This is a great video, and I don’t think you’re criticizing anyone but rather sharing an important safety reminder. These older consoles, specifically the PS2 fat models, have an open PSU with large capacitors exposed. I’ve taken high-level physics and circuits courses, where we worked with large capacitors, and I remember my physics teacher showing us images of electrical shocks and burns before starting certain labs. We were trained on how to discharge a capacitor’s stored voltage safely. I believe most people, especially PC users, understand that a PSU can be dangerous. However, I think some may not realize that certain components, like capacitors, don’t need to be plugged into an active power source to shock you. Simply touching one of these capacitors while another part of your body is in contact with a grounded metal surface is enough to complete a circuit-and trust me, that can deliver quite a shock. I’d really like to try this mod, but I’d probably add extra safety measures to prevent the IC or any wires from falling into the PSU. If any of this sounds alarming, it should be, but it’s all about having the foresight to understand what you’re working with. I also want to mention that, while I haven’t found any documented cases of someone being killed by a PS2 PSU shock, there are occasional reports of minor shocks, though they’re rare. That being said, this video still provides valuable caution. Any added components that come loose could increase the likelihood of electric shock or damage, so this kind of advice is important. I'm up late tonight, drinking way too much coffee, doing some astrophotography, and working on a PS2 for my nephew's birthday and Christmas present. I came across your video and, although I'll probably use this product, it will be on my PS2, not my nephew's. I'm heading to bed now; the sky tonight was disappointing. Anyway, clear skies and happy trails.
That is frightening! Can you imagine going to plug in the HDMI cable which has become Live because the User hasn't realised its hitting the Fuse and they will get Electrocuted... They should have provided something which insulates and covers the High Voltage of the PSU.
Even though the title of this video is a little intense, I wanted to thank you for posting this. I initially did this mod using my internal PSU, but decided to go with the RePS2 PSU after safety concerns. I think anyone doing this mod on a fat PS2 should do the same.
Modder's Maxim #1: "When in doubt, break out the Kapton Tape (or Solder Mask and a UV light)". That said always replace the old power supply of retro consoles. (Especially if they have electrolytic caps.)
A pvc or petg sheet should be good enough to stop the board from shorting out. Some of the guides I've seen show the wifi board being stuck on the fan.
Yeah you could even probably use one of those $1 flexible cutting boards from the dollar store haha Just fold it 3 times, punch some holes for the screws to go though Done
That antenna looks like one of those occasions where it's recommended to use a glue gun. You can get plastic sheets that are used for vacuum forming, wouldn't take much to rig something up with a hot air station
repsu is ideal ofc. i dont like the ribbon connector they've used on the gem, nobody has mentioned this. the connector on the n64 digital was brittle, the connector on the gem is so weak the weight of the flex can unlatch the ribbon connector and unplug itself, you need to push in the ribbon when its unlatched them squish the latch down for it to feel snug.
@@Slot1Gamer ye damn thats pretty bad i was looking to get this for my american ps1 so i can play in full hd and any game with the xstation or the new mstation that shoud come out idn when xd
Ps1 is fine by the looks it’s all located around the AV area from memory. Yeah the analogue outputs on the ps1 aren’t that great to be honest so hdmi mods is the way to go haha
Can you repost the backup of the psx ? Or make a video to recover the hdd of psx i got a few psx with hdd working or can you tell me how to recover a psx of a wrong update
@@Slot1Gamer yeah the console are DESR 5500 and put by error the update disc 1.31 the psx dev site say DESR 5500 the release fw are 2.06 so i got error -1 every boot if i use fmcb i can access, now im trying get a backup of psx update 2.11 iso because i got one but this get a error i watch a lot info about use the iso burned in CD clean with fmcb and ulauncher I gonna try this
I’m still undecided on that front. It is a common practice in hardware both consumer and enterprise, as it reduces manufacturing costs. But with the release of their new external scaler, I am wondering if it switches these non-shiny models into higher res sneaky like. Because the new scaler can communicate with the internal cards. I guess someone needs to get both and run a splitter to see what’s going on At least they are a little upfront that the only difference is software Panasonic pull that junk with their cameras all the time
@@Slot1Gamer Super late to this comment, but I think there's a difference here between the common practice you mention, and what they did. If the only difference was software features like scanlines and such, I'd agree. However, they also lock 1080p behind the paywall. The entire point of this kit is to upscale video out, and they lock the most desireable resolution behind the "shiny version." That goes beyond only software differences. They are intentionally gimping the hardware via the software that controlls it. It literally can't even do what the entire device is designed to do, to it's full potential, unless you spend the extra cash.
