PS2 Test System

[Merrick Bill]

Does anyone here know anything about the PS2 Test System? It looks like the older style PS2 but it says TEST across the top. From what I understand, it was used to develop games for the PS2. I might be able to buy one and I'd like to know a little more about it before I shell out any money.

 

Bill

[Jetboot Jack]

Test Stations are REALLY only used to test games on pre-mastered media for QA purposes (they are regular systems under the hood) - although many cheap ass developers used them hooked up via firewire as debug units rather than buying proper T10K systems. They were hideous to use that way mind you - a real false economy...

 

Upside of a test station is - it's region free (but some have hardwired video output making that less useful) and play released games from any territory, downside - won't play DVD's (whoa, there's a real issue NOT)...

 

As with most dev hardware, they are not intended to be sold on to consumers...

 

sTeVE

Edited June 25, 2007 by Jetboot Jack

[Merrick Bill]

Test Stations are REALLY only used to test games on pre-mastered media for QA purposes (they are regular systems under the hood) - although many cheap ass developers used them hooked up via firewire as debug units rather than buying proper T10K systems. They were hideous to use that way mind you - a real false economy...

 

Upside of a test station is - it's region free (but some have hardwired video output making that less useful) and play released games from any territory, downside - won't play DVD's (whoa, there's a real issue NOT)...

 

As with most dev hardware, they are not intended to be sold on to consumers...

 

sTeVE

 

 

Thanks. It doesn't really sound like I'd get much benefit from it (I already have a PS2). I guess I'll pass.

 

Bill

[spacecadet]

Thanks. It doesn't really sound like I'd get much benefit from it (I already have a PS2). I guess I'll pass.

 

Bill

 

I'd buy one if I had the opportunity.

 

I may not have all my details 100% correct, but I have seen and dealt with plenty of PS2 TEST systems. There were several versions. All of them are considered "debug" units in the industry. (In fact, if I remember right, they say "debug" right on the back of the unit.)

 

They were not intended to play pre-mastered media. In fact, some of them (and here's where my details get a little fuzzy) can't play pre-mastered media at all - they don't have the unlock code. What I'm not sure about is whether these models actually said TEST on them - they may not have. These were the very early versions of the debug units. The TEST systems came a bit later and may all play pre-mastered media, but their intent was to play unfinished games on CD-R, which is how developers and publishers used them. (The press used them the same way.)

 

Anyway, I would verify what this unit can and can't play, since I'm not 100% sure anymore.

 

But you could still get some benefit from having a TEST system. At least some of them will play anything you throw at them unmodified: CD-R's, unfinished betas, out-of-region games, etc. They are basically holy grail PS2's - no copyright or other protections at all.

 

Edit: I just realized that by "pre-master media", Jetboot Jack may have meant CD-R. I had taken him to mean "already mastered", not "before being mastered". If CD-R is what he meant, then yeah, that's right.

Edited June 26, 2007 by spacecadet

[Jetboot Jack]

's what he meant :-)

 

sTeVE