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Alternative Uses and Interesting Mods for a PS1?
carolinamagi asks: "I've got an original Playstation collecting dust in my garage that I only use when I've got a fix for Final Fantasy VII. I know the original Playstation is a dated system but I can't help but wonder if there are any 'after market' or non-game mods which others have tried (with success) to give their Playstation some new life. The catch is that I'm a total novice when it comes to mods (although I am handy around the house and around a computer) and I would still like the ability to play games with my modded Playstation. Any ideas?"
For inspiration, see what Ben Heck's done. He's a console modding god. If you want aftermarket, and are skilled with tools, make it portable!
Oh, and I have to mention his Xbox 360 laptop. Because it rocks.
The PSX is almost an audiophile quality CD player.
According to one of the linked articles, it has a very bog standard looking 16 bit DAC. The analogue output stage looks singularly unremarkable.
Some other choice quotes from the articles :
"Michael told me to look for a PlayStation with the model number SCPH-1001, which is the unit with separate audio and video RCA output jacks. That particular model allows audiophiles to use their own (expensive) audio cables to get "perfect" sound."
"Before I started my listening tests, Michael had a warning for me: "Plug in the units -- turn 'em on -- and don't turn them off." It seems the PlayStations sound best when left on all the time. Michael was right. You shouldn't even listen for the first three days. Both units need every second of the break-in period."
To me, both of those quotes raise red flags. The flags have "Audiophool" written on them in big letters.
I also doubt that simply removing two caps and replacing them with the expensive polyester variety is going to make a difference audible to anybody not already skilled in the art of self deception. And apparently if you have one with a mod chip, you should definitely remove it just in case it ruins the sound. I would have thought it would be obvious whether it does or not to somebody with such golden ears.
I think you should mod it +5, informative.
I think a cool idea would be to find a really, really tiny 'boring standard x86 computer' board, and house it in a gutted mouse case. Then mod a full sized PC to transform it into a mouse by gutting it and putting the mouse circuit board and it's little buttons and wheels inside. You will need to add some sort of caster-type base, probably with a suspension mount, so the PC case can be manouvred around to use as the pointer. Awkward, but a cool 'irony mod.'
Even better would be to find a 'smart button' of some sort (a pushbutton with active display on it's face). Build that button into a PC case, and use it as the main display for the PC. Find the largest monitor you can afford, and configure it to display a solid red or green color on it's face to indicate the PC is on.
These ideas are all now copyright by me. But you're granted an unlimited license to implement them, so long as I am credited. Or something.
hm..
I like to use mine as a system clock sometimes.
From ~/.bashrc2:
export PS1='\h:`date +"%m-%d-%y %H:%M:%S"`:\w [\!]$ '