PS2 vs HDD Media Player vs DIVX capable DVD Player

I have RM500 (ceiling RM600) to be spend as my home entertainment hub. And it is pretty hard for me to buy one. For months, I can’t actually decide which one should I go ; either Sarotek Media Player (2.5 inch HDD base) or well establish brand DVD player with DIVX/XVID/MP4 capabilities.

A couple of visit to Giant Kelana Jaya, SenHeng, Digital Mall and even Low Yat plaza still can’t help me to decide which one should I go.

Cheap brand like Pensonic got DIVX capable DVD Player but with very limited function. Can’t blame it with sub RM 200 price tags. Some of these cheap DVD player support WMV but not DIVX, some support DIVX but not XVID, some has USB but can’t played divx via USB…only for music ripping…bleh.

Moving to sub RM500 but above RM350 DVD player reveal more option for me. Have better support for DVD+R, DVD-R, RW and even DVD-RAM. Support DIVX, WMV and MP4 mostly. Half of them got not USB extension and how about firmware update. What if new version DIVX and XVID released and people start to encode their movie using latest codec. Will that player still able to play that movie without firmware update. One thing that annoy me with firmware update is : Most of the manufacturer claim that the firmware is upgradeable but heck…nobody could find the latest firmware. Look like, the customer need to buy new player instead. This is my major concern, as codec evolve pretty rapid these days. And I dont want to spend RM 500 to something that will absolute in 1 or 2 years.

Second alternative is HDD base Media Player like Sarotek Media Player. Basically, it is 2.5 inch (notebook) hard disk casing with multimedia function (capable to play divx, xvid, mp3, mp4) and remote control. The case alone will cost me RM450+. Hard Disk not included. Expect to spend another RM150 for the hard disk. This alternative sound pretty good to me. It use less space than dedicated DVD player with mp4 capabilities and has at least 120 GB of storage. Around 171 divx movies. Hmmm…

Suddenly, I found a web page which explain how to make a PlayStation 2 as Home Entertainment Hub with a single boot CD (which is the author is kind enough to pre-made it and host it). According to the author, with this boot CD (which bypass PS2 OS and load up SMS Media Player), PS2 could play DVD Movie, divx, xvid, mp4, mp3 from various type of resource; either DVD-+R, CD-R, USB (External HDD, Pendrive, Memory Card Reader), LAN (Lan storage), even HDD itself). I was about…holy crap..this is excellent. A free home brewed boot disc which able to transform PS2 gaming console into full fledge Home Entertainment HUB.

A quick check at Lowyat.net forum and Sungai Wang Plaza, brand new PS2 will cost you around RM380 to RM599 depending on package. As my previous post I settle with RM550.00 package which give me a new version of PS2 console (90006 slim) + 1 original controller + 1 look like original but not so controller + 1 8 MB original memory card + 1 PS2 travel case + AV cable.

So, why did I choose PS2 instead of Sarotek HDD Media Player? Sarotek HDD Media Player, albeit it will cost me another RM50 compare to PS2, I got 120 GB of storage space. A dedicated storage space for my movie alone. But, some issue with HDD base media player. One is the firmware. What if the manufacturer stop or actually never release new firmware? What if the remote control lost or damage (most hdd base media player 80% depend on remote control for its operation). When HDD is one of the component in the system, durability and reliability become a major concern.

And the ultimate reason is : I spend RM 600 for a multimedia player only BUT for RM 550 (PS2), I got multimedia player and 1001 PS2 games (which cost me RM3 to RM 5 each) console. Game console alone worth the RM500 (which I could spend countless of quality hour with my wife watching our divx movie collection and play our favorite games together), let alone it limitless capability on playing what ever format / codec. As long as PS2 community still exist, there will be nonstop of supply home brewed applications from them.

Next : How to make your PS2 –> Multimedia and Multiformat Media Player (Pre-Made installer/image and step by step Guide). Read Here

How to ‘cook’ your very own SMS Player for PS2

Note : Pre-Made SMS Media Player (ready to be burned into a blank CD-R) :

Download From MediaFire

(For those who are not willing to follow the below guide step by step, you can download the pre-made SMS Media Player from the link above and directly burn into a blank CD-R using your fav. burner software)

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You have a large collection of DVD’s or DivX movies in your cupboard, but don’t know how to play them independently without a desktop PC or don’t want to connect your PC to TV via TV-out for obvious reasons or Do you have a Playstation 2 but don’t know how to make an optimum use of your investment? In 10 mins you will learn how you can convert your same old PS2 into a Home Entertainment HUB.

PlayStation 2 @ Sungei Wang Plaza

Okay, I admit, I just got my brand new shiningPS2 (PlayStation 2) Slim version, version number 90006.

Half day scouting and surveying at Lowyat and Sungei Wang Plaza expose me that current PS2 price (standard package) range is in between RM380 to RM 599. There is 2 version of slim PS2, 70000+ or 90000+. 70000+ has external adapter and most of the shop sell this one for RM 380 to RM 450. For the new edition one (was claimed by the promoter to have better cooling system which allow you to play 16+ hours non stop without any worries on heat), using internal adaptor and will cost you RM 550.00 to RM 599.00.

