PS2 PS2 Network Adapter- IDE, SATA or Clone, how you connect your hdd?

[SkyNet]

Hello Everyone. As ususally when we connected ps2 to Network adapter in the past, choice was easy--IDE- hdd drive.
Recently choice became much more confusing since there are more options now but which one is the correct one?

So right now you can connect:

1. PS2 and official NA to ide hdd, but they are old, low in capacity, pricey and not reliable;

2. Buy Sata upgrade kit on Ebay and replace IDE part of offcial NA (but there s been rumors that it could kill or short-circuit NA;

3. Buy NA clone for 20 bucks on amazon which does not have Ethernet port and probably never will in future since they do not know how to clone it properly, plus screws made of plastic;

4. Use IDE to Sata converters and 2.5 hdd or ssd.

I personally feel that number 4 is the most wise since maybe it could be clumsy but at least you do not change Official NA and at same time all is working, the only difficult is to find so little ide to sata converter that it would fit in bay of hdd and plus somehow put inside hdd and to make sure that it not short-circuit...

Saw one video on youtube like man installed sata upgrade kit and put rubber 3.5 to 2.5 adapter and 2.5 hdd inside, looked interesting.

So what is your opinion which method is better and which method you use to install HDD inside? Which ide to sata converter and cable you use yourself?

 

[SaltedHashflip]

I don't know what's the best option exactly but I got a SATA mod for my offical adapter off of eBay roughly two years ago, don't recall if it was really branded at all (it defintely isn't a MaxDIYPower board though) but it's been working fine for me while paired with a 1TB Western Digital drive, ethernet still works too.
At the end of the day, I imagine anything's better than dealing with a crusty old IDE hard drive; There's probably no reason to go with a third party network adapter either as long the official ones are still easy to find and you either have money to spare or don't mind getting a used one if not

 

[SkyNet]

Hey SaultedHashflip So you used your adapter for two years often and it still works?

Did you use isolation tape in order to make sure that it does not short-curcuit since it could touch metal part?

Was it not bitfunx adapter?

 

[SaltedHashflip]

Hey SaultedHashflip So you used your adapter for two years often and it still works?

Did you use isolation tape in order to make sure that it does not short-curcuit since it could touch metal part?

Was it not bitfunx adapter?

Yeah, haven't had any problems yet. I'm actually using an Abittop adapter, assembly was a bit of a pain if I remember correctly but everything came together eventually, including the Network Adapter's metal plate.
Didn't use insulation tape as I hadn't heard of shortages being a potential issue until your post, only issue I've read about regarding the SATA mod I used was regarding people having a hard time fitting it into the actual Network Adapter without sanding parts of it down which I didn't have to do.

Anyways, yeah, my network adapter still works fine on my end, I've taken it out of the PS2 multiple times for transferring data without any difficulties... I haven't disassembled the adapter ever since I modded it though.

 

[Peppe90]

If you don't want to touch anything, you can also use something like this: CSL - Adattatore Convertitore da IDE a SATA e da SATA a IDE: Amazon.it: Elettronica
using a 2,5" HDD you can easilly fit it all into the bay.

Btw I prefer to mod the original adapter with the SATA board for a cleaner installation (usually the original screws are very tight and also after you replace the board, you may have to keep it pushed up with the thumb when replacing the metal sheet. Otherwise the bottom cornice of the board would prevent the metal sheet to fit correctly. It's easier to do than to say).

I used a BITFUNX board for a long time. Btw they can have problems with some 2TB HDDs (only one board out of four worked with my 2TB SATA III HDD and just for about a month, then stopped to see it. Btw the board still works with smaller HDDs).

So I ended up buying a maxdiypower SATA board. Also bought this from them: HDD mount for PS2 30000~55000 serials [47] - $7.00 : Maxdiypower.com
This is really good, especially for 2,5" HDD, if you also use the Ps2 in vertical position.
(I had to file about a millimeter of the lenght for it to fit 100% perfectly. As for width and height it was perfect out of the box).
I have this setup since many years, never had any problem.

Before to buy the Sony NA I also used GameStar adapters (either IDE and SATA ones). They works flawlessly in my experience (i still have 3 of them, 1 IDE and 2 SATA in perfectly working conditions. Also a friend of mine is using one of these, SATA, since some years).
You only lose the ETH port.
Also many of them (all those that have come into my hands, so maybe all...) are a little wider than original ones.
You can anyway fit the screws but the wider metal sheet won't enter all the way. So you have to cut the metal sheet in 2 points (with metal shissors) and push it in another 2 points (with a screwdriver or so).
This way the NA will fit perfectly like a original one without the danger of losing contact.

