Consolidating: Best option for playing both PS2/PSX backups

[driph]

So as part of my game room project, I'm trying to consolidate the number of consoles that are permanently connected to the tv.

What's the best way these days to play PS1 and PS2 original/backup discs? I've got a PSX, a Japanese fat SCPH-50000 PS2, and an original backwards compatible PS3. Ideally, I want to play the older games off discs, rather than from the hd, and I don't want to deal with disc swapping to load if possible.

Ideally, I want to play both Japanese and US titles (hell, even DVDs from other regions) on the system. Region mod?

My hunch: leave the PS3 as it is for retail PS3/PSN gaming, mod the PS2, and leave the PSX on the shelf. I've heard PS2s are a bitch to work with, but I'm fairly handy with a soldering iron. The solderless mod chips look like a neat option as well, but I need to do a bit of digging to see what supports a NTSC-J PS2.

What would you guys recommend?

[Valkyrie-Favor]

For the PS2, why not use a hard drive? If you want to play backups that is the fastest and most space-efficient option. You don't have to do any soldering anymore, just install FreeMCBoot on a memory card. I can do that as well as several other people on this forum, just look at the B/S/T threads. You'll also be able to run American backups on that PS2-J. If you want to run original games, you can burn a Swap Magic disk, boot it with ESR and run a backup from either region. As far as I know you can't play originals from a different region without a swap disc.

For PS1 games, a PC with an emulator is really your best option if you want to save space. Otherwise a modded PS1 console will be just fine. I put my PS1 and PS2 right next to each other so that instead of reaching behind my TV all I have to do is plug in the shared cables. There was also a PS3 exploit that let you play PS1 backups, if you have a firmware revision 3.55 or below.

[theclaw]

It depends how luxury you want to go. If high initial cost doesn't matter... A hard drive, modchip, flip top, and FreeMCBoot can all be used in cooperation. They offer different features.

[AppleQueso]

I know that disc swapping on a slim ps2 can let you boot up ps1 backups fairly easily. I don't know what that means as far as modding goes.

[driph]

Yeah, one thing that drives me away from the hard drive option is the idea of excess, being able to have so much immediately accessible that the games themselves start to become more meaningless. I've seen that happen with a lot of MAME cab setups, where once you have tons of games to choose from, the individual value of one game is greatly lessened.

Also, and it may just be my age speaking, but I like the idea of tossing in a disc and just playing.

I need to research mod chips a bit, and see what the strong contenders are these days.

[theclaw]

Yeah you must use a mod chip to load imports or backups by normal means. That is, direct from tray at boot. No swap or any other tricking the console.

Even hard drive loader software doesn't itself break PS2's disc security check.

[CRTGAMER]

Yeah, one thing that drives me away from the hard drive option is the idea of excess, being able to have so much immediately accessible that the games themselves start to become more meaningless. I've seen that happen with a lot of MAME cab setups, where once you have tons of games to choose from, the individual value of one game is greatly lessened.

Also, and it may just be my age speaking, but I like the idea of tossing in a disc and just playing.

I need to research mod chips a bit, and see what the strong contenders are these days.

Interesting point, but I still prefer the hard drive route. I look at it as a game I will play since I do not have to dig the case off the shelf. I think the individual game does not shine as much when one owns say 200 games versus just a few. I keep all the CIB PS2 games in another room; the installed games helps to free up storage space in the front room.

Yeah you must use a mod chip to load imports or backups by normal means. That is, direct from tray at boot. No swap or any other tricking the console.

Even hard drive loader software doesn't itself break PS2's disc security check.

Import games can install in the Hard Drive, no mod chip needed. Either a replacement Flip Top or Slide Tool circumvents the region detection. Once installed, the disc tray is never ejected so region detection is not an issue.

@ driph - Your Thread is confusing. You prefer to play games the disc method to retain originality, yet you prefer to play backups? Most PS1 and PS2 games are very inexpensive. A burned disc tends to make a laser "work" harder which in turn will make it wear out faster. There have been posts of PS2s failing to read pressed CD based games. Maybe not worth pushing that laser with a burned disc that is continuously run in a marathon game session.

[theclaw]

Yeah, one thing that drives me away from the hard drive option is the idea of excess, being able to have so much immediately accessible that the games themselves start to become more meaningless. I've seen that happen with a lot of MAME cab setups, where once you have tons of games to choose from, the individual value of one game is greatly lessened.

Also, and it may just be my age speaking, but I like the idea of tossing in a disc and just playing.

I need to research mod chips a bit, and see what the strong contenders are these days.

Interesting point, but I still prefer the hard drive route. I look at it as a game I will play since I do not have to dig the case off the shelf. I think the individual game does not shine as much when one owns say 200 games versus just a few. I keep all the CIB PS2 games in another room; the installed games helps to free up storage space in the front room.

Yeah you must use a mod chip to load imports or backups by normal means. That is, direct from tray at boot. No swap or any other tricking the console.

Even hard drive loader software doesn't itself break PS2's disc security check.

Import games can install in the Hard Drive, no mod chip needed. Either a replacement Flip Top or Slide Tool circumvents the region detection. Once installed, the disc tray is never ejected so region detection is not an issue.

Hence why "itself" was such an important word for me to add. Takes more than the hard drive loader on its own, which we agree on.

[driph]

@ driph - Your Thread is confusing. You prefer to play games the disc method to retain originality, yet you prefer to play backups? Most PS1 and PS2 games are very inexpensive. A burned disc tends to make a laser "work" harder which in turn will make it wear out faster. There have been posts of PS2s failing to read pressed CD based games. Maybe not worth pushing that laser with a burned disc that is continuously run in a marathon game session.

In general, I play on original discs, although it's nice to have the option to play a burned copy as well, especially if that makes it easier to play a game from another region, etc.

Interesting info on the laser/failure thing... I'll read up on that.

[theclaw]

Load times are the biggest draw. Say how the Mega Man X Collection games were slowest on PS1, faster on PS2, then more faster on Gamecube... A hard drive will cut delays beyond even that.