swap magic & slide tools

[Shoju]

How reliable is this method for playing imports and any chance it could damage the PS2?

How exactly does it work?

[anephric]

Swap Magic 3.3 will play most games as long as they're not dual-layer dvd (like GT4). There's a second disc for CD games.

The slide tool is a pain in the arse, to be honest, and will cause wear and tear... much better to get the flip-top mod done (which you can do yourself).

[babs]

I use a flip lid and swap magic but it's the same in principle. You boot swap magic, which is a pressed DVD with a high Table Of Contents (TOC) which stops the drive spinning and turns the laser off. You now have to swap the discs without the PS2 knowing, which means no eject button. The slide tool works by manually unlocking the drive bay when you slide it in under and move it. The drive is now free to be pulled open, the disc swapped (for a game with a lower TOC), and then closed up again. Now you press X and the game will boot, as it already started the boot process and checked the original disc.

It won't work with DVD > CDR rips (not that you'd be doing that anyway), a few specific titles and DVD9 discs (GT4, Xenosaga etc., anything with a gold underside). The vast majoirty of stuff works fine though, and if it doesn't there's a good chance there's a fix.

A flip lid works in exactly the same way, except you replace the top half of the ps2 and remove the top of the DVD drive, so that once SM has booted you can just open it like a new small PS2 and swap the discs with no wear on the drive mechanics.

Just remembered I wrote a guide for this on the ddruk site a while back, some of the links may be dead but the theory should be sound.

[VR46]

I second the flip lid and swap magic discs, cost me about ?45 for the lot couple of years ago and it's only now they're not 99.9% compatible, 10 minutes to fit and away you go.

another link for info and cases and discs, you too can have a pink PS2 !

http://www.customps2.com/site/pages/cat_ps2.html

[sj33]

Avoid slide tools like the plague, they manually pull out the drive tray - bit obvious what the problem is there!. However, the flip top lid should be fine.
In fact, if you have a v5-7 machine, you can use an R-Key - same principle, ejects the drive without the PS2 knowing, just less messy as it's a hardware solution.

btw the newest Swap Magic is now 3.6, make sure you get that one. Higher compatibility.

If your feeling adventurous, you could look into the DMS4 EZI no-solder modchip, but you have to be comfortable messing with the insides of your machine.

[Shoju]

Thanks alot guys.

Just wondering is there any chance of damge to the laser using swap magic and how bad is the wear and tear of a slide tool likely to be if your careful with it?

[VR46]

The Swap Magic disc stops spinning before it's tells you to swap discs so no, no damage to laser is possible.

Dunno about slide tool but it's bound to take it's toll if used often.

[anephric]

You have to be really careful and I get frustrated when the sprung lever you have to latch onto pings away from me...

The metal rods that support the disc tray also fell out after I'd removed the front panel. I shoved them back in. It now makes a wonky, grunty noise when ejecting.

My recommendation: don't use the tool.

[Shoju]

Does swap magic play ntsc games in colour on a tv that normally plays 60hz in black & white? Scart leads just look bad on my tv so I don't use them.

Also is there any where reliable in London I can get the flip top mod done? It sounds a bit complicated for someone who's never modified anything before.

[jpred88]

The most annoying thing is it wont work on the newer slimline PStwo model.

[Spatial]

Swapmagic 3.3 works fine on the Slimline, you just need a 3 part slim tool or similar homemade fixes to get it to work

[Siri]

The most annoying thing is it wont work on the newer slimline PStwo model.

The swap tool will not work, but there is a couple of new solutions, namely the magic switch and magic case. information can be found here: http://www.swapmagic3.com/Magic_Switch.htm

Both will work with the newer Swap Magic 3. There are other DIY solutions as well, one which springs to mind includes glueing pieces of playing card to the sensors to trick the console into thinking that the lid is closed. of course, the manufactured cases and tools are a far cleaner option.

[sj33]

Does swap magic play ntsc games in colour on a tv that normally plays 60hz in black & white? Scart leads just look bad on my tv so I don't use them.

Also is there any where reliable in London I can get the flip top mod done? It sounds a bit complicated for someone who's never modified anything before.

You can force games into PAL, if that's what you mean.

And seriously, you just remove the upper shell and stick on a new one, simple as that really. No touching the electronics.

[Shoju]

The only concern I have is about removing and putting back in place the power/eject buttons and memory card slots. I'll give it a try though.

[Shoju]

I've looked through the flip top guide but Im having trouble removing the eject and power buttons. They seem to be stuck down firmly and how would you slide the part behind it out the front? Also how could it be attached firmly to the flip top?