An Introduction to the PlayStation 2 Console & Homebrew FAQ

Hi, everyone.

Seeing as some of my most upvoted posts on were Reddit were answering support questions on /r/PS2 and /r/PS2homebrew, I'm hoping to build the community here. I've decided to start by providing a general overview of the PlayStation 2 hardware and a homebrew FAQ, for the benefit of anyone finding this community for the first time. It might be a good idea for the mods to pin this post, as I'm hoping it can be a resource for people just getting into the PS2.

Console Variants

The PlayStation 2 was manufactured in two main variants; phat (the original design released in 2000) and slim (the revised design released in 2004). These two variants each had a number of different internal revisions, which are detailed here, but the major differences between these two are listed below.

• The phat is larger than the slim by a considerable margin. The phat has a similar footprint to the original PlayStation, while the slim is not much larger than a DVD keep case.

• Phat consoles have a DVD tray that slides out, whereas slim consoles are top loaders. This can make it easier to fit the phat into a cramped entertainment center, but at the cost of the drive tray being susceptible to mechanical failure.

• Slim consoles are more energy efficient than phats, though most of them use an external power brick, whereas phat consoles all have an internal power supply.

• Phat consoles run hotter, louder, and require more ventilation than slims, due to using more chips with larger die sizes.

• The phat does not have any sort of networking capability built in, and requires the use of a network adapter add-on to connect to the Internet. The slim just has a 10/100 Ethernet jack built into the console.

• Phats can make use of a standard PC hard drive or SSD via the network adapter add-on. Slim consoles require difficult and extensive modification to attain this same functionality, and not every hardware revision can be modded in this way.

• Phat consoles have better compatibility with original PlayStation games than slims, due to a change in how PS1 code is handled at a hardware level. Additionally, a handful of early PS2 games are not compatible with some slim revisions.

In addition to the phat and slim, the PS2 has a couple of rare and highly sought after variants. Namely, a PS2 based DVR called the PSX, and the Sony BRAVIA KDL22PX300, which is a small TV with a PS2 slim built into the stand.

Controllers

The PlayStation 2's main first party controller is the DualShock 2. This is the controller that came with the console, and is generally considered to be the best game pad for the system. There are quite a few clones of this controller that are readily available from online marketplaces. The quality of these varies, but even the very best of them fall short of an OEM DualShock 2. There are plenty of other 3rd party controllers to choose from as well, with Logitech's wireless controllers generally being considered among the best.

Memory Cards

Memory cards are probably the most critical PlayStation 2 accessory, as they're required to save games, install updates, and run most homebrew.
Officially licensed PS2 memory cards are 8MB in size. That's enough to get started, but if you have a large game library, you'll absolutely want more space. Unofficial memory cards go all the way up to 256MB, though not every game is compatible with these high capacity cards.

Games

The PS2 had a massive library of games released for it during it’s 12 year life span; far too many to discuss any specific titles here.

PS2 games were printed on either DVD-ROM or CD-ROM discs, depending on their size. CD-ROM games can be identified by a dark blue tint on the reflective side of the disc, whereas DVD-ROMs have a more standard sliver or light gold reflective layer. CD-ROM games are spun at a higher speed by the console in order to match a DVD data transfer rate. As such, consoles with a weak or dying optical laser will often fail to read CD-ROM games, but be able to play DVD-ROM titles just fine. These consoles may also fail to read the handful of dual layer DVD-ROM titles that were released for the system.

Most popular PS2 games received at least one reprint after their initial release. Reprints were usually in the form of a red label “Greatest Hits” edition, resulting in earlier black label copies of these games being more highly valued by certain collectors. Many reprints contain bug fixes and other slight tweaks that can make them superior from a gameplay perspective.

