .bin file as .iso and it booted fine.

I was also able to rename files within OPL. Took me a bit. Don't try to go directly to the .iso menu first. Go into the main settings (press select) and enable deleting and renaming files. NOW go to the .iso list/game menu. Of course be careful what you are pressing now when viewing the game menu so you don't accidentally delete a game file. Might want to turn this option back off after renaming.

@nghtmr:
I can confirm the SLUS_xxx.xx naming scheme is only needed for USB loading. See below from SKS app site. Will help out when you go to do this:

You will need to rename the ISO in this form: (You can use iso2opl.exe to auto-rename for you, see below)

game-code.name.iso SCUS_973.28.GT4.iso

The game-code can be found by viewing the disc contents and will appear as a filename, from the disc label or on the side of the case. Its is very important that the game-code has an underscore and .iso in lowercase in the filename, as shown in the example below.
Wrong = SCUS-973.28.GT4.ISO
Correct = SCUS_973.28.GT4.iso
The name will be what appears in the game list. The name must NOT exeed 32 characters (including spaces) or it will not display.
You will need to create 2 folders, CD and DVD, both MUST be uppercase. Place these on the root of the USB device. Now place the DVD ISO's into the DVD folder and the CD ISOs into the CD folder.
OPL will display them in the USB Games list along with any games you may have installed for earlier versions of OPL.

[nightrnr]

A few exciting breakthroughs for me:

1. I recently switched PCs and my Router. I am now getting 4.5+ MB/s when transferring games via FTP/HDLdumb . That is quite fast for the network option and is very much preferable to taking the HDD out (not that I mind it so much, but I fear the wear on the PS2 HDD connection). And average DVD would probably only take 10-20 minutes.

2. I am able to quite easily convert most of my bins to isos using isobuster. I just open up the bin, and drag the track 1 over to my desired location.

3. This is semi-speculation, but I think winhiip converts my bin images to isos anyways, so when I do copy my games back to my PC, I think they are good to go (works in my testing so far and explains why MvC2 worked when nothing else did).

4. I got OPL to recognize and load a game via USB.
Thank you Jag for the info. I had previously supposed that you had to special format the USB stick.
This is neat, because when dealing with smaller CD games, you don't have to waste a bunch of extra space, as on HDD it has to install up to the next 128MB block. I have a game rip of Monster World collection that is only 18MB; That's 110MB of wasted space I am saving there.
It seems to be picky on my USB stick though. I have to devote one for games, as my heavy use stick was ignored by OPL (possibly due to fragmentation).
Also neat because it makes broken PS2 slims a more attractive option. One day I will devote one to CD games, as the space and read speed works well with the slow USB port. Really the CD PS2 collection is quite interesting. You have Fighters, a few RPGs, Shooters, Sports, Racing, the Sega Ages catalog, even some Action/Adventure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_P ... -ROM_games

Oddly, I originally got my PS2 Fatty because I didn't like how my 1st PS2 slim ran CD based games (sounded like it was going to blast off or explode when spinning CDs). Old style PS2's just ran the games better. Then I discovered the soft mod and had some fun with a small 30GB drive that I got for free. Had a lot of fun with that and for a time, I was on the lookout specifically for CD PS2 games. It was supplemented with downloads of Import games as that's like half the CD collection.
Nowadays, the possibilities are endless...

Next task, getting all my PS2 isos in one place and copying the rest of my game discs over (this will take some time and I'm not doing it all at once).
Then I have a 500GB drive that is begging to serve a PS2 overlord.

[Jagosaurus]

A few exciting breakthroughs for me:

1. I recently switched PCs and my Router. I am now getting 4.5+ MB/s when transferring games via FTP/HDLdumb . That is quite fast for the network option and is very much preferable to taking the HDD out (not that I mind it so much, but I fear the wear on the PS2 HDD connection). And average DVD would probably only take 10-20 minutes.

2. I am able to quite easily convert most of my bins to isos using isobuster. I just open up the bin, and drag the track 1 over to my desired location.

3. This is semi-speculation, but I think winhiip converts my bin images to isos anyways, so when I do copy my games back to my PC, I think they are good to go (works in my testing so far and explains why MvC2 worked when nothing else did).

4. I got OPL to recognize and load a game via USB.
Thank you Jag for the info. I had previously supposed that you had to special format the USB stick.
This is neat, because when dealing with smaller CD games, you don't have to waste a bunch of extra space, as on HDD it has to install up to the next 128MB block. I have a game rip of Monster World collection that is only 18MB; That's 110MB of wasted space I am saving there.
It seems to be picky on my USB stick though. I have to devote one for games, as my heavy use stick was ignored by OPL (possibly due to fragmentation).
Also neat because it makes broken PS2 slims a more attractive option. One day I will devote one to CD games, as the space and read speed works well with the slow USB port. Really the CD PS2 collection is quite interesting. You have Fighters, a few RPGs, Shooters, Sports, Racing, the Sega Ages catalog, even some Action/Adventure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_P ... -ROM_games

Oddly, I originally got my PS2 Fatty because I didn't like how my 1st PS2 slim ran CD based games (sounded like it was going to blast off or explode when spinning CDs). Old style PS2's just ran the games better. Then I discovered the soft mod and had some fun with a small 30GB drive that I got for free. Had a lot of fun with that and for a time, I was on the lookout specifically for CD PS2 games. It was supplemented with downloads of Import games as that's like half the CD collection.
Nowadays, the possibilities are endless...

Next task, getting all my PS2 isos in one place and copying the rest of my game discs over (this will take some time and I'm not doing it all at once).
Then I have a 500GB drive that is begging to serve a PS2 overlord.

