PS3 I would not know as I never hacked or chipped my PS3 I only play retail on it due to the system still being an active one, but google or youtube should be able to be of some help
PS2 softmodding you are possibly talking about my guide at
http://www.epforums.org/showthread.php?80570 that is mostly aimed at the ESR method via freeMCboot but other methods can be added once you follow the guide so you can add network streaming and USB HDD (note that USB loading is very slow and most games lag with it), if you are using an older model PS2 you can also use an internal HDD (if you buy one and the Network adaptor) you just add the loader to FreeMCboot
ESR lets you boot DVD backups (CD backups are not included but most CD games can be converted to DVD, just not all of them) this lets you do this with no swap trick and games will auto start with a small loader screen, though to do this the DVD must first be patched though (that tricks the PS2 into recognising the DVD as a DVD Video avoiding the RED screen informing you that it is not a PS2 disc [more accurately it is not a retail disc]) you may need a swap trick to install FreeMCboot in the first place though, depending on how you first install FreeMCboot