[thechat] Playstation 2 Help

[Ben Dyer]

At 10:24 AM 12/2/2002, you wrote:
>Is there a bullet-proof mod-chip available (is mod-chipping worth
>the effort anyway...?)

Not that I know of.  The die-hard gamers I know of that import lots of
stuff from Japan have basically resorted to buying a second PS2 from Japan
(which, of course, will double as an effective Region 2 DVD player as
well).  This is far different from the PSX, where it was not unreasonable
to successfully mod the device.

Of course, that's the option for only the most die-hard of fans.  I don't
know about Taiwanese pricing, but a PS2 from Japan will run about 25,000
yen (about US$175-200) plus shipping, your country's import/export duties,
etc.  Back when the PS2 was released, US$700 was not unheard of (although
that *has* to have come down since then).

As for mod chips...Sony is trying valiantly to shut them all down:

<http://slashdot.org/articles/02/01/24/1313213.shtml>

Frankly, I don't have anything to recommend to you (I'm not adventurous
enough to mod my substantial investment just to get Kingdom Hearts in the
original Japanese or play something obscure like Space Channel 5, Part 2),
but, I *do* know of these places:

<http://www.videogamedepot.com/>
<http://www.videogamecompany.com/>

However, the usual disclaimers apply: I've never bought from them, you
could get ripped off, I am not a lawyer, you're taking a big risk, no
lifeguard on duty, etc., etc.

Some more generic information here (although this is
"Importing-from-Japan-to-U.S.-specific"):

<http://www.penny-arcade.com/rf101main.php3>

--Ben