Gooday Gaming Guests - Sony PS1 and PSOne Over the Years

Episode Date: November 23, 2024

It has now been 30 Years. I Grew up Playing Resident Evil.

Okay, so today, Saturday, 11-23-24, we are going to talk PS1s. Only because I was doing some power supplies this morning for those. And there's always lots of fun little different versions of the PS1. So let's go through that a little bit. And then we'll bring Zippy in here for some more in-depth knowledge. I always learn something new from my buddy Zippy. Zippy is my AI companion buddy. Very fun. is the 1001, which has the audio-video ports in the back. The power supply is 7-pin, so it can only be used on the 1001. And then from there, there was the 5501, which is the most sought after motherboard. 7001. Then there was the.

75001 motherboard. Model. And then there was the final 9001. That didn't have that. Back special port. That you can do extra fun stuff with. And then after that was the small white. PS1. Which was like the mini of the PS1s. Those are pretty fun too. So those are the ones in there. And then the power supplies for 5501, 7001, 9001, and 7501 are all 5-pin power supplies.

A few different makes and models in those, and you can pretty much use any. Alright, so my mailman's here. Yay. Saturday I get mail out at 2.13. So you want me to be your seller, because I'll

ship things out. Mailman comes a little bit later after only the post offices are closed so I get stuff out right until he comes basically all right so let's see what we're gonna talk with Zippy a little bit see what we can come up with for some some fun facts let's bring my co-anchor here, my sidekick in here. We'll see what we can come up with. Let's see if he's around. He's always around.

Hello? Hey, Tom. How's it going today? Good. We're doing the PS1s. Nice. Are you doing any repairs or just checking them out? We're going to go through the first model, the O... Is that the original one, the 1001?

Yes, the SCPH-1001 is one of the original models of the PS1. It's known for its RCA jacks on the back, making it easy to connect to audio equipment. Are you planning to do anything specific with it? Was there a lot of issues with that model? The SCPH-1001 had some known issues. One common problem was with the laser assembly, which could cause disk read errors over time. The early models also had issues with overheating and the laser's tracking mechanism. If you're working on one, it might need some TLC in those areas. The next model after that was the 5501?

Actually, after the SCPH-1001, the model that followed was the SCPH-5001. The 5501 came after that. Each model brought some improvements and minor changes. Are you working on one of those models as well? Is the 5001 U.S. or Japan? The SCPH-5001 is a U.S. model. The last four digits in the model number typically indicate the region, with 00 or 01 usually signifying North America. Are you checking out a 5001 model? I've never seen one, and I've had a lot of them. That's interesting interesting I learned something new I'm glad I could add to your knowledge the ps1 has quite a few model variations and it's always

interesting to learn about the different ones out there are there any so what was the motherboard model number for that one the scph501 PlayStation model typically features the PU-18 or PU-20 motherboard. Sony made several revisions throughout the PS1's lifespan, so the exact motherboard might vary slightly depending on the specific production run. Okay, so PU-18, that's the 5501 pretty much. Then there was the 7001 or the 75001. Yes, the SCPH-5001 typically has the PU18 motherboard. After that, Sony released models like the SCPH-7001 and SCPH-7501. and scph 7501 these models came with further refinements and improvements with the scph

7501 being one of the more common models are you exploring these later models too and each one of those the was a pu 22 in those yes that's correct the scph 7001 and scph 7501 models often came with the pu22 motherboard this revision included further hardware refinements and was part of sony's ongoing effort to improve the ps1's performance and reliability are you diving into any of these models? Then the final model was the 9000? That's right. The SCPH-9001 was one of the final models of the original PlayStation. It featured a more compact design and removed the parallel and serial ports found on earlier models. This model is known for its reliability and quieter operation. Are you working with a 9001 model today?