 

[SkyNet]

Hey SaultedHashflip I just heard somewhere that such mod was fried, plus I saw video on you tube that people put isolation tape, probably because people who made this upgrade kit maybe didi not take into account that it could touch metal part, who kkknows, I would rather be on safe side...
Did you ever use 2TB with Abittop? Just wonder if Abittop can handle 2TB HDD?
Want to find out if Abittop the same or better than Bitfunx...
Actually I saw in past abittop website and some of their concepts are very interesting, like for example network adapter which connects to ps2 and just has USB port at back. We all very often connect , discponnect network adapter in different reasons--which is of cource weird since mostly you can connect it and forget about it--but its life. But imagine with usb port at back of network adapter you can connect disconnect multiple times, plus you can even connect different HDDs, one with Linux other with games, and plus it is Real USB-2.0, even though at first I thought USB 3.0 because it has blue color, but anyway with USB 2.0 speed you can do eventually everything....

Hey Peppe90 thank you for the info. I am very dissapointed that bitfunx is a garbage, because with recent events , that PS2 can have 2TB HDD formated I really would want to install 2TB HDD and since bitfunx cant do it, then its garbage to my opinion. Better probably to use ide to sata micro converter...
So DIY sata board supports 2TB HDDs?

So you replaced plastic screws in Clone sata NA for real ones made from metal?

Well the thing is that Sony NA has female IDE and also 2.5 HDDs also have female sata, So IDE to SATA converter should be MAle IDE to Male SATA ans should be very little to fit in Expansion Bay and not short-circuit anything, or we should find male to male ide cable--which is impossible I think, I never saw such...

 

[SaltedHashflip]

Hey SaultedHashflip I just heard somewhere that such mod was fried, plus I saw video on you tube that people put isolation tape, probably because people who made this upgrade kit maybe didi not take into account that it could touch metal part, who kkknows, I would rather be on safe side...
Did you ever use 2TB with Abittop? Just wonder if Abittop can handle 2TB HDD?

It certainly couldn't hurt to slap some tape on there as a precaution.
No clue if the Abittop boards can handle a 2 terabyte drive, I've been using the same 1TB HDD since day one as anything larger than that would be overkill for my needs.

 

[Peppe90]

Hey Peppe90 thank you for the info. I am very dissapointed that bitfunx is a garbage, because with recent events , that PS2 can have 2TB HDD formated I really would want to install 2TB HDD and since bitfunx cant do it, then its garbage to my opinion. Better probably to use ide to sata micro converter...
So DIY sata board supports 2TB HDDs?

BITFUNX boards arent' garbage, they work well with HDDs smaller than 2tb but they also work with 2tb ones, just not will all of them. They are made for working with any HDD, the manufacturer sended me a picture of him using a SATA 2TB 3,5" HDD without problems.
But yes, with 2tb HDD it's a hit or miss, probably it has problems with very performing HDDs, I don't know for sure.

The maxdiypower board should support all 2tb HDD. It perfectly works with mine, also other people in the forum are using it with 2TB HDDs since years. I never heard of someone having problems with it.

So you replaced plastic screws in Clone sata NA for real ones made from metal?

No, the screws of clones are perfectly good.

I was referring to the metal sheet of the clone NA. It will prevent the NA to fully enter into the Ps2 bay. I cutted the middle protrusions and pushed the bottom steps.

This is just an image from the web the metal shit isn't cutted here yet.

 

[SkyNet]

So guys, as far as I understand best of all three is maxdiypower? Site is from USA maybe thats why is quality the best of all three, I mean compatibility ?
Do you know which brand and model of 2TB HDD guy showsed to you-I mean manufacturer ?

Why people from China can not clone Ethernet port? If THeir Clones could have Ethernet port and quality of NA would be better slightly, not flimsy,--I probably would just go for it--since price of sata upgrade kit and of Clone NA is the same, but absense of Ethernt port makes me not really wanna buy it since for me Ethernet port "Must BE"...
I am not saying that Clones are bad, I am sure they work, but Ethernt port is important for me...
I wish They would work harder and would also replicate Ethernet Port...

First versions of PS2 Fat had PCMCIA port, do you know guys what type of port Sony put in PS2s Expansion Bay SCPH3000-5000 models of ps2? Can not find any information on it...


