PS2 Slim modding/burning issues - Please Help

[FlavaFlave]

Ok, so here's the dilemma:

I have a brand new Slimline PS2 system, and I just purchased the new Swap Magic 3.6 kit with the magic key, or whatever it's called. It's the one that allows you to close the flip top when you play (so it isn't open all the time). Anyway, I'm having issues with the games that I've burnt. SSX3 runs perfectly, however the music skips and the cutscenes get kinda wonky sometimes - Metal Gear 3 works pretty well for the most part, however sometimes during cutscene transitions it hangs a bit and the dialogue takes a few seconds to kick in. The worst offender has been GTA San Andreas - it takes a good 3 to 4 minutes to load, and then when you finally get into the game, a black screen appears every 20 seconds or so saying it can't read the disc, then it goes back into the game. Hot Shots Golf works perfectly and strangely enough, so does the new Killer 7 game.

When I ripped these games, I used DVD Decrypter, then I burn them onto DVD+r discs using Alcohol 120. I use the lowest speed I can which is 2.4X and i've been tinkering with the various options. I use Memorex DVD+r's, since I can't use the DVD-r, so I don't know if that's part of the problem or what. When I copied Killer 7 and Hot Shots, I burnt them at maximum speed, so I went back and tried that with GTA and it still has the same issues. Does anyone have any idea what is going on? I have daemon tools, nero, alcohol, cdrwin and dvd decrypter, so I should have adequate software. I've searched forums and the internet for a solution, but no one talks about the slim lines. The only things I've read are that they don't have any problems with the slims, but that isn't the case for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that these are all from original discs too - so I'm not getting bad copies. I haven't even tried to burn something I downloaded yet. The originals have been my test subjects.

Thanks

[Cosmic]

Are your bought games working ok? If not then it may be as well to give the laser a good clean using one of those lens-cleaner kits. If your bought games are working fine, however, then it sounds to me like the DVD+R discs are the issue. Sony have always supported DVD-R discs pretty much since they were first introduced, so it's not at all unlikely that the DVD+R discs are where your problem lies. I can't say for sure since I personally haven't used a slimline PS2, but my friend and I could never get DVD+R discs to work with the original model. That said, it was one of the really early ones so for all I know Sony may have updated it... in any event, perhaps try some different DVD+R discs? If possible you should look for some good branded discs that support 1x speed, the brand you're using now (Memorex) ought to be fine. They're definetely available (I have some 1-4x Verbatim discs, not sure how well they'd work with a PS2 though), so just keep an eye out for them. That's all I can suggest really, but I'd be willing to bet that the disc format is your problem.

[FlavaFlave]

Well, thats just bullshit. Why are they selling mod chips that supposedly play DVD+r's if they don't even work? I know mod chip dealers aren't the most accredited source, but that's some shit. I'll try different discs, but that's about as far as I'm going. i thought about sending in my system and getting it professionally modded, but I've already spent $40 on this bogus swap disc shit, and I hate to spend another $100 to get it modded. The laser can't be bad on this system - there's no way. I just got it no more than 3 weeks ago, and everything has run fine except these burnt games. And no way in hell and I buying a new DVD recorder that lets me burn dvd-r discs - that's just crap. Oh well, thanks for your insight though... .looks like i'm taking this one right up the ass without the courtesy of a reach around.

[Cyberxion]

The Swap Magic disks aren't bogus. I used them without incident on my older model PS2. Used 'em just fine with DVD+ and -R media. I don't know why they're giving you trouble, or if your trouble even stems from them.

DVD+R media works, though from what I've heard around the way, choosing media with Ritek dye is the best way to go. Do a little research, and see if you can't find some DVD+R media with Ritek dye. If they don't work, then I don't know what to tell ya.

[FlavaFlave]

Where do I get these Ritek discs? I keep hearing about them, but can they be purchased at a store or do I have to order them? The only reason I'm bitching about any of this is because i've just had a bad experience all around with the chip. It took 3 1/2 for it to arrive in the mail, then I find out at the last minute it doesn't play PS1 games, which is why I bought the damn thing in the first place, and now all this shit about dvd+r, dvd-r, and crazy burning instructions - it's almost not worth it. I haven't even used it for anything I don't already own, and I've burnt SSX 3 four different times now using different speeds, programs and settings and still no luck. Thanks anyway though.

EDIT: Forget the bit about the Ritek discs, I just ordered some - hopefully they will work.

[polokitty]

i use memorex +R's and i have used maxell -R's and both work fine in my v8 ps2

[Cyberxion]

Where do I get these Ritek discs? I keep hearing about them, but can they be purchased at a store or do I have to order them?

Ritek disks can be found in stores such as Best Buy, or on any number of online retailers. Looks like you found 'em too.

If you didn't get them from Newegg, I'd recommend you check that online store out in the future. You can buy a spindle of 100 DVD's for under thirty bucks.

The only reason I'm bitching about any of this is because i've just had a bad experience all around with the chip. It took 3 1/2 for it to arrive in the mail, then I find out at the last minute it doesn't play PS1 games, which is why I bought the damn thing in the first place, and now all this shit about dvd+r, dvd-r, and crazy burning instructions - it's almost not worth it. I haven't even used it for anything I don't already own, and I've burnt SSX 3 four different times now using different speeds, programs and settings and still no luck. Thanks anyway though.

