Modding PSOne system for imports?

[Sylentwulf]

I legitimately want to know this. It's not like I would save any money by making ps1 backup games over buying the originals at this point in the ps1's life :)

I have a PSOne system setup SOLELY for the purpose of playing DDR. I'd LOVE to import a bunch of cheap konamix games, and imagine I would like th emusic better too.

So, what's the easiest and cheapest method? I don't mind some solder. 2nd questions, what are the best import ddr games to get? :)

[youruglyclone]

I know a local shop does ps1 mods for 20 but it's been a while they might not do it anymore.

there are loader disks unfortunately names escape me right now


pssst...interested in selling those sfc style snes controller you showed in your xmas sale?

[PapaStu]

I'm sure theres a PSOne modchip out there, but if I remember correctly that was much more annoying to hard mod like that. I'd think that if you hunted down an Action Replay you'd be able to get your import DDR grove on alright.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I have a PSone with LCD "soft modded" with one of the disk-swapping methods...I forget what it's called, came in a green & black DVD keep case. Basically it's a boot disk thingie that lets you swap out. Works like a charm on all but the most recent Japanese titles that have been engineered to defeat that method.

[ProgrammingAce]

At this point it's pratically cheaper to just buy a ps1 debugging station for $50. The chips are a pain, but you can get them and the swap disks from www.modchip.com

[PapaStu]

At this point it's pratically cheaper to just buy a ps1 debugging station for $50. The chips are a pain, but you can get them and the swap disks from www.modchip.com

thats exactly what I did, especially since I'm really not one for modding at all. However my debugs wernt 50 a pop, as those are cheaper now because of the 'glut' of Acclaim Debuggers.

[sleepycal]

just buy a used ps one w/ chip

There's tons of people who had them modded for the express purpose of copying games.

And now the newspaper classifieds are packed full of them.

Get one of the later model ps1's (7500 or 9000 models) Less issues w/ the laser.

[Jibbajaba]

$14.99

http://www.allmodchip.com/PSXchange_2_p_16149.html

Chris

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Yes! Thanks, Chris. PSXchange 2 is the one I use. Highly recommended.

[Sylentwulf]

I'll most likely pick up one of these:
http://www.modchip.com/orderpsonemodchip.php
unless I can find the same thing cheaper somewhere, I'll most likely order 10 and sell the rest on my website. They really overcharge for ordering just one :/

I REALLY don't want to do the disc swap thing, too much of a pain, It's ONLY for ddr games, so I rarely switch discs (if at all) and that doesn't appeal to me at all. And I already have a modded PS1, but those things are as reliable as an AMC gremlin.

[Flack]

I assume you're a pretty soldery kinda guy ... only thing I remember is that modding a PSOne was a bit more delicate than modding an older PSX, especially the pre 7xxx series which had huge solder points. I did a couple of PSOne's back in the day and remember breaking out my magnifying lense to do them.

BTW, I use Chipzone.com (http://www.chipzone.com/marketplace/catalog/browse/browse.cfm?Browse_SystemCID=220&vendorID=35&ClientID=11052). I just checked and they have bare PS1 modchips for < $5.

[Lothars]

Hmm I never realized the prices for modchips on the ps1's a not that bad

I now need to get one there are still a bunch of games I wouldn't mind to import.

hmm Thanks alot for the links everyone. Great Topic :D

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I assume you're a pretty soldery kinda guy
He's a solder of fortune.

[s1lence]

For 15 bucks that ps-x disc is pretty cheap. I still prefer the hard mod over the swap disc cause I'm lazy. I think my last ps1 chip was 7 wires and only took about 15 minutes to install start to finish.

[Haoie]

The PS Exchange disc is the best way, especially if you don't want to break open your console, or if you have no soldering experience.

For some rather odd reason, some games [and not the new ones] don't work with it. I've only encountered 2 in my time, those being Xenogears and Lunar 1.

Oh and then there's the problem with disc switching, but if you only play single disc, it's nothing.

[InsaneDavid]

First question -

Here's a decent site that goes over some of the mod chip installations and has BASIC information about tuning the laser and so forth, however take that information with a grain of salt...

http://www.psxtune.com/einbaue.html

As for what DDR games to get, as someone who likes the older DDR playlists WAY more than the recent stuff I can say that DDR 3rd Mix is the first game you want to pick up. Lots of Captain Jack, tons of the songs that made DDR what it is, and the original steps that we all started playing on imported machines in the arcade. DDR 4th Mix would be the next stop, yeah the interface sucks but it picks up some of the other horribly underrated DDR music such as Dream-a-Dream, 1 2 3 4 007, Kick The Can and so on.

Oh, also pick up a copy of Pepsiman while you're PS1 importin'. :D

[Mangar]

Here's a decent site that goes over some of the mod chip installations and has BASIC information about tuning the laser and so forth, however take that information with a grain of salt...

I've read a little about the pot tuning in order to increase the laser power before, but haven't spoken to anyone who has actually done it. I'm curious if it works. I have a couple playstations around, and two of the three need to be played upside down in order to work.

Which simply does not look nice on my entertainment wall.

