Playing Playstation 1 import games?

[honeymustard]

Hi there,

What would I need to do to my PAL Playstation 1 to play NTSC games on it? Is there a quick and easy mod, or do I need a swap disc? Thanks.

Edit: By the way, I'm using a PSone.

[Darwock]

The easiest way is the magic key and swap magic disc. The key consists of a few metal components that you put under the lid (no opening up the machine). A bit fiddly the first time but then you never need to do it again. If you do this make sure you get the right style of magic key for your model of PSone.

[tom-nook]

Pretty sure Swap Magic only works with PS2 games/ consoles....unless they did a PS1 version too?

A Breaker Pro disc (PAL version) will do the job. Pretty sure it comes with the necessary 'tools' for both original PSXs & the newer PS Ones (no soldering etc. req'd).

[honeymustard]

Breaker Pro seems to be ideal, but I can't seem to find anywhere that still sells them. Does anyone know where I could pick one up?

[fallenangle]

Breaker Pro may work but it was primarily designed for playing PS1 imports on the PS2. For the PS1 the best swap disc is PS X-Change - I'm not sure where you'll get it now except off e-Bay. All that is needed is to use is to fit a small tab to hold the PSOne lid catch in so you can swap to the game disc without it reseting.

Only problem is multi-disc PS games which, when prompted to swap, requires you to run the PS-X-Change disc again but this time interupt the boot ie. hot swap it for the next disc. Otherwise it reads the regional coding from the second disc and rejects it. It's a minor hassle really but put some people off and why they prefered chipping.

[Jei]

Breaker Pro wasn't primarily designed for the PS2 at all and I disagree about PS2Xchange being better.

Breaker Pro works on every ps1 and ps2 console to date and comes with the tabs needed for PS1/psone in the box. It also has full Anti-Mod code (simply select on or off --the psxchange needs codes) and can force 50/60hz if required.

Both effectively do the same job but there's no doubt that the Breaker Pro is more advanced therefore simple the better of the two.

[J0e Musashi]

You could just buy a JPN/USA PS1 and save all the hassle. They're about £30 all in nowadays.

[elkatas]

You could just buy a JPN/USA PS1 and save all the hassle. They're about £30 all in nowadays.

Yeah, I would actually go with this. Or buy PAL PSOne with modchip / swap disk. Swapmagic & comp work, but those are pretty big hassle.

[honeymustard]

I think I'll just get an NTSC PSone, like you said, it'll probably be easier. Particularly with multi disc games. One last question, do I need to use a step down converter for the power, or is there a UK power supply I can use instead?

[Jei]

If you've got a UK Psone then you can just use the Power Cable from that. No need for a stepdown on a mini psone

[honeymustard]

Excellent, thank you very much

[fallenangle]

Breaker Pro wasn't primarily designed for the PS2 at all and I disagree about PS2Xchange being better.

Breaker Pro works on every ps1 and ps2 console to date and comes with the tabs needed for PS1/psone in the box. It also has full Anti-Mod code (simply select on or off --the psxchange needs codes) and can force 50/60hz if required.

Both effectively do the same job but there's no doubt that the Breaker Pro is more advanced therefore simple the better of the two.

If they both work equally well for the task required ie. playing PS imports on a PAL PS that's all that matters.
Anything else Breaker Pro does is icing on the cake.

Because PS X-Change doesn't work on the PS2 I had looked around myself and was told several times that Breaker Pro was introduced specifically to meet the needs of PS2 owners. Hence my statement.

Sorry just being argumentative - not important anyway.

What I'm actually interested in is finding out, and nobody I've asked has been able to answer with any authority, is if and how Breaker Pro can be used for those multi-disc PS games on a PS2 (old type). Also: does it require the same PS X-Change style hot-swap technique on the PS?

[Jei]

Fallenangel - Being argementative is all well and good but you stated in your original post "For the PS1 the best swap disc is PS X-Change " yet it isn't. The ability to use Anti-Mod without codes and also force NTSC are pretty important IMO.

As for Multi-Disc Games if they're games like FF7 which ask you to save before changing disc then they'l be fine. Others that require you to change "on the fly" will never be possible using a boot-disc....unless you fancy ripping the disc out while its spinning etc.

Both the Breaker Pro & Psxchange will also never be able to play a game properly that has CDDA after the 1st data track (Alien Trilogy for example) as the TOC doesn't allow for it.

Edit : - And yes it does require the usual boot-up method the Psxchange does.

[fallenangle]

Thanks for the info.

From what you've said it sounds as if, for multi-disc games without a save at swap point option, it is exactly the same as for a PS/One ie. hot-swapping is required. However I think that would be possible even with the PS2 but you'd need to be using a flip-top replacement case for the old style PS2 or a Swap-Magic lid mod for a PSTwo.

I was hoping Breaker Pro would circumvent this problem somehow and I'd just be able to use a Slide Card with my old style PS2. Looks like I'll have to stick to my good old PS and PSOnes for those games.

Can you clarify the Breaker Pro "forcing NTSC" option? You're not saying it can force PAL PS games into 60Hz are you?

[Duddyroar]

Managed to pick up a PSOne supa-cheap and I'd like to get it chipped to play imports. What's the best way to go about it?