PlayStation 2 (SCPH-15000) find

[RARusk]

I snagged this interesting version of the PS2 at a San Antonio flea market this afternoon. What caught my eye was the PC card slot in the back. How this Japanese only model ended up here I can only guess.

 

When I got it home I plugged it in and turned it on. The title screen came up and everything but the drive will not open and any controller you plug in will not work. Any clues?

 

In addition, anybody have any useful information on this unit (such as if the PC card slot can do anything)?

[shadow460]

*searches* hmmm,

 

Only thing I found is that the CPU core is thinner. I also found some diagrams for installing the DMS3 modchip.

One question, though, is the first US model "newer" than this, or did we get ones that are built similar to the SCPH-10000?

[RARusk]

To my knowledge the first American units were the SCPH-30000s in which the PC card slot was replaced with the Expansion Port. There were three models before that and they were Japanese only (10000, 15000, and 18000).

 

What I was able to find out was that the 15000 unit fixed a flaw, from the 10000, that allowed all-region DVD capability (the DVD drivers aren't on the machine itself unlike the 30000 and beyond units - they were strictly placed onto the memory card). I also wasn't able to find out how useful the PC card slot is as compared to the Expansion Port.

 

Although right now I am more concerned with the fact that it is not working correctly right now and I would like to find out how easily this can be fixed (but RGB Analog video modification should be pretty easy). However, even if I could fix it, I still have a bit of a problem. I have no import discs for either PS1, PS2 or DVD to use on the thing.

 

I am leery of using ModChips on it but if the 15000 unit has some significant advantages over the other units then I may try to install one to get the most out of it.

[VideoFever1982]

I snagged this interesting version of the PS2 at a San Antonio flea market this afternoon. What caught my eye was the PC card slot in the back. How this Japanese only model ended up here I can only guess.

 

When I got it home I plugged it in and turned it on. The title screen came up and everything but the drive will not open and any controller you plug in will not work. Any clues?

 

In addition, anybody have any useful information on this unit (such as if the PC card slot can do anything)?

Don't think i've ever heard of these. Sounds like a great find. How much did it cost you for something like this?

[RARusk]

It cost me $25. I later found out that the PC card slot (PCMCIA) was used the the hard drive which was external (but was made internal later). I am trying to find out if this slot was used for other things.

 

I also opened up the unit and found that the ribbon cable that goes to the joypad ports was superglued to the plug it goes to on the motherboard because the moron who owned it previously opened it up and broke the latch for the plug. This may explain why the joypads didn't work.

 

I also discovered that the two screws that hold down the top of the disc drive were missing. I suspect that the machine was opened up because the last owner couldn't play anything and thought it was a disc read error. I think the reason he couldn't play anything was that this is a JAPANESE only unit and could only play Region 2 games and movies but he didn't know that and opened up the unit trying to fix the disc drive but failed and managed to break the latch for a ribbon cable plug.

 

I don't think it is unfixable but may be a tough fix. I also need to find an import game and maybe an import movie to test out this thing. The only places I know of to get an import game are in Austin and I don't know when I will be able to make a trip out there.

[VideoFever1982]

It cost me $25. I later found out that the PC card slot (PCMCIA) was used the the hard drive which was external (but was made internal later). I am trying to find out if this slot was used for other things.

 

I also opened up the unit and found that the ribbon cable that goes to the joypad ports was superglued to the plug it goes to on the motherboard because the moron who owned it previously opened it up and broke the latch for the plug. This may explain why the joypads didn't work.

 

I also discovered that the two screws that hold down the top of the disc drive were missing. I suspect that the machine was opened up because the last owner couldn't play anything and thought it was a disc read error. I think the reason he couldn't play anything was that this is a JAPANESE only unit and could only play Region 2 games and movies but he didn't know that and opened up the unit trying to fix the disc drive but failed and managed to break the latch for a ribbon cable plug.

 

I don't think it is unfixable but may be a tough fix. I also need to find an import game and maybe an import movie to test out this thing. The only places I know of to get an import game are in Austin and I don't know when I will be able to make a trip out there.

Nice!! I once picked up a complete PS2 unit with s-video cable at a yard sale for only $10 Congrats!!