Is it possible to run OPL on the PS2 via SMB while using a 2.5" USB 3.0 1 TB external HDD connected to a nano router?

[Windows_10_User]

So, I watched this video and I'd like to know if it's possible to run OPL via SMB while using a 2.5" USB 3.0 1 TB external HDD connected to a nano router instead of an USB flash drive like on the video.

The nano router would be connected to the PS2 via USB Y-cable to both USB ports or to the PS2 via self-powered USB hub because the console mightn't provide enough energy to power it and the 2.5" external HDD and then the nano router's power supply wouldn't be needed.

If this doesn't work, I'll try using the nano router with its power supply instead of using an USB Y-cable to connect it to both PS2 USB ports or using a self-powered USB hub to connect it to the PS2 and then I'll connect an USB 3.0 flash drive to the nano router like in the video.

 

[esmith13]

I do the exact thing you want on two different PS2 Slims, tho the brand name of my parts are different.

On one of them, the 1TB HDD I use is very new and power efficient. I was able to power the router using a Y-Adapter connected to both of the USB ports on the front of the PS2 and power the HDD with the router - no external power needed and the whole thing powers on with the PS2's power button. For this setup I use an GL.iNet Mango router (GL-MT300N-V2).

On the second PS2 Slim, I removed the casing from the micro router and installed it inside the slim on top of the metal shielding (insulated of course) with it's USB-A Share port facing out the back of the PS2 (had to trim a hole in the case). The router is powered by wires soldered between the PS2's 5v line and the router's USB power pin on it's PCB. This method provides plenty of power and allows the router to provide sufficient power to even heavier-draw 2.5" USB HDDs - up to the limit of what the router was designed to do, of course. The ethernet is internally wired as well, tho if your soldering skills aren't fully up to it you can just solder the ethernet cable on the micro router end (you have to remove the router's ethernet port for it to fit inside the case) and drill a small hole for the ethernet cable to exit the back of the system and plug into the PS2's ethernet port. The router I use that fits inside the PS2 shelled with the ethernet port removed is a TP-Link (TL-MR3020). This one seems to look identical to the one in the video you linked to but the ports are arranged differently. It likely would fit internally as well. The only advantage I see that mine has is the USB is on a side of the router by itself making it easy to face it out the back of the system.

 

[Windows_10_User]

I do the exact thing you want on two different PS2 Slims, tho the brand name of my parts are different.

On one of them, the 1TB HDD I use is very new and power efficient. I was able to power the router using a Y-Adapter connected to both of the USB ports on the front of the PS2 and power the HDD with the router - no external power needed and the whole thing powers on with the PS2's power button. For this setup I use an GL.iNet Mango router (GL-MT300N-V2).

On the second PS2 Slim, I removed the casing from the micro router and installed it inside the slim on top of the metal shielding (insulated of course) with it's USB-A Share port facing out the back of the PS2 (had to trim a hole in the case). The router is powered by wires soldered between the PS2's 5v line and the router's USB power pin on it's PCB. This method provides plenty of power and allows the router to provide sufficient power to even heavier-draw 2.5" USB HDDs - up to the limit of what the router was designed to do, of course. The ethernet is internally wired as well, tho if your soldering skills aren't fully up to it you can just solder the ethernet cable on the micro router end (you have to remove the router's ethernet port for it to fit inside the case) and drill a small hole for the ethernet cable to exit the back of the system and plug into the PS2's ethernet port. The router I use that fits inside the PS2 shelled with the ethernet port removed is a TP-Link (TL-MR3020). This one seems to look identical to the one in the video you linked to but the ports are arranged differently. It likely would fit internally as well. The only advantage I see that mine has is the USB is on a side of the router by itself making it easy to face it out the back of the system.

Well, the second solution is way too hard for me.

Do you think an USB Y-cable would work with this router, and if so, may it fry the PS2's USB ports? I find it odd for two USB 1.1 ports to power a nano router and an external HDD connected to it.

