Playstation 3 - Backwards Compatibility | MR RATCHET

[@mrratchet]

*Correction* - In the video I mention how games run at their native resolution. I forgot to mention that when playing PS1/PS2 games over HDMI, the PS3 will deinterlace all games that run in 480i. Unfortunately this process also adds an additional 2-3 frames of input lag in comparison to original PS1/PS2 hardware. This does *NOT* appear to occur when you select progressive scan in a games menu as this overrides the PS3's deinterlacer, removing the input lag. Finally, if you use analog video (composite/component), 480i will display correctly so the deinterlacer is not used, meaning no additional input lag. I apologise for not including this in the video but I hope this information will be of use to you. Thank you again for all your support!

[@MrGamemaster-lm3tj]

Hi where do you select progressive scan?

[@mrratchet]

@@MrGamemaster-lm3tj It depends on the game. If the PS2 game supports progressive scan, it should usually appear in the games options menu (like seen in 2:15 for Ratchet & Clank UYA and Jak 2 in this video). The PS3 itself does not have a setting for this for PS2 games sadly.

[@IntelligenceQuotientPlayz]

@@mrratchet just to make sure, can I put a ps1 Spider-Man DISC into a ps2 slim and it will work. I need to make sure I don’t need an emulator or whatever that is.

[@mrratchet]

@@IntelligenceQuotientPlayz Yes

[@grizzlybearking1878]

One thing to note here is according to Digital Foundry and MLIG, there is virtually zero lag playing ps2 on BC ps3 unless its the ps2 classics downloaded from the store being played. You can test this for yourself as I have using a time sleuth lag testing device.

[@zonkey7938]

Still have my one from 2006, gets more use then my Ps5

[@mrratchet]

At the moment my one is too. For me, CECHA PS3 + PS5 is a great combo. It's a shame we probably won't see BC until the PS6 though.

[@breakinggames6356]

You have a special version of the ps3 better make sure it continues to work as the value will probably continue to go up

[@stephanlai6531]

Ps3 in 5 years will probably go for umm 800 dollars.

[@beeperbugs6535]

Tru gamer, bless!

[@strozierkid]

Did u do any maintenance

[@prismatica2389]

Very informative video. Hard to find a good video like this in 2020. Just bought a refurbished CECHC03 PS3 which has been cleaned out and the thermal paste replaced.

[@mrratchet]

Thank you, I appreciate it! The CECHC03 was my first PS3, it is a great console!

[@tekkenfan01]

@@mrratchet how come I don’t see this model on the list in the US? How do model numbers differ by regions?

[@mrratchet]

@@tekkenfan01 When the PS3 originally released, the plan was for the CECHA/B to be the models worldwide. Unfortunately due to a shortage of a key component (Blu Ray diode), there would only be enough PS3's for the North American and Japanese markets (NTSC regions), so unfortunately for us in PAL regions (UK/EU/Australia etc), the PS3 was delayed until March 2007 whilst NTSC regions got the PS3 in late 2006. To add more salt to the wound, Sony knew the PS3 was far too expensive to manufacture. The console cost Sony approximately $850 to make and they were selling it for $600 - something that was already a huge issue with consumers as the Xbox 360 and Wii were significantly cheaper than the PS3. As the saying went back in the day "You could buy an Xbox 360 and a Wii for the cost of the PS3" and 'The Wii60'. Plus, losing almost $200 on every PS3 sold, it's not sustainable and Sony was haemorrhaging money. Sony ended up selling off a number of its other divisions in order to stay afloat. In the meantime, Sony had to get manufacturing costs down ASAP. They had to reduce the cost to manufacture, which in turn could allow them to lower the price to consumers, making the console more competitive and reducing the impact the PS3 was having on their finances. As such, Sony began to modify and change the design of the PS3 almost immediately. This resulted in the CECHA/B being scrapped for PAL regions and saw the development of a new model, the CECHC PS3. This model had some design changes but saw Sony remove part of the PS2 hardware for backwards compatibility. It kept the PS2's Graphics Synthesiser (PS2 GPU) but removed the PS2 Emotion Engine (CPU) and RAMBUS memory (RAM) to save costs. Sony had to keep some form of backwards compatibility, likely due to the backlash they would receive for releasing it without the feature despite all marketing up to that point promising it. When the news broke that the PS3 in PAL regions would not be the same as the NTSC models and that backwards compatibility would be 'limited', there was significant backlash from folks here. There are articles from that time, some of which can still be found on Eurogamer, where you can see the comments section and how furious people were. People felt they were receiving and 'inferior' model compared to their NTSC counterparts and to make matters worse, the price was not adjusted. So in effect, PAL regions ended up paying MORE for less, so to speak. So that's the story of the CECHC model for PAL regions. As for the NTSC regions, the CECHC was never released but here's a shorter story as to why: Shortly after the CECHC's release, Sony discontinued manufacturing of the CECHB 20GB in NTSC regions and began development of the CECHE 80GB model, which was based on the CECHC's design. So in some ways, NTSC regions did get the CECHC, it was just modified (it uses the COK-002W motherboard, a modified CECHC COK-002 motherboard) but since it was altered slightly, it was called the CECHE instead. The CECHA would later be discontinued in NTSC regions and replaced with the CECHE 80GB. This was short lived, as in PAL regions, the CECHC was quickly discontinued (I believe within 6 months of release) and replaced with another PS3, the CECHG 40GB model. This model saw even more cost cutting measures, PS2 hardware completely removed, no more card readers and the removal of 2 USB ports. At this point, the writing was on the wall for the CECHE and sure enough, it too was discontinued in NTSC regions and this was the end of backwards compatibility. From this point onwards, SKU models were pretty much the same throughout all regions in the world. Hope this helps!

