Mod Chips - Solder or Solderless?

[norkusa]

I've finally decided to get a modchip for my PS2 so I can play some imports. I looked at the flip tops & disc swaps, but they seem like too much trouble and I'd just like to be able to put an import disc in there and play it without doing anything else.

I'm currently looking at the DMS4 Pro chip but I'm torn between getting the solder and solderless versions. I haven't had much soldering experience aside of removing a few batteries from some circuit boards, so the idea of getting a solder chip and installing it myself kind of scares me. The solderless chips look attractive but someone told me that they aren't as reliable as the solder ones.

Can anyone with some mod chip experience set me straight on the basic pros and cons of solderless chips. Also, is installing a solder chip something that's hard to screw up, or should I get some more soldering practice in under my belt before I try and put one in?

[klausien]

If you are even slightly unsure about your soldering abilities, get a solderless chip. Modding a PS2 is an advanced to expert level soldering job requiring a lighted magnifying glass and a very good low wattage soldering iron with a very small tip. Not for the faint of heart.

I have a solderless chip and it is fantastic. There are some mixed testimonials out there, but it is relatively easy to do, and if you can solder in the first place, you understand patience and delicate movement. Just make sure you study the instructions carefully before doing anything and have some electrical tape and/or hot glue ready to make sure everything is properly insulated. The toughest part of the whole job with a solderless chip is disassembly and careful reassembly of the machine. A PS2 is a complicated beast.

Also, a very important word to the wise. If you have a V9+ PS2, you are going to need to desolder one pin on one and solder it to a +5V point to avoid blowing the chip that powers and runs the DVDROM and drawer mechanism. It is prone to burning out with the increased load a chip adds. One wire isn't so bad actually and it is in a place that is easy to work with. Look up "Romeo Mod" for more info.

I waited until the solderless chips came out, and I'm incredibly happy with the versatility of a chipped PS2. It is worth the time and effort, especially when you can cheat with the solderless. As for the DMS, you don't need to spend the extra money on the additional onboard chip memory unless you want to make using homebrew/hot coffee easier.

Best of luck!

[norkusa]

Thanks a lot for the tips, klausien. I think my best bet would be the solderless chip. I was worried about getting one after hearing about how they can sometimes pop loose but it sounds like if you do a good job installing it, you shouldn't have to worry about it. I got a v7 PS2 also, so it looks like installing it should be pretty easy.

Is a Lite chip with 128 kb flash memory big enough though? All I really wanted to put on it was the Toxic bios and maybe a HDD utility (if that isn't already included with Toxic). Can I fit that on there? That was the only reason why I was going to get the Pro.

[Joker T]

I'm by no means an expert on mod chips, but from what I've heard solderless is less reliable.

[norkusa]

I'm by no means an expert on mod chips, but from what I've heard solderless is less reliable.

Yeah, that's what I've heard too. But everyone I've talked to so far that has a solderless chip raves about it.

Anyone here actually have any bad experiences with a solderless chip?

[Mangar]

I've had a bad experience with an X-Box solderless, not PS2. The problem was that since it was a relatively "older" X-Box model, the contacts wouldn't really "connect" with the board when the machine was all closed up. I just went and turned it into a soldered one, and that was that. I actually have soldering skills, i just was lazy. Ended up having to solder anyway.

I am one of the few who have had problems however. Most people with the solderless mods have had them perform flawlessly. Even mine, i feel with some adjusting could have done so. I just got annoyed and said "Fuck This" and soldered the contacts. Felt it was better for the long-term.

[Raedon]

I have very strong soldering skills and the ps2 was a real challenge, with the steady hands and beed of sweat on my forehead even. If you can't do a PS1 mod in under 10 minutes forget it.

[omnedon]

If all you want is import play, you need a PSTwo slim, with a flip top, and Swapmagic discs. Painless, reliable, solder free.

Only the PSTwo works well with a flip top IMO. If I didn't have a Japanese PSTwo to play my NGBC and SSTenka, I would go that route.

As a repair guy, I see the bloody aftermath of PS2 chip self installs regularly. The horror. The horror.

[ProgrammingAce]

I've done several soldered on ps2 chips and they all work fine to this day. I tried the solderless chip and screwed up the console (i bent the pins on the dsp). I swear to soldered chips now, but as always YMMV

[c0ldb33r]

Would a softmodded ps2 do the job?

My ps2 is softmodded and I love it :D

[biggzy]

I've had absolutely no experience with PS2 modding (though I heard it's a maze of solder points). Anyways, when I modded my Xbox last year, I tried the solderless adapter. It could have been the branding of the adapter I was using or half a dozen other things, but I couldn't get the damn thing to make a solid connection on all the points. I wound up pulling out my iron and soldering the thing in place and it's worked great ever since.

That's my story. I've heard quite a few success stories with solderless adapters as well, so draw your own conclusions. Also, comparing PS2 to Xbox modding is probably like comparing apples to oranges I'd imagine.

[Damion]

Would a softmodded ps2 do the job?

My ps2 is softmodded and I love it :D

Theres a Softmod for the PS2?

would you PM me a link for info?



whats with me today.

anyways google is your friend folks

[Jorpho]

As a repair guy, I see the bloody aftermath of PS2 chip self installs regularly. The horror. The horror.

I gotta ask... How bad does it get? (Or is there already some much bigger website with pics of When Soldering Goes Wrong?)

[omnedon]

Usually means a dead motherboard, and then you start all over again. I've seen wrecked mobos from solderless installs too.

Sometimes these 'modders' get mad at me when I give them the bad news. :/

See my earlier post for the most reliable way to play imports. Much cheaper than fubarring an existing PS2, replacing it, and then doing the reliable thing after learning the hard way.

YMMV

[norkusa]

Well I installed this non-solder DMS4 EZI Pro chip in my PS2 over the weekend and totally screwed it up. :roll: The PS2 isn't recognizing the mod chip for some reason and I can't get PS1 games to boot up anymore. Don't think I damaged the motherboard though since I can still play games on it. I read that the inability for it to play PS1 games though is do to a bad "x wire" connection (whatever that is).

So yesterday I shipped my PS2 out to a pro modder to finish the job for me and solder the chip in. Hopefully he can get my PS2 modded and working without having to do any major work to it. I got the chip for almost half off for what it sells for but after screwing it up and shipping it out to get professionally installed, it would have cost me the same if I just got the solder chip and sent it out to get modded in the first place.