PS2 MX4SIO on PS2's without HDD renders the controller port underneath it unuseable

Megoosa

Megoosa

Member
I've some strange behavior when using a MX4SIO on some PS2 consoles. On some of those I cannot use two controllers because the controller below the slot where the MX4SIO sits stops working as soon as I insert the MX4SIO. And comes back to life immediately if I remove it. It already happens in the OSDSYS, with no homebrew or game loaded yet.

I tested my PS2 consoles:
- Phat SCPH-50004 without modchip (has FHDB) works fine with two controllers and MX4SIO.
- Phat SCPH-39004 with a unknown modchip (not installed by me) (has FHDB) works fine with two controllers and MX4SIO.
- Phat SCPH-39004 with Modbo 5.0 modchip (has FBMC) does not work with two controllers and MX4SIO.
- Slim SCPH-77004 with Modbo 5.0 modchip (has FBMC) does not work with two controllers and MX4SIO.

The strange thing is that on the SCPH-77004 it worked fine in the past. In April 2023 I tested it and it had no problems. The console was in storage between April 2023 and now. The only thing changed to it is the Modbo 5.0 modchip I installed into it on July 2023.

I don't know if it has something to do with the modchip, but it's really too much difficult wires to just desoldering it for testing. Disabling the chip in software (start-button) doesn't change anything. And desoldering the 3,3v, ground and CX point of the chip to disabled it also doesn't change anything.

The tests are done with 2 Bitfunx MX4SIO's and both controllers are original Sony DualShock 2's.

I don't have the feeling it's a power problem, because when the controller stops working as soon as I plugin the MX4SIO, the red LED still turns on and off when pressing the "analog" button.


Edit: I changed the title because it seem like it has something to do with the HDD too. On the phat without the problem, it gets introduced by removing the HDD. And on the phat with the problem, the cured if I move the HDD to it from the working one.

What happened to the slim which never had a HDD... I don't know...
 
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It seems like it has something to do with the HDD which has FHDB and HDD-OSD installed. Two controllers with MX4SIO only works with the HDD installed.

- If I remove the HDD from the SCPH-39004 which doesn't have this problem, the problem will be introduced. Booting with a FMCB memory card doesn't change it.

- If I move the HDD to the SCPH-39004 which does have this problem, the problem will go away.

Also, I see there's a difference in the flashing pattern of the access LED on the MX4SIO when staying in OSDSYS. If it's booted without HDD, the LED is flashing slower. If booted with HDD, the LED flashed so fast that it looks nearly solid.

Another thing I see is that if booted with HDD, both controllers are working with the MX4SIO inserted, but the repeating rate of a pressed button is lowered as soon as the MX4SIO is inserted, on the controller slot below the MX4SIO. I tested it by holding the down-button on the controller and then insert the MX4SIO.


The MX4SIO access LED booted without HDD (staying in OSDSYS):

The same access LED, booted with HDD (staying in OSDSYS):

The repeat rate lowered when MX4SIO is inserted, booted with HDD of course:


Edit: I did remove the HDD on the phat SCPH-50004 too and the results are the same as with the SCPH-39004.
 
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I admire your work and documentation!
I too have had this problem with my MX4SIO but not with my MG2BOX.
 
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So you think the problem is in the MX4SIO adapters? It looks like the MG2BOX is a version for 2 microSD cards?
 
Megoosa said:
So you think the problem is in the MX4SIO adapters? It looks like the MG2BOX is a version for 2 microSD cards?
Click to expand...
Only based on not having the problem reoccur with the MG2BOX.
And ya, but I don't believe it utilizes both slots at once. It just gives you the option of SD or Micro SD without using an adapter AFAIK.
For me it would only affect the player 2 slot when encountering the same issues you describe. I can't recall if my iHDD was present or not. I could repeat your test but with the MG2BOX and OEM controller if you'd like. I am on a 39001 Fat. (I'd have to double-check but I believe it is 39001)
I don't know what causes it - my assumption is something power-related. Not lack of power necessarily, but maybe it's affecting that region of the console?
I also have recently obtained the Blue Retro Core dongles which likely have worked around the issue IF it is still present to any degree.
I am not aware of a mod chip in my ps2 either.
 
