Best way to play PS2 Imports?

[Baseley09]

Retro? hmm........

Anyway, short of buying a jap PS2 whats the easiset way to play imports on a system?

I had a look at the Memor32 exploit but wasn't sure if that was just for burnt media? And even then sucess rates weren't the best by the looks?

Any help, great appreich!

[Strider]

well you could use my chipped ps2 that i'm going to be selling

[buster_broon]

or get a nice and cheap swop magic set

[honeymustard]

Swap Magic doesn't support dual layer though, and it's pretty tedious.

[Strider]

or get a nice and cheap swop magic set

shush you

[buster_broon]

Swap Magic doesn't support dual layer though, and it's pretty tedious.

whispers
the only problem i found was the dvd9 titles, which are few and far between

[Baseley09]

Swap magic looks pretty cheap at £18, but i'll be using a fat PS2 the slide card things looks dodgy as hell, removing the dvd tray front! Is that right? Looked like PS2 rape! But for cheap I guess....

[fallenangle]

If you've got a fat PS2 go for Swap-Magic and slide card + replacement tray drawer front. That's what I use for the NTSC games I have and it is reliable and simplicity itself. I tried a replacement flip-top case initially and maybe I was just unlucky and it was badly made but it fouled both memory card ports, the reset, eject and power switches too. I got it to work eventually but when I did I found the lid itself wasn't flat and fouled the disc hub magnet as it spun creating a hell of a racket. I gave up on it.

Using the Slide Card system is hardly any hassle once you get the method. I was concerned about the its robustness and so bought spares just in case. Haven't needed them yet.

But one thing be very careful when replacing the tray drawer front. It is almost impossible not to snap or at least crack the fragile L-shaped locating arms which hold the original tray front in position. You need to insert the thinnest of shims (something like a craft knife blade) in both sides at the same time to disengage the 2-3mm arm lugs from their locating holes in the diisc tray front.

It should then be possible to gently pull the front straight off. Any twisting and you'll crack or break one or both of the arms.

I've fitted two replacement fronts and both were different designs and both needed some modding too as they appeared to be designed for different, probably later, PS2 models. They're mainly secured by a clip on the front rather than by the L-shaped arms. But the clip design varies and/or the position of the lug locating holes may not match up, depending on the PS2 model. This means the L-shaped arms may be bent or broken when you press the new front into place. There's some leeway but even if the arms aren't broken or bent the drawer may not close if they're not flush to the sides.

Therefore pare off any inappropriate (for your specific PS2) model projecting plastic clip points or pare down an appropriate amount from the sides before attempting to fit the replacement front.

BTW the Swap-Magic dual layer incompatibilty is always mentioned but one thing I've never seen reference to is any problems associated with two disc games and the Slide Card system. There aren't that many on the PS2 (DMC 3 and Onimusha Dawn of Dreams are the only two I can think of). I really don't know if there is any issue at all but unless there is a memory card save made at the swap point loading the second disc could be problematic.

[Cauterize]

I'm suprised nobody has mentioned HDLoader yet?

Surely it's a much easier method, one copy to the HD and you don't need to be swapping discs on every load. Games load quicker and your discs stay in top condition! What is there to lose?

[J0e Musashi]

Surely the best way to play PS2 imports is to use an import PS2?

Just so happens I have the most ultimate import PS2 setup you can get for sale too.

[fallenangle]

I'm suprised nobody has mentioned HDLoader yet?

Surely it's a much easier method, one copy to the HD and you don't need to be swapping discs on every load. Games load quicker and your discs stay in top condition! What is there to lose?

I didn't know HDLoader had cross region capability. The old review of HDLoader here states specifically that it doesn't. Also doesn't do those DV9 dual layer games either, at least not without faffing about with a PC and apparently difficult to find software.

Anyway whether that's correct or not: a suitable PS2 HDD + network adaptor + the cost of HDLoader = expensive. Just checked the cost of HDLoader and the recommended 120GB Maxtor HDD and it was $120 at one place with the network adaptor extra on top. You'd be better off, as said, ^ buying a US, Jap or whatever machine here or off eBay.

If you've already got a PS2 Swap-Magic/Slide Card maybe not the best but it is by far the cheapest solution.

[neoboy259]

Decent spec PC and PCSX2, play all PS2 games in HD! (apologies if emu talk aint allowed!)

[Phar]

I just use Free Mcboot along with cogswap and an original PAL disc with an high TOC value to play imports, you still need to trick the PS2 drive into thinking it's closed mind, I just taped the switches down.

Cost me £10 in total to buy the memory card with the exploit on, if someone can put the files on a card for you then it would cost nothing.

[Cauterize]

I didn't know HDLoader had cross region capability. The old review of HDLoader here states specifically that it doesn't. Also doesn't do those DV9 dual layer games either, at least not without faffing about with a PC and aparently difficult to find software.

Anyway whether that's correct or not: a suitable PS2 HDD + network adaptor + the cost of HDLoader = expensive. Just checked the cost of HDLoader and the recommended 120GB Maxtor HDD and it was $120 at one place with the network adaptor extra on top. You'd be better off, as said, ^ buying a US, Jap or whatever machine here or off eBay.

If you've already got a PS2 Swap-Magic/Slide Card maybe not the best but it is by far the cheapest solution.

Ill confirm it works, my HD has games from all three regions installed and booting fine

The inital cost may be quite a bit, however the possibilites are well worth the price tag. However you dont actually need to buy the HDloader software.
Look into getting the Memor32 memory card with the Memento Hack on it. This allows software like HDLoader to be booted from the memory card by holding down a shoulder button on boot up.

If youre not fussed on the HD Route, the Memor32 will still help you, as there is probably going to be some ELF floating around that allows you to boot imports.

[Baseley09]

Surely the best way to play PS2 imports is to use an import PS2?

Just so happens I have the most ultimate import PS2 setup you can get for sale too.

Cool ?20 yeah. Cheers son.