@@Profeces Super late too, but this depends on how you see it and what you're trying to get out of it. For me the whole point of the digital mod is to get clean, direct, digital video out to feed to a scaler. If the system outputs natively 256p, get 256p, if it outputs 576i, get 576i. In practice, the highest resolution you would need to get out of this would be 576p on the PS2 . And then feed it to your scaler or TV to do the upscaling.
Thanks for the safety warning, if I ever do this I'll try adding that plastic insulation and extra points of mounting for the GEM.
This is a great video, and I don’t think you’re criticizing anyone but rather sharing an important safety reminder. These older consoles, specifically the PS2 fat models, have an open PSU with large capacitors exposed. I’ve taken high-level physics and circuits courses, where we worked with large capacitors, and I remember my physics teacher showing us images of electrical shocks and burns before starting certain labs. We were trained on how to discharge a capacitor’s stored voltage safely. I believe most people, especially PC users, understand that a PSU can be dangerous. However, I think some may not realize that certain components, like capacitors, don’t need to be plugged into an active power source to shock you. Simply touching one of these capacitors while another part of your body is in contact with a grounded metal surface is enough to complete a circuit-and trust me, that can deliver quite a shock.
I’d really like to try this mod, but I’d probably add extra safety measures to prevent the IC or any wires from falling into the PSU. If any of this sounds alarming, it should be, but it’s all about having the foresight to understand what you’re working with. I also want to mention that, while I haven’t found any documented cases of someone being killed by a PS2 PSU shock, there are occasional reports of minor shocks, though they’re rare. That being said, this video still provides valuable caution. Any added components that come loose could increase the likelihood of electric shock or damage, so this kind of advice is important.
I'm up late tonight, drinking way too much coffee, doing some astrophotography, and working on a PS2 for my nephew's birthday and Christmas present. I came across your video and, although I'll probably use this product, it will be on my PS2, not my nephew's. I'm heading to bed now; the sky tonight was disappointing. Anyway, clear skies and happy trails.
Yeah I think with some minor modifications it can be made safe, crazy that it’s not implemented from the start
That is frightening! Can you imagine going to plug in the HDMI cable which has become Live because the User hasn't realised its hitting the Fuse and they will get Electrocuted... They should have provided something which insulates and covers the High Voltage of the PSU.
Even though the title of this video is a little intense, I wanted to thank you for posting this. I initially did this mod using my internal PSU, but decided to go with the RePS2 PSU after safety concerns. I think anyone doing this mod on a fat PS2 should do the same.
Glad the video helped :)
Have you had any issues with RePS2 (not that I’ve heard of any but good to keep an ear out)
@@Slot1Gamerno issues so far! Installing the RePS2 frees up a ton of room in there. Nothing to worry about anymore!
@@thund4c4t025 it does seem good! just get a good psu for it :)
Can I ask y’all what you mean by RePS2 PSU?
Can I ask y’all what you mean by RePS2 PSU?
Modder's Maxim #1: "When in doubt, break out the Kapton Tape (or Solder Mask and a UV light)".
That said always replace the old power supply of retro consoles. (Especially if they have electrolytic caps.)
The flex PCBs used to route the video signals has been burned on the PSU by installers already. Very scary stuff.
Really? Wow
A pvc or petg sheet should be good enough to stop the board from shorting out. Some of the guides I've seen show the wifi board being stuck on the fan.