[@tekkenfan01]

@@mrratchet great info thanks 🙏

[@r71490]

Bought a working CECHA01 for $40 at a yard sale a few weeks ago! Did a delid and deep cleaned and runs nice! Pairs great with the PS5 for playing truly every generation between two consoles

[@mrratchet]

Wow, that's a steal, especially for $40! Congrats! Glad the de-lid went well. Yup that's pretty much my current setup as well. CECHA and a PS5. Be sure to keep an eye on the temps though. The PS3 on OFW (unmodded) priortises volume over function when it comes to cooling. It unfortunately means that the PS3 will allow the CELL/RSX to get to the high 70's/80 degree range. The CELL can handle those temps, though not ideal but the RSX however, is not heat tolerant and it will cause damage over time. The de-lid you did will help but I recommend looking into a physical fan adjuster (for OFW/Unmodded consoles) or if you're using CFW (modded) be sure to use Webman to set the fan speed manually. Since I keep my CECHA unmodded, I went with the physical fan adjuster. I can turn a dial to increase/decrease the PS3 fan myself. I did some temperature testing, found a good speed that keeps it below 60 degrees and stuck with it!

[@r71490]

@@mrratchet yep, got it running 4.87 CFW and temps are currently fluctuating between 50°C and 65ish°C (under heavy load), Currently controlling fan speed/monitoring temps with Webman and it’s been a beast since! Haven’t seen it hit 70° yet so hopefully things stay mint for a while. This was a great video explaining to others just how great this model is when it comes to compatibility and how it’s still very relevant to this day. Earned a sub sir.

[@mrratchet]

@@r71490 Those are great temps under load, glad to hear it's running cool! I really appreciate it, thank you very much!

[@MidnightPodcastGaming]

@@r71490 Was the seller mentally challenged?

[@richardrahl2685]

Glad that I found your channel. This is great information. I just got back into playing and purchasing old ps3 games and unfortunately bought a few ps2 games, as my now ex significant other had a ps2. We unfortunately parted ways and I was now out a console that I loved having around. My Ps3 is backwards compatible Thanks Man! RIP my relationship😢

[@mrratchet]

Thank you! I appreciate it! Which PS3 model do you have? It's good that you still have access to your PS2 library. All the best.

[@richardrahl2685]

@@mrratchet CECHC model. 👍🏼

[@saifal-badri]

I got a CeCHE01 and absolutely love it, less issues compared to CECHA01 if you can ignore some of the games that won’t work.

[@mrratchet]

Yeah the CECHE01 is a solid machine! It's almost identical to our CECHC03 in PAL regions but we never got the CECHE here!

[@ThePreciseClimber]

I use PS3 Slim for PS1 & PS3 games and PS2 Fat for PS2 games. I tried PS2 Slim at first but the bastard kept scratching my discs. It was an issue with the ribbon cable. It can bend over time and the disc drive in the PS2 Slim is simply too small for it. PS2 Fat doesn't have this issue because the disc drive is roughly the size of a normal DVD drive. The ribbon cable has plenty of space and never bends.

[@mrratchet]

Which PS2 fat do you use? I have an SCPH-35001 as a backup (apparently they're the most reliable fat model), which is an NTSC model. It's also good because the Fat PS2's all had the majority of the PS1 hardware in them, making them a great way to play PS1 games too! I have a launch day fat PAL PS2 but it gave up multiple times and I've been unable to fix it this time! I've never heard of the PS2 Slim scratching discs, I'm sorry that it damaged some of your games. Makes me think twice about using my PS2 slim. I'm currently using the CECHA01 60GB NA PS3 for my PS1, PS2 and PS3 games. My PS3 has been de-lid and has a fan mod so I can adjust the fan speed with a physical switch, which means I can control the fan speed on an unmodded PS3. Sadly I still believe these models are on borrowed time but with advances in the PS3 community to identify YLOD and having a NTSC PS2 as a backup, I'm not too concerned!

[@ThePreciseClimber]

​@@mrratchet I have the SCPH-39004 model. I also have the official Network Adaptor and an HDD for all my backups. I try to limit disc drive usage on my old consoles as much as possible for obvious reasons.

[@mrratchet]

@@ThePreciseClimber I found my HDD sounds like it's loose in the PS2 for some reason. Absolutely, last thing you want is disc read errors! PS1 disc drives are also notorious for failing or having issues, which then require the console to be put upside down just to read discs!

[@spawn_13th]

i got lucky with my CECHE01. i installed Rebug Lite 4.86.1 CFW and now it can play Japanese ps2 disc and also backup disc

[@mrratchet]

Yeah having region free backwards compatibility is something I wish the console had normally. I live in the UK but play NTSC PS2 games because of the higher framerate but playing them on a normal PS3 CECHC here is impossible without Rebug or other CFW. Hope you enjoy the CECHE!

