DTL-T15000A acquired, looking for knowledgable help. Have T10kH already, not a noob.

Hello all,
Well, I have learned a lot about my DTL-T10000H from reading stories on this board. I am hoping to get a thread going (possibly this one?) with all T15k info in one place, for anyone else who acquires one. Kind of like the other Sony info out there, TOOLs and TESTs, just this one happens to be rather rare I am told. That is another thing I have been trying to figure out - I have been told these are VERY hard to obtain. It took me a long while to fine one, and thank god I bought it when I did, as the tiny little forum I found a PS2 dev on who needed money, well, the forum went down. : ) When you hear the rest of the story, you won't believe how lucky I got.

So, it finally arrived a few days ago from Germany, DHL to Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Now, it was packed very, very well. HOWEVER when it arrived, it looked as if literally the box had been turned upside down and dropped halfway underwater... the cardboard on the outer box was wet all the way through. All labels were washed off with ink everywhere, all that survived was under plastic. Anyway, long story short it was packed SO WELL with bubble wrap times and times over and tape, and then some other packing stuff around all that - none of it got wet.

I already have the SDK 3.0 for my DTL-T10000H, but I am wondering, was that the last version? As I managed to find Aprobe software kit 1.1, but I can't tell if I'll find the windows program that goes with Aprobe that starts with a W available somewhere? I have to look around. Anyway, I hope to get it up and running soon..

It boots up in both WS and TOOL modes, and both TOOL and LINUX kernels. It is most definitely in communication with the CP / Linux side of things from the top buttons, IE if you hold down the left led type button that tuns it on and can also be similar to pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL on a linux box - it sends a halt signal and shuts the machine down, though in this case also the entire tool. However, this would indicate to me that the kernel is receiving the signals it should be. Agreed?

It sends outputs that I can see on both the TV and a monitor - which is similar to the T10000H in that you have to unscrew a cover to find the vga that works on non sync on green monitors (regular monitors is what I mean, not SURE it's sync on green the one that appears on the back needs...) and the third NIC and the PS/2 ports! : )

Now what I am wondering... when it boots up it finds one Maxtor 40gig drive, but there are TONS of stuff in there and since it doesn't error out - I thought I read that there were 3 HDDs in there? Are they just for capturing and each has 256 MB of ram for the kernel ring buffer or something similiar? Should I be concerned or since it's booting, am I ok? It ouputs a Sony TOOL pic to the TV side of things.

Anyway, any info on this unit at all - including how rare it is and how many were made, would be appreciated. Any info I receive I will put into this thread. First thing I need to do is get a new digital camera to take some pics of this beauty! It looks awesome next to my DTL-T10000H, my DTL-30001, and my DTP-T3000A. : )


/me is happy

Regards,

npt



p.s. Sorry for my original, harder to read, version of this post. Apologies to all who read it in that form.

 

Got any pics?

 

Sorry ASSEMbler

ASSEMbler,
I apologize. I was excited and I rambled some. Anyhow, from what I can tell without taking it apart I do not believe it was damaged in any way during shipping, surpisingly enough. As for checking the backplane for breaks, has anyone done this before on a T15k? Taking apart a T10k is daunting enough to consider, but a T15k I mean, with how loaded full of stuff it is.. wow that just sounds like it could end up being a nightmare to attempt. Still, if that is what is needed to be done to determine to get things fully functional I will have to do it.

Now, can someone tell me, should I see one hard drive upon linux bootup, or three? I am just trying to determine if I am going to have to go into the thing, which terrifies me, so I am hoping that since it boots both the " TOOL" labeled kernel and the "Linux" labeled kernel, and, the bootup process finds the special sony hardware and loads the kernel modules for them, that everything is fine. Any help Parris, UncleJun? Anyone else?

So, any ideas on the # of hard disks that should be appearing on the 815 PCI 850mhz system on (hmm not chip) but you know, the CP side?

Regards and thanks,

npt

 

Seriously NPT post some pics. I want to see this thing.

 

Pics coming... Do not own a digital camera atm, may use PSP camera..

ASSEMbler / Inspuration,

I am working on borrowing a decent digital camera and hope to get pics up tonight. Otherwise I can get some crappy ones up from my PSP camera.

It outputs on the PS2 side with a nice "TOOL" background, and I haven't gotten any errors as of yet. Still, pics coming.

And thanks a lot for any help or even discussion you can offer me, and if my posts get annoying like the first one was before edits (and it may still be annoying, sorry) please tell me. I love this site and do no want to offend or anger anyone on it.

Regards,

npt

p.s. I won't be off work for two more hours, so, the very earliest pics would be up would be 4-5 hours from now by the time I drive home, find a camera to borrow, etc etc.

 

No problem NPT.

 

Pictures of my DTL-T15000A (and the box and how it looked when it arrived SOAKING WET

Inspuration, ASSEMbler, and anyone else interested, here are some pics. I borrowed a crappy camera from work, but, this should at least give you a preliminary idea. It isn't mounted in the pics, as I had to find a good place to take the pics. I can tell you though, the VGA port and PS/2 ports that are covered by a metal piece (much like on the T10k H) allowed me to get VGA output and type and clear the root passwd, etc.

I *think* it's fully functional, came with two foot switches, all cords, etc etc. Not a thing missing. Will put up better photos when I get a better camera and when I have it mounted better and my room cleaned up. Had to clean space in my junk room so nobody harass me about the carpet. : )
​

Let me know your thoughts. Seems to have survived minty to me. : )

Now to test Aprobe, and determine about the other program and if I can locate it. : )

Regards,

npt

 

Nice pictures. I don't know too much about ps2 dev hardware, but I have to agree that is pretty badass

 

ASSEMbler,
Even though it boots and outputs to both the TV and VGA, do you still think I should take the side off to inspect? And, with all the stuff that is in there, will I be able to see that far in with so many etc packed in - I've heard you couldn't put a half size pack or cards in there there is so much stuff packed in.

Oh and another thing, the only reason it survived was the multi bubble wrapping / taping etc, it was the stupid DHL guys who somehow got the top half of the box SOAKING WET. The guy I bought it from packed it for Nuclear winter, and luckily it made it through. Still, I do wonder. Could it really be running with a cracked slot like that? I mean, I know you've mentioned gluing T10k pci slots back together but, what I am asking is do you think this would be running if the slot(s) were cracked?

Also, how many of these were made?

Regards & Thanks,

npt

 

Only one HDD should show up on the POST screen.
The second HDD is used by the PS2 as if it were the expansion bay (versus the PCMCIA adapter for the TOOL and v0 PS2).
According to some docs I read a while ago, the T15k can use the PSBBN...

Now you need to find this model

 

Is that a promo T15k?

Is that a promo T15k? Or a promo T10k? /me wants! Tell me about it UJ!
Do you own it?

Also UJ do you know how many PS2 PA's (T15k) were made?

Regards,

Nick

:dance:

 

@npt:
I think that there aren't many PA's because, it isn't "clear" Tool only analyzer. I suppose, that it was used for games, which need optimalization, like God of War.
Nice find, m8. I'm also searching

 

It's the second prototype model of T15k. I wish I had it...
I found the picture here (May 2002): http://www.tmstation.scei.co.jp/ps2/public/Newsletter0006/nl06e-devcon.html

Another bit on the PA (Nov2002): http://www.tmstation.scei.co.jp/ps2/public/Newsletter0011/index_e.html#pa

I don't know how many were made.

 

From the setup manual:

 

it so sexy!!!!