I believe WINHIIP does convert from .bin to .iso. My Marvel v Capcom 2 file was .bin & I was too lazy to convert it. I just renamed it with a .iso extension & transferred it to the PS2 HDD while moving over a batch. I was fairly surprised when it booted up just fine.

Happy to help with all the input you gave me! Finding the right file name can be a pain if you're trying to Google cover art spines but if you look at the OPL compatibility list in the link below, they list this under the ID column. Nice to have most of them in one place.

Link:
http://ps2home.freeforums.net/thread/76 ... ility-list


Also, do not put a USB in the second slot. I had retail games on one USB, emus on another & I was storing the one not in use in the 2nd slot. I noticed the emus were extremely touchy about recognizing file paths. Removed the 2nd USB, no issues. Seems to confuse the homebrew apps.

The lasers definitely seem to stop reading CD games first, so CD games via USB could be a big part of PS2 preservation over the years.

[nightrnr]

Also, do not put a USB in the second slot. I had retail games on one USB, emus on another & I was storing the one not in use in the 2nd slot. I noticed the emus were extremely touchy about recognizing file paths. Removed the 2nd USB, no issues. Seems to confuse the homebrew apps.

Just as well; my test PS2 has a replacement cooling fan using the bottom USB for power. That was simultaneously my most redneck and most interesting system fix (actually uses the same USB cord that I sacrificed for my Xbox mod ).

I do get some freezes navigating USB when there are a lot of files present, but it's good most of the time, especially when I limit my random junk.

[Jagosaurus]

Also, do not put a USB in the second slot. I had retail games on one USB, emus on another & I was storing the one not in use in the 2nd slot. I noticed the emus were extremely touchy about recognizing file paths. Removed the 2nd USB, no issues. Seems to confuse the homebrew apps.

Just as well; my test PS2 has a replacement cooling fan using the bottom USB for power. That was simultaneously my most redneck and most interesting system fix (actually uses the same USB cord that I sacrificed for my Xbox mod ).

I do get some freezes navigating USB when there are a lot of files present, but it's good most of the time, especially when I limit my random junk.

Sounds amazing. I might need a pic of that...

Yeah seemed to happen more often as I had more and more files on my USB. I probably need to have a few dedicated USB drives rather than one crowded stick.

Playing PS1 GAMES IN OPL
So I know we had pretty much written this off earlier in the thread. I think most just resort to burning games & ESR? ... but this video didn't make it look too bad. He is using USB but just a path change for HDD.

Popstarter Tutorial:



I'm going to try this next week sometime.

[Jagosaurus]

Okay, I haven't tried the PS1 games in OPL. Need to try this & the 2600 PVCS emu.

BUT I did get PicoDrive installed & running Genesis games via USB!

I only tried one Sega CD image. Seems the Sega CD BIOS must be named a certain way:
us_scd1_9210.bin

But I don't know of any way to rename a .bin file. I wanted to get it running via USB before jumping to HDD. I know audio must be 44khz.

Any further suggestions or direction for Sega CD?

Figured you'd dig the update nightrnr

[Ziggy]

I only tried one Sega CD image. Seems the Sega CD BIOS must be named a certain way:
us_scd1_9210.bin

But I don't know of any way to rename a .bin file.

You can use ImgBurn to change the volume label of the image. If you have to change file name, you just have to update the CUE file (open it in a text editor). I have that info in this post, plus more.

I know audio must be 44khz.

If it's a BIN/CUE image, the audio should already by 16/44.

[Jagosaurus]

Thanks Ziggy. I had that post bookmarked (for which version of ImgBurn to DL without additional programs attached), but didn't really think of checking there for this application. Awesome!

I didn't get much chance to tinker with PicoDrive more after my previous post this weekend as I got sucked into my oXbox mod . Will try again some time over the next week. I believe nightnrn mentioned the S-CD games don't run the best via USB, but I want to test this way first before going down the HDD partition route.

Appreciate the help!

[nightrnr]

Okay, I haven't tried the PS1 games in OPL. Need to try this & the 2600 PVCS emu.

Let me know how it goes. I haven't kept up with PS1 emulation on PS2 and prefer my PSIO these days.
I think there were like 3 or 4 methods to try to play PS1 games, and the couple I tried loaded some games, but had major graphical issues.
The Atari emulator is pretty good though (aside from paddle games).

BUT I did get PicoDrive installed & running Genesis games via USB!

Yea! I consider this the most impressive (or maybe just the most robust) emulator on the system.

I only tried one Sega CD image. Seems the Sega CD BIOS must be named a certain way:
us_scd1_9210.bin
But I don't know of any way to rename a .bin file. I wanted to get it running via USB before jumping to HDD. I know audio must be 44khz.

Just rename the file. The file itself is not changing, just the name. Not a complicated process (that sounded irritable and condescending, but was only intended to show that you don't need to do anything special).

Oh, and Sonic CD is probably a good game to start with. I know it works, the actual game plays well via USB, and you can see the limitations of video buffering via USB from the opening movie (you can change how long you give it to load video in settings, but it really doesn't cut it; it needs to be on HDD for video).

Any further suggestions or direction for Sega CD?

Not a lot, except that a few games require a timing setting to work (in the option menus, Popful Mail is one game that comes to mind).

The main reason I have not put a lot on my PS2 is that many Sega CD games are a little squished on my screen. I use mainly CRT/tube 4:3 TVs and the perfectly square resolution just looks weird. I think it would be better on a widescreen.

Figured you'd dig the update nightrnr

Indeed, I've enjoyed this topic more than I would have thought.

If it's a BIN/CUE image, the audio should already by 16/44.

Should be, but I wouldn't trust it. I've run into a few downloads that weren't. I really just need to make my own backups.
I always check it with winamp to verify the mp3's.