[@JackStavris]

I've got myself a CECHC02 PS3 that I bought off of some guy on Gumtree for $90 back in 2017. Even then it was a great deal as it came with two controllers, a PS Eye camera and about 5 games. From what he told me it was bought new by him in 2007, used by his kids until they moved out and then sat as a blu-ray player for about 8 years or so. It needs a repaste though, the fans rev up after only 5 minutes of being switched on so I've hardly used it, need to get it apart and fix that one day. I learned later that this specific version is actually a UK PS3 and not a domestic AU one (because I'm in AU lol), which I believe is a CECHC03, which makes sense since the guy I got it from had an English accent. That's fine for me as AU is a PAL region anyway but knowing that my PS3 flew halfway across the world just makes it cooler to me.

[@mrratchet]

That's a steal for 90$ AU! Being shipped from the UK must have been a lot for shipping. Are you intending to use it as a main device or just for backwards compatibility once it's all up and running?

[@JackStavris]

@@mrratchet so I didn’t ship it from the UK, I assume it came over here when the original owner migrated to Australia from the UK whenever they did. It’s my only PlayStation 3, so it’s intended to do it all. Have a PS5 as well so I can cover all generations of PlayStation with the combo.

[@MidnightPodcastGaming]

@@JackStavris Multiman :P

[@MidnightPodcastGaming]

​@@JackStavris Also, whoever sells a PS3 back compat, legit working, with 2 controllers and 5 games for 90 AUD dollars needs to have their fucking head examined. An absolute steal and a half from obviously a tremendously lost kunt lol.

[@MidnightPodcastGaming]

​@@JackStavris Also, whoever sells a PS3 back compat, legit working, with 2 controllers and 5 games for 90 AUD dollars needs to have their F'N head examined. An absolute steal and a half from obviously a tremendously lost koont lol.

[@javiles2331]

I still have my ps3 backwards compatible and I already replace the thermal paste one time, I think the everybody should do it at this point.

[@mrratchet]

Agreed. Replacing the thermal paste on these PS3’s should be one of the first things people do when they get the console. I’d replace the thermal paste every year just to be safe.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

1:23 PS2 spines in Europe are DESPICABLE!

[@mrratchet]

Yeah they’re not my favourite! Really devoid of life and colorless unlike the NA spines. I know some people prefer them because they’re more consistent in design but i’ll take NA’s spines any day!

[@nfsrival1499]

@@mrratchet Im actually one of those people that prefer Pal ps2 spines. Makes looking for games and looking at adverts much easier. I guess im just weird lol. I just got an 60gb cechc04 CIB 👍

[@mrratchet]

@@nfsrival1499 Yeah I often see that's one of the reasons some people prefer PAL spines, which is understandable! Congrats on the CECHC04! Hope you get many years of enjoyment out of it!

[@YouD13G0]

PS3 60GB model is the best console ever made.

[@mrratchet]

It's my favourite too! I just wish they were a bit more reliable!

[@weegeesoul]

Great video on that topic of backwards compatible PS3s, the original fat models are beasts. Owning two CECHCs right now and just ordered a refurbished CECHB. I really enjoy my CECHC models with partial ps2 emulation, the upscaling with smoothing enabled can look really nice on a big 4k TV. But it looks like I just can't get over the input lag. I have tried everything to ruduce the latancy. Setting my TV to game mode, disabling smoothing, using composite video, even hooking the PS3 up to a CRT TV didn't eliminate the lag completely. My question is, is it any better on full hardware bc consoles?

[@mrratchet]

Unfortunately the additional input latency is also present on the A01 models too. It's mainly due to the console forcing a progressive output. You could try going into Game settings and disabling any additional processing such as upscaling and smoothing but I don't think it will make much of a difference I'm afraid.

[@mz4ever123]

I had no idea CECH 03 was hybrid. I went bought the PS2 Ratchet and clank trilogy, completely unplayable. Would the American PS3 models be lag free then?

[@mrratchet]

Only the American CECHA 60GB and CECHB 20GB would be lag free as they have full PS2 Hardware. However, these models cannot play PAL PS1/PS2 titles as backwards compatibility is region locked. You would still need the NTSC copies of the game to play them on those models, which would likely require importing them.

[@mz4ever123]

@@mrratchet that's annoying UK was short changed. Oh well have to shell out for the ratchet and clank hd trilogy now

[@helderestrela6958]

if you cfw the CECHA/B ps3 it will run all regions

[@Laynel8]

I bought a CECHC03 model nearly 12 months ago and I do enjoy having a blast with it playing my PS2 collection in an HD picture (well to some extent)! I do own the original Ratchet & Clank and while it doesn't run smoothly, it's not as bad as I thought it'd be in my opinion. Also here's another fact, did you know that the old Demo Discs that came bundled with PS2 systems between 2000-2003 actually work on an CECHC03 system? But for some odd reason, Demo Discs that were bundled with the official PlayStation 2 magazine don't seem to boot up.. wonder why some demo discs work and others don't... Had to delete and re-edit my comment due to a mix-up between 01 and 03, my bad!

[@mrratchet]

I was not aware the demo discs worked as I assumed Sony would not bother testing them as they're not retail games, that's a pretty interesting fact! I think R&C1 is probably the least offensive in terms of FPS drops but to me it's still far too frequently below 60 (causing the game to slow down), which made it feel unplayable to me. 2 and 3 are definitely worse for it though!

[@Lady_Lilith666]

Someday in a future I will buy hacked PS3 to play good old games and with tears on my eyes I would remember good days when game consoles were used for games, not for ads or other battle pass bullshit

[@mrratchet]

Yeah I definitely think gaming is becoming more of a service than a product in its own right, which is a shame. I don't mind battle passes and microtransactions so long as they are not intrusive and the first thing you see when starting a game. Definitely recommend getting a PS3! It's nice to own and I personally love the originals design.

