SONY PSX DESR-5100 queries

Hi Everybody.
I am also a proud PSX owner. I got a DESR-7000 off our local Internet Auction site for NZ$60 (US$47). It has been updated to version 1.31.
It has been a frustating exercise searching for information due to the PSX name also being used for the original Playstation.
The threads on this forum have been the most useful.
New Zealand has PAL like the UK, so unfortunately the TV signal is not compatible.
I have experimented with what I could do with the external inputs using both NTSC DVD and NTSC Game signals, I could only get the sound, but no video signal.
I have been in contact with a guy from Canada that puts movies onto the HDD (at a price). He says that this is a locked feature, which he unlocks.
Do any of you know anything about this, or have had any sucess in recording external video signals to the PSX HDD?
This person also claims to have a English language instructions for the PSX (also at a price). I will question him further about the format and detail of these instructions before parting with my money.
Lastly, like many of you I wish there was a way to unlock the region limitations on games. I have an NTSC-J version of the Playstation game Wip3out which plays fine, but US NTSC games don't work.
I look forward to sharing information and ideas with you all.

 

Hi Grover,

I've ended up with 2 PSX units (yes, frustrating thinking you have found information to then find you are looking at Playstation1 details). I feel that one unit (unboxed and incomplete) might be available to experiment on, in fact I want to change PSU etc. It's something I keep meaning to do. I've already had to repair one unit and was going to use parts from the lower spec model and didn't need to in the end.

The 2nd unit I received has a mass of Japanese TV recordings on it. I'm actually really interested to find out what the main program is. It appears to be a Japanese Soap Opera. Poorly acted. There are a few other bits and pieces, plus the adverts are always entertaining.

There was talk of a chip that could be used with the PSX to unlock gaming regions. Can't find any real information about it though.

As for an English manual. I am certain we could all produce one on here for free. There are a few Japanese speakers, plus several PSX owners. On the first unit I discovered the 'HDD clear' option without wanting too - d'oh! However, there really wasn't anything worth keeping.

Anyway, welcome to the PSX section and AG Grover.

 

I got hold of the instructions I mentioned above.
Useful in that they cover most of the Settings section.
Dissapointing, in that they are very brief, and do not have any details on the other sections.
As it is a .doc file I will make it available to the forum members (advice on how to do this, it is 940KB)
A great idea about putting together a manual amongst us.
I have learnt a few things. Some by comparing my Japanese and English PSP manuals.
I also have .pdf copies of the Japanese manuals.
I forgot to mention, my bargain PSX did not come with a remote. I see some members offer to bid on behalf on Yahoo Auctions. I may consider this option.

 

There was talk of a manual already exisiting in English - a complete one, whether as PDF or paper form I'm not sure.

 

Seeing as the PSX is just a glorified PS2 wouldn't the Memor32 + Memento firmware work on it inplace of a modchip? I dunno as I don't have a PSX to test nor do I really know much about the PSX beyond it being AWESOME!

 

I'll do it if i Had a PSX, believe me :nod: But I have doubts it will work on it, honestly. It's pure intuition, but the different navigator, and the fact that PSX are based on V10... makes me wonder if it can possibly work

anyway, i think installing an infinity modchip would be possible.

The points should'nt be too hard to find, and i don't think it Sony installed new copy protection on PSX, as it didn't sell well.

 

Okay, well I have a spare so as of tonight, let's get cooking! I'm sorry, but being European I am starting with a replacement PSU to 220vac. I'm also going to try a variety of HDD in it. See whether a laptop drive could be used etc. Unclejun asked me AGES ago to check the BIOS. I'm going to need assistance on this one as I don't actually know how to. (Sacre Bleu!)

 

I'll be soon the owner of a desr-7700, and I'll try to install to install a DSMS 4 modchip by cross checking the point from various PS2 mounting point, I think it is possible as it contain real PS2 hardware...Bios will be slightly different for sure but I'm pretty sure that it can work (50/50)...
Anyway I'll keep you in touch once I receive it and start to work with it...
If I can dump the bios, will it be possible to disassemble it and traduce the japanese menus?

 

The menus are not in the bios, more likely in the flash rom and/or hdd.

 

Yes I agree, so do you think with PS2dumperV2 (This is a tool for dumping information from Playstation2, including bios, dvdplayer rom, non-volatile memory, etc. The ELF program has to run on a
Playstation2 over a 'host'-enabled connection like Naplink or PS2link or
from CD and it will write to a mass-storage usb device. It will create on PC
or USB drive a couple of files and a batch script (*.bat). If you used USB,
copy them to a PC folder along with 7z.exe from cd and run the .bat file
to pack them into a p2b file. Make sure 7z.exe is in the same directory
as the dumped files. The next version of PCSX2 will use *.p2b files instead
of the old bios format. There'll be also a converter for older bios files
to the p2b format, for backward compatibility.
You won't need to throw away your old bios files, but it is recommended to
use the new dumper to get complete information about a PS2. This will help
the efforts to emulate PS2 as much accurate as possible.)