Connecting to Modern Displays

A high quality component video cable is a must for the PS2 to look decent on any flat panel display. Wether or not you need an upscaler will depend on your exact model of TV, but for anything 4K it’s almost certainly a requirement. A scaler running the GBS-Control firmware is the one of the best options for the PS2, due to their excellent handling of interlaced video. These scalers can also be used purely as deinterlacers, with the resulting 480p signal being sent to another device like an OSSC for upscaling. This combo requires some tweaking, but produces the best overall results in my experience. RetroRGB has an excellent guide that goes into much more detail about display options for the PS2.

Additionally, many PS2 games can be patched to add support for progressive scan and/or widescreen video modes. Note that a backup loader will have to be used to run the patched disc images. A list of compatible games and how to patch them can be found at ps2wide.net.

Hacking and Homebrew

Setting up your PlayStation 2 to run unlicensed homebrew software is the best way to get the most out of the console and extend it’s longevity in the modern day. The topic of PS2 homebrew has a lot of facets to it that are too much to go over in this post, so I’ll provide the most relevant information for new users in FAQ form. Fell free to ask clarifying questions in the comments or make a new post in the PS2 magazine.

Q: What console revisions can run homebrew?

A: Any PS2 can run homebew, but the most common homebrew loader, FreeMCBoot, does not work on slim PS2 SCPH-9000x models.
Additionally, phat consoles do not support FreeDVDBoot unless they have DVD player software version 2.10, 2.12 or 3.04. It is more difficult to install FreeMCBoot on consoles that do not support FreeDVDBoot.

Q: How do I install FreeMCBoot?

A: The easiest way is to download and burn a FreeDVDBoot disc image for you console. Booting the disc will load a file manager called uLaunchELF, which you can then use to load the latest version of the FreeMCBoot installer from a USB drive. FreeMCBoot installs to any blank memory card, and should load automatically if that card is inserted into the PS2 at startup.
Alternatively, you can purchase a pre-installed FreeMCBoot memory card online, but there’s no guarantee you will receive the latest version in that case.

Q: What homebrew can I run on the PS2?

A: The main piece of homebrew most people will want to run is called Open PS2 Loader, or OPL for short. It’s a backup loader that allows games to be played without their original discs, and is compatible with most titles. There is an app called HDLGameInstaller that can rip original game discs or copy disc images from a local network for use with OPL. The previously mentioned uLuanchElf is installed alongside FreeMCBoot, and is needed for various setup and maintenance tasks.
There are also a number of console emulators and a media player for the PS2, but these functions are served far better by other devices in the modern day.

Q: What do I need to play games with OPL?

A: Aside from a PS2 that can run homebrew, you need to be able to store game rips somewhere that OPL can access. There are a number of different ways to achieve this, but the three most practical methods are as follows.

• Use a hard drive. This method basically requires a phat PS2 and the network adapter add-on. It’s been around a long time, and works extremely well. Because the PS2 was originally designed for IDE, SATA drives can only be used with modified or aftermarket network adapters. Drives are limited to 2TB in size, and games have to be copied with bespoke software. There is an experimental version of OPL that uses eXFAT to support larger drives, but that comes with it’s own limitations.

• Use a micro SD card in conjunction with a memory card adapter like the MX4ISO. This method is compatible with all PS2s, and is extremely convenient for the average user. The main drawbacks are that it currently requires a beta version of OPL, and you have to use the FreeMCBoot card for save games unless you swap it after boot, or use a multi-tap.

• Set up a remote share and stream games over your local network. This was the best method to use with slim PS2s for a long time, and it still works quite well. The drawbacks are that loading times are quite a bit longer than with a hard drive, and it requires an Ethernet connection, and some networking know-how, to get up and running.

Q: Can I play original PlayStation games with OPL?

A: Yes, but not directly. PS1 games have to be converted into a special format that can be loaded by the POPS emulator, which requires it’s own setup. OPL is able to act as a front-end for POPS, but it’s not technically required, as the emulator can be run outside of it.

Other Resources

• pricecharting.com – Full list of PS2 games and their price history.

• PSDev Wiki - Extensive technical documentation of the PS2 console.

• PS2Home – A forum dedicated to PS2 homebrew.