PS2 Homebrew Manifesto

ps2.md

Personal cheatsheet, workaround notes, open source homebrew apps testing, issues & image quality improvements

Commands

Format FAT32 32K Cluster Size

sudo mkfs.vfat -F 32 -s 64 /dev/sdX
sudo mkdosfs -F 32 -s 64 /dev/sdX

Get exFAT Cluster Size

sudo dumpexfat /dev/sdXX

Get USB Vendor, ProductID, Revision

sudo usb-devices

ZSO Images (Compressed)

maxcso --block=2048 --format=zso 'input.iso'

Get PNG pixel format

ffprobe -v error -show_entries stream=pix_fmt -of default=noprint_wrappers=1 input.png

List .iso content

isoinfo -i example.iso -l

Blind Navigation

Change from "RGB" to "Y Cb/Pb Cr/Pr"

1. Start the console
2. Wait 15 sec
3. ↓, X
4. Wait 2 sec
5. ↓, ↓, ↓, X
6. ←, X

Matrix 1.99 - Change from "VGA" to "OFF"

1. Start the console
2. △ + O (hold)
3. Wait 3 sec (release)
4. X
5. Start

PS2 HDD Internal

Structure Size

__mbr	__common	__sysconf	__system	+OPL	__.POPS
128 MB	512 MB	128 MB	128 MB	2048 MB	100 GB

OPL + POPSTARTER

Directory Structure

__.POPS	__common/POPS	+OPL/APPS	+OPL
SLUS.XX.VCD	SLUS.XX (Folder)	SLUS.XX.ELF	conf_apps.cfg
	POPS.ELF
	IOPRP252.IMG
	CHEATS.TXT

conf_apps.cfg

Example Game=pfs0:/APPS/SLUS.XX.ELF

Some Bash Scripts

Generate empty folders & .ELF files for all .VCD files in the current directory (you need popstarter.elf)

#!/bin/bash

for file in *.VCD; do
  base_name="${file%.*}"
  elf_file="$base_name.elf"
  dir_name="$base_name"
  cp popstarter.elf "$elf_file"
  mkdir "$dir_name"
done

Generate config_apps.cfg from all .VCD files in the current directory

#!/bin/bash

apps_file="conf_apps.cfg"

# Remove the list file if it already exists
rm -f "$apps_file"

for file in *.VCD; do
  base_name="${file}"
  game_name=${base_name%.*}
  game_name=${game_name##*.}
  echo "$game_name=pfs0:/APPS/$base_name" >> "$apps_file"
done

Transfer / Speed Analysis

PlayStation 2 (PS2) IOP

I/O	Value
Memory	Model RAM DTL-T10000 8 MB ^SCPH-7500x 4 MB SDRAM Any Other 2 MB EDO DRAM
Transfer	37.5 MHz * 4 = ~150 MB/s

Max Transfer Speed

Controller	Theoretical Speed
SSBUS	~150 MB/s ?? Interface P. Speed HDD ATA (ATA-4) ~66 MB/s PCMCIA ?
Ethernet (100Mbit)	~12.5 MB/s Interface P. Speed SMB ? UDPBD ?
DVD	Interface P. Speed x2 CD-ROM ? 4x DVD-ROM ~5.28 MB/s
BDM	~7 MB/s Interface P. Speed MX4SIO ~2.0 MB/s USB 1.1 ~1.5 MB/s iLink ?

PlayStation 2 (PS2) Multimedia

PS2 FMV (MPEG-2) 640x480 30fps: 3-5 MB/s

PS2 Dev - Setup

Caution

Don't ever bother with the ps2-toolchain AUR; it's totally broken. Prefer to use Docker; it's quicker and easier.

