PS2 Mod 2016-19: USB & HDD Loading, PS1 via POPS, Emus

[sevin0seven]

Looks like the new version of Retroarch (1.7.6) now supports PS2.

it currently supports these cores:

* 2048
* FCEUmm (NES emulator)
* QuickNES (NES emulator)
* Picodrive (Mega Drive/Genesis/Master System emulator)

[Jagosaurus]

That's awesome news! Thanks for the update. I had missed that.

[nightrnr]

Those cores loaded up super slow for me (not just the menu, but getting the game running), or even not at all. Not sure if it's just a problem on my end, but I'll stick with the other emulators for now.

Let me know if anyone has a better experience with them.

[sevin0seven]

Those cores loaded up super slow for me (not just the menu, but getting the game running), or even not at all. Not sure if it's just a problem on my end, but I'll stick with the other emulators for now.

Let me know if anyone has a better experience with them.

From Libretro Blog:
PS2 NOTES: To run Picodrive and FCEUmm at fullspeed, you need to set Vsync to off. QuickNES will be fullspeed with vsync on.

[Jagosaurus]

Is that just in RA settings?

Video on current build by PPM
https://youtu.be/6fezmO8_j1s

[nightrnr]

No, I mean the whole emulator navigation. Took forever to load up, took forever to load a game, took forever to get back to menu (if at all). I lost patience before proper game testing (on that end, speed seemed alright (Mega Man 3, Sonic 2), but audio lagged pretty terrible).

I'll have to re-download and try a different usb stick sometime, as it seems like the problem may be on my end (bad formatting or something).

[Jagosaurus]

Looks like Retro Archis definitely a work in progress but not too painfully slow from vids I watched. Might just need a clean USB. I know the PGEN gets so slow for me if I run it on my go-to crowded PS2 USB, but is much faster from a clean dedicated drive.

If you're just interested in what the PS2 can do, check out MAME booting from OPL:

https://youtu.be/wwpFelZkmmY

I'll eventually get both RA & MAME up...bit crazy on my end right now.

[Jagosaurus]

Fun afternoon with the modded PS2. Knocked a few things out:

1. Got Cadillac and Dinosaurs BOR homebrew running off USB in OPL!

Simple to do & runs well. Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrlVF6mjk_Q

2. Tinkered with GSM (Graphics Synthesizer Mode) a bit more. Tested a few PS2 games forced into 1080i HD.

Man... they look great. ATV Offroad Fury 4 was a noticeable difference. On my list to compare the 720p versus 1080i looks. Keep in mind GSM is now built right into the options in OPL. You can force a majority of games into HD from the OPL game settings. I'll be trying this for any PS2 game I play moving forward.

3. Re-familiarized myself with POPS off HDD. Also forced some PS1 games into 480p over component.

I really wanted to rip Metal Slug and Metal Slug X onto my POPS HDD, but a quick compatibility guide check saved me. They don't work. I took the time to re-watch some videos and tinker around with forcing 480p.

4. Snapped photos of OPL lists for all my PS2 games on my HDDs. Getting Organized.

I honestly have lost track of what I have ripped and DLed, and what sits on my PC vs PS2 HDDs. Going to throw it all in Excel so I don't buy games (or double transfer over) I already have isos of running. Will probably post the game list if any1 is interested.

Overall... fun afternoon with ol modded PS2.

[Jagosaurus]

[Important Note... I am not selling or distributing game files. These were games I owned and ripped, then transferred to PS2 rig]
Okay... thought it might be fun to post what's on my modded PS2 HDDs. I ended up formatting another drive tonight. Here we go... 109 unique games all set up to run off HDD. I've spent way too much time on this set up but it feels good knowing I can fire these up anytime.

PS2 HDD #1 for OPL - 250 GB
Essentially Full - 2.2 GB Free
76 PS2 Games:

.hack Infection
Alien vs Predator Extinction
Alone in the Dark
Atari Anthology
ATV Offroad Fury 4
Batman Begins
Battlefield 2
Beyond Good and Evil
Black
Blitz the League
Castlevania Curse of Darkness
Castlevania Lament of Innocence
Cold Fear
Contra Shattered Soldier
Crash Nitro Kart
Darksalkers Collections
Delta Force Black Hawk Down
Devil May Cry
Dynasty Warriors 6
Fire Warrior
Ghosbusters
God of War
Grandia II
Gun
Hitman 2
Hitman Blood Money 
Hitman Contacts
Hunter the Reckoning Wayward
Jak and Daxter the Precusor Legacy
Killswitch
Kim Possible Whats the Switch
Lego Batman
Lego Indiana Jones
Lego Star Wars
Lego Star Wars II
LOTR The Fellowship of the Ring
Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter
Manhunt
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Marvel vs Capcom 2
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
Metal Slug Anthology
Midway Arcade Treasures
Midway Arcade Treasures 2
Namco Museum
NFL Blitz 2003
Nightmare Before Christmas
NiGHTS
Okami
Primal
Prince of Persia Sands of Time
Project Snowblind
Psi Ops
Radiata Stories
Raiden 3
Red Dead Revolver
Red Faction
Red Faction 2
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil Code Veronica X
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Rogue Trooper
Second Sight
Sega Genesis Collection
Shadow of the Colussus
Sly 3 Honor Among Thieves
SOCOM II
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology
Taito Legends 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Tomb Raider Underworld
Turok Evolution
Urban Chaos
XIII
Yakuza
Zone of Enders

PS2 HDD #2 for OPL - 80GB
Essentially Full - 1.7 GB Free
22 PS2 Games:
1 repeat for 21 unique games

Area 51
Armored Core 2
ATV Offroad Fury 2
Bloodrayne
Bloodrayne 2
Chaos Legend
Constantine
Gran Turismo 4
Indiana Jones and the Emperors Tomb
LOTR Return of the King
LOTR The Two Towers
Metal Slug Anthology [Repeat]
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum
Prince of Persia The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia Warrior Within
Shinobi
Supercar Street Racer
Tenchu Wrath of Heaven
The Bouncer
Toyko Xtreme Racer 3
Tourist Trophy
Van Helsing

PS2 HDD #3 for OPL - 80 GB
Newly Formatted Tonight - Roughly 70 usable GB free
2 PS2 Games:

Killzone 
LOTR The Third Age

PS2 HDD #4 for POPS PS1 HDD Loading - 80 GB
Roughly 67 GB Free
10 PS1 Games:

Alundra
Cool Boarders
Crash Bandicoot
Gex Enter the Gecko
Gex
Jet Moto
Rayman
Tempest X3
Tomba!
Vanark Astro Trooper

[Ziggy]

Nice work!

I only have an 80 GB HDD in my PS2, as that was the only spare HDD I had way back when I first set it up with HDAdvance. I have another network adapter that's been modified to fit a SATA drive (I think I scored it from the Charity Auction here one year) but I never got around to setting up a new HDD. I'll have a couple of spare SATA HDDs soon ranging from 500 GB to 1 TB, so I should probably use one of those. I guess the real reason I haven't got around to it yet is because the 80 GB has been working. I have something like 5-10 games that are always on there, then I just rotate the rest. If I'm playing through a game, I'll install it on the HDD. Then, if I'm finished playing through that game, I'll delete it when I add the next game.