I think it should also be noted that the Dualsense 4 controller doesn’t have pressure-sensitive buttons like the original PS2 or PS3 controllers. For most games this doesn’t matter, but some games such as Metal Gear Solid 2&3 did take advantage of that pressure-sensitivity.
Impressive work! But for anyone watching - the PS2 can easily be modded with absolutely no internal mods (but you'd need an external scaler like a retrotink). MC2ISO, Memcard Pro 2, 8bitdo bluetooth receiver and you've got 90% of the functionality on display here with 0 of the soldering work. PS2 is a great console to bring into the modern world!
Indeed, ontop of this....most people will go through this trouble to play like 2 games at most 😂 there are also some good cheap alternatives to the retrotink 2x scaler and up now.
@@TreyMotes The people? Yes, but not ALL of them. The products, no. They make great stuff, regardless of how you feel about some. The dumbness of it all was very "high school" jealously pettiness nonsense from my point of view. However, grown adults shouldn't act that way, so before anyone jumps down my throat, I sided with Mike on all of it.
Unfortunately PCSX2 isn't perfect. Ratchet and clank still has slowdown Yakuza games has this ugly white glitch Stuntman AI won't be exact. And in a game like stuntman, that soft locks the game And many more probably. But it's still a great emulator. Just be careful on which games are playable. It's still a large amount. Buying sly on ps5 is actually better than pirating it. For once, official emulators get it right
i have the HDD resurector flex cable from gus.. (i think ) and just ordered teh iflashps2 kit.. still need the iflash solo but i also found one for m.2 which if this will work id rather have this for m.2 sata ssds as i have tons of these from 512GB to 2TB (1TB max ?? idk? but hav have may 1TB also so .. and i want BT contoler mod and HDMI mod.. i dont care for the retroGem its too expensive ill be happy with the cheap on that puls right fromt eh ps2 video chip.
I LITERALLY just finished mine. I installed a Modbo 5.0 to allow me to boot directly to USB or HDD. I used an ESP32 raw wired to the controller ports using BlueRetro HW2 method, hand wired all ~40 wires to the IDE rebuild and installed an IDE to SATA adapter and put a 4TB SSD in the disk drive's old bay. The DVD drive was completely dead. I want to do the HDMI mod but it's a little steep on the price point right now. All in I have about $270 into this console including the $200 I spent on the 4TB SSD. $30 on the console itself broken from Ebay, $10 for the IDE to SATA adapter, $10 for a package of SMD caps to make the IDE to SATA drive work correctly $5 for the ESP32 but I technically had it laying around from other projects, and $15 for a 2 pack of Modbo 5.0s. One for this console and one for another one. It was a very fun project. If I can get my hands on the HDMI mod I may do it as well.
Very impressive with how small these points are. What's your soldering setup? I use my first $25 iron from Amazon still and it's miserable-the tip heats unevenely now.
I mean I love the PS2 and it’s probably the best console ever, but why being impressed with its graphics? It was the second weakest console of its generation. Gamecube and Xbox games usually look and run much better upscaled.
@@davion4777Not necessarily the weakest, but certainly the least flexibility of the three. The system didn’t even have pixel shaders, the Graphics Synthesizer was basically a very souped-up Voodoo accelerator. What the PS2 has though, is a metric ton of fill rate, and phenomenally fast EDRAM to leverage that. Smoke, explosions, grass, post effects; all being very bandwidth and fill heavy, and all of which the PS2 can handle exceptionally well.
@@davion4777it’s a case-by-case thing. The PS2’s specs may have been overall weaker, but it came with some hardware quirks that PS2-targeting developers used to great effect (take the Ratchet & Clank or Metal Gear Solid games for example). In many cases of PS2-targeted games ported over to its competitors like the Xbox, the Xbox versions would actually have many compromises/bugs due to the absence of some obscure hardware quirk. That being said, the opposite is true for developers who set a target outside of the PS2’s hardware, often relying solely on the console’s middling raw performance. I remember doing research on The Thing (2002) game and was shocked to learn that the PS2 version completely eschewed the lighting and shadows present in the Xbox and PC versions, effectively ruining the intended composition. Other multi-plat games like Sonic Heroes have considerably worse performance on PS2 than anywhere else and others like Run Like Hell miss downloadable content exclusive to the Xbox version. It’s a truly really fascinating and migraine-inducing process to look up version differences between games and figure out which one has the least asterisks associated with it, but it’s the only surefire method I can count on. In summary, some games are best served on the PS2, other for the GameCube, and surprisingly many on the original Xbox, and it’ll take millions of hours to figure out which ports do the game the most justice.
