Similar to this, you should know that with a network adapter and a hacked memory card, it's possible to play backup PS2 games from a NAS. However, you will have to downgrade your NAS's security to allow SMBv1. And not all games run smoothly over the network (nor do all games run smoothly off hard drives, solid state drives, USBs, or SD cards, which are also options). If you have the architecture and want to future proof your PS2 (lasers are dying fast), it's worth an afternoon getting it running. Keywords to get your started: OPL; FreeMcBoot.
I set up my PS2 with a 1TB hard drive and a SATA adapter. There's a disk image floating around that lets you install an English-modded version of Browser 2.x[0], which can load applications from the hard disk. Along with a bunch of custom application icons I made for all my games, I have the closest thing to "what if Sony sold PS2 games as downloads."
It's really great, except for the fact that Browser 2.x becomes hilariously slow to scroll through after around 40 games on the drive. Furthermore the PS2 stores applications as disk partitions, so removing applications creates Mac OS9 style heap fragmentation until you compact everything. Practically speaking this didn't matter at the time, since the PS2 HDD was only ever used for game installs[1] and the firmware was locked to one Sony-blessed model of 40GB HDD.
The NAS route is the only option if you have a Slim PS2. Some of the slim models can be modded to add IDE back in, but not all.
[0] An updated version of the PS2 dashboard - YES, it was updatable - intended to support an online service called Broadband Navigator. It supported e-mail and downloadable demos, including one PS1 game demo that wound up being the basis for the PSP's PS1 support.
[1] Most of which were actually disabled in the US releases
After tinkering for months with a setup like this, I vouch that the best way to play is with a big external drive over usb. Nowadays OPL supports exFat and the occasional FMV stuttering is a small price to pay for the simplicity. It Just Works.
I have this setup, it's pretty awesome. Afaik you can't put a HDD bigger than 1TB in a PS2 so it's the only way to go if you want the set and forget experience of just having the entire PS2 library available to you.
You can load games from an external drive over the USB port too but the transfer speeds are much slower than the disc drive so most games have issues. MC2SIO recently came out though, which uses the memory card interface to access games on a microsd card - my understanding is that the transfer speeds over that are much better so it's also a good option.
I have it as well. PS2 softmods are getting better and better - you can now use PS4 controllers over Bluetooth. Ps1 games all can be launched from OPL since they are not run via emulation.
> Ps1 games all can be launched from OPL since they are not run via emulation.
I think you've got this backwards - the only way to run ps1 games from OPL is via POPstarter, which is an emulator. Speed/compatibility is not great for a lot of titles either.
The reason for this is that when you put an actual PS1 disc into a PS2 the system uses the PS1 CPU inside as the main CPU (it's used as an audio co-processor when in PS2 mode), and there's no way for OPL to trigger this while still loading from the ISO in the background.
The 1TB limit was removed lately by software update, also you can nowadays use exfat filesystem which removes that slow game install process with that one tool.
If you have network adapter and FAT PS2 the best option is to play games from hard drive (or SSD).
Though nowadays it's possible to even play games through the SD -> memory card adapter (which is faster than the USB on the system) or even hw mod that enables internal HD on slim PS2.
>However, you will have to downgrade your NAS's security to allow SMBv1.
Would it be possible to just run a Docker container with SMBv1 that only has access to your game ISOs and nothing else? Feels like that'd be better from a safety viewpoint.
It's honestly easier just to use an SSD now. You can literally fit every PS2 game onto one these days. I did do the nas for the better part of a decade though and it works pretty well.
I still have a working PS2 but no decent controller to use with it. Is it still possible to buy original ones in a decent condition, or is there some way to use PS4 or newer controllers?
The most reliable solution are the Brook adapters [1]. Just make sure you get one in the correct direction. The process is very simple - just connect the PS4 controller with a USB cable once, then it will pair by Bluetooth.