[Sylentwulf]

Well, After looking on ebay for ddr import games, I'm guessing this is going to be a no go, I don't pay $20-$30 for brand new games usually, no way I'm paying that much for a 10 year old import game lol. I figured they'd be as much as most other overprinted import games go for on ebay.

[davidbrit2]

If you're going to play just DDR games, then don't bother trying to use a mod chip. Almost all of them have the annoying mod chip detection, so if you play them on a modded US system, you just get the nice big "SOFTWARE TERMINATED - CONSOLE MAY HAVE BEEN MODIFIED" screen. The way around this is with annoying Action Replay codes that often don't work all that well. Good luck actually getting 5th Mix to run this way - the only way I've been able to make it run is with an Action Replay cartridge that lets you shut the codes off once you get to the title screen. If you're going to just play original copies, then you're much better off just getting a real Japanese PS1.

[InsaneDavid]

Here's a decent site that goes over some of the mod chip installations and has BASIC information about tuning the laser and so forth, however take that information with a grain of salt...

I've read a little about the pot tuning in order to increase the laser power before, but haven't spoken to anyone who has actually done it. I'm curious if it works. I have a couple playstations around, and two of the three need to be played upside down in order to work.

I've adjusted the pot on a few PlayStations and gotten them to work without having to flip the system around, however I've done it in conjunction with another fix. See over time the carriage assembly that houses the laser will begin to slip downward, falling away from the disc height too far to get a good read. When you flip your PS1 upside down then the laser is at the proper level again, which is why it works. The solution to this I've found is to put sections of smooth foam packaging (like what motherboards come wrapped in) beneath the track of the laser assembly carriage. Keep in mind that there were some revisions that changed the height - original PS1's will need one piece, later built ones will need a few layers. I simply glue the foam to the top of the RF sheilding and stack it up until it JUST pushes on the laser carriage. It's smooth enough for the assembly to glide along it yet it will hold the laser up to the proper level. Make sure not to put too much though.


If you're going to play just DDR games, then don't bother trying to use a mod chip. Almost all of them have the annoying mod chip detection, so if you play them on a modded US system, you just get the nice big "SOFTWARE TERMINATED - CONSOLE MAY HAVE BEEN MODIFIED" screen. The way around this is with annoying Action Replay codes that often don't work all that well. Good luck actually getting 5th Mix to run this way - the only way I've been able to make it run is with an Action Replay cartridge that lets you shut the codes off once you get to the title screen. If you're going to just play original copies, then you're much better off just getting a real Japanese PS1.

DDR 3rd and 4th Mix work fine without any problems with older revision mod chips, I had a backup copy of DDR 5th Mix for awhile (I'm a bad man, yes, geez, if I could rent it I would have) and I didn't get any problems like that and it was a direct duplicate. From what I remember the only game that tripped with a modification screen was the US release of Dino Crisis that would show a JAPANESE modification warning screen. Then again that's why there are stealth PS1 mod chips.

I don't want to get your thread closed but if you mod a PS1 and want to try 3rd and 4th Mix, send me a PM Sylentwulf. The current modded PS1 I use for importing I actually found in a trash pile at a local flea market. LOL However modding PS1's and importing games is how I used to make money back in high school in the late 90's.

[davidbrit2]

DDR 3rd and 4th Mix work fine without any problems with older revision mod chips, I had a backup copy of DDR 5th Mix for awhile (I'm a bad man, yes, geez, if I could rent it I would have) and I didn't get any problems like that and it was a direct duplicate. From what I remember the only game that tripped with a modification screen was the US release of Dino Crisis that would show a JAPANESE modification warning screen. Then again that's why there are stealth PS1 mod chips.

I can tell you for certain that those DDRs all tank on a PS1 using an Action Replay cart for swap booting. I have to use various obnoxious codes to get them to work.

[InsaneDavid]

DDR 3rd and 4th Mix work fine without any problems with older revision mod chips, I had a backup copy of DDR 5th Mix for awhile (I'm a bad man, yes, geez, if I could rent it I would have) and I didn't get any problems like that and it was a direct duplicate. From what I remember the only game that tripped with a modification screen was the US release of Dino Crisis that would show a JAPANESE modification warning screen. Then again that's why there are stealth PS1 mod chips.

I can tell you for certain that those DDRs all tank on a PS1 using an Action Replay cart for swap booting. I have to use various obnoxious codes to get them to work.

...And I can tell you I was talking about hardmods and not that archaic swap trick crap. LOL Was all the rage back in 1997 before the mod chips were easy to come by. Using a hardmod with a mod chip I play DDR 3rd Mix three times a week. ;)

[davidbrit2]

Must have been a stealth mod chip, then, because 3rd Mix and later are too cunning for simple methods. Heh.

[InsaneDavid]

Must have been a stealth mod chip, then, because 3rd Mix and later are too cunning for simple methods. Heh.

Nope, standard classic four wire PS1 modchip...

http://www.startoursinfo.com/junk/PS1-Modchip(Classic).jpg

[davidbrit2]

Well that's really strange. The only other explanation would be patched games.

[InsaneDavid]

Well that's really strange. The only other explanation would be patched games.

Or that some of the database testing was done using faulity chips or later revisions of the software. Wouldn't surprise me if there were many many many pressings of the Japanese DDR games.