Rare Hardware: Who can find a costdown PSone console?

[nocash]

Time for making a Research thread on this: Who can find a costdown PSone console? That is, a PSone with "PM-41(2)" mainboard. I've asked around for a while, but that specific PSone models seem to be very hard to find. Either because they are incredible rare, or just because their owners can distinguish them from normal PSone's (with "PM-41" mainboard).

The costdown PSone models are known to exist because there are a few low-resolution photos of their mainboards in the internet (mostly photo-snippets with mod-chip wiring info). There are also schematics for that models in the PSone service manual. But apart from that, there's pretty much nothing known about those models.

The thing that I am particularily interested in would be the cdrom firmware of that boards (it's a different firmware revision as in normal PSones, according to the service manual). But for now, I would be glad if anybody could find that mysterious console at all.

For doing so, you would need to open the case, and check if mainboard is marked "PM-41" (old version) or "PM-41(2)" (rare costdown version). If you find one of that rare models, photos of the sticker at the bottom of the console would be nice, and also info when/where you've purchased the console (maybe it was sold only in certain countries). That might help other people to figure out how/where to find that console model.

[Squaresoft74]

I guess you mean this one ?


I just picked it up today, was offered to me for parts
I'm in France btw so this model is at least available here.

[Administrator]

I wonder why they crossed out the "(2)" after the PM-41 though. There would have to be a reason why.
It could be because it's using the "PM-41 (2)" board layout/hardware, but a standard "PM-41" BIOS

[nocash]

I guess you mean this one ?

I just picked it up today, was offered to me for parts
I'm in France btw so this model is at least available here.

Whoops, yes. I didn't think that it would take only one day until somebody would find it.

The Sticker with the "PSone, MODEL.NO. SCPH-102, PAL, 3-072-299-11, N1158" looks exactly same as on my PSone (with PM-41 board), so that sticker could either mean PM-41 or PM-41(2).
There are also PSone's with different stickers ("3-062-649-11" does probably hint on a PM-41 board, and "SCPH-102C" might hint on a PM-41(2) board).

The Serial/Barcode numbers (also on the sticker) seem to be different for all consoles. My PSone is marked "C5335259, S01-5335259-I" and yours has "C5592787, S01-5592787-T", so maybe "559nnnnn" and up hints on PM-41(2). But I've also spotted photos that seem to show PM-41 and PM-41(2) consoles with "2nnnnnn" numbers.

The Case looks exactly same on all PSones (except, some very late models seem to have small feet, which should hint on "PM-41(2)"). However, the Mainboard looks smaller in costdown models. PM-41 does cover at least half of the square ventilation holes (on the left/right sides), whilst PM-41(2) doesn't cover that holes, which might be visible even without opening the case... unless the shielding plates are covering the ventilation holes. Can you make photos with top/bottom shielding plates installed?

Btw. here are some other interesting PSone photos...

• http://i.ifreeads.ru/2013/08/19/125880/ ... 5223_2.jpg - small feet, high serial number, "SCPH-102C" sticker
• http://dchester.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/im ... screen.jpg - small feet (but low serial number) (and LCD display attached at rear side)
• http://scacom.bplaced.net/Collection/so ... 1/ps19.jpg - older(?) "3-062-649-11" sticker
• http://wiki.psxdev.ru/index.php/PM-41 - old PM-41 mainboard
• http://wiki.psxdev.ru/index.php/PM-41(2) - PM-41(2) mainboard
• http://scacom.bplaced.net/Collection/so ... /ps110.jpg - PM-41(2) mainboard

The last image does also have the "(2)" crossed out, but I guess that's just some "quality test passed" marking (unless Sony has crossed out the "(2)" to make it more difficult to find "PM-41(2)" boards).

[Squaresoft74]

The Case looks exactly same on all PSones (except, some very late models seem to have small feet, which should hint on "PM-41(2)"). However, the Mainboard looks smaller in costdown models. PM-41 does cover at least half of the square ventilation holes (on the left/right sides), whilst PM-41(2) doesn't cover that holes, which might be visible even without opening the case... unless the shielding plates are covering the ventilation holes. Can you make photos with top/bottom shielding plates installed?

Here you go:
One PM-41(2), three PM-41


Closer PM-41


Closer PM-41(2)

[Squaresoft74]

Hi nocash.
I got my hands on another one P-161125S-41-71

The previous one i sent you is P-161125S-31-71

[Ichisuke]

Hi nocash.
I got my hands on another one P-161125S-41-71

The previous one i sent you is P-161125S-31-71

Sorry to bump such an old thread but I wanted to ask if all the PM41-2 board are perhaps manufactured in China and so you can recognize them just by looking at the adhesive underneath the console (buy online from pictures is difficult looking at the air holes).

EDIT: nevermind. Just found eBay a made in China model and it clearly has the first PM41 board.

[cunningfellow]

Just to let you know - My unit here in Australia is a PM41-2.

Serial # is S01-1963xxx-J

SCPH-102

I though it would have been bought Late 2000 whilst investigating wobble groove. However this may not be the original one I had and might have got mixed up whilst modding other peoples consoles.