And does the router power off by turning off the PS2 as well?

Also, do your PS2 games lag on OPL via SMB, especially in FMVs?

 

[Hayato213]

What you got Phat or Slim?

 

[Windows_10_User]

What you got Phat or Slim?

I edited my previous reply.

Slim.

 

[esmith13]

Well, the second case is way too hard for me.

Do you think that a Y-Adapter would work for this router, and if so, may it fry the PS2's USB ports? I find it odd for two USB 1.1 ports to be able to power a nano router and an external HDD attached to it. If one or both of the PS2 USB ports are occupied, may one use the Y-adapter along with an USB Hub connected to the PS2? I guess the PS2 wouldn't have enough energy to power all connected devices.

So, the router powers on and off with the PS2's power button?

Also, do you have any stutter on the PS2, especially in FMVs?

Between the two front USB ports you get about 1A of power. The router I use on that one requires approx 300mA and the hard drive is rated at 5V/1A. I guess the drive can run at slightly lower than 1A since it works fine.
I don't notice any stutters in the games on my drive but I also put the effort in to ensure there is no fragmentation on the disk by building my folders on my PC and copying everything over in one shot to a blank disk.
I have no idea what the power rating is on your TP-Link router so I can only say to give it a try and find out. My TP-Link is the internally wired device so it has access to more power than the front ports can provide so I never had to look into the power draw of that device.

Yes, the Router and HDD power up when you turn on the PS2 since they get power from the PS2 USB ports which are unpowered when the system is off.

 

[Windows_10_User]

Between the two front USB ports you get about 1A of power. The router I use on that one requires approx 300mA and the hard drive is rated at 5V/1A. I guess the drive can run at slightly lower than 1A since it works fine.
I don't notice any stutters in the games on my drive but I also put the effort in to ensure there is no fragmentation on the disk by building my folders on my PC and copying everything over in one shot to a blank disk.
I have no idea what the power rating is on your TP-Link router so I can only say to give it a try and find out. My TP-Link is the internally wired device so it has access to more power than the front ports can provide so I never had to look into the power draw of that device.

Yes, the Router and HDD power up when you turn on the PS2 since they get power from the PS2 USB ports which are unpowered when the system is off.

It's 5V/2A but I don't know what external HDD I'll buy and its power rating. Also, since I'll copy games one by one, should the HDD be defragmented often?

 

[Hayato213]

I edited my previous reply.

Slim.

You should be able to use SMB, as long the PS2 and the SMB Host is on the same network. As for other options you can look into like MX4SIO.

 

[esmith13]

It's 5V/2A but I don't know what external HDD I'll buy and its power rating. Also, since I'll copy games one by one, should I defragment the HDD often?

5V/2A is the rating on the router or the power cord it came with? They are not the same thing...
If the drive is brand new/never used, one by one is still OK. If you are repurposing a drive you used before and want to copy one by one with no fragmentation you have to wipe the disk first, which in basic terms means to do the long/slow format not a quick format so it zeros out all the data. if you quick format it just marks files as "unused" and starts writing data in true empty or "stale" locations first and then skips around and overwrites old data after. Adding the files then defragging it later before you hook it up to the PS2 is fine as well but if you fill it completely it will never fully defrag. You would need 10-25GB free space to defrag with on the drive. Once defragged you should never have to do that again unless you delete old games and add new ones again. Not defragging at all is fine too - but increases the chances of stutter if the right kind of data (videos) is in the wrong spot on the drive (where it's fragmented).

 

[Windows_10_User]

You should be able to use SMB, as long the PS2 and the SMB Host is on the same network. As for other options you can look into like MX4SIO.

I prefer SMB.