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Tried to buy maxdiypower adapter and his paypal on website is not working.
There is not big choice of abittop one--only on amazon for 19 dollars plus shipping.
So I decided to go with bitfunx one. On Ebay they sell v1.0
If to buy from buyer--there is v2.0 and plus they say they updating board to next version.
So I bought v.2.0.
Hope it supports 2TB HDDs... At least it should since depiction says support most sata HDD 2 TB...

 

[TnA]

First versions of PS2 Fat had PCMCIA port, do you know guys what type of port Sony put in PS2s Expansion Bay SCPH3000-5000 models of ps2? Can not find any information on it...

I think it's the same thing/connector and stuff, just flipped 90° and then put in the NWA/"Box".

 

[sp193]

My 2-cents: they won't make a real network adaptor because the goal was only to add an S(ATA) interface. Adding a working network adaptor would also require more copied logic, more components (not just the FPGA/ASIC) and also a valid MAC address. MAC addresses are meant to be universally unique, so the manufacturer would have to be registered with IEEE.

I've mentioned it in a few places, but I use the Sugoi TR2535 adaptor in the SCPH-20400 enclosure, which is connected to my SCPH-15000.

First versions of PS2 Fat had PCMCIA port, do you know guys what type of port Sony put in PS2s Expansion Bay SCPH3000-5000 models of ps2? Can not find any information on it...

I would say it was always a proprietary interface.

The early PS2 designs (SCPH-10000, SCPH-15000, SCPH-18000) came with a PCMCIA-format connector. The interface chip within those CEX PS2 was a CXD9566R. There's also an earlier version (CXD9546R), found in early TOOL models, but not much is known about them.
Silverbull found that when the SCPH-10190 network adaptor is inserted, it first operates in PCMCIA mode, before it is switched over to some proprietary mode of operation which has non-standard signalling. So it's not actually a PCMCIA device and neither was that card slot only a PCMCIA card slot.

As for the expansion-bay network adaptor, Sony changed the interface chip. There were a few models, such as the CXD9611R/AR/BR, CXD9686R/AR/BR and there's also the CXD2955R.
It's also known as the "SSBUS Buffer". Going by @wisi's findings, it does sound like an interface which more directly exposes the SSBUS signals to an expansion device, without the PCMCIA functionality.

 

[SkyNet]

So finally I got my bitfunx v2.0 board directly from the original shop.
Assembly was easy and quick if not to take into account that NA needs torx 6 or 7 size screwdriver and two sizes of star-head ones.

I connected to it different HDDs--starting from 2TB and lower, all 2.5 in size.

Regular Ule can not format 2 TB HDD--ends with fail and size shows wrong.
2TB-Ule didi the job right way, it formated it and size is shown correctly--but took like 2 to 3 maybe minutes--long...

I started to put games to HDD. With 640GB HDD I had no problem to use HDloader to copy my game disc through DVD drive to HDD and OPL did play it nice, plus Shrek 2 has Progressive Scan option which is weird since it is not written on back of game case, but it is in menu.
But When I swithced to 2TB HDD--I literally could not copy games to it----the reason is because HDloader detects it, but when it comes to copying--it can not do--like it initialising.

I tried to connect Formated 2TBHDD through USB-SATA Adapter to PC--and HDL Dumb understands it--but when you choose iso and starting copying game--it goes very quickly and does probably half of it, then waits and ends up with error message, and gamre is not appearing in menu. I do not know if Winhiip would do better.

I tried to start HDL Server in OPL, but it could not start, and when it started one time--it didi not show IP-address which I need to use.

SMS Player without problems quickly loaded 2 TB HDD.

So looks like this BitFunx v2.0 board works--it shows anything up to 2 TB in ule, maybe even could show 3 TB and works, the only problems are that all soft which we have, needs to be updated,
like maybe we need to update uLe in order it would support all HDD Sizes and not to use two versions of uLE?
Also maybe I need 48bit HD Loader in order I could access 2 TB HDD to copy through DVD-Drive?

I have such questions about OPL:
1. Why OPL as successor of HDLoader does not support copy of games through DVD-Drive?