Yeah you could even probably use one of those $1 flexible cutting boards from the dollar store haha
Just fold it 3 times, punch some holes for the screws to go though
Done
That antenna looks like one of those occasions where it's recommended to use a glue gun. You can get plastic sheets that are used for vacuum forming, wouldn't take much to rig something up with a hot air station
Yeah I’d honestly just move it away or once you put the plastic cover I mentioned I think it would be ok :)
repsu is ideal ofc. i dont like the ribbon connector they've used on the gem, nobody has mentioned this. the connector on the n64 digital was brittle, the connector on the gem is so weak the weight of the flex can unlatch the ribbon connector and unplug itself, you need to push in the ribbon when its unlatched them squish the latch down for it to feel snug.
Unsafe product with bad design, it's just a matter of time before someone gets hurt
Would a pico mod for the fat ps2 fix this?
For this particular issue it would because there would be no mains supply in the system
If you installed a pico psu
Thinking of going the usb c route to free up space
Would the RePS2 PSU mod rectify this flaw?
Yes
@@Slot1GamerSo if the RetroGEM fell on the little RePS2 board it wouldn't cause any electric shock?
It may short out the board but re-psu is low voltage so no risk to people
You can still put some plastic over if you are worried
does this issue happen on the ps1 or other consoles that this works on or just the ps2 ?
Just these specific ps2 consoles where the hdmi board sits over the power supply.
@@Slot1Gamer ye damn thats pretty bad i was looking to get this for my american ps1 so i can play in full hd and any game with the xstation or the new mstation that shoud come out idn when xd
Ps1 is fine by the looks it’s all located around the AV area from memory.
Yeah the analogue outputs on the ps1 aren’t that great to be honest so hdmi mods is the way to go haha
Can you repost the backup of the psx ? Or make a video to recover the hdd of psx i got a few psx with hdd working or can you tell me how to recover a psx of a wrong update
I’ll have to see if I still have them
How did you put the wrong update?
Are you sure the HDD are ok?
@@Slot1Gamer yeah the console are DESR 5500 and put by error the update disc 1.31 the psx dev site say DESR 5500 the release fw are 2.06 so i got error -1 every boot if i use fmcb i can access, now im trying get a backup of psx update 2.11 iso because i got one but this get a error i watch a lot info about use the iso burned in CD clean with fmcb and ulauncher I gonna try this
@@DoaMuzz let me know if you get it working
I think the main copy of the update disc online is all the same iso
I’ll have a look if I have one
rePSU2 should fix that?
Yes
Did they ever address this issue?
Not that I know of
Great video as always.
Oh no i installed it with my RePS2 Pico PSU.
As long as you insulate the retro from touching the 12v connector you will be ok
There is no mains inside when you use a RePSU
I really dislike their scummy ecosystem of locking features behind a paywall
I’m still undecided on that front.
It is a common practice in hardware both consumer and enterprise, as it reduces manufacturing costs.
But with the release of their new external scaler, I am wondering if it switches these non-shiny models into higher res sneaky like.
Because the new scaler can communicate with the internal cards.
I guess someone needs to get both and run a splitter to see what’s going on
At least they are a little upfront that the only difference is software
Panasonic pull that junk with their cameras all the time
@@Slot1Gamer Super late to this comment, but I think there's a difference here between the common practice you mention, and what they did. If the only difference was software features like scanlines and such, I'd agree. However, they also lock 1080p behind the paywall. The entire point of this kit is to upscale video out, and they lock the most desireable resolution behind the "shiny version." That goes beyond only software differences. They are intentionally gimping the hardware via the software that controlls it.
It literally can't even do what the entire device is designed to do, to it's full potential, unless you spend the extra cash.
@@Profeces Super late too, but this depends on how you see it and what you're trying to get out of it. For me the whole point of the digital mod is to get clean, direct, digital video out to feed to a scaler. If the system outputs natively 256p, get 256p, if it outputs 576i, get 576i. In practice, the highest resolution you would need to get out of this would be 576p on the PS2 . And then feed it to your scaler or TV to do the upscaling.
Interesting 🤔
Yes it is haha
Worth it.
The scaler performance is very good you can see where all the attention was spent
Just get a Retrotink 5X Pro. It does the same thing and it works with multiple consoles without a hard mod like this.
The guide says "requires RePS2 for fat consoles"....
No it doesn’t
docs.pixelfx.co/GEM-PS2FAT-Installation.html