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When TRYING to make it happen, it does happen even with my MG2BOX.
I'm guessing it's been present as you say the whole time and rather than realizing iHDD was fixing it, I assumed MG2BOX was somehow different.

Regardless, it seems to me that it is related to MX4SIO rather than the PS2.
It feels power-related. Is the MX4SIO is pulling too much power or something?
It's above my knowledge level.
But I want to thank you for the excellent report of this issue that I embarrassingly overlooked with my encounter.

I will try playing a 2 player game off mx4sio with no hdd and see if it will even work in that instance.


EDIT:
Nope. Entirely the same symptoms as you described. You'll see in this video that even my blue retro disconnects upon mx4sio indicator light. Something is going on there, that almost gives the impression that the controller becomes part of the mx4sio and thus useless.

UPDATE: @Megoosa
I went to the PS2-Scene discord and brought up this issue. Here are some tidbits that were discussed, though no solution was presented:
  • Might be related to the hooking. - TnA
  • "I've experienced similar issues on OSDSYS With the brook adapter." -el_isra
  • "OSDSYS polls mc every 2 or 3 secs or so IIRC" -el_isra
 
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I have encountered exactly the same issue. I have a slim and a phat model PS2 (not sure models at this time).
My MX4SIO disabled my second controller port. It didn't happened when using usb port. I have to check if it happens as the same thing like blue retro gets turn off/on repeatedly.
I thought I was the only one with the problem until I found this post.

Thanks for the detailed post!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My setup is a PS2 Slim 90k6 NTSC-J (Hong Kong) with Matrix Infinity clone chip + MG2BOX from Ali with 256GB TF Card. No Hdds are attached.
EDIT: My DVD-ROM Drive was disabled by me , so the flat cable isn't connected and isn't receiving power.

Ports and slots:
- Memory Card slot 1 with FMCB/OpenTuna
- MG2BOX (MX4SIO that supports TF or SD Cards) is inserted on slot 2.
- Controllers combo Test 1: Two regular ps2 controllers on each port.
- Controllers combo Test 2: One ps2 controller on first port and a ps3 controller with blueretro in the second port.
- PS2 games loaded from MX4SIO in OPL.
- PS1 games loaded from OPL Apps + POPStarter with BDMAssault driver (usb exfat thumbdrive)

What happens:
Scenario 1: Before running Opentuna, At OSDSYS the second controller doesn't work but when I eject the MG2BOX, the second controller starts working (same thing happens in both controllers combo tests)

Scenario 2: loading Opentuna from MC Browser. At hacked FMCB OSDSYS the same symptoms from Scenario 1 occurs.

Scenario 3: At OPL all controllers work in menu.

Scenario 4: Playing a PS2 game from OPL, I tested Tekken 5 and Street Fighter 3 games in versus mode and both controllers combo tests works.

Scenario 5: Playing PS1 games using POPstarter from OPL Apps, I tested Bushido Blade 2 in versus and Diablo in coop story mode, both controllers combo tests works.

I hope these described tests can help in some way understanding this MX4SIO bug.
 
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I ordered a MC2SIO just to see if this will repeat with the slight technical differences.
So far MX4SIObitfunx, MX4SIOPCP, and MG2BOX(Rgeek) are confirmed to all have this bug upon testing.
MC2SIO is sorta my last ditch effort. I will then try making my own from a few different schematics that have differences. Like there are some without LED and some with LED.
 
All of them have the same bug.
 

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I also encountered this issue with the bitfunx MX4SIO. But in OPL it would go away, and I could run games off of it with both controllers working just fine so at least I confirmed my card wasn't defective and it's probably just a quirk you have to live with. Comes with the territory I guess?
 
Megoosa said:
I cannot use two controllers because the controller below the slot where the MX4SIO sits stops working as soon as I insert the MX4SIO. And comes back to life immediately if I remove it. Slim SCPH-77004 with Modbo 5.0 modchip (has FBMC) does not work with two controllers and MX4SIO."
Click to expand...

I'm encountering a similar problem with my PAL PS2 Slim of the same SCPH-77xxx model when using OPL. I'm using an 8BitDo Pro 2 with an 8BitDo Retro Receiver, as well as a generic wireless PS2 controller in slot 1 and 2 respectively. When not using MX4SIO/Free McBoot and booting up disc games, both controllers work. Otherwise, only a controller in Slot 1 works.
 
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