I'm considering developing on PS2, but need more infos

[kouky]

Hello everyone,
I'm considering buying a ps2 for developing purposes.
I've got some experience on console developing (gba and gp2x), but since sp2 are quite cheap on those days, I may switch to this console.

The purpose is to create a video mixing software running on ps2.

I've already browsed internet quite a lot searching for informations about ps2 homebrew, but it's looking confusing to me...

So I got questions for you:
-I want to buy a slim ps2 (the pink one), is it possible to run homebrew on it without any hardware modifications?

-When coding for ps2, can you use C++? and SDL library?

-Do you need to burn a CDR each time you made a change to your code and want to test it on the ps2?

-How easy is it to play video files suchs as quicktimes, mpeg1, .avi divx, or any other pupular video compression format?

-is it possible to dynamicly load a video file, or any binary file?

-how much RAM on a ps2?

Thanks for your answers :)

[Lukasz]

Hello everyone,
-I want to buy a slim ps2 (the pink one), is it possible to run homebrew on it without any hardware modifications?

No and you wont be the first to develop on a pink pstwo, both chip and emoon do it.

-When coding for ps2, can you use C++? and SDL library?

Check http://svn.ps2dev.org for available libraries, C++ is possible.

-Do you need to burn a CDR each time you made a change to your code and want to test it on the ps2?

You use PS2Link, which runs on the PS2 and you then have a client on your PC and you send transfer code over ethernet.

-How easy is it to play video files suchs as quicktimes, mpeg1, .avi divx, or any other pupular video compression format?

Again, check the svn repository for code.

-is it possible to dynamicly load a video file, or any binary file?

If you mean from CD/DVD and PC, other sources, then yes.

-how much RAM on a ps2?

32 Megabytes.

[kouky]

So If I want to develop on the slim pink one, I can't use swap magic 3.6, I need to install a modchip?

That's quite bad :/

[hitchhikr]

You can use datel's action replay max or pelican's codebreaker + ps2link.

[dlanor]

So If I want to develop on the slim pink one, I can't use swap magic 3.6, I need to install a modchip?

That's quite bad :/

Since I never used the slim PSTwo models myself, I'm not 100% certain, but I do believe that you can use SwapMagic 3.6 to launch homebrew software on those models too. But I advise against using it to swap discs, as that really isn't healthy for the drive mechanism. And it isn't the easiest and/or best way to launch homebrews with SwapMagic anyway.

The best and simplest way is to install some PS2 program ELF, for which I recommend uLaunchELF, renamed to "SWAPMAGIC.ELF" into a folder named "SWAPMAGIC" on a USB storage unit (memory stick or HDD doesn't matter) formatted as a single FAT32 partition. This can be done using any normal PC.

With that USB unit connected to the PS2 when you boot the SwapMagic disc, it will automatically launch the installed program ELF, and if that is suitably chosen it should be able to handle all normal tasks of managing your homebrew setups, including the copying of files from a PC to your PS2 storage media and launching of PS2Link for test runs etc. One of the first such management tasks should also be to copy the SWAPMAGIC folder mentioned above to a PS2 memory card. SwapMagic will look for it on the memory card too, so in future boots you won't need to rely on the USB unit to boot uLaunchELF.

Another possibility is to install the uLaunchELF program under another name, such as SMBOOT0.ELF instead of SWAPMAGIC.ELF, as that will allow you to use the gamepad to choose whether to boot that elf, other ones (installed as SMBOOT1.ELF etc), or to perform a regular disc boot.

So even without ever using SwapMagic to swap discs (which I'm wholeheartedly against, for many reasons), SwapMagic still has a very useful role to play in the development and use of homebrew PS2 software.

Best regards: dlanor

[chp]

No and you wont be the first to develop on a pink pstwo, both chip and emoon do it.

You're asking for it. :P

[kouky]

I've just bought my pink PS2 online.
Couldn't resist the color :)

Dianor, I believe I've mostly understood your ELF stories...
So I will be able to finally run my homebrew by just having the swap magic into the DVD player forever and runs softwares from a usb memory stick ?

If you wish to learn more about my previous homebrew appl:
http://pikilipita.com/vj

[dlanor]

I've just bought my pink PS2 online.
Couldn't resist the color :)

Dianor, I believe I've mostly understood your ELF stories...
So I will be able to finally run my homebrew by just having the swap magic into the DVD player forever and runs softwares from a usb memory stick ?

Yes, and I think that's the best way to do it with a slim PSTwo. It's the closest you can get to using an exploit boot disc on the fat PS2, which is one of the most popular methods among homebrew PS2 developers.

And both these methods have one important characteristic in common, which is that all your tests will run on an unmodified console, making the results more definitely valid for most normal users. That would not be the case if your method for booting and making test runs relied on features specific to some mod chip.

If you wish to learn more about my previous homebrew appl:
http://pikilipita.com/vj

I had a quick look at that, and considering that it it mostly revolves around video rendition and mixing I think you can get a flying start into the PS2 end of such things by checking out the SMS project by Eugene Plotnikov (aka: EEUG). Since SMS is a full-blown media player, its functions should contain most of the PS2-specific 'tools' and methods you need.

Best regards: dlanor

[EEUG]

@kouky: there is a way to boot applications directly from memory card on slim units (at least I've managed to do that on SCPH-77004) without any modifications (modchips,swap disks etc.) of the console itself. I think it's not quite legal (it requires modifications of some official title), so I'm not sure if it is OK to publish the information related to it...

[dlanor]

@kouky: there is a way to boot applications directly from memory card on slim units (at least I've managed to do that on SCPH-77004) without any modifications (modchips,swap disks etc.) of the console itself. I think it's not quite legal (it requires modifications of some official title), so I'm not sure if it is OK to publish the information related to it...

The legality of it naturally depends on exactly what is meant by "modifications of some official title".

However, as long as the modification is restricted to changing the contents of a memory card, I don't see how there can be anything wrong with performing such modification, or with sharing information or even tools for doing it.

What could be illegal is to distribute prepatched versions of such files, if they contain material copyrighted by Sony, since we do not have the right to distribute such files, even if we have bought them legally for our own use. But sharing information or tools for letting each user modify files they already have, either in their memory card, or in the BIOS of their own legally bought PS2/PSTwo should not be any more dubious than our traditional use of the older PS2 exploit. This new 'exploit' (or whatever we should call it) falls into exactly the same legal category, as I see it.

The tricky part is to make an installer program for such a new 'exploit', capable of preparing a memory card this way, without including copyrighted material within the installer itself, since doing so would make its distribution illegal.

Best regards: dlanor

[kouky]

I've got it!
My pink playstation :)
I'm quite suprised by the color: it's quite heavily intense, but so funky!

Now I need a swap magic as well as some swap tools i guess.

Which one do you recommend?
swap magic 3.6? swap magic 3.8?
And which tools?
(My goal is to run my homebrew from a USB storage)