forums.ps2dev.org

is the ps2 dvd rom in any way special. can I plug a different dvd rom if I built a casecon ?

Yes, it's special, so no, you can't plug in another DVD.

It's special, though I don't know how exactly (I need to start trolling patents). Be aware that the control electronics (what we'd call the ASIC, the Japaneese call it an LSI) are on the mainboard. I wouldn't mind datasheets for some of these parts if anone has them, I'd like to start hacking the drive after I've done some reading on the nitty gritty of CD drive archetecture.

Probably nothing special about the DVDROM to need a patent. Its a basic DVD drive mechanism with the support ASICs off board. The basic patent for the PS2 has no information concerning the DVD drive.

No public data sheets exist for the CDVD DSP, MECHACON, RF, SERVO, etc... controllers. They are all custom parts made by or for Sony, specifically for the PS2. Given their prominence to the anti-piracy measures of the PS2, Sony holds them close.

Mod-chippers have learned a thing or two about those components. Seek them out and buy them a few beers and maybe they might tell you a thing or two. Or maybe not. *shrug*

I'd love to get at this info. Among my current ambitions is one to build a homebrew CD player to learn about the archetecture. I was at an engineering conference and spoke with an EE from Phillips who though a homebrew CD player would be a great idea, and gave me some info sources.
So that's the source of my fasnation with the PS2's DVD drive. I read a sony patent for copy protection by using the woble data to modulate a signal. This data is refered to as RF data, and the DSP reads and decodes it. I didn't know if the PS2 used a scheme like this.
But because of the nature of this information, I don't think it would be right to continue this kind of discussion here. I donno if it is even kosher to ask where I could persue this matter further. (I gont the impression that those in the know whould be fluent in a language other than English).

You shouldn't need to know anything about the hardware to do any of this though. I thought the PS2 already could read audio cd's without modification ? I thought only data cd's were locked-out in the hardware. I could very well be wrong on this.

In any event, any more detailed information on the DVD drive is only useful for one thing: breaking copy protection.

Via PS2Linux, you can hookup cd and dvd players via USB and use them from within Linux. If someone completes a reasonable homebrew driver for PS2DEV, you will eventually be able to do the same here.

I suggest forgetting about the hardware aspect, it leads no where good and useful. Focus on what you said you wanted to do, since you should be able to do that even now, OR help out with the USB driver stuff.

If this thread treads any more on details of how to make the PS2 DVD rom do anything Sony doesn't want it to do, I am afraid I will have to lock it. So please refocus your questions. And when I say refocus, I mean truly, not even subtle references back for the sake of appearances. ;)

Seeing the trouble this has cause, I humbly offer an apology for any wrong doing. My intention was not to threaten, just a bit too much curiosity.

splynncryth wrote:Seeing the trouble this has cause, I humbly offer an apology for any wrong doing. My intention was not to threaten, just a bit too much curiosity.

Hey, no worries here. I felt I needed to make the situation clear, but if I had felt you or the topic were already a problem, it would have been locked. Keep up your curiosity, and keep up with our current dicussions on right topics and wrong topics. Both can serve you well should you like keep up with ps2dev.