2. Is it possible to make liefe of people who use ps2 through network is more easier?

I know that in original xbox when you plug in at start ethernet cable in--it automatically through DHCP gets IP-address from network and starts FTP-Server and shows in bottom left corner IP-address it aqquired. and then you open FTP-client like C-tools or Filezilla and copy folder structure to HDD.
Is it possible to implement in OPL similar things like automatic IP through DHCP, FTP-Client, IP- address in left bottom corner and folder game structure?
Is it possible to copy just ISOs to DVD and CD folders on HDD and make OPL mount them?
In other words I believe that we need to create "PS2 Game FTP-CLient"--specific software and go away from HDLdumb--it will be more comfortable even for noob to transfer games...
3. Can copying from USB to HDD be implemented? I know it is slow, but it is still quicker than copy in HDloder through DVD-Drive?

 

[jolek]

Spoiler: Off topic | Other apps

Instead of quite old uLE 2-TB Edition try regular wLe:
https://www.psx-place.com/resources/wlaunchelf.713/.
It also supports 2 TB HDD + it has a few other fixes (read changelog).

If you are coping games through ETH, IMO HDLGameInstaller is a better option.
You should get higher transfers (~7200 KB/s) with this app:
https://sites.google.com/view/ysai187/home/projects/hdlgameinstaller#h.p_4oz_hit1el1L.

 

[SkyNet]

Hey, i like this HDL Game Installer, and ps2 part runs good, shows IP-address. But PC part in Windows 10 even as administrator asks for MSVCR100.DLL.
Says it was not found. Reinstalling program could fix problem.
How to add to Windows 10 this dll file?

Thank you iolek for help.

Update. Link which you gave for launchelf formated well 2TB HDD, so I will switch in FReeMCboot to this ulaunch version which you linked me to.
Also I figured out why HDL GUI version did not work for me. I have two USB to SATA Adapters, and looks like simple one is not compatible, but the one which is "USB 3.0 To IDE/SATA" is working flawlessly.
I connected my 2TB HDD to PC through it and speed was amazing, because it is USB3.0 and because I connected it to USB3.0 port--it was giving me 83-90MB a sec copying. Copies games in seconds.
I do not know if I can figure out copying through network, but direct connection to pc is amazing thing.

So playing from 2TB HDD on PS2 works perfectly and OPL works with this size HDD very quickly, like with any regular size.
Just wonder where is the limit? Can we find a way to format 3TB HDD or even 4 for ps2 ?????

 

[SaltedHashflip]

I don't really have anything to more to add as I'm not that knowledgeable when it comes to the more technical details, but I'll second that HDLGameInstaller recommendation, if you intend on installing a ton of games there is this slightly modified build that might work better in the long term:
https://www.psx-place.com/threads/hdlgameinstaller.3709/page-8#post-221249
All it does is increase the time it takes for the connection to timeout, but it fixed some issues I was starting to have with standard HDLGI once I had enough games on my hard drive

 

[jolek]

Hey, i like this HDL Game Installer, and ps2 part runs good, shows IP-address. But PC part in Windows 10 even as administrator asks for MSVCR100.DLL.
Says it was not found. Reinstalling program could fix problem.
How to add to Windows 10 this dll file?

Read "Warning" from here:
https://www.psx-place.com/resources/hdlgameinstaller.709/.

 

[krHACKen]

Just wonder where is the limit? Can we find a way to format 3TB HDD or even 4 for ps2 ?????

The limit is the 32bit sector count.
https://github.com/ps2dev/ps2sdk/blob/master/iop/dev9/atad/src/ps2atad.c#L1049
4,294,967,295 sectors; that is 2,199,022,993,408 bytes.

 

[TnA]

At 512Byte-Sectors!
I wonder what would happen with 4k-adressing on storage-devices which support it.

 

[karenjan99]

hi guys, i want to connect sata hdd to ps2, i have a original na and an adapter like in photo. but i dont have a cable male to male. i get only a male socket from the old pc board, so is this a right pinout for soldering this adapter?

 

[modderchris555]

HAHA, been smashing my brains trying to figure out why my bitfunx doesn't work at all for me but does for some people
turns out the NA does not like getting 3.3v on the white wire(it normally has nothing as it is not used in IDE)
the bitfunx adapter sends the 3.3v LDO power BACK up to the network adapter, causing a full shutdown of the aux port power
after carefully providing external 5v power(was trying to use an SSD anyway so no 12v needed) and pulling molex pins I found this out
just cut a trace that is between the capacitors and the power connector(you have to find the right pin for the LDO output and cut the trace between ALL capacitors and the connector, I assume most of us can do that)

afterwards it stops "shorting" the power supply(not actually a short, seems more like a shutdown pin that would be normally 0V enable, possibly overcurrent protection)