Be aware, some of them (the seller) are seriously cunning and really expert to make your mind confuse with myrad of price scheme and package. Some of the shop will sell you for RM450, without memory card but with both fake controller, some give 10 pcs pre-selected DVD games but without memory card, some even give 1 ori controller + ps1 fake controller and the list goes on. My advice, at least try to get 1 original controller + 1 8 MB memory card + 1 console, doesn’t matter which version you choose).

RM380.00 PS2 (the cheapest I found at SW Plaza), use crappy mod chip. After further discussion with the retailer, he reveal that this one unable to play all pirated games on the market. Only pirated game for NTSC J. So any PAL or other region of pirated game CAN’T be played at all. So be careful guys. Don’t just got blind when you hear sub 400 PS2.

RM450.00 PS2 may sound as a sweet deal but non of the retailer actually give you original controller. Even there is a ‘Sony’ printed on the controller, it is local or fake controller. You can recognize genuine and fake controller by examine the controller cable and how it feel (the analogue stick/button). To compare, kindly ask the retailer to see ‘Made in China’ Original Controller which come with the standard box, and you can compare with the other ‘fake’ so call original controller. (Fake controller has shorter cable, and the cable spec print out look fade, cable rubber feel cheap etc).

Here is the package that I found for RM 450.00 (70000+ version)

• PS2 Console + 1 Ori Fake Controller + 1 PS1 controller + 10 Games
• PS2 Console + 1 not ori memory card (8MB, claim ori mem card) + 2 real fake analog controller
• PS2 console + 1 Ori (fake) Controller

The funny thing is, one of the shop sell the exact PS2 (70000+) to me with 2 different prices. One is RM450 and the second time I ask, the price become RM500.00. He said the RM450.00 PS2 one is out of stock. I was about …WTF..zzzzzz. And to add some spice, he told me that the RM450 PS2 got no fan. Easy to overheat. You cant play more than 2 or 3 hours or risk it to overheat and melt your board, yada yada etc tada nada.). He recommend me the RM500 one (which actually the same unit he show me before (with RM450 price tags of course). After some short calculation, his package will charge me RM530 for that (RM450 console) + 1 genuine controller + 1 fake controller. Immediately, my trust on this reseller…gone with the win.

Go to other shop, looking for 90006 version of PS2 Slim. All of them will charge me at least RM550.00 for PS2 slim (new version). Most of them will provide 1 original controller (at least), except one shop which try to cheat me with ori (fake) controller, and ask me to add another RM 30 to get Original made in china controller…..hmmm. So bloody liar.

At the end, I settle up with the last shop I visit that day (level 3 Sungai Wang Plaza). Very friendly, trusty and seem to me… transparent. I fork out RM550 from my wallet for : New version of PS2 Slim edition + 1 genuine ori controller + 1 ori (fake) controller + 1 original memory card 8 MB + 1 (free) PS2 travel case.

A very tiring day but worth every single minute.

(Why on earth I buy PS2 when PS3 already widely available in the market now……reason : I want to make it as My Home Entertainment Hub : Game Console with a lot of RM 5 games + DVD Player + DIVX/XVID/MP4/MP3 Player (from HDD, External HDD, LAN Storage, USB pendrive, DVD and CD).

Maximize Your PS2 Potential : Home Entertainment Hub

Most of us know that PS2 able to play DVD Movie without any problems…..but do you know that your old and trusty PS2 able to play DIVX, XVID, MP4 and MP3 as well (from CD, DVD, External LAN Storage, Hard Disk and even your pen drive?)

Jeng jeng jeng…here is the sweet moment. No need hardware modification. What we need only 1 CD-R and an image which you need to be burn using your favorite CD burner software. Get the image at the bottom of this post.

1. Download the software (named as SMS Player 1.8 for PS2) : Click HERE (Media Fire) or HERE (DigitalEjas)
2. Extract it (You may need free (open source) 7zip software to extract it)
3. Using NERO (or any of your fav. CD burner software), burn imagen.cue directly to CD-R
4. Put that CD-R to your PS2 (while it still turn off)
5. Turn your PS2 ON
6. Viola : You got your own home entertainment console

After spend some time with the software, I am happy to report that this free homebrew softare is excellent. Top notch quality, comprehensive setting and configuration and easy enough to navigate without ever need a manual. Thumbs up.

SMS features :

• Smooth DivX AVI Playback at decent resolution
• Pan/Scan and zooming
• Subtitles support (SRT and SUB)
• Visual seek (Fast Forward and Rewind)
• Multiple language and character set support for subtitles other than English
• MP3 Playback
• AC3 Surround Support
• Full resolution
• Multilanguage
• Copy your movies and mp3’s to your internal HDD!

SMS will read video files from a variety of sources:

• Network Streaming
• USB Drives
• Hard Drives (both the Official Sony HDD and any normal PC HDD)
• CD/DVD-ROM (and NO modchip required!)

SMS can even read DVD-RW discs specially formatted with the DVD-Video filesystem, or CD-R Discs formatted with CDDAFS without needing a modchip or any Swap tricks.