[@A-Z123]

I have the original 60gb ps3 and i jailbroke to run ps2 games, question though i am planning on getting a crt tv soon cause the games look bad on my current LED sony bravia. Can i just get component cables ans use the ps3 on a crt and jt would look exactly like how the ps2 will output? I keep reading conflicting info, some say the ps3 cant display in 480i which apparely most ps2 games run in, and i want the best display for my ps2 classics with no input lag. Would a rgb cable qoth crt not take care of this issue?

[@mrratchet]

As far as I'm aware, the lowest resolution the PS3 can do is 480i via Component/Composite cables. For most PS2 games, this should be fine on a CRT TV. PS1 games will be upscaled to 480i from 240p since the PS3 does not support 240p. The PS3 will still retain the 1-2 frames of input lag due to the RSX as well when running backwards compatible titles.

[@rockl79]

Nice video! I am almost done refurbishing my b01 (delid and new blu ray drive mostly), and im looking forward to using it.

[@mrratchet]

Thank you! Good luck with the de-lid but be careful! I hope you enjoy the B01, i'd love to own one someday myself.

[@danthegreat7590]

Did your delid go well

[@lbstatez8850]

I have a cechB01 in great condition for sale w/games and have Rebug Mod

[@spiidey1]

Makes me miss my full backwards compatible fat PS3 which died 2 months ago.

[@mrratchet]

If you're good with soldering, there is a thread on PSX Place which may be able to help you identify what caused YLOD in your PS3, giving you a shot at repairing it.

[@natnaelberhanu-i8w]

I was told that applying EZ chill would prevent the system from dying and you could play it for an unlimited time if that is true.

[@CristianLopez-xi4rt]

I use my CECHA01 60 GB and my Sanyo CRT as a retro machines. With S-Video the images pops and bighten the room like a super HDR display. I tried to connect my PC but the image is worst. The PS3 is excellent for this, I wished Retroarch had an official release though, all the unofficial keep breaking after a couple of plays.

[@officertenpenny9792]

Hey man can you help me, Will a fat ps3 with glossy finish, 4 usb ports and every thing CECHCO4 be able to run ps2 discs? It should be an EU PAL model, i live in europe

[@mrratchet]

All BC models will have 4 USB ports and a glossy finish (with the exception of the 20GB CECHB PS3, which has a black finish). A CECHC model WILL play PS2 games but only PAL PS1/PS2 games (European) so yes, you should be fine with a CECHC04. For reference, the 04 at the end of the CECHC = the region the console originated from. So in this case, 04 = Europe/Middle East/Africa (All are PAL regions). Hope this helps!

[@officertenpenny9792]

@@mrratchetThanks you helped me a lot, i'm buying it, gonna say if it's all good in a few days

[@mrratchet]

@@officertenpenny9792 No problem! Enjoy the console! :)

[@douglasrdebarros]

Great simple explanation! Thanks!

[@mrratchet]

No problem! Thank you!

[@breakinggames6356]

How many ps3 consoles do you have and I saw that test model which is also a dev kit but with less ram

[@mrratchet]

I have: - 1x CECHA (working, main console) - 1x DECHA00A (PS3 Test Debug unit). This unit still works but sadly the game company that previously owned it did not treat it well. The outer case has quite a bit of damage so I am looking into seeing if I can restore it. Currently it is more of a collectors piece but it does have some interesting things on it still (two early builds of games). - 2x CECHC (one works and has CFW, the other is my old main which has YLOD). Looking to repair the YLOD one so I can get my save data off it and back it up - 1x CECHH (Bought specifically for this video) This one was used as a dummy for the FSM section incase something went wrong and to test the experimental emulator. I'm not sure what I will be doing with this one yet! - 1x CECH-2503 (Bought for the family). I have also had another CECHA and CECHC, both had GLOD and have been disposed of sadly.

[@breakinggames6356]

@@mrratchet Are you interested in playing some beta/prototype games? I have quite a few ps3 betas/prototype games and even a couple E3 demos

[@breakinggames6356]

I was lucky to get two debug kits but the original one (phat) has a update loop due to bad Blu-ray drive and the other one is a slim can't tell what it's temperature is so the fan always runs at 100%

[@mrratchet]

@@breakinggames6356 Yeah my DECHA00A has a similar issue. It needs to be de-lid because like your Slim, the fans go into overdrive fairly quickly but I have not got around to doing it yet since I'm not really using the model too much at the moment. I'm sorry to hear that your Phat Debug unit is stuck in a boot loop. I'm not sure if there is a way to use DEX CFW to get it out of it temporarily but it may be worth looking into to see if it is possible (CEX has no-BD CFW so there may be an equivalent for DEX machines).

[@IntelligenceQuotientPlayz]

Is Spider-Man 1 and 2 ps1 games playable with the PlayStation 2 slim?

[@mrratchet]

Yes it does

[@madcat4563]

So that's why I can't find a cech a/b model. They were never available in PAL regions. 😵🤯

[@mrratchet]

Yup! I still remember when Sony announced a few weeks before the PAL region launch that we would not be getting the CECHA/B model with full PS2 BC. There’s still news articles with comments sections that you can see how angry people were because of this decision (I was one of them!)

