PSone HDD?

[toru173]

ok, here it goes.

I've been reading up and around and I've seen people claiming they can replace the standard PSone reader assembly with a normal PC assemply - correct me if I'm wrong here ^_^

Assuming this is correct, would it be completely impossible to reverse the process - so instead of having a normal laser assembly, we plug in the other half - the IDE interface? Even if this didn't work, a custom circuit could be designed/built (right?) in it's place - I'm not saying I could do it, though!

Why would I want a hard drive on the PSone? Apart from the fact that you could do the same things as with a PS2, think about this: A CD needs more power then a hard disk. Even if a full sized disk still takes too much power, what about a laptop (2.5") drive, or even a CF card? They use an IDE interface. that would mean you consume something like 80mA instead of whatever the drive uses (which I assume is more ^_^), and you could come full circle - you'd have a cartridge-based PSone! Think of what Sony would say to that ^_^

Anyways, is it feasable even possible? it would be great, and make the system quiter and more durable, too (not to mention smaller - bye bye big cdrom!)

[S q u e e !]

It is possible, with programming skillz that 0n1y l33t p30pl3 liek gannon h@ve. But, if you did program it, it would take up a sufficient amount of power...

[soundwave]

There's a difference between a 3.5" HDD's IDE interface and the drive assembly's little plastic ribbon cable thing that can be salvaged from a normal CD player.

[toru173]

I realise that, there are the 7 or 8 tracking signals and the head location signals, with an IDE interface you have 16 data signals plus address and state signals (such as 'ready' 'reset' and the like). If it had to be built in, could it be possible to take the address lines from the location that the disk would be (using some small microcontroller to keep track of where the PSone thinkds the read head is), and just attach the data lines directly to the output of the SC43094PB (The chip that reads the data from the laser and converts it to bytes)?

Warning - This <a href="http://members.lycos.co.uk/toru173/3.gif">schematic</a> is a liiiiiiiiiiiiitle large

Also, if anyone has had any experiences with changing the disk assembly for another one I'd like to hear from you - I'm thinking a laptop drive would also save space+power, and be much easier to impliment ^_^

[Haunted360]

Hey, I reckon that it is possible.

You are on the absolute right track too!


You would need to program (using the Net Yaroze - or using other tools that I know of that can then be played on ePSXe (Emulator)) something that will act as a program to load either the HDD from the Seriel I/O Port on the back and or boot from a CD-ROM (-r) and tell the System to boot from the HDD utilising those ports.

This is VERY tricky however, as I do not believe that cutting the Ribbon Cable and changing it to an IDE for the HDD will work at all like someone suggested.

And yes. A HDD will take much more power than a CD-ROM. Then again, a Solid State Drive (SSD) would be the best thing for a PS1 / one as it would increase the loading time quite dramatically fast, and at the same time use much less power!

As for the PS1 CD-ROM Assembly, I was going to attempt (As seen somewhere before on these Forums) - a Slot-Loading CD-ROM Drive for the System eventually after I finish my Nintendo 64 Portable.


As for the designing specifications for the PS1 HDD

- A Format for the HDD (IE: NTSC, FAT, FAT32)
- Cable Connector Type (IE: Serial / Serial I/O to IDE / SATA)
- Boot Type (IE: How would it boot? CD-ROM)


The main issue I would think of, it when you turn on the PS1 and it LOADS from the programmed disc and starts a program GUI interface to choose your game from the HDD, what is telling the CD-ROM to load to the HDD?

I mean, as someone stated - just change the CD-ROM to a HDD using IDE cable, that will not work unless you have some PCB with an IC Chip telling the 'Sony Code' (As toru173 Stated - SC43094PB) to pass through and load from the HDD.

Anyway, I was just making this up as I went along as it is all out of order too...

I have missed also a bunch of stuff that is technical - but anyway...

Thanks and wil keep you updated VIA my site if I hack / figure out something.

[Tibia]

Holy copulate, that's a five year bump! Good job, man.

[Haunted360]

Thank You.

[limpport]

Thank You.

Why did you even bother? Dead threads are dead, and should be left as such.

[Snow_Cat]

Dunno about that;
Threads are like horses for sharing ideas.

Even if the original rider is gone others may still gain some knowledge (or curiousity) if something new is saddled to it.

[themadhacker]

if he was that concerned he could have started a new topic like "hey, I saw this old topic and it got me thinking and if you did bla bla bla then you could do bla bla bla and it would bla bla possibly work."

[mako321]

Dunno about that;
Threads are like horses for sharing ideas.

Even if the original rider is gone others may still gain some knowledge (or curiousity) if something new is saddled to it.

If the horse is dead, you're not going anywhere though.

[Snow_Cat]

Not alone, somebody needs to give it a push;
However, we are getting off of the original topic and should move the conversation about the merits/detriments of necroposting to another thread.

Has there been a HDD attachment for the PS1 paralel bus?

[Haunted360]

Has there been a HDD attachment for the PS1 paralel bus?

No there has not.

That is why I would like to try and achieve it...

[humakabula1]

[Snow_Cat]

I wonder if the Yaroze (Playstaion dev. console) could provide any insight?

• Wikipedia.orgネットやろうぜ
• gamespot.comThe Playstation Gamemaker: Disassembling Net Yaroze
• geocities.co.jpNOT YAROZE - Playstation Programming without official tools