PS2 HD Loader

[Evil_Cloud]

I wonder if this will ever become approved by Sony...

 

[Fafalada]

The simple resolution to this issue would be the requirement of the source CD/DVD present when trying to play/watch pre-loaded material.

Yeah, like what PC does. But but that would remove 50% of their sales points - the advertised easier access to your library of games.

They specifically lay out its purposes to allow faster loading and easier access to your existing library of games.

They also specifically lay out that you don't need to have any discs around from 'your' library of games once you've installed it.

Backups have nothing to do with it - this thing Creates backups for you. And there are tons of ways to legally borrow games to make your own copy - this is mass piracy at its finest.

 

[DeanoC]

Faf: Discs that run on un-modded PS2 have been around for a while, I've got one that goes with a flip-top case. The reason why soft mods don't exist is that the eject button is linked to the processor reset pin... The one I have has a ID code off a real game, so its obviously not legit.

This is purely for piracy no other reason. Makes it easier to store them in hard drive then all those ISO's disc.

BTW
I have a flip-top PS2 to play import games (Japanese in this case). I couldn't justify another PS2 (I have 2). I often wonder why they don't dump region coding and allow legit homebrow stuff, so then there would be no legit excuse for piracy stuff...

 

[marconelly!]

Well modchip would allow you to install illegal ISOs to begin with, and those are usually cracked. Not that you would need to install them on HDD anymore once you have the modchip... DVDs are freakishly cheap nowadays...

Well, I'm not interested in the piracy aspect of it to begin with. I just want my most frequently played games installed so that I can play them more conveniently, and maybe it will even allow me to play imports?

 

[Deepak]

I think Sony would be justified in sueing them. It allows you to play games without disks which is a big threat to Sony's sales.

BTW, does it also mean that PS2 emulator (PC) is round the corner?

 

[kaching]

Backups have nothing to do with it - this thing Creates backups for you. And there are tons of ways to legally borrow games to make your own copy - this is mass piracy at its finest.

Yeah, I know...I understand how it can be misused. But I always hate the containment approach to a problem. It treats honest users like potential criminals and limits the application of extremely compelling functionality like this.

 

[Jabjabs]

BTW, does it also mean that PS2 emulator (PC) is round the corner?

The problem with a PS2 emulator has more with the emulation of the hardwar rather than gathering the software. We would be now closer than what is available today.

 

[VNZ]

and maybe it will even allow me to play imports?

Not likely. Circumventing the region/copy control scheme is a different hack altogether. But you never know, a general hack to get games load from hdd instead of cdvd wasn't really supposed to be possible either...

 

[wco81]

I wonder if this will ever become approved by Sony...

Well it might help sell HDD units, since there aren't that many games which support the HDD (how hard could it be to at least let games read and write directly from the HDD so you don't need memory cards? Not technically hard but Sony probably wants to protect their memory card sales).

My guess is that online games won't work with this thing since DNAS checks the unique disc ID of games?

Sony could do a lot more with the HDD. One time, they promised ports of Netscape, AIM and other online software for the PS2. It would have been nice to be able to share game saves without having to buy an Xport. But maybe the problem isn't disk space but RAM which prevents a full-fledged browser port?

It would be nice to have enough RAM in the next generation so that you can load more than one game without rebooting each time. Then you could load a game and maybe an instant messenger program, so that online gaming runs much smoother.

 

[hey69]

hm, just was wondering if it would be compatible with PSX ?

(to be released later this year) i think it would be the ideal package

PSX functions + direct harddisk playing

and now a nice 499Euro price and i'm set

 

[Deepak]

So, has anyone tried it. I browsed through arstechica forums and it has become quite a rage over there. They are reporting drastic cutdowns in loading times. Many have bought 120 GB HDDs. Or may be B3D members are law-abiding???

 

[hey69]

if you can hold of one, buy it quick because sony is hunting the sellers

 

[megateto]

if you can hold of one, buy it quick because sony is hunting the sellers

You can always get an "alternative" version.

As the cracked version says:

"No copy rights for those who do not respect copyrights"

 

[hey69]

yes but the cool thing about the ehem 'original" version is that you do NOT need a chip inside your ps2.

you could rent lik 20 games and back them up for educational purposes on your ps2's harddisk

8)
HARR

 

[Deepak]

Why is Sony not doing anything? I am surprised! What could be the reason? Maybe the +ves outweigh -ve.

 

[RaolinDarksbane]

Sony has already done something. They have been sending out cease and desist orders.

 

[wco81]

Well now we know why Sony didn't support HD installation from their own HDD.

But the problem is, they have a $100 peripheral which offers very little functionality. Most games won't read or write saves to it. And they might have enabled file sharing so people can download or exchange game saves without having to buy peripherals.

If they did that, they kill a lot of the peripheral makers who develop things like HD Loader.

 

[zurich]

yes but the cool thing about the ehem 'original" version is that you do NOT need a chip inside your ps2.

you could rent lik 20 games and back them up for educational purposes on your ps2's harddisk

8)
HARR

Or if you don't have a mod chip, buy the original HDLoader, and put your HD in your friends modded PS2, install all his burned games (the security check only happens during installation), then put the HD back in your unmodded PS2 and enjoy...... 8)

 

[Deepak]

Looks like HDloader has shut down but this has popped up.

 

[hey69]

that's a hongkong version of hdloader.