So that board was a lot smaller, so therefore the technology was much better? Exactly. The SCPH-9001's motherboard was more compact, reflecting advances in technology and manufacturing processes. This allowed for a more efficient and reliable system, with fewer components and a sleeker design. It's impressive how much they were able to streamline the hardware over the years. The power supply on the 1001 is 7 pin, the rest were 5 pin. Why? The SCPH-1001 had a 7 pin power supply connector, which provided a more robust connection for the early models. However, as Sony refined the design and improved the efficiency of the PS1's internal components,

they were able to reduce the power requirements. This led to the adoption of a 5-pin connector in later models, starting from the SCPH-5001 onwards. It was part of Sony's effort to streamline and cost... And then the disk drives were always in a different place on most of the motherboards yes the placement of the disk drive did vary across different PS1 models Sony made several internal design changes throughout the PS1's production run to improve performance reduce manufacturing costs, and address issues.

This resulted in the disk drive being positioned differently on various motherboard revisions. It's a neat aspect of the PS1's evolution that keeps things interesting for collectors and repair enthusiasts. And the disk drives were often the issue, the lens or some part of it? Yes, the disk drive, particularly a laser lens assembly, was often a common point of failure in the PS1. Issues could include the lens becoming misaligned, dirty, or failing outright, leading to problems reading disks. Additionally, components like the spindle motor or the worm gear that moves the laser could wear out. These issues made the disk drive a frequent focus for repairs and maintenance.

Was there a lot of mods for PS1s? Yes. Was there early mods to play copy disks first? Yes. One of the earliest and most popular mods for the PS1 was the installation of a mod chip.

These chips allowed the console to bypass the region locking and copy protection mechanisms, enabling it to play copied disks and games from other regions. This kind of modding became quite popular early in the PS1's lifespan. And now, nowadays, I also have some of the things you put on the back port. Ah, you might be referring to devices like the Gainshark or ProAction Replay, which plubbed into the parallel port on the back of early PS1 models.

These devices were primarily used for cheat codes, but could also enable the playing of imported games and backups with the right software. They were quite popular back in the day for those looking to expand their PS1's capabilities without internal modding. Is that what you have? I have some of those, yes. And then modding of today for PS1s is what? Today's PS1 modding scene has evolved quite a bit. Popular mods include optical drive emulators. These replace the disk drive with an SD card reader, allowing games to be loaded from a memory card. Examples include the PSIO and X Station. Two, mod chips. Modern mod chips are still around, offering features like region-free gaming, anti-piracy bypass, and the ability to boot games

from different formats. 3. HDMI Mods. Add an HDMI output for better compatibility with modern TVs, improving video quality and making the console easier to use with current setups. 4. Controller Adapters. These allow the use of modern controllers with the PS1, providing more comfort and customization options. These mods keep the PS1 experience alive and enhance its functionality for modern gamers. Are you thinking of trying any of these on your PS1? At some point, I'd like to see, I'd like to try some of those. And then, after that, it was the PS1, the little white one. Yeah, the PS1,

also known as the PS1, was the smaller, redesigned version of the original PlayStation. It came out in 2000 and was more compact and rounded, making it quite popular. It didn't have the parallel port found on early PS1 models, but it was compatible with most accessories and games. Are you planning to work on a PS1? There were a few different board models in those, but they're basically the same inside. Yes, exactly.

The PS1 had a few different motherboard revisions, but overall, they were quite similar in terms of functionality and layout. These revisions were mostly aimed at reducing manufacturing costs and improving reliability. The PS1 was known for its durability and is still a favorite among retro gamers. Are you planning to... Were any mods done for those? Yes, the PS1 also had its share of mods. Many of the mods were similar to those for the original PlayStation, including... 1.

