Need help with PSOne chip mod

I got MM3 chip for my NTSC PSOne from EurAsia store. I used the wiring diagram:


(I wanted Onechip but they had only PAL version and I don't want to mess around with NTSC vs PAL hack, and my TV doesn't support PAL)

right now it plays NTSC games just fine but burned games gets me a red screen telling me to put in Playstation disc. I don't have any import game to test with.

So how can I tell if:
One: I wired the chip correctly (as pictured above, my PSOne looks exactly like above). I checked and there are no bridge or short.
b: that chip is working fine
tres: that I didn't mess up burning CD-Rs. Slowest CD burner I have is 16x and I have a few generic unbranded CD-Rs using IMGBurn software to burn the CD.
5: a couple picture I found with wiring diagram showed 4 wires plus a link. But I don't think it's the right one for MM3?

 

pic removed

 

Hmm so EuroAsia had the wrong kind of diagram for MM3 chip or something? I just redid my mod, removed wire to pin 2 and 4 and changed 1, 3, 7, and 8 as illustrated above (5 and 6 were in the right place) and when I tested, my 16x burned copy worked right away!

Now to leech a few hard to find PSX games and test an import that weren't released in USA at all.

 

No need to test an import. Regional lockout and copy protection are the same thing in the PS1.

The diagram you got may have been for a different PSOne revision. There are two motherboard versions of PSOne systems I believe. One thing you should keep in mind is unless you have a proper stealth modchip you may run into a few games that detect you modchip and require a fix or gameshark code to play. There aren't too many games that fall into this category but there are a few. I know Legend of Dragoon and Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon have anti-mod code.

Enjoy.

 

The motherboard revision in his picture is the same as the motherboard revision in my picture. Its just wrong.

Also, region protection on the PSone is different. Which is why you need ONEchip to run imports on a PAL console. I am not 100% sure if a NTSC/U PSone will play imports.

 

Just for the record, yup the PSone NTSC-U runs imports on mm3 code.

 

Thats interesting, I wonder what the difference is between the PAL PSone and the NTSC PSone.

Just for confirmation - did you try PAL imports? or Jap?

 

NTSC-J [Jap] imports.

Im not sure what the difference is (Besides board revisions) but all i know is NTSC-J games work. Im not sure if pal versions work as all i play and collect is NTSC-U/C and NTSC-J (Unless there's a pal only release).

 

From my old memory of the PSX modchip scene, you need to patch a PAL game before burning it onto an blank CDR to play on a NTSC modded console and vice-versa.

 

Can you test with a pal game?

If i remeber correctly the new protection on psone was also on the bios, wich it test if the game has the same region of the bios. Maybe it test only the video mode NTSC or PAL and not the region SCEE, SCEI or SCEA?

@Madhatter. On old modded PAL psone (with mm3, mayumi and the most common 4wire old crow) for running import game you need import player or you must patch the iso with a tool before the burning.
Our question (my and also BAd, I think) it's why there's only bios patch for PAL bios and not for the other regions?
Lot of time ago i've readed tha the mayumi V5 contain ntsc bios patch, but i'm not sure if it is a bullshit...

 

Please test with a PAL game. ONEchip is required to boot any NTSC game - but there isnt another version of PAL (like there is with NTSC). So it would be interesting to know

 

I would test a pal game (I know a pawn shop around the corner that has some original pal games) but i'm strapped for cash right now.

I think the reason pal games had to patched back then is because pal games run in 50hz by default and they would patch the image file to make it run in 60hz or it would have a selector at the start of the game. (50hz <-> 60hz. CRT NTSC Tv's would have the jumping black and white screen if pal games where unpatched).

 

Download one, burn to a CDR. throw it in the bin afterwards if you are adverse to copied games.

 

Alright give me a half hour and i should have the answer.

 

it works just tested it with a backup copy of bust a move 2 [PAL].

 

Thanks for the info mate.
Another strange things made by Sony. LOL
Seem the bios patch it's need only for PAL bios, so the protection it's only on PAL bios. Maybe because at the time piracy it's very high in europe?

 

Seems like it.

As said above, thanks - its nice to finally know.

 

Only the PAL PSOne had region issues needing patching. Any other patching was to patch the video mode to see. The PSOne PAL BIOS probably checks the videomode that will be requested by the disc and if it isn't PAL it will refuse to boot. You could use an Action Replay/Gameshark or other boot disc to get around that. Including burning this import loader disc. The actual regional lockout was done by the same mechanism that is the copy protection. When reading the disc there would be three strings of either SCEE, SCEA, or SCEI which are linked to PAL regions, North America, and Japan/Asia. To read from the disc it must get one good code from the disc. They put it on there 3 times probably for redundancy incase of a dirty or damaged disc. In theory you could make a region free disc.

Early modchips simply took control of this mechanism and would constantly spam the required security string, and newer ones would spam all three strings constantly. So even with no disc in the console or the lid open the security system would constantly get SCEA, SCEI, SCEE, a mix or just one depending on the modchip. The system has a register that can be checked to see how many correct security codes have been received though. So certain "anti-mod" games would simply check this register for those older modchips that spam the codes all the time. Newer modchips will spy on signals or try to use timing to behave more like a real disc would respond.

I have hex code for one 12F629 PIC that unfortunately attempts to use timing to send the codes at powerup and then stops I guess hoping that the codes will stop being sent by the time the game program starts. This may not get you past all or any anti-mod games and worse it means you can't play multi-disc games if you can't save at the end of one disc and restart the system with the next. The best mods are the stealth mods that take into account the CD lid switch and perhaps other signals to try to mimic the response of a legitimate disc so that the system can see no difference.

Once the security is bypassed you can play any game, PAL or NTSC on any type of console. The limit in the past was people rarely had TV's that could display both PAL and NTSC. Now everybody probably does if they have a HDTV. But back then people would use tools to patch the video mode to NTSC or PAL and then *hope* the important screen elements fit on the screen or were properly aligned vertically.

 

I am well aware how the region/copy protection works on the Playstation 1. Fact remains that the PSone is different (at least in PAL land, was unaware how it worked in NTSC land - hence the posts in this thread)

Oh and the source for MM3 on a 12F629 is available btw

 

Here is the info that I know about PSX hardware

NTSC-U system will boot Domestic and Imports (PAL-NTSC-J) When using MM3 in stealth or classic, in all hardware 1001*-9001 and 101

PAL system will boot Domestic and Imports (PAL-NTSC-J) When using MM3 in stealth or classic, in the following hardware 1002*-9002, but requires the use of ONEchip for the PSone (SCPH102). The use of Importplayer lite or region ISO patching when used with a MM3 chip.

NTSC-J system will boot Domestic and Imports (PAL-NTSC-U) When using MM3 in stealth or classic, in the following hardware only 1000* and 3000*. The MM3 chip will work on all NTSC-J hardware including the PSone (SCPH-100) but will only boot NTSC-J Retail and BackUps. You will need to patch the ISO of use ImportPlayer Lite to play Imports, Retail or BackUps.

The BIOS was changed on hardware made after the 3000 which fixed the CD Player Swap Trick.

*4 Wire or MM2