I will be able to do something? or if you have a better idea?

 

This dumper won't work with the usb, but it might work from network only, if you don't use an usb drive to load it.
And it doesn't dump the flash rom anyway...

 

I received my PSX DESR-5700!!!

Hi everybody,

Just received my DESR-5700 and after testing it, I've just opened it and here are some picture of the motherboard, also I'd like to install a DMS4pro modchip and with the mounting schematics I could identify some components used on V9 PS2 so installing it should be possible but I'm stuck with the bios side I couldn't find anything which looks like a standard PS2 bios with the usual sony marking so maybe you can help me on this. See attached pictures, if you need more of them or anything just ask me, I'll be glad to participate on the PSX digging!!

Warning HUGE pictures!!!!!

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/7791/cimg0206at2.jpg

Just after removing the white plastic cover bellow the PSX

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/3091/cimg0207xz2.jpg

EE+GS motherboardside

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/5267/cimg0208kf0.jpg

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/475/cimg0209db3.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2318/cimg0210pr6.jpg
http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/7449/cimg0222au4.jpg

We find these 2 components on PS2 motherboards from V9 as per modchips schematics....SCEX signal should be around the big one...

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/6431/cimg0211mh9.jpg

A closer look on these oki flash there are 4 in total 2 here and 2 just bellow same place...

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/1396/cimg0212bk9.jpg

back of the board, see the white connector upright, this board came on it:

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/8361/cimg0206vv5.jpg

Front

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/3854/cimg0207tg7.jpg

Back

We continue....

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/2417/cimg0214yw7.jpg

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3409/cimg0215pr0.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/3916/cimg0216es3.jpg

Video decoder I presume...?

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/3466/cimg0217dq4.jpg

The oki flashes but this time bellow the EE+GS and soldered exactly at the same place as the top ones....maybe the famous bios I'm seeking...?

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/263/cimg0218av5.jpg

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/9306/cimg0219gb7.jpg

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/9508/cimg0220wn4.jpg

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2618/cimg0221gu8.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/4273/cimg0223od7.jpg

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/5786/cimg0224cp8.jpg

Another look on these oki flashe EE+GS side

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/6241/cimg0225zx4.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/2953/cimg0208tw7.jpg

I/O board front

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8607/cimg0209fe5.jpg

I/O board back

End!! Pffffiou!!:clap:

So if Parris is around and since I'm french thumbsup: ) as well and he also have a DESR maybe we can join together to find some hints....

So let's try to find how to install this DMS4pro...

Again if you need anything infos about it don't hesitate, I'll see tomorrow to continue to dismantle the HDD/DVD side and take pictures!

 

Thorias, you were not joking when you said the images were massive! :katamari:

I've sold the 160Gb DESR and still have the larger, boxed unit. Unclejun is on holiday, I am 'just' starting a new contract at work and have so little time I am barely able to do anything right now. You clearly know more about the unit than I do, so feel free to get going. I had to quit my 'PSU upgrade' to 220vac. I really want to copy the contents of the HDD over to a laptop HDD and free up some internal space so that a different PSU could be inserted.

 

Ok....that's a shame...so right now I will try on the exploit side before starting to hack it too much, I did some quick tests: doesn't read zone 2 DVD there is a jap message on the screen. I hooked it on the net and tried to do a update it connect but gave me a message in jap again with "320" inside...? :shrug:
So I'm waiting for some swap magic coder jap and others stuff to give some try....I'll post here to give my results!!! :dance:

 

Hopefully you will have that all sorted out when I get Parris PSX next week.

 

I think the "oki" chip you were mentionning is the bios.

V10 ps2 have exactly the same one.

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/263/cimg0218av5.jpg

More, just like standard ps2, it is directly linked to what seems to be the audio chip.

 

What firmware version is your PSX running? It may already be at the current version, so won't update further.

I'm looking forward to pics for the DVD side, as that disassembly is a job that I'm probably going to have to tackle for my DESR-7000. It'll also be interesting to see what hardware differences exist between the various versions.

About the pics you posted - they're great, but you might want to change them to links, rather than as in-line images - it'll speed up page loads for this topic.

 

I agree. I can not confirm that the V10s are using the same type of BIOS chip, but the vias from CXD3098Q seem to be going to that OKI chip, so I guess that has to be it... Nice!

Thanks for sharing the photos! Excellent!