Basic questions-Can Pal PS2 be modded to play NTSC PS2 & NTSC PS1 Original Games

I am new to the forum I signed up recently, I am hoping someone can help me.

I have little knowledge regarding modding consoles/computers and was hoping those with more experience could answer some basic questions I have. I am sorry they are fundamental basic questions.

Q1-Can a PAL Playstation 2 be made to play NTSC PS2 original games? Can it also be made to play PAL and NTSC PS1 original CD games?

I would note I am not interested in copied games but playing original games.

Q2-If the answer to question1 is yes, will the PS2 output the NTSC PS2 and PS1 games in full resolution and at full speed?
Q3- Is there any other downsides/disadvantages to playing NTSC games on a PAL PS2?
Q4-If the answer to question 1 is yes. Can this be done as a software mod or does it have to be a hardware mod again any downsides/disadvantages to a soft mod or hard mod.

I saw this thread I do not really understand the terminology used, other than movies of NTSC output at a different refresh rate that seems to be causing problems. Though it does not seem to be an extreme issue.

http://www.assemblergames.com/forum...-PS1-games-in-a-slightly-off-refreshrate-(Hz)

Would there be anything else I should be made aware of.

I just want to play the original games on the consoles, not copied games. I would be willing to buy a console that was converted or modded that would allow me to do what I have ask. If a PS2 can do what I have asked do people sell PS2 set up in this way. Or is it a simple producer one can do by themselves. Does anyone sell or know of anyone selling a PS2 that could do this that would be a big help.

If anyone can help in anyway I would be very grateful

Thanks

Kind regards

 

Hello Assembler forums.

In reply to this thread. please let me know if this is the wrong place to post such threads/replies.

From what I understand I need to do a hardware modification to a Pal PS2 to be able to play NTSC PS1 games on a Pal PS2.

How difficult would it be to do a hardware modification such as this?

I saw one video and it seemed very difficult for someone with no experience, with the possibility of doing it wrong would destroy the PS2, one is trying to modify.

What would one suggest?
I believe that what I want the PS2 to do is basic but at the same time difficult to do. It almost seems like the only other option is to buy a NTSC PS2 is this the case.

Any help please

 

Another approach is to convert the games. Handy if you go the internal Hard Drive route.

Playstation PAL NTSC Conversion Guide
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&p=388723#p388723

 

to do such things you need to install a modchip in your console
it's not an easy task, strong soldering skills are required
you could send it to jinn, he can mod your Ps2 and send it back to you, this guy is a pro

 

No Mod Chip needed if you go the Conversion and Hard Drive route. A Flip Top would be needed if direct installs, again no mod chip.

 

If you are not used to doing electronics work and fine pitch soldering then I would strongly recommend that you don't attempt to mod a PS2. If you have a good iron and some experience it's not especially difficult, but it's certainly not a beginner project.

One other thing you should be aware of is that NTSC software on a modded PAL PS2 (or the other way around) actually runs very slightly off frequency - I'm not sure most people would even realize it, but one of my friends who is a huge 2D fighter fan regards it as noticeable. There is basically nothing you can do about this - the cause is that the GS chip has a different clock rate in the PAL and NTSC machines and even though you can program it to generate both 50Hz and 60Hz timing with either clock source only one of them will be exactly right.

If you want to direct boot imported software, then a mod chip is your only real choice. It is also possible to boot imports using something like FMCB without any hardware mods, but all the available methods involve rather more hassle:

1) If playing from the original disk, you have to use a loader and do a swap with an in-region original - this may require you to modify the DVD drive
2) You can copy the game to HDD and play it from there (you will need to swap when installing)
3) You can copy the original disc, put the ESR patch on it then burn it to a DVD and boot it without a disk swap.

Personally, I like the HDD approach since it's convenient, means you can keep the original discs in a safe place with no risk of damage and reduces the wear on the DVD drive.

Or you could, as you said, get an imported console - either US or Japanese depending on which games you want to play.

 

Most TV's can cope with NTSC, I'd not bother with patching the games.

If you really just want to run NTSC games then import a console, you need a voltage converter (otherwise it will blow up) but really that is your best bet.

 

Thanks everyone for all the replies, I am in the process of moving so I have not been able to check up on the thread as much as I would like.

CRTGAMER- I would do this perhaps in the future but for now I have the original game disks both consisting of PS2 PAL and PS1 PAL/NTSC types, I would like to see if I can get them working on a PS2 console.

Tiibz- Yeah, it seems really difficult to install a modified chip with the added side effect of breaking said console, I virtually have no soldering experience so I guess it would have to be someone who can do this. I would like to try and contact jinn at some point if I go with this option. And hope they would be willing to help. I obviously would have to pay for the parts and work. I have a FAT PS2.

TriMesh- Thanks for the information. I will take your advice, I will not try to modify it myself. I believe I am liable to break the console if I attempt it.
That is interesting, regarding the different clocked frequencies. I would not have thought a 10Hz difference between 50Hz- 60Hz would cause so many discrepancies. As long as the games are playable I would probably not notice the difference but it is good to know

It looks like a modified chip is the route to go to play NTSC PS1 games on a PAL PS2. Though this is first time I think that I have heard that, that it is possible to get an NTSC PS1 game to work on a PAL PS2 using the FMBC which I also have little knowledge of.

I have original disks for the games, so I guess I would like to use the disks. I like the idea to copy the games to a hard drive-HDD and play the games from there. This is something that would interest me in the future, if a mod chip is too difficult to implement. I imagine that in the long run the HDD probably is the best option out of all. The HDD option has great advantages helping reduce the wear of the disks and disk drive of the console.

I don’t like the idea of disk swapping but if that was the only option then I would go with that.

: ) yeah I also was thinking it may be easier to just get an imported NTSC PS2 that with play NTSC PS1 games.

smf- Like my reply to TriMesh this option overall might be the best option, if I cannot get help from someone that could modify a PAL PS2 to play NTSC PS1 games. Then I guess going for an NTSC console would be possibly the best thing to do. I have not taken into account that I would need a power converter. If I go with buying an import console option in the future, what type of converter would be best?

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

From what I remember, one version uses a 54.0MHz clock and the other uses a 53.9MHz clock - so the difference it about 0.2% - as I said, I couldn't notice it...