I am still sad that my ps2 died a couple of years ago, but it did provided me thousands of hours of entertainment. RIP my old friend. That was some awesome mods and video.
As someone who tried the basic retro gem, and then upgraded to the shiny.. do NOT get the basic. The deinterlacing offered in the shiny, Is a MUST have. It’s quite jarring how bad the video is without the deinterlacing. And it should have been included in the base version and not behind a paywall!
I'm not getting the shiny version, because I'm using it with a Morph 4k, let it do the motion adaptive deinterlacing and scaling. As a Morph 4k owner I'm glad the basic is available because I don't want to spend another $70.
@@mexdrago3009 rt4k = $750. Morph 4k without analogue = $275. Was a no brainer for me. And while rt4k does have analogue inputs, for a PS2 it's better to do the Gem HDMI mod, as it uses the internal digital signal. Image quality is better than using the analogue output of the PS2. So if you're getting HDMI output from the PS2 anyway with the Gem, the Morph 4k ends up being more cost effective for 4k scaling.
I was watching like this is cool but 400$ plus the ps2 and labor/shipping I'm out. Ps2s and ps3s are around 80$ or less depending on accessories and model. So I mean you could buy a backwards compatible ps3 and a lot of games for the same price
fwiw most of these mods can be achieved less sleekly in other ways. - ps2 port bluetooth adapter with pademu. - memcard sdcard adapters or even just large memcards - external upscaler or GSM /OPL cheats - storage on ps2 is way better these days with sata adapters on fat models (slim you are a bit more limited) if you really are in love with the mods, you can do them overt time too, you dont have to do it all at once.
26:44 Yeah they always ran hot. I would play God of War 1 and 2 for hours and the machine was a little beast. I would get scorching hot, but it never broke. I ended up giving it away after awhile.
@internetcarson if I'm not dumb, the issue with cooling here is just how slim it is. It'd be pretty difficult to find good cooling without compromising the look of the ps2
You made it look easy, Tito! I think the biggest drawback for me would be cost. There are so many alternatives to these mods that are far more wallet friendly, like Helder's MC2SIO which supports cards up to 1TB, 8BitDo's Bluetooth controller adapter, and HDRetroVision's PS2 component cable which offers a fantastic picture whether using a scaler or not (assuming your TV has a component connection!). I can't take away from the ingenuity of these mods, and their discreet design would be preferable to a system overloaded with adapters, but for gamers like myself with intermediate soldering skills and not a whole lotta cash to splash on a single system, these mods feel unnecessary. That said, the passion of the modding community is something that should be celebrated, and I tip my hat to the wizards who make this all possible!
Love how you stated this. Didn't take anything away from the video while mentioning more cost effective measures for many of us that don't have deep pockets. I appreciate Macho Nacho pointing this out in the cons in the vid.
@@babixillo SMB method is enough fast too. if you are not familiar, is a method to boot games from ethernet/LAN port and every device that hassupport SMB1 for exemple : PC/Laptop, Router, Android Box
The way the Micro SD fits in the vent is both so satisfying and so jarring. You know how kids used to put pennies in the NES vent? I can definitely see a Micro SD get pushed in the wrong whole and now, you got to open it again!
Reminder that there is no difference from a hardware perspective between the basic and shiny versions of the Retro Gem; it's like paying your car dealer to activate the already installed heated seats.
I don't understand this criticism. PixelFx could have just sold the shiny edition at full price, and that's it. Instead, they also give the option to "opt-out" of supporting their software work, and sell a cheaper version with less features. Since it's the same hardware, you can upgrade anytime and having the same BOM makes it simpler to manufacture, so they're always in stock. Why is this so bad?
Then charge a flat rate for a single version, don't sell people and inferior version of a product with locked out features that are built into it, that's a big tech type of scam and not something that a grassroots scene like retro console modding should any part of @@r4dius
@@axmccxThat is, literally, what they should have done. Remember on disk DLC? It's the same concept. People hate, and rightly so, the idea of owning a thing they don't have full control over. It's a scummy thing to do and the reason why publishers now sell incomplete games on disc with day one patches instead of extra content you can't access on disc, haha.