[@clapper2trapper481]

@@mrratchet I thought the cechc03 was fully backwards compatible ? Mine play loads of bc games.

[@mrratchet]

@@clapper2trapper481 CECHC is part hardware, part software for backwards compatibility. Most games do play without any issues, some have minor glitches like GTA SA and others have a very low framerate like the Ratchet trilogy due to the removal of the RAMBUS memory (PS2 RAM) and Emotion Engine (PS2 CPU). In this video, out of my old PAL collection, only the Ratchet Trilogy I deem to be unplayable.

[@lindastone6868]

I soft modded my PS3 and now it plays everything including PSP and even other consoles via Retroarch.

[@mrratchet]

Nice! I'll have to look into RetroArch at some point on the PS3. What consoles do you emulate on it? The PS2 Classics emulator (used for non-BC PS3's via CFW) apparently is capable of playing 40-50% of PS2 titles now. Do you still use your PS3 for PS2 games?

[@MONKEYDUDE2701]

Hey, can you link the video which shows the guy playing God of War on the PS2 Software emulator? Would appreciate it.

[@mrratchet]

Updated description with the link. It's a very old video but it's using the experimental emulator I tried in this video. Unfortunately I do not have a copy of God of War to try myself so it was the best I could do.

[@MONKEYDUDE2701]

@@mrratchet thank you :) in the video you can see that the uploader is on firmware 2.xx. Do you have an idea how he managed to get into FSM on this early firmware?

[@mrratchet]

@@MONKEYDUDE2701 I cannot say for certain but I believe there were Factory Service Mode 'jigs' that were leaked by some of Sony's service centres, which were then made public. It is possible he bought/used one of these 'jigs' back in the day. Alternatively, it could also be an accident i.e. perhaps Sony sent it back from repair and forgot to revert it back to normal. I'm not entirely certain but these days getting into FSM is easy enough with a CFW PS3 though there is no real reason to do so and it comes with the risk that you could permanently get stuck in FSM or brick the console (I specifically bought a CECHH 40GB for this video as a precaution for this very reason!)

[@MONKEYDUDE2701]

@@mrratchet Wow, if they really forgot to revert it back then the series of events of him getting the unreverted console back, then trying to play a PS2 game, this exact PS2 game working, and then him uploading this is soooo highly coincidental that it should be considered a miracle haha. But yeah leaked 'jigs' also sound plausible. Yeah nowadays there really is no reason to enter FSM besides maybe trying to find more secrets, but then again there is the chance that you might brick your system or not being able to exit FSM. Thank you for your answers bro 👍🏽 really appreciate it, hope you have fun uploading to youtube and that you will have more views and subscribers in the future :)

[@mrratchet]

@@MONKEYDUDE2701 Yeah it’s actually amazing he had not one but two games that worked. I tried all of my PAL collection and no games worked but he actually tried 2004 F1 as well and that worked too. It’s got to be the biggest luck i’ve seen! And thank you! That means a lot! I appreciate it!

[@jeremygalloway1348]

Unless you have a ps3 test system...and only then depending on which one

[@mrratchet]

Yes, only the DECHA00A PS3 Debug (Test) is fully region free on OFW. I actually have that one, which can be seen in this video! Only issue with a debug console is that there is no way to safely use them online without getting banned - at least to my knowledge. Mine is now just a collectors item.

[@caedenggg3131]

What brand is that ps2 memory card reader????????????

[@mrratchet]

I’ll have a look for my card reader and see if there’s any branding information. I got it from a video game store in the UK around the time of the PS3’s launch. It’s not the official one though.

[@animeist72]

Can a BC PS3 play a burned PS2 disk? the reason I ask is becuase the disk would be using real hardware rather than have it emulated.

[@mrratchet]

With CFW I believe it is possible but only with the 4 PS3 models that have PS2 disc support (CECHA/B/E for NTSC regions, CECHC for PAL regions). For other PS3's, you can only rip your PS2 discs to the HDD (with CFW) and then use the PS2 Classics Emulator to play them, so it would not be playing directly from the disc.

[@animeist72]

TY with CFW is there a way to play Region free ps2 disks?

[@mrratchet]

@@animeist72 Yes I believe you can change the region with CFW either through DEX or Multi-man BUT this is not a permanent change. In other words, if you go back to OFW (unmodded) then it will go back to the correct region. Please note, changing the region via DEX will keep the VIDEO settings e.g. going from PAL to NTSC will keep 480p as a resolution even though PAL uses 576p. You must change it back to the correct region to remove compatibility issues if you return to OFW. The other option is a Debug unit, specifically the DECHA00A (You can see it in this video, my PS3 that says 'TEST' on it). This model is 100% region free with PS1/PS2 games BUT it is not able to play online due to being a DEBUG console, well, at least without getting banned anyway.

[@mattarson9]

Can you guys help me decide? I have a ps3 slim, ps4 pro, and ps5 but I left my ps2 with my family in another state. I can't tell if its worth to own fat ps3 due to the reliability concern but I do like the ps2 upscaling and being able to use dualshock 4 and dualsense on it. I'm trying to weigh if I really need this or want this. Can you guys give me your thoughts?