Port Status

PORT	SERVICE
18193/tcp	ps2link
21/tcp	ftp
18195/tcp	netfs

1. Prepare your PS2

Install ps2link

1. Get the latest ps2link.
2. Put it as:
   • /BOOT/BOOT.ELF + Modbo(Boot Mode=DEV1)
   • or
   • PS2BBL (LK_AUTO_E1 = mc?:/APPS/PS2LINK.ELF) + Modbo(Boot Mode=DEV1) <- recommended

2. Prepare your Docker

yay -S docker
sudo systemctl start docker
docker pull ps2dev/ps2dev:latest

Docker Settings

1. Open a terminal and run a Docker container

docker run -it ps2dev/ps2dev
apk add bash build-base git nano make mpc mpc1 mpfr4 python3 py3-pip gmp wget zip

2. Don't close the Docker container. Open another terminal, get the CONTAINER ID, and commit

docker ps
docker commit {CONTAINER ID} ps2dev/ps2dev

3. Close it now with

exit

3. How to Compile

docker run -it --rm -v "$PWD:/src" -w /src ps2dev/ps2dev make

4. How to Execute

PS2Client Set-Up

yay -S ps2client-git
sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=18193/tcp

PS2Client Commands

ps2client -h {PS2_IP} execee host:example.elf
ps2client -h {PS2_IP} execee host:example.elf listen
ps2client -h {PS2_IP} reset
ps2client -h {PS2_IP} poweroff

MX4SIO

Diagrams

MSD Module	PS2 Memory	Bridge
3v3	miso
cs	mosi
---	---
mosi	gnd	<--
clk	3v3	|
miso	cs	|
gnd	clk	|
	cd	<--

A5-V11

Get installed packages

grep -H Installed-Size: /usr/lib/opkg/info/*.control | sed 's,^.*/\([^/]\+\)\.control:Installed-Size: *\(.*\),\2\t\1,' | sort -n

Wireless Setup

Connect to your home's wifi as client (WWAN)

LAN Interface

copy/save mac address, set-up as DHCP Client

PS2TOHDMI Adapters

PS2 TO HDMI CXSM (2019-11-11)	PS2 TO HDMI (2018-06-25)

PS2 USB Compatibility - Good & Fake

USB Legend	Icon
USB Info + F3 Tests OK	✅
I forgot to check for any issues	❔
F3 Tests Failed, Bad/Fake, Don't buy	❌

sudo f3probe --destructive --time-ops /dev/sdX

Caution

Initially, all seem perfect (H2testw, F3). The main problem isn't fake capacity but "ghost memory" and a very short lifespan. Don't trust my ✅ 100%. The ❌ appeared after approximately five fills, and game inconsistency was always present.

Status	Store/Date	Seller/Listing	USB Info	F3 Probe	Logo/Size	Note
✅	AliE. jun, 2024	1102716777 1005006567375744	Pending	Usable: 485.00 MB Announced: 485.00 MB Module: 512.00 MB	Cloudisk 512MB	I bought x5 of these Micro SD cards.
❌	AliE. jun, 2023	5875812 1005004719322721	Vendor=058f ProdID=6387 Rev=01.00	Usable: 0.00 Byte Announced: 117.19 GB Module: 128.00 GB	Microdrive 128GB	I bought x5 of these. Most can be filled but "stop working" after a short time. They now throw I/O errors when connected or disconnect when filled.
❔	AliE. oct, 2022	2393021 32776798154	Lost	Lost	Microdrive 64GB	I bought x5 of these.
❌	AliE. mar, 2022	910618004 1005001862551935	Pending	Usable: 0.00 Byte Announced: 58.59 GB Module: 64.00 GB	KRY 64GB	I bought x5 of these Micro SD cards. Inconsistent F3 tests: After some use, 1 passed, 1 failed, and the others were not tested. Game tests were always inconsistent.
❔	AliE. dic, 2021	4988196 1005003152142788	Pending	Pending	JASTER 64GB	I bought x1 of these. It freezes at the FMCB logo when formatted in FAT32. exFAT/NTFS is OK.
❔	AliE. sep, 2021	1771214 32852039059	Lost	Lost	CeaMere 64GB	I bought x5 of these Micro SD cards. The included card reader stopped working quickly, so I had to buy a HQ one. However, the issue might have been with the SD cards.