@@Tjs.Tech-NichePS3 does it very bad. Especially late revisions that got rid of all PS2 hardware. By your logic everybody should throw away their old consoles and use "Backward compatibility" or RetroArch.
@@attag_ua must be you not properly setting it up. Sucks yours having issues getting your ps3 in working order. I've never encountered a ps2 game that "does it very bad" on the ps3. User error it sounds like. I can help you set it up if youd like(: and yea, considering I have the Entire ps2 library on my ps3, the ps2 is 100% obsolete and spending over $450 to do these mods to make it usable again is fucking nuts.
@@attag_ua also it doesn't sound like you know your ps3 models at all. Only the original fat ps3 had native backwards compatibility with the ps2. ALL following revisions (not just the later revisions like you said) can only emulate ps2 titles. Please do not try to spread false information especially when you do not know what you are talking about!
@@MasterKiller540_ are you sure? they are all basic FPS games with nothing technically impressive in geometry, scale and physics. PS2 have way technically games than Xbox for exemple : GoW 1&2, Katamari 1&2, Shadow of the Colossus, Rez, Fantavision, Jak series, Ratched & Clank series
@mandibiedermann2246 Halo CE used the xboxs hard drive, and Doom 3 heavily used stencil lighting that would be impossible to run on a PS2 without terrible framerate
Its also worth mentioning you can use HDMI CEC to turn the PS2 on or off with the TV remote. The Methylene mod also supports pressure sensitive buttons on PS3 controllers, although there is a small bug where the sticks randomly register false inputs at the moment. Hopefully it will be fixed in the next update and it'll be perfect.
Yeah I remember one of my friends had what at the time I only knew as a black PS2 slim, and that thing baked running. Can't help it with those big separated EE and GS chips, literally the same hardware as the last fat models. Then when my brother got a silver slim model and it ran ice cold I was certain they had tweaked the thing under the hood. Turns out we have a 79000 revision that has the smallest EE+GS+RAM combo chip out of all revisions and it just sipped power. Best versions to make portables out of, those and the 90000 ones that had built-in power supplies.
@@Logon01 Nah, I'll do that eventually but it's not that bad. It's really not that hot and the fan's only noticeable during quiet enough moments in games for me to hear it
I recently opened my PAL 700xx up, gave it a clean and replaced the thermal pads with Arctic TP-3 0.5mm and EC360° Gold 2mm, it helped a bit with the noise. However, a fan mod, if available, would be the icing on that.
No that's not overkill, it's pure awesome. Really bringing the PS2 into the 2020s, that set of mods. Tito does things other modders can't even dream of.
I like the mod and all But the best option is~ -Fat ps2 -MemCardPro2 -2TB SSD -Ps2 8BitDo wireless adapter In all this should cost less than $200 An alternative mod without soldering and breaking the bank
Or even better PS3 CECHA0x with hardware backward compability, cfw, 1tb ssd and cpu swap to 40nm one [frankenstein mod], you can run PS1, PS2 and PS3 games on one console, through hdmi, with wireless controller...
@@ayzenshiro1090 I'd like that, but I'd rather have my library of games on their own native console like my modded ps1 classic. Not being picky I just love the aesthetic ✨️
Or you can just use pcxs2 for free if you have a PC. Rubs better than any modded PS2 ever will. Every single one of these features for free and open source.
@@DaGrayson039 but PS3 has oficial PS2 and PS1 Backwards Compatible by Sony... No modders, And since I have My CECHA01 60gb PS3 my PS2 Fat is obsolete...
close, but no. the 8bitdo and the blueretro don't support pressure buttons at all. you want the brook ps2 adapter instead that can also use wired controllers if you want to plug an arcade stick and similar.
I like the cleanness of that Blue Retro internal wireless controller mod, but for ease of use a pair of Brooks or 8BitDo wireless adapters would be fine too. 100% agree on the Retro Gem using mini HDMI instead of full size - not sure why they do this across the board even on PS1 where the serial port cutout is plenty large enough for a full size HDMI connector. I half wonder if they didn't just find a screaming deal on a massive pile of mini connectors and decide to use those to save money.
Awesome set of mods, I've got a few of these mods in my system but I use SMB instead of the hard drive mod. In general, my SCPH-7004 runs noticeably hotter than my SPCH-9004, but one thing I noticed when modding is that the bottom metal shielding on the SPCH-70xx/75xx/77xx does absorb much of the heat from the console hence removing it makes the console run hotter. I always choose to keep the bottom shield for that reason.