[@mrratchet]

All of the BC PS3's (for NTSC/USA that's the CECHA/CECHB/CECHE models) have reliability issues. They require maintenance by the owner and even then, there's no guarantee how long they may last since YLOD or GLOD may still occur. I'll explain why below: YLOD = General Hardware Failure. Contrary to popular belief, the NEC TOKINS are only one possible cause and not the definitive cause. Other common causes include the RSX (PS3 GPU) die coming away from the substrate (a common issue with GPU's at the time, even the Xbox 360 had this issue) and in some cases, the RSX solder joints cracking (possible factory defect). There isn't really a definitive solution to the above. The good news is that there is a way to identify the exact cause of YLOD in your PS3 thanks to the community effort at PSX Place. If you know how to solder, this can give you ease of mind because if you know what caused the PS3 to fail, you have a much higher chance of repairing it and perhaps ensuring its longevity. Some things like the NEC TOKINS can be replaced (these help provide the correct amount of power to the CELL/RSX), others like RSX related issues usually require an entirely new GPU or reballing depending on the issue, both of which require specialist equipment. The other issue is GLOD (RSX failure). This occurs when the RSX GPU in the PS3 fails completely and no longer produces an image, usually starting with graphical glitches and artifcating (corruption) before failure. This appears to be caused by an issue with the PS3's cooling itself. See, the RSX is based on the 7800 GTX, a GPU series that are not heat tolerant. Unfortunately, Sony programmed the PS3 to prioritise volume over function, meaning the original PS3's and Slims can quite easily get up to 80 degrees. This is much too high for the RSX and can actually start to damage it. Prolonged exposure can lead to GLOD. The solution to the above is again, user modification. You can either go the CFW (modded) route, which lets you monitor temperatures and set your own fan speed (at the risk of getting banned on PSN) or you can solder a fan speed controller and physically set your own fan speed on OFW (unmodded). I went for the latter option but most go for the CFW route. This allows you to cool the RSX effectively and reduce (not eliminate) the risk of GLOD. So measures a CECHA/CECHB/CECHC (PAL)/CECHE owner should consider include: 1) Take apart and clean the PS3 2) Change the thermal paste on the IHS 3) Consider delidding (extremely risky and can destroy your PS3 if done incorrectly but has huge impact on temps) 4) Consider a fan speed adjuster or CFW to control the fan speed in the PS3. It may be a lot to take in but these are things a would be CECHA/B/C/E owner should consider before purchase as there is a very real possibility the console may not last. You could get lucky and have one last a while or like one of my CECHA PS3's, it could last 2 weeks. For reference, I have owned 2x CECHA, 3x CECHC and of these models, 1 CECHA failed with YLOD and 2x CECHC failed with GLOD. That puts my personal failure rate at 60%. If you do go this route, you must accept that there is a chance it will fail before you get your moneys worth. So really if I was in your shoes, I would be asking myself this - am I prepared to maintain the PS3 and potentially have it fail at any point? Is it going to be my main PS3? Do I want it for collecting purposes etc. Personally, I think it is really nice to own but in my case, I've accepted that my remaining PS3's will fail at some point. My backup plan is my NTSC SCPH 50001 PS2 and my PS3 Slim but for now, I am enjoying my CECHA's BC with the upscaling and convenience it brings with having just one console plugged for 3 generations of PlayStation. I hope this gives you some things to think about and helps!

[@believebecome99]

I'm about to get my hands on a CECH C O4. Thanks to this video I now understand why I couldn't get my hands on a CECH A01 or B01 because I'm in Africa 😅. Question since my model is not full hardware backwards C, does this mean it will last longer than the American fully backwards compatible models ?

[@mrratchet]

Likely the same. There are many reasons for YLOD but the main ones are the 90nm RSX and NEC Tokin's. There are new ways to fix YLOD so I would say enjoy the unit as much as possible.

[@believebecome99]

@@mrratchet Okay, understood. Will definitely take your advice and enjoy it. Thankfully, I recently acquired a beautiful red super slim, which apparently are more reliable. So I'll play mostly on that one.

[@racketraccoon519]

I do wonder my Ps3 has gone bust and I'm using my Ps4 Controller (on a Slim) it I were to get one of these models and replace the Thermal Paste would my Ps4 controller still work if I played a Ps2 game with it? I do genuinely wish one day Sony decides to release a Backwards Compatibility option for Ps5 imagine playing all Playstation games on one console that'd blow Xbox's Backwards Compatibility out of the water probably will never happened tho which is a shame :/

[@mrratchet]

Whilst the DS4 does work on the PS3 for some PS1/PS3 games, sadly it does not work with disc based PS2 games via backwards compatibility. This is because the PS3 switches over to 'PS2 mode' and will then only work with a DS3/Sixaxis controller. Some PS1 games work because PS1 backwards compatibility runs under 'PS3 mode'. I too would love there to be a fully backwards compatible PS5. Even if it is a limited edition, i'd buy it in a heartbeat!

[@javiersaenz1040]

Does ps2 ratchet and clank games run pretty well on a cfw ps3 with no frame drop?

[@mrratchet]

They only run well on a CECHA/B PS3 (Full PS2 hardware). The CECHC/E (partial PS2 hardware) have major framerate issues (as seen in this video). Whilst you can play PS2 games on CFW on non-BC PS3’s, the Ratchet & Clank games do not run at all.

[@javiersaenz1040]

@@mrratchet Look like I going to buy Cecha model ps3 because I want definitive version of ps2 ratchet and clank games. My pc is not strong enough to run these games and I do have some issues with hd collection especially the ps3 port of deadlocked. With mclassic adapter I can upscale ps2 games to 1440p natively and add in anti-aliasing. Thanks for letting me know.