Chip? You mean the Swap Magic disks? Dude, if you bought it to play PSOne games, then you didn't do your research. These things aren't intended to play PSOne games, nor were they ever marketed as such.
Depending on wether or not you got some cheap knock-off version, the Swap Magic disks should work just fine for PS2 games. I never had an issue with mine back in the day. I really don't get why they're giving you such a hard time.

As far as burning goes, it's really quite simple. You take the image, open it up in a DVD recording program, and burn. That's it. And the media you use shouldn't matter, as both Zer-0_Divide and myself have used +R media (Memorex in specific.) and never had any issues.

I think that there's some variable you're just not aware of. Seriously, the processes are so simple that there should be no room for error.

[FlavaFlave]

Yes, I know it's so easy that there isn't room for error - that's why i'm bitching about it. I shouldn't be having any problems at all, but yet I am.

As for the PS1 discs, you're right, I didn't do my research. When I was looking at the stuff these swaps were capable of playing, it said CD-R's, so i just took that as PS1 games, not thinking at all. Totally forgot that some PS2 games were on CD's and not DVD's. I know, that's my fault - it still irks me though.

Anyway, if these Ritek discs don't work, then what could possibly be the problem? I got these swap discs from modchip.com, and according to you guys they aren't bogus - so what's left to do? If i have to actually chip the system, fine - but how can i gurantee I still won't have these burning problems? I'm not spending 100 and then going to have the same problem - I think you all can understand that.

I think that there's some variable you're just not aware of. Seriously, the processes are so simple that there should be no room for error.

And what variable might that be? Hardware, Software..... what?

[Winged 2.0]

Well, I really don't know what to say. I have a slimline ps2 and swapmagic 3. AND a DVD+R burner. So I will just go through what I did with as much detail as possible. Maybe there might be something in there to help.
-First I bought my Swap Magic from mod-chip.com (Great site)
-Before that I did my research and read that ritek dvds are the best. So I purchased the ones found here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817132367) I have never tried Memorex discs but I hear that they are vastly inferior.
-I downloaded an ISO image and burned it with DVD decrypter. Using speeds of 4x.
-Now I have about 70 PS2 backups in my PS2 binder and all are flawless.

I suppose it all comes down to Ritek DVDs. But it may be something else.

[FlavaFlave]

I'm starting to think it's the memorex discs myself as well. I ordered some Ritek discs, so hopefully they'll be in soon. Strangely enough, I burned ICO today on a standard CD, and this option in Alcohol popped up asking what type of disc I wanted, and there was a PS2 option! What's weird though, is that I couldn't find that option when I went back to burning DVD's - I burned Dark Cloud 2. Anyhoo, both of these games run phenomenally, no hiccups even on the loading screens. I guess maybe games that are running multiple audio tracks at the same time, i.e. SSX (announcer, sfx plus radio) and GTA (sfx, radio, ass tons of draw-in) are gonna give me hell unless I try these new discs. I'll report back when I try it.

Now, my only other question - Say I take a burnt dvd (ssx3 for example), can I rip this one back onto my hard drive then burn it onto a Ritek and not have problems? I ask this because I dl'ed GTA III, it chokes up my system, and I wiped off the dl'ed files since I put it onto disc. Will I need to re download or should I be ok?

Also, whats the deal with that PS2 option on Alcohol? I dont know how to get it to appear unless I'm burning a CD, not DVD. That might help a lot as well.

Thanks

[polokitty]

ok i have to say there is nothing wrong with the memorex dvds as i have been useing them for all 95 of my ps2 games with the exception of a few because i used some maxells which work perfectly fine, so you can't really say that they are the problem specificly... and i have Cyberxion to back me up so

[Winged 2.0]

Well the thing is with memorex media is this: I heard somewhere that memorex discs are not all the same. They use different technologies for different releases etc. Sometimes the changes are frequent. They change from bad to good. Not really sure how it goes but it could explain why some people have better luck with Memorex than others.

[Zorlon]

Not really sure how it goes but it could explain why some people have better luck with Memorex than others.

I can though

This one is easy there are more than one type of Memorex DVD-R thats all and one of them will have Ritek dye in em and not any less quality than Ritek banded DVD-R's

I have used a realy cheap brand called DataWrite DVD-R's but these did not work but I went for a different quality DataWrite DVD-R's that worked perfect and also has Ritek dye in em but the first lot of DataWrite DVD-R's didn't

Anotherwords it's the quality of the DVD-R that you look for not the brand unfortionatly there isn't always enough info on the box/spindle

P.S. I know it sounds stupid that dye makes the difference but the dye is only to show what quality the DVD-R's are

DVD+R's I can't say I've had any that havn't worked

Edit: Why not use DVD Decrypter to burn back aswell it works perfectly fine I honestly don't see why you are using alcohol to burn back.

[Winged 2.0]

Yes that sounds right. Makes sense as burning cd's/dvd's only changes the color of the dye on the cd to imitate small bumps on pressed cd's

Again, Zorlon knows 70% more than everyone else.

[polokitty]

maybe even 71%