Best PS2 Modchip?

[Stingray]

When I first installed my HD I formatted it with HDLoader. The HD is 160 GB, but HDLoader only recognised 120 GB of it. I was pleasantly suprised to find that after booting my PS2 with HDAdvance for the first time it recognises the entire HD without having to reformat.

-S

[TalkingOctopus]

Well I've looked into HDLoader more and I think I'd prefer a modchip.

[DYNAGOD]

i hope you have some mondo soldering skills, casu until you see the wire and the leads, you cant imagine how small they are..
some are like not much bigger than the dots on the end of my sentences.

[Stingray]

Also, for when the time comes, I'd like to know a good reliable place to purchase the chip.

[Dave_K.]

Well I've looked into HDLoader more and I think I'd prefer a modchip.

You do understand that HDLoader is orthogonal to a modchip right?  The modchip will just let you run unsigned code.  HDLoader lets you load and run some (not all) games off your HD.  One is not "better" than another.  In fact its not even a lot of work to setup HDLoader.  Why not have both, at least it would mean not burning as many DVDs.

[TalkingOctopus]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

[Stingray]

I mainly want to mod to play imports...

Although I don't have any imports in order to verify the claim, the instructions that come with HDAdvance specify that it will load & run imports, just FYI.

-S

[Dave_K.]

I mainly want to mod to play imports...

Although I don't have any imports in order to verify the claim, the instructions that come with HDAdvance specify that it will load & run imports, just FYI.

-S

My main goal is for playing PS2 imports as well (I have 3 more games on order from playasia as we speak).  I started off with the FlipTop and SwapMagic route as its the cheapest and easiest to install myself.  It works, but the swapmagic discs are a bit hooaky as they only boot 50% of the time (must be because of the copy protection rings in the discs).  But combined with HDA/HDL and I'm pretty much covered.

[TalkingOctopus]

I mainly want to mod to play imports...

Although I don't have any imports in order to verify the claim, the instructions that come with HDAdvance specify that it will load & run imports, just FYI.

-S

My main goal is for playing PS2 imports as well (I have 3 more games on order from playasia as we speak).

[Dave_K.]

You can simply copy the import using HDL/HDA (insert the disc).  If for some reason that fails, you can rip it to an iso on a PC and put it on the HD via HDLDUMP or WINHIIP.  Imports play just like any other game off your HD.  If all else fails, you can just play the import via fliptop and swapmagic.

Games I have on order from playasia are: Psyvariar Complete, XII Stag, and ESPGaluda.  All are vertical PS2 shooters for my new japanese sit at cab with rotating betson monitor.   Oh, I also have Chaos Field for Dreamcast on order when it ships Dec 16th.

[TalkingOctopus]

You can simply copy the import using HDL/HDA (insert the disc).

[Dave_K.]

I almost won Dodonpachi Dai-Ou-Jou on ebay for $25, but then in the last hour it skyrocketed to over $70.00.  You can buy it new for less than that!  Rediculous!

LOL I was watching that auction closely also.  What a fool.  I am kinda on the fence about getting this game as the mechanics don't seem to  interest me (just use the big fat laser all the time and dodge bullets...not much strategy).  I'm only interested in getting it if its cheap.