[@mrratchet]

@@javiersaenz1040 You’re welcome! :) Just a reminder - CECHA/B is region locked. Example - CECHA01 only plays NTSC NA PS1/2 games (01 = NA) and the CECHA00 can only play NTSC J Japanese PS1/2 games (00 = Japan)

[@jamiryo2815]

Great Video mate

[@mrratchet]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[@RomeGoLARGE]

Great video.

[@mrratchet]

Thank you!

[@Metroiddvenom]

What backward compatible model do you recommend?

[@mrratchet]

CECHA 60GB if you want the best compatibility and all the features the PS3 had (WiFi/Card Reader support is not available on the CECHB 20GB) but it depends on your collection and which region you live in: For NTSC regions (North America, Japan etc), the CECHA 60GB is the best model in my opinion. I have a CECHA but I imported it from the United States (I live in the United Kingdom) because I have NTSC PS2 games (American PS2 games). If you live in a PAL region (UK/EU/Australia etc) but you do NOT have NTSC PS2 games, then the only model you can get is a CECHC 60GB. This model has part hardware/part software BC and will play your PAL PS2 games. It's still a good model and would save you having to buy and importing a CECHA/B. Hope this helps!

[@tekkenfan01]

@@mrratchet thx dude

[@richardheckmann1892]

Are Japan ps3 backwards compatible. If yes witch one should I get

[@mrratchet]

All Japanese PS3's play PS1 games. Only the CECHA 60GB and CECHB 20GB play PS2 games in Japan. You MUST get a Japanese PS3 to play Japanese PS1/PS2 games. Example - Japanese CECHA 60GB would be the CECHA00 (00 = Japan). CECHB 20GB would be CECHB00. Do NOT confuse it with the CECHA01 or CECHB01 (01 = North America).

[@richardheckmann1892]

Thank you for getting back to me.

[@mrratchet]

@@richardheckmann1892 You're welcome! :)

[@serkan9924]

PS2 games can playable online on ps3 wow 😮

[@mrratchet]

Only if the game is still online on the PS2, OR if fans have brought it back online! Check out Ratchet Deadlocked, it is now playable online again!

[@doctorsilva1345]

Yeah, I played Delta Force Black Hawk Down online thanks to the PS3 back in 2007. It was a blast.

[@tekkenfan01]

Mr Ratchet recommends the CECHA01 model

[@javiles2331]

Good video!

[@cfreddykrueger9164]

Great video covering my favorite PS3. Liked and subscribed!

[@mrratchet]

Thank you! I appreciate it!

[@AdamAve93]

Finally was able to remove the gpu and cpu lids to replace the thermal paste with no issue and got my system to stop sounding like a jet. Now I can barely hear it. Lol I have a cecha01 and I’ll never get a different model. I’ve owned every type and that’s still my favorite.

[@mrratchet]

Glad to hear you had a successful de-lid! Did you monitor the temps through CFW? Mine is also de-lid on OFW but I have a physical fan speed adjuster. I dialled in the temps so it gets no hotter than 60 degrees. It’s a loud but it reduces the risk of the RSX getting heat damage.

[@AdamAve93]

@@mrratchet to be honest I do not have it modded at all so no temp readings sadly. I just did the de-lid on both, replaced all thermal pads, used thermal grizzly kryonaut extreme and a 19 blade fan and the system has been whisper quiet. We let it play all kinds of games for hours nonstop and the fan never seems to speed up at all.

[@Robloxinsanegaming27yeaburger]

Im getting a backwards compatible ps3 to play ratchet and clank 3 and 4 online in the nice quality

[@mrratchet]

Nice! Which PS3 are you after? The PS2 versions of Ratchet & Clank UYA and Deadlocked can be played online on the PS3. Just make sure though - only the NTSC versions are back online. The PAL versions are not.

[@Robloxinsanegaming27yeaburger]

I'm looking for the 60 gig, and I already own the NTSC copies for both games, so I'll be fine.

[@Robloxinsanegaming27yeaburger]

its been 3 months, and i recently got a cecha01 and started playing the ratchet games on it, 100%ed the 3rd game, this video was really helpful when i was looking for a Backwards Compatible PS3

[@nevousabonnezpas4286]

That's the reason why the PS4 is so overrated: a console that isn't even able to "emulate" just at least one of the 3 previous generations of its predecessor is such a shame (regarding that point, it give credit to its rival from Microsoft who is able to play hundreds of 360 and OG Xbox games).

[@mrratchet]

Well, Sony's argument back then is that games 'looked awful' from the PS1/PS2 era on modern displays, which I disagree with. The PS4 has the power to emulate PS1 games, no question about that, just Sony never made an emulator for it. There's conflicting information as to whether or not the PS4 disc drive can read CD's (it implies it can in the manual hardware spec) but that's another story. The PS4 also has a PS2 emulator already, it's just locked behind the digital PS2 titles that you have to purchase, just like the PS2 Classics are on the PS3. Once again, like with the PS2 Classics Emulator on the PS3, a modded PS4 can get access to this emulator and use it for other PS2 games. It's a shame Sony hasn't placed more of an emphasis on backwards compatibility but it is what it is.

