What's an ISO?!?

[TedHead]

I think this follows all the rules... discussion is allowed but no posting of links is, correct?

Anyways, I was wondering, just what is a Playstation ISO?

If I were to put one to a CD, would it still require a mod chip or a boot disk?

[Thunderbird]

An ISO is a CD image. You'd burn it to a CD. And yes, you'd still need a mod chip or boot disc to play it, seeing as the regional information wouldn't be on the disc.

[TedHead]

Thanks! Here's my next question though...

I have a Gameshark, version 5. It's a cd-swapping thing.

Is there any way I can play import/burned games using it?

[MottZilla]

An ISO yes, is typically some sort of file which is an image (data not picture) of the CD data.

If you use an ISO to burn a PSX cd, or if you burn a PSX CD at all, an unmodded PSX will not boot it by just putting it in.

Now, the gameshark is not useful for copies or imports I don't think.

Ways to Boot Copies or Imports:
Swap Trick: This is not too hard and it's free assuming you don't be an idiot and break your cd motor. Basically you quickly change CDs during the boot sequence when it's checking various information. I did this initially and it was not perfect but it worked for most things.

PlugIn Device: There are many ripoffs of the Action Replay for PSX. This device actually is used for a safe swap trick. Basically you plug this device in, start up with a local game that is real (FF7 works nicely) and then you go to CD player in the enhancer's options and hit select. It will STOP the cd from spinning allowing you to change it risk free. Then you'd go back and start up the game import or copy, or copied import. If you have a port on the back of your PSX I'd recommend this if you aren't a risk taker.

Mod Chip: The best way in my opinion. I've had a stealth modchip in my nice new PSOne and it's wonderful. There are a few quirks though. For one, the regional information to boot imports is only sent at first boot. So if I had an import that was multidisc I'd have to save at the end of disc 1 and then put in disc 2 and reboot. Not a big deal.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned the mod is perfect as never have I actually run into a problem which i can't play a game.

Also, if you don't have a port on the back of your PSX, and you rather not do a modchip, look for something called PSX Exchange. It's a disc that you can use to swap safely like the plugin.

[TedHead]

Yes, I wanted something that wouldn't require me to open up my Playstation and put a chip in, so I was looking at a few websites that had this - PSX-Change-2, but it's so much more expensive than anything else on the websites, so I dunno...

I was looking through the list of games my Gameshark has already in it's memory by default, and I saw that a lot of the games had (Import) written beside this. I'm wondering, maybe this means it will play import games after all? Well, my friend is lending me one soon, then I'll find out. :D

[MasterSwordUltima]

Or just download ePSXe on your computer ;O. Its an PSX emulator (duh) that will run copied/imported discs perfectly fine. I only tried it with Dragonball GT: Final Bout and Crash Bandicoot 2, and they worked very well.

[MottZilla]

The reason it says import is to let you know it work's on the japanese version of the game, more than likely. The Gameshark does not allow you to boot imports. If you don't wanna open it, like I said, PSX Exchange or Plugin device.

[Pablo]

Are there reliable PlayStation 2 emulators out there? I'd like to be able to play FFX on the road with my laptop :)

[Daarkseid]

Originally posted by Pablo
Are there reliable PlayStation 2 emulators out there? I'd like to be able to play FFX on the road with my laptop :)

The only PS2 emulators available right now can't really play any commercial games.. I think they might run a few, but actually playing them is something else.

[MasterSwordUltima]

A PS2 Emulator? Wouldn't an OS Emulator work better on a PS2? I mean sooner or later, thats gonna be the case...

[MottZilla]

OS emulator? LoL.

No, there are no PS2 emulators that will actually let you PLAY commercial games. If you want to ripoff games you have to modify your system. If you are too worried about damaging your system by doing so, then you just better buy the games.

[TedHead]

Guys guys guys!!!!

My friend lent me DDR 5th Mix for Playstation, but it's a burned ISO. So I tried some experimenting to get it to work...

First of all, I have the PSone mini model. I put a fat twist tie thingy into the button that knows if my lid is open or not, and I booted up my Gameshark V5! Then when it tells you to switch CD's, I switched to my burned one (it was still spinning at the time because of the thing holding the button down making it think the lid was closed, I had to stop it myself. I hope this isn't too bad for the playstation...) and then I hit X to launch it!

AND IT BOOTED!!! YESSSS!

...but only for about 10 seconds. I saw the play warning in Japanese, and then I got a warning on screen. A big red circle with a line through it like a no smoking sign, and on big white letters it said

SOFTWARE TERMINATED
YOUR PLAYSTATION MAY HAVE BEEN MODIFIED
CALL 1-800-somethingiforget

I was soooo close to playing it... :'(

Anyone know how I can skip this warning?

[MottZilla]

Nice man. That means the disc will work for a swap. However, you should seriously consider finding an option in the gameshark that can stop the CD from spinning.

To get rid of the anti mod screen you must enter a gameshark code. megagames.com

Anyway, you may still have issues. The Table of Conents if not updated, the gameshark might be the worst disc to be swapping from. You need to swap with a fairly large disc.

Anyway, you might as well give it a shot. Get the anti mod gameshark code off the net and plug it in, do the swap blah blah. If it works, awesome.

[TedHead]

Auuugh nooooo....

I have searched all over the internet for a code to bypass the check on DDR 5th Mix which is the one I have. I can find 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, but NOWHERE is 5th!

And I'm not the only one either, I see many posts on forums asking for 5th mix codes and nobody knows where they are!!!

This suuuuckkks....

And is it possible to put a code into the gameshark to make the CD stop spinning maybe?

[MottZilla]

Alright, I've never done this, but there are patches forgames out to fix them before you burn them.

http://www.megagames.com/console/cgi-bin/dl.cgi?id=psx&file=ddr5_fix!zip

This apparently fixes the jap DDR 5thmix so it doesn't do the anti mod crap. You may need to look around megagames.com more to find a good ppf or pff or whatever patcher.

I couldn't find a normal PAR/Gameshark code either. But atleast there is that patch you can try.

[TedHead]

Thanks a ton for all your help!

But I FINALLY found the enable codes for DDR 5th Mix and have been happily playing it since.

The first codes I found only let you play Game Mode and you couldn't go to the options or gallery or diet or edit or anything, but then I found another batch of codes...

maybe I should submit to megagames...

Well, thanks everyone.