New wave of screens

[supersonic1453]

I've had it for a while and have had no problems with it.

[Kogahazan]

Swap Magic 3 doesn't really sound that good. It's all because of the simple fact that the system resets whenever you eject a disk... the Slide Tool looks like the best item they have to get around that, but from what I've heard they can all wind up breaking a PS2 pretty easily.

That's why they made the flip-top cover. Yeah, it involves voiding your warranty, but some people don't need it. It's more convenient than the slide tool at least, and less dangerous to the PS2 in the long tun (assuming you didn't fudge up installing the flip-top case).

[Dr. Casey]

Why do they bother with this regional lockout shit, anyway? The average gamer doesn't even think of buying any Japanese games.

[bungiefan]

Why do they bother with this regional lockout shit, anyway? The average gamer doesn't even think of buying any Japanese games.

But the average European gamer DOES think of buying American games, because they're cheaper, and come out in English 6-12 months earlier, if the games even come out in Europe later. The regional lockout exists to allow release dates of a product to be staggered for different countries, and for the product to have greatly different prices in different countries. There is no benefit of it to consumers, but a lot of benefit of it to the companies implementing it.

Also, it's not just software. Without a lockout, why would people wait for a console to come out in their country if they could import it from Japan for less money and be able to play all domestic games on it when they are finally released (say if the PS2 hadn't been region-locked and everyone just imported from Japan instead of waiting for the US and European releases up to a year later...)? Then revenue from sales of the ahrdware only go to that one branch of the company, and they possibly have to deal with filing taxes on all of the sales to the governments of all of the countries their customers were from. Since Sony of Japan, Sony of America, and Sony of Europe are all essentially seperate and competing companies that don't share funds from sales in any of their regions, it's simpler for their taxes and accounting to lock you into only being able to use products purchased from their branch.

[lancer1237]

Oh noes I dodnt want to start a swap magic argument. I mean I have had my magic swap for a few months now and I had no problems with it either. I first got it for TOL and TOTA but i would use this patch for it aswell. I really hate living in the UK lol it is sooooo inconveinant.

[Kogahazan]

Well, it's not that much of an argument. The person asked a question, albeit a strongly worded one, and it was answered with a logical answer that satisfies the inquiry.

[bungiefan]

Swap Magic 3 doesn't really sound that good. It's all because of the simple fact that the system resets whenever you eject a disk... the Slide Tool looks like the best item they have to get around that, but from what I've heard they can all wind up breaking a PS2 pretty easily.

The selling point, and why people consider it a good product, is that it doesn't void your system from official service from Sony, like a modchips does (since you can't easily unsolder a modchip and leav no trace that it had ever been there), and it costs significantly less than importing a PS2. However, in exchange for that you get a compatability rate that is only higher than HDLoader. The downside to an imported console is that you get no warranty, and can't apply for repairs from yur country.

Any method of playing imports except using HDLoader or an imported console risks breaking your system. Modchips are definitely the easiest to break the console while installing. Thus,  You pick your risk and compatability when you pick your method to play imports. If it was really easy to import and had no downsides or compatability problems, a lot more people would do it. By making it difficult or expensive to import, they deter a lot of people from even bothering to try it, and thus strengthen the position of their regional lockout.

[Azu]

Souryuu Metsugazan
Dragon Wrym.

Ganzan Messajin
Slag Assault

Sonic Blast
空破絶風撃
Kuuhazeppuugeki

[Azu]

Swap Magic 3 doesn't really sound that good. It's all because of the simple fact that the system resets whenever you eject a disk... the Slide Tool looks like the best item they have to get around that, but from what I've heard they can all wind up breaking a PS2 pretty easily.

Or, you can buy a pre-modded PS2.

[Dr. Casey]

Yeah... that was all very helpful, bungie. I think I'm going to get the HDLoader.

Wait... according to the HDLoader.net FAQ, it can't install imports.

[Cless]

It can if you install the drive to a PC first and use WinHIIP, then put it back in the PS2.

[bungiefan]

Yeah... that was all very helpful, bungie. I think I'm going to get the HDLoader.

Wait... according to the HDLoader.net FAQ, it can't install imports.

HDLoader can't install imports if you use just the PS2. That's such an old way to do it though. Installation with WINHIIP of hdl_dumb has been an option since about 3 months after the product came out, and can use your PC optical drive or a disk image on your hard drive for much faster installation. HDLoader.net also isn't the official site, since HDLoader went out of production after about 2 months and the HDLoader.com domain went with it. The product is now known as HDAdvance, but isn't made by the people that actually programmed it. The official program with the original skin, from the orignial people, is only available for use running from a memory card or burned disc now, and is free to download. The disc-based versions are pressed by a different company who just downloads the update patches and presses them to disc to charge money for them to make a profit, so none of that money goes to the people actually making the software.

Note that HDLoader has the lowest compatability with games. There might be fixes for some of them, like there was for Tales of the Abyss, but you have to do a lot of searching or manual testing of every known option to find them. I didn't even know about the different DMA modes until I had to make Abyss work, and they come with the risk of corrupting everything stored on your hard drive.

[Dr. Casey]

I see. I've decided to just buy a premodded PS2 since it seems like the easiest and safest option.

[bungiefan]

I see. I've decided to just buy a premodded PS2 since it seems like the easiest and safest option.

Then make sure you get a modification that can be manually disabled, and that you know how to disable it, because you won't be able to go online with the console if the modification isn't disabled due to DNAS detecting the modification. You also can't send it to Sony if it ever gets Disc Read Error or it otherwise breaks. If your installer botches the job, you're likely to be out of luck on getting any sort of warranty service.

[Azu]

I's premodded. He won't have to install anything...

[throughhim413]

Am I the only one using a slim PS2?  Modding the slim PS2 was the easiest thing I ever did, just push down the three switches inside the system (I used Magic Keys) and you're done.  Works perfectly with Swap Magic and Breaker Pro and well, anything really.  But I know some people prefer the standard size system, I figure if my current system blows up/overheats/whatever, I'll just buy another one somewhere down the line.  For me it's a lot easier then having to deal with a flip top or slide tool on an ongoing basis.