[@nevousabonnezpas4286]

@@mrratchet I hope that Sony will release (and therefore product it massively) a dedicated console who could play every single game of the first 3 PlayStation (a bit similar to the "PS3 test") soon, but I'm probably too credulous since must gamers (especially younger ones) do not care about retrogaming (it wouldn't sell well then). Thank you for your reply and your video by the way.

[@mrratchet]

@@nevousabonnezpas4286 I don't think it would be viable at the moment sadly. For full BC, they would need to at least have solid PS1/PS2 emulation (should be do-able) with the PS3 CELL included. To restart manufacturing for the CELL would probably cost a fair bit of money but then Sony did create special PS3's for PSNow so maybe it is possible. I would like to see a limited time 'For the Players' PS5, with full BC but only a short run to reduce costs. Probably not right now either due to scalpers! Thank you, I really appreciate it!

[@Material_Monkey]

They want you to buy new games

[@nissan_6828]

is gta sa playable on the cechc03?

[@mrratchet]

Yes it is but it can occasionally have some minor graphical issues such as rain appearing when it shouldn't. To be honest, when I first replayed the game on my launch CECHC, i did not even notice it. 'Pop-in' (when objects first appear on screen) is a bit more frequent than normal PS2's or the CECHA/B models but again, it's a minor issue in my opinion since the game is fully playable. Hope this helps!

[@nissan_6828]

@@mrratchet all right. Hoping to grab one of those PS3s for rather cheap. Thanks a lot, definitely helped!

[@mrratchet]

@@nissan_6828 You’re welcome! Hope you enjoy the PS3!

[@troy0188]

Will people didn't support playstation back then

[@MidnightPodcastGaming]

Multiman :D

[@natnaelberhanu-i8w]

How do you solve the fan noise issue? I tried using a grated metal that another youtuber used and it helped prevent the heating problem when he did it. But it did not work when I used it probably because it was not the same equipment he used. Here's what he used in case if you know what it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h369h3yrYtd2qbs

[@Timic83tc]

i thought no pal bc ps3s were released. interesting

[@mrratchet]

Yeah the CECHC 60GB PAL version was only around for a few months - it was released later than the North American and Japanese CECHA/B models and was also discontinued before those markets as well. CECHC PAL 60GB is part hardware, part software emulation unlike the CECHA NTSC 60GB models for North America and Japan.

[@dominics.8796]

All games on the “unplayable” pile received HD rereleases.

[@mrratchet]

This is true, the Ratchet Trilogy + Deadlocked/Gladiator did all receive HD re-releases, though these are ports and not the 'PS2 game' running under backwards compatibility, meaning the original code is not playable on the CECHC/E models. That said, the HD remasters are solid enough ports so there are alternatives available for owners of the CECHC/E models. Trophy support is nice too!

[@roninstormYT]

you know what is sad you dont need this p3 console anymore just jail break your ps3 and play the ps2 gameso n multi man it fixes some glitches for games for the og ps3 i use a ps3 super slim i am playing ps2 ok some games still have bugs

[@mrratchet]

@@roninstormYT Yeah for me it’s more the reliability that’s the issue, these PS3’s need work and have an underlying hardware defect that will cause the RSX to fail. They still have the largest compatibility and hardware BC will always beat software emulation in terms of accuracy but what the community is doing with the Slim PS2NetEmu is very impressive.

[@mauriciominicuci6544]

All ps3 can play ps1 games, but is emulated in every aspect Ps3 fat cecha, cechb play ps2 games natively, but this models are known for over-heating and yellow light Ps3 cechc and ceche don't have over-heating or yellow light, but the ps2 games are now emulated Every other ps3 fat models, slim, or super slim, cannot play ps2 titles

[@mauriciominicuci6544]

What would i do: have a ps3 slim, a pps2 fat, and a ps1 Ps3 fat may sound like a good choice to play ps2 titles natively, but is not free of errors, and these models are very unstable And in ps1 case, ps3 does not play ps1 games natively, in ANY MODEL, and the same happens with ps2, some models are less emulated than others, but there is no model that play these titles without a little emulation

[@mrratchet]

CECHC and CECHE unfortunately still fall victim to YLOD. This is due to the faulty 90nm RSX.

[@mauriciominicuci6544]

@@mrratchet really? Then i have to retract what i said some years ago: Fat ps3 models are not worth it

[@mrratchet]

@@mauriciominicuci6544 Yeah it's very unfortunate. It's not even Sony's or Microsoft's fault that the 360/PS3 had these issues. It was an error in manufacturing of GPU's that lead to the bumps connecting the GPU to the substrate cracking, causing it to fail. RSX 90nm and some 65nm (PS3), Xenos 90nm and a handful of later models (360), Nvidia's 7000 and some 8000 and 9000 series are all affected. Fortunately for the BC PS3's, there is a way now to replace the faulty 90nm RSX with a 65nm or 40nm RSX, which are more efficient, use less power and don't suffer from the issue. However, it is an expensive fix and needs a specialist to do and generally people will not do it if the PS3 is currently working since there's always a risk the replacement process will fail. That said, if you have a PS3 that gets YLOD because of the RSX and you're willing to spend the money, this is a repair that some may be willing to do. Due to the price though, I think it's a hard sell that only the most dedicated of BC PS3 fans will do.

[@thejuice_2273]

My open box pristine CECHB01 is now up for auction on eBay. New thermals, upgraded power supply, upgraded fan, replaced CMOS battery. Future proof, go check it out

[@GavinTownsley]

Gta 3 on ps3 does not run well at all 😂