First Mod CHip

I was just wondering when this craze for mod chips started. Was the first mod chip on the PSX?

Tony

 

Yeah, I suppose it was. Before the PS, all systems were cart based, and the only way to play boots is with a dodgy pirate cart. And the real 1st gen CD systems (Mega/SegaCD, NeoCD, PCEngine) didn't have copy protection cos a CD burner would have cost you ££££££.

So yeah, the first copy-protection disabling modchip was for the PSX. Then Saturn, PS2 and Xbox. No further word on the GC chip tho...

But the new gen of Xbox mods with LCD compatability are damn impressive.

 

The first modchip was from 1996. I still have the first one :\ (The code changed ever slightly until late 1998) I don't think PICs are even much older than that.

 

Actually, Microchip's PIC chip was developed I believe in the mid 1980s. I believe it originated at Harvard, some people there formed Arizona Microchip and their first product was the PIC. There is also mention of a PIC device as early as 1975, but largely people would say late 80s/early 90s ;-)

 

I know MCU are ancient and I have a few late 80's Microchip MCU but I mean like small ones I looked on Microchip's site but couldn't find any history. I don't like MCU anyway

 

I have the first xbox modchip that came out, yep the one with a crap load of wires to solder...still works to this day. Thats about it for chips for me ;-)

 

I've heard of a Mega-CD modchip, but I'm not sure when it was released.

 

What about the 3DO, CD-i, and Amiga CD32? All CD based systems out before the PSX. Does anyone know if there were mod chips for these systems?

 

None of them had region/media protection.

 

Should have added CD-i, 3DO etc....

 

In those day they didn't need protecting of the media because cd-writers cost a fortune, my first one was a 2x phillips one that was 1300 euro's and blank discs were still 15 euro's a piece.

 

do Famicom adapters count as mod-chips?

Or Kisaido TG16 ... um... conversion thingies.

Or prying off pieces of your good ol' boxy SNes to fit SuperFami carts?

BTW, if the TG16/Duo/PCE, Mega CD, 3D0, and other older CD Based systems don't have copy and region protection, does it mean people can play CDRs??

 

Yup, you can play CDrs

 

Boy, am I seriously under-informed...

Not that I have any of those machines, currently....

But If I find an old Sega CD or Turbo Duo in the black market, I will Finally get to play all those Japanese games I only saw in imported (american) magazines and drooled at when I was young.

It's not... illegal... is it?

 

While Sega CDs can play backups, they do have region protection so if you find a North American/South American Sega CD, you will only be able to play U/C games.

 

It's highly unlikely that I should find a Japanese MegaCD in the blackmarket, unfortunately.


Does this mean if I find ISOs of cool Japanese shooters.... i'm screwed consolewise?

 

No, not necessarily. Options:

A) Patch a game to a different region

B) Replace your BIOS. Arakon of SegaXtreme sells a switchable BIOS to play all regions on any Mega Drive/Genesis. I also have made a switchable BIOS but it's not cracked yet for Euro games.

 

I recall having heard of a modchip for Neo Geo CD, but then that doesn't make sense at all as there's no copy protection.

By the way, who developed the first PS/SS modchips? History has always been shady, and I'm curious how they found it all out.

 

No idea who did develop them, but shouldn't sony have done it under the table?

Imagine this completely insane but logical conspiracy theory:

1) Make new cool piece of hardware.
2) Some people buy software and hardware, you make money.
3) Someone (you!) invents a way to play pirated software on your machine. You sell a BUTTLOAD of hardware (AND modchips!) because your hardware can play very cheap games.
4) You give some of your winnings to software producers under the table so they do not go bankrupt over rampant piracy
5) You keep making more and more money from both software markets, hardware market, modchip market, etc.


Just an Idea. Probably lots of logical ways to make it crumble, but I think that could have been a way the modchip craze was sparked.

 

I attempted to install 2 mod chips in 2 different Dreamcasts....using non electrical solder and an iron the size of Kansas. :smt009

I blew an Xbox mobo trying to install a mod chip. I actually think I may have installed it right, but I didn't know how to boot it up correctly. Funkin useless installtion instructions.... :smt067

From now on, I go solder-less only. :smt042