I need a Japanese PSX

[AlexMax]

I have a bunch of Beatmania games that I havn't been able to play because of problems with disc swapping. I've been thinking about getting a Japanese PSX so I can play these games.

How do I go about obtaining a legitimate one? I don't want a 'region free' PSX that is just a regular PSX with a modchip.

Even better, does anyone have any actual experience with buying one?

[Daarkseid]

National Console Support (http://www.ncsxshop.com/cgi-bin/shop)

They have import Japanese PS2s for sale, I don't think they sell Japanese PSXs though. I assume Japanese PS2s are backwards compatible with Japanese PSX games.

Why don't you want to mod your own PSX?

[AlexMax]

It is my understanding that even with mod chips, some games still require anti-mod codes.. I don't have a Gameshark port in the back of my PSX, and I am also unsure if the mod chip works with disc swapping. I don't even want to think about it anymore. All I want to do is play a few some import Beatmania and DDR mixes, and some of the DDR mixes and almost all of the Beatmania mixes are "Append" mixes, which means one needs load an origional disc (for beatmania, 2nd or 6th mix+core, for DDR, 2nd ReMix) and then swap them out (for beatmania, Almost all the other beatmania mixes, for DDR, Club append 1 and 2)

I've tried swapping with my Boot CD and spring, doesnt work. I've tried applying the 'no-swap' patches to my append discs. Doesn't work either.

I've thought about importing a JPS2. But do I want to blow 285 bucks on a JPS2, which will also entice me to buy a $99 Beatmania IIDX controller and import Beatmania IIDX? The temptation is too great...thats a lot of money I could be saving or putting toward a new PC...

EDIT: What the phreaking hell? According to the main GGD forum, this thread only has one reply, and the last poster is Daarkseid. Whats going on here?

[MottZilla]

Alex, buy a stealth modchip from modchip.com. I got that one and no game has EVER had any anti mod problems. The idea is that only when a copy protection check when a disc is inserted does the chip send the CD OK signal then afterwards it stops, thus the anti mod code fails to detect your modchip, yadayada. Believe me, it's all good. Just be sure you install it correctly or have a professional install it. I had a professional install mine in my PSOne and it's worked GREAT. :O

[AtmaWeapon]

The marketing behind this stuff sounds like Pokemon. Just replace "BeatMania" with a random color, and DDR with Pokemon, and you've got the same strategy. Lots of games, you must have one game to play another properly, and so forth.

[AlexMax]

Not Quite. It's a little more devious than that.

What they doo is release the origional Beatmania as a 'key disc'. There is an option on the main menu that says "Disc swap". When you select that function, it prompts you (In japanese) to "Please, oh honorable person, remove this mix and put in another mix, or else I will be forced to kill you very swiftly with my sword."

This is where the append discs come in. Append discs are discs you buy seporately and are the ones you swap out your key disc for. Once you swap, the game loads and the new mix is started.

Yeah, it's devious. However, there are a few redeeming factors about this idea. Beatmania and a controller sometimes comes in bundles. Can you imagine the nightmare if they had to bundle a controller with every different mix? (For the record, I think there are about 9 or 10) And also, the other key disc, Beatmania 6th mix+Core Remix is actually two games in one, and doesn't suck donkey nuts like the origional Beatmania did.

To sum up, you boot with one of these three discs:

* Beatmania (Actually Beatmania 2nd mix, but they just call it Beatmania)
* Beatmania 6th Mix+Core Remix
* Beatmania : The Sounds of Tokyo

Then you go to a menu selection and then can swap the disc out for an append disc:

* Beatmania Yeatsu Mix (They include this one with the origional Beatmania)
* Beatmania 3rd Mix
* Beatmania 4th Mix
* Beatmania 5th Mix
* Beatmania Gotta Mix
* Beatmania Gotta Mix 2

You get the picture.

Except with my current setup (Boot CD and a spring), when I attempt to swap discs, it doesn't recognize it. I think it might be because of the region, because if I boot the append discs by themselves, they dont error out on me, they give me the error message ("Cheapskate! Go buy a key disc or else we will run you through with a sword. BONZAI!!!")

Is this clearer?

[El Oso Verde]

Here ya go, they sell them at this site:

http://www.lan-kwei.com/playstationE/

[TedHead]

Just out of curiosity, AlexMax, what boot disc and spring are you using? Does it have a name?

Cuz I've been looking out for one, and I don't want to get one that doesn't work well, so it would be nice if you could tell me what NOT to get :D

And didn't you say on my DDR Pad Problems thread that you gave up playing those games at home cuz of problems you had yourself with the controller?

[MottZilla]

Well obviously the problem with your swapping right now is when you change from the key disc to the append disc, that disc check is NOT being bypassed/faked like your initial one to boot the import key disc.