Playing US PS2 Games

[andyl]

Ok people,

Bear with me as this really isn't my thing. Ignorance is not bliss though.....my kids have just returned from the States with a couple of PS2 games which won't play on their machine. To get 'em to work do I need to get the PS2 chipped?

Cheers in advance for any advice.

Andy

[Neil]

Yes, or you need to buy a device called an "Action Replay" by Datel, which I believe removes region coding for games.

[Edit]-No it doesn't, it only removes region coding from DVDs.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000289YJ8/qid=1112620424/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl/026-0322705-0758838

[andyl]

Cheers Neil - any idea what the going rate is for getting a PS2 chipped? And anything I should watch out for when embarking on this path (apart from Sony's lawyers ;) )?

[Neil]

Cheers Neil - any idea what the going rate is for getting a PS2 chipped? And anything I should watch out for when embarking on this path (apart from Sony's lawyers ;) )?

Depends on where you are in the UK really Andy-I.E if you have to also fork out for postage to send your PS2 away, but I think an average charge would be about £40-£50.

[andyl]

Cheers Neil - seems a price worth paying (not least as I have a brother who lives in China!) Shhhhhhhh, I've said too much ;)

[SMHarman]

Do you still end up with PAL/NTSC problems. Can they be overcome. Do you need a telly that supports NTSC on PAL (most new ones do).

[andyl]

Do you still end up with PAL/NTSC problems. Can they be overcome. Do you need a telly that supports NTSC on PAL (most new ones do).

Er......?!

[SMHarman]

Games made for the US market are made for NTSC TVs, Games made for EU are Pal.

This is why Lazy conversions had black bars top and bottom as the NTSC picture is 525 lines and the PAL picture 625 lines.

I don't know what the chip does, but I know part of the original problem was that the games were formatted for different TV formats.

[andyl]

Games made for the US market are made for NTSC TVs, Games made for EU are Pal.

This is why Lazy conversions had black bars top and bottom as the NTSC picture is 525 lines and the PAL picture 625 lines.

I don't know what the chip does, but I know part of the original problem was that the games were formatted for different TV formats.

OK thanks. I do know a chipped player will play games imported from China but I guess that may depend on the original source of the ripped off game!

[Neil]

1) The chip (depending on which one you get fitted) wil pretty much play anything that you throw at it.

2) It won't (& can't) overcome poor programming.

3) All you really need to run NTSC films/games is a TV with a SCART socket.

HTH.

[andyl]

Cheers Neil. Off to finbd a dodgy geezer to do the chipping!

[dr wadd]

You don`t need to get the PS2 chipped to play import games, there are several boot loader discs available on the market that operate in a similar fashion, although to use them it does require that you remove a small section of panel from the front of the PS2 (non-destructively, it can be replaced if needed).

You run the boot disc first and then use a little tool with them to unlock the drive tray. Swap the game, push the drive tray back in and relock it and off you go.

I can`t remember which one my friend has, but it cost around 15 quid and works perfectly. Spent far too long this weekend playing the US release of Katamari Damarcy on his PAL PS2.

[andyl]

You don`t need to get the PS2 chipped to play import games, there are several boot loader discs available on the market that operate in a similar fashion, although to use them it does require that you remove a small section of panel from the front of the PS2 (non-destructively, it can be replaced if needed).

You run the boot disc first and then use a little tool with them to unlock the drive tray. Swap the game, push the drive tray back in and relock it and off you go.

I can`t remember which one my friend has, but it cost around 15 quid and works perfectly. Spent far too long this weekend playing the US release of Katamari Damarcy on his PAL PS2.

Cheers for that too! Looks like I'll get there in the end!