PS2 launched in 2000 and was discontinued in 2013 crazy they were still making these things for that long. PS1 was discontinued in 2006. PS3 was discontinued in 2016 and PS4 in 2021.
The things is a great number of PS2 games had letterbox aspect ratio to emulate the 16:9 on 4:3 monitors. These backbars are part of the frame, so the final game image on a modern screen is smaller.
I've been binging your videos today, and I have to say that I like your style of editing your videos. They're clear, concise, and not flooded with annoying SFX or unneeded subtitles every 10 seconds like I'm seeing on so many other videos lately.
I imagine this is what a "Remastered" console would be like if Sony did it in 2024. Of course the chips would be different and such but the general idea would be the same.
Or we get a PS2 Classic that only supports PAL at 240i and has massive stutter on all the games... I'd love for retro system remakes to make a big comeback, but Nintendo went the limited run route with theirs and Sony dropped the ball with theirs. Big shame.
Me too. Hdmi port, 1080p upscaling , wireless controllers, huge save data storage do to the hdd, etc, launch ps3 models are the definitive way to play ps2 games on modern televisions!
This is an excellent project you did, Tito. If you buy more of those used PS2 Slims at flea markets, Amazon, Ebay, and Kijiji, you must also do total full restoration first and put in the mods next.
I wish someone would offer these modded PS2 already complete for those of us that do not want to solder.. I get the high cost but im sure some would be willing to pay that price to avoid the complexity this requires. Great video! I modded my PS2 to run off an external hard drive. But these mods together make the ultimate PS2!
I tried on a few occasions there's nomarket for it. It's way too niche. Most ppl want a clean system in the original state. Most ppl don't understand what the mod does. And ppl don't want to pay what you think your work is worth. Lastly, there's no place to sell it. Most popular market places will not allow your to sell modified consoles
This is seriously like a PS2 Super Saiyan! ⚡ I never thought someone would take it to this level, makes me want to break out my old console and mod it too. Also, is it just me or does everything about the PS2 just have that nostalgic vibe? 🎮✨
Great video - regarding the heat comments at the end, I own a 70003 model with the same board revision (separate EE and GS chips) as used in your system, and I can confirm that stock it runs pretty hot, with the fan getting fairly loud during extended use.
I love this channel. a few days ago I finally installed a 500gb HD full of roms in my phat ps2. I'm thinking about doing the HDMI mod now. And Nacho I love you bro but you GOT to learn how to drag solder my man. Those ic's are a breeze once you get that down. I recommend using a chisel head on your solder gun. I'm telling you once you got that technique down you'll never have any problems soldering tiny pins on ICs and it's honestly FAR easier than trying to solder each pin separately.
I am so jealous. This looks so amazing. I would definitely pay that price for amazing piece of kit. Such a shame my soldering skills are not up to these jobs.
@tito : I have an unmodded ps2 slim, which I dont use anymore as I have a modded ps2 phat, and I can confirm that it runs hot. Scph-70012. The fan is cleaned, the thermal pads replaced still it runs hot and thats why I prefer my phat over it. I thought maybe it was just my system but it seems yours is heating up as well.
Awesome video as usual Tito ! For button combination, it’s not needed to press right in combination, but your idea to turn off the console by holding 5s is great ! I’m going to try to implement that in custom bluetetro revision. For someone who are interested by Methylene, the new revision is more easy to install 😊
I would call it the PS2 Slim Plus! The cost and difficulty of installation is definitely a turn off for most casual gamers, but I'm pretty sure many adopted some (if not most) of these mods. Here's my poor man's options: - Wireless controllers: BlueRetro receivers. I don't have them yet but I'm going for 1 grey for the PSX and 1 black for the PS2, which can be switched over for 2 player games. I'll have to use my feet to get up, walk to the console and press the power button. Oh well... - Memory cards: I use 2x Airlabs 8Mbit cards on the PSX (same as 2x 8 cards), and a Max Memory 64MB card on the PS2 slot1 (same as 8 cards) plus an original SONY MC with FMCB on slot2. - Image quality: I use RGB SCART cables for the best quality possible with a big old CRT, which can (one day eventually) be connected to an HDMi upscaler which in turn can be used with other consoles, so money saved there. - Storage: I use a HUGE mechanical 1TB HDD inside the PS2 FAT with an original PS2 HDD Network adapter to store the backups of my original (coff coff) games. Might swap it with an SD card adapter + 1TB microSD if the price becomes more affordable/appealing, plus the added advantage of less heat inside the console.