5V/2A is the rating on the router or the power cord it came with? They are not the same thing...
If the drive is brand new/never used, one by one is still OK. If you are repurposing a drive you used before and want to copy one by one with no fragmentation you have to wipe the disk first, which in basic terms means to do the long/slow format not a quick format so it zeros out all the data. if you quick format it just marks files as "unused" and starts writing data in true empty or "stale" locations first and then skips around and overwrites old data after. Adding the files then defragging it later before you hook it up to the PS2 is fine as well but if you fill it completely it will never fully defrag. You would need 10-25GB free space to defrag with on the drive. Once defragged you should never have to do that again unless you delete old games and add new ones again. Not defragging at all is fine too - but increases the chances of stutter if the right kind of data (videos) is in the wrong spot on the drive (where it's fragmented).

The page says the power supply.

But I want to have a lot of games and I'll be adding new games (and maybe removing) frequently so is that fine, even in a new HDD, as long as I defrag it every time? How often should it be defragged? Every time a game is added or deleted?

 

[esmith13]

most people don't defrag at all. I feel it helps with FMV stutter. I would say, defrag it after you fill it the first time. Then only defrag it if you notice a game has stutter after adding and removing some games down the line.

so it comes with a 2A power supply but that just means that was the cheapest supply they could package with it that met or exceeded the power requirements. You'll just have to try it out and see. You're not going to break anything trying.

 

[Windows_10_User]

most people don't defrag at all. I feel it helps with FMV stutter. I would say, defrag it after you fill it the first time. Then only defrag it if you notice a game has stutter after adding and removing some games down the line.

so it comes with a 2A power supply but that just means that was the cheapest supply they could package with it that met or exceeded the power requirements. You'll just have to try it out and see. You're not going to break anything trying.

PAL's The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer's first level's last FMV and second level's first FMV have a loud buzz-like noise when played from an external HDD connected to the laptop's USB port without enabling any OPL mode but the game's first level's last FMV has no issues and the game's second level's first FMV still has a loud buzz-like noise when played on OPL via SMB from the laptop's HDD without enabling any OPL mode.

Why is that? I didn't try defragging the external HDD or the laptop's HDD.

 

[Hayato213]

When running OPL via SMB from an external HDD connected to my laptop, it sometimes stuttered in FMVs and there was a game which had a no audio FMV but I didn't have this problem if running this game from the laptop (this time, with the game stored in the PC's HDD). Why is that? I didn't try defragging the external HDD (or the HDD).

What about those situations when one is going to defrag it and Windows states it's not needed? Should one defrag it anyway?

What if I get a separate power source, and if so, which one?

It has to do with running the game over network, if you were running on a phat unit with HDD it is less likely to stutter.

 

[Windows_10_User]

It has to do with running the game over network, if you were running on a phat unit with HDD it is less likely to stutter.

What do you mean by phat unit? Anyway, what does that have to do with what I asked when I was talking about running games from an external HDD connected to my laptop and running them from my laptop's HDD while using SMB in both cases? I wasn't even talking about running games via the PS2's HDD/SSD/SSHD.

 

[SylverReZ]

What do you mean by phat unit?

This model of PS2

 

[Windows_10_User]

This model of PS2

Oh, the user was talking about the PS2. Never mind. I guess SMB is the best option for me.

 

[Hayato213]

What do you mean by phat unit?

Phat / FAT refer to original PS2.

 

[Windows_10_User]

Phat / FAT refer to original PS2.

Do you think SMB is the best option in my case?

 

[SylverReZ]

And the slim model

 

[Hayato213]

Do you think SMB is the best method in my case?

The best option is Fat PS2 model with HDD, as the OPL Maximum theoretically speed for almost all devices in PS2 is:

• HDD ATA interface: ATA-66 (Roughly 66MB/s).
• Ethernet interface: 100Mbit (Or 12.5MB/s).
• USB 1.1 interface: 12Mbit (~1.5 MB/s).
• CD/DVD drive: 24x speed CD-ROM [3.6 MB/s], 4x speed DVD-ROM [5.28 MB/s].

SMB fall under ethernet interface.