Mod Chips. These were used to bypass region locks and copy protection, allowing the console to play imported and backup games. 2. Optical Drive Emulators. Like with the original PlayStation, all DEs such as the X-Station are popular for loading games from an SD card. 3. PS1 Digital. This is an HDMI mod that provides a high-quality digital video output for the PS1, improving compatibility with modern displays for controller adapters these allow the use

of modern controllers with the ps1 offering more options and comfort these mods help keep the ps1 relevant and enjoyable for modern gamers are you thinking of trying any of these on a ps1 so the 5501 motherboard pu18 was the most popular for modding? Yes. The SCPH5001 with the PU18 motherboard was indeed one of the more popular models for modding. It struck a good balance between availability, compatibility, and ease of modification. Modders found it relatively

straightforward to work with and it became a favorite for installing mod chips and other enhancements. Are you planning to work on a 5500-1 model? Was there any mods for the power supply? For the PS1, there weren't many mods specifically for the internal power supply. However, one common mod was to replace the internal power supply with an external one, especially in models where the power supply was prone to failure or overheating. This mod involved using a power brick similar to laptop chargers, which could help reduce heat inside the console and potentially extend its lifespan. It was more of a DIY solution for those looking to maintain their consoles. Are you interested in this kind of mod for your PS1?

A lot of the buttons start to wear out on the PS1 power supply. That's true. Over time, the power button on the PS1 could wear out, especially with frequent use. The button mechanism might become less responsive, making it harder to power the console on or off. This issue along with power supply failures is why some people opted for external power supply mods or replacements with more robust components. If you're dealing with a worn out power button it might be worth considering a repair or mod to keep your PS1 running smoothly. Are you experiencing this issue with any of your consoles? No, I actually sell the power board and I've sold just about every one I've ever had that worked, but a lot

of them do have a power button issue that I can't sell. Got it. It makes sense that the ones with power button issues would be harder to sell. The power board is a crucial component and buyers usually look for fully functional parts. It's great that you're able to sell the working ones though. If you ever come across a solution for refurbishing the ones with power button issues, it could open up more opportunities for you. Do you think you might explore that in the future? Yeah, I would sell those as a parts lot. Put like four or five of them together and sell them as parts for somebody else to fix. That sounds like a practical approach. Selling them as a parts lot gives someone with the skills or interest in repairs a chance to fix them up. Plus, it helps clear out inventory that might otherwise sit

around. It's a win-win. If you ever need help with wording for those listings or anything else, feel free to ask. The disc drive on the PS1 was gray. Why? The gray color of the PS1's disc drive was primarily a design choice. Sony opted for a uniform gray color scheme for the original PlayStation, including the console, controller, and disk drive to create a cohesive and distinctive look. The gray color also helped the console stand out among other electronics of the time, making it recognizable and iconic. It's interesting how design choices like this can become so

memorable. Yeah, because which one I meant was the white, the mini white PS1 has that gray lens. The PS1, the smaller, redesigned version of the original PlayStation, continued with the gray theme for its disk drive lens. This choice maintained a consistent look with the original PlayStation design, even though the PS1 itself had a more compact and rounded appearance. The gray disk drive lens became a recognizable feature of the console, helping it stand out even with its smaller size. Are you working with a PS1 right now? I had a PS Mini that came out just a few years ago and then you could get a USB to add even more games to it? Yes, the PlayStation Classic, often referred to as the PS Mini, was released in 2018.

It came preloaded with a selection of games, but fans quickly figured out how to use a USB drive to add more games to the system. It was a fun way to expand the library and enjoy more classic PS1 titles. Did you have a favorite game you added to your PS Mini? There was a few games. I liked Resident Evil, but I wanted to add even more games, but I never had time to get more put on there. Resident Evil is a classic. It's understandable that finding the time for gaming projects can be tough. If you ever decide to dive back into it,

there are plenty of guides and tools out there to help you add more games. And who knows? Maybe you'll find some hidden gems to enjoy alongside Resident Evil. Thank you. Alright, so we did the PS1 today, so that was pretty fun. Learned a couple new things. I've never seen a 5001 before, but there's one out there, so I'll have to look around for one. Alright, so we'll see what my system is for tomorrow.

Alright, talk to you later.