Looks over at my Phat PS2 running an SSD and me saying to it, "you are now dead to me!" Dang, this was a great build! Almost worth starting over and building a slim for fun.
Projects like this makes me really want to spent lots of time getting better at soldering to get good at it and then make my own version of the perfect ps2. 💪🏻 fantastic video and truly inspiring
In my past experience many years ago, yes, the slim (or, at least, one variation) got very hot. I would caution using the optical drive, because the excessive heat can degrade the adhesive holding the optical sensor ribbon cable. If it fails, it can allow the ribbon cable to flex up to and damage a spinning disc. This heat will also depend on what game you're playing.
I have all the versions of PS2, and definitely the 70000 runs hot in comparison to FAT and 90000 models, don't worry Tito, this is the prequel to the PS4 era, runs HOT! Hahaha OBS: I'm going to do this mod on my ps2, and great video as always. Shout-out from Brazil!
I ordered like x70 ribbon cables i changed x3 of my ps2 slims They was scratching discs now they dont The old ribbon cable is weak too .. many years old .. The New ones way stronger to go in the laser part dont fall off from glue that easy . They always wanted & welcome so i ordered many for cheap for future proofing too . I also ordered ps2 lasers and cases , thermal grease white for laser legs etc ..
This is absolutely awesome and i commend your and everyone's hard work in making this a reality. Long live the venerable PS2. That being said im a purist and genuinely enjoy all the limitations of old consoles. To me, that is their charm and huge nostalgia fountain. These mods, while awesome, take away the joy of the old days (for me.) I love swapping discs and memory cards, corded controllers and having to get up to turn it on and off. Its the whole experience. Combine it with a HD tube tv and 30 dollar AV cable and im in heaven. Much love and happy gaming!
NFS Underground prototype has a shutdown function implemented and it uses R123, L123 pressed at the same time. They could implement that command instead, because it's much more natural to press. I have a 77004 PS2 Slim and it doesn't run hot at all. I had it since launch, you simply can't hear the fan inside of it. It's almost as if it's not even sipnning. I forgot what the differences are, but it look the same on the outside. It's not the half gloss, half matte one.
I find all of this super fascinating and I'm so grateful that people much smarter than me are willing to put in so much effort to upgrade an antique piece of hardware. I'm hoping someone comes up with a good cooling mod next.
CRT with SCART or component cable + wired zero lag PS2 pad and fat PS2 with HDD adapter - a bit closer to my liking but damn, your mods are pretty nice. I understand HDMI port can work together with RGB or component so its just more modern PS2. Very nice build. Great job.
The only mod that seems like a positive instead of a negative is the SD card but just get a fat PS2 with a hard drive and also have it on a network and your in a much better situation already, they already can read external hard drives as well
On 25:54 you say it would be better to use the ps button but remember that, holding the ps button or xbox button for 7 seconds on controllers turns the controller off, and that blue retro is made to work with a lot of Bluetooth controllers like mayflash and 8bitdo (among others) that do not have a home button. Apart from that, pretty cool mods!
Heat observation: Wonder if you're seeing more heat because of the improved thermal pads. Thanks to the pads you're just removing more heat from the unit so the outside of the case just feels hotter? Just an idea. Great video as always! I got one of those IPA dispensers you had in one of your recent videos and I love it so much!
Look lovely, even in the inside. But yes, it’s extremaly expensive and difficult. Hint - cheaper alternative „no mod” mod- 8bitdo bt adapter + upscaler + MX4SIO + Universal remote for turning on/ off :)
I've got a 75003 model and it for sure runs fairly toasty, the discs are basically warm after I'm done with a play session. A bunch of these mods are also largely over priced for what they are and are borderline pointless considering the options available. - The PS4 controller on PS2 can be done using an ELF file that loads the controller up over USB, granted the only program that uses it is a controller testing program, but it shouldn't stop it from being implemented on boot AND it would work with a USB bluetooth adapter as well - There's a custom build of OPL that allows for NTFS drives to be used so you're able to use high capacity storage - retrotink or RAD2X fixes the HDMI issue for cheap (or expensive as hell if you opt for the 4k stuff) don't get me wrong it's nice to see these types of products (and the installation process) but ultimately it doesn't seem to be worth the money in my opinion
