ps3 (40) play ps2 games

eyyaz

eyyaz

eyyaz

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Hey people's,

i got a 40gb ps3 and i understand that you can't play ps2 games on it. so my question is, can you upgrade/mod the ps3 (40gb) to play ps2 games or are you just boned?

Thanks
 
its the main reason I got a 60gb version. I have too many ps2 games I still like to play and still intend on playing.

I think I would cry if it breaks :(
 
manic111 said:
From what I've heard the 40 and 80GB versions use different hardware to the 60GB as well, so I'm not even sure how far they could get with a firmware upgrade...
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Software emulation.

PS1 games work on all three consoles due to software emulation. Its not impossible for Sony to write an emulator for the PS2 too, unfortunately the hardest part of writing a emulator is optimization, with the PS1 they can get away with it being incredibly inefficient as the PS3 hardware is far, far more powerful, for the PS2 the coding would need to be far more efficient which will require a much greater workload. In short, Sony could make PS2 games work on all PS3s, but i wouldn't bank on it.

Not an expert on these things though so i could be completely wrong on how emulators work, but it's certainly possible to write one.
 
Streeteh said:
Software emulation.

PS1 games work on all three consoles due to software emulation. Its not impossible for Sony to write an emulator for the PS2 too, unfortunately the hardest part of writing a emulator is optimization, with the PS1 they can get away with it being incredibly inefficient as the PS3 hardware is far, far more powerful, for the PS2 the coding would need to be far more efficient which will require a much greater workload. In short, Sony could make PS2 games work on all PS3s, but i wouldn't bank on it.

Not an expert on these things though so i could be completely wrong on how emulators work, but it's certainly possible to write one.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I figured. Based on the little that I know, it's still something of a struggle to code a reasonable emulator for PS2 games on modern PCs, and I assume that, in terms of emulation abilities, the PS3 is probably a little behind even them....like you say, I expect it could be done, but it would be somewhat tough!!!
 
Streeteh said:
Software emulation.

PS1 games work on all three consoles due to software emulation. Its not impossible for Sony to write an emulator for the PS2 too, unfortunately the hardest part of writing a emulator is optimization, with the PS1 they can get away with it being incredibly inefficient as the PS3 hardware is far, far more powerful, for the PS2 the coding would need to be far more efficient which will require a much greater workload. In short, Sony could make PS2 games work on all PS3s, but i wouldn't bank on it.

Not an expert on these things though so i could be completely wrong on how emulators work, but it's certainly possible to write one.
Click to expand...

The PAL 60gb uses software emulation to run PS2 games though doesn't it? It's just that Sony can't be bothered supporting it with updates for new games or fixes for the games that don't already work.
 
PAL 60Gb has the PS2 gfx chip, cpu tasks are emulated by the cell. It is probable to do but Sony havent bothered with emulating both cpu and gfx as tbh it probably is a mission with so many different PS2 games.
 
Nanoman said:
PAL 60Gb has the PS2 gfx chip, the cpu is emulated by the cell. It is probably do able but Sony havent bothered with emulating both cpu and gfx as tbh it probably is a mission with so many different games.
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I thought only very old 60GB models had the emotion chip, and the newer one's used software emulation.

Edit: In fact, all the PAL 60GB models use software emulation apparently (Wikipedia is law!).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ps3#Models
 
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orderoftheflame said:
I thought only very old 60GB models had the emotion chip, and the newer one's used software emulation.
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No PS3 has ever done complete software emulation of the PS2 (if they did, the feature would be in all models no problem...)

As Nanoman said the PAL 60gb's were half software and half hardware.

Edit- The wiki article you edited in even says this :p
Like the South Korean and European models, the North American 80 GB model also excludes the PlayStation 2 "Emotion Engine" CPU chip.[59] However, it still keeps the "Graphics Synthesizer" GPU.[60] Due to emulation of the "Emotion Engine", the level of compatibility was reduced
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orderoftheflame said:
I thought only very old 60GB models had the emotion chip, and the newer one's used software emulation.

Edit: In fact, all the PAL 60GB models use software emulation apparently (Wikipedia is law!).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ps3#Models
Click to expand...

NTSC 60Gbs had both the emotion engine and the gfx synthesizer. PAL 60Gbs didnt have the emotion engine but still had the gfx processor which is why they can still play PS2 games and the 80Gbs cant. CPU tasks are emulated by the cell.
 
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One of the reasons I think that the PS3 doesn't have PS2 support anymore is that the PS2 is still selling rather well, and they don't want to cut out the sales for the older system.

Personally, as been shown in the past with the partial software emulation - they can run PS2 software using emulation. I think they could make themselves a killing in money by offering the PS2 emulation firmware as DLC, for some token amount - enabling all PS2 games to be played.

I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Rich
 
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