PS2 with its new window
After finishing my Framed 8.0 custom wall-mounted PC (and the secondary machine under it), I decided to do a bit of work on my son's Playstation 2. I figure it helps my portfolio to have a bunch of different styles and setups under my belt for future advertising and showing my work to potential clients. If I had a bunch of money, I would just modify more computers. Besides, I might be able to do a little side work with game consoles as well. Who knows?
Closeup of the optical drive
The layout of this mod is straightforward enough, and the pictures really explain the whole procedure. I will give notes to some of the steps, but the window itself was made and painted without any pictures taken. Soon this unit will also have some lighting inside. The lights will be LED's which are cheap, easy to come by, and put out enough light for my tastes. They also don't need tremendous amounts of space for an inverter such as cold-cathode lights do. I will be hard-wiring these LED's into the main board somewhere, and once that mod is complete I will have a writeup for it as well, including pictures and the exact places to solder for the lights. I'll probably wire them into the power circuit if possible so that when the switch in the back is on, the lights will also be on, even if the machine is powered off. The lights will illuminate both the DVD-drive and the big heatsink/fan area. I kind of wish Sony hadn't put such a large heatsink over what is probably a really cool looking circuit board, it would have been nice to show it off. I could modify the heatsink too. But that seems like too much work for just a PS2!
I might be selling a kit online (EBay) that comes with templates, the glass itself, and instructions for installing the glass (see below!) along with self-adhesive strips instead of the screws I used. The screws really made a mess of my work, one of them interferes with the button assembly. So if you are interested in doing this, but you don't have much skill in doing these sort of hack jobs, my kit would hook you up enough to be able to handle it yourself. And you won't have to dick around with the screws, either.
Alot of people are going to be interested in this setup. And the fact that you can paint the inside of the acrylic glass any way you choose makes this mod very easy to be customized for each person. You can paint the glass with an emblem, put a picture behind it, use masking tape to paint stripes, or any other combination that comes to your mind. You can also paint the PS2's housing at the same time, since it will be off the machine anyway. The sky is the limit here!
This text is meant for the do-it-yourself person who does not mind cutting into a perfectly good Playstation. Be aware that your warranty will be void after these modifications have been completed. Even just opening the PS2 case will void the warranty; there is a sticker on the case that once removed, cannot be reattached. Any injuries you may sustain from this procedure are your own responsibility. I have taken as many steps as I could to be sure that this text contains all the warnings you will need to be aware of so that you can remain safe, and your PS2 as well. Carelessness is your enemy and if you don't take precautions, either you and/or your PS2 will be damaged!
You are going to need:
-This instruction text
-One acrylic window
-Self-adhesive double sided tape
As you will need to be cutting and otherwise modifying your PS2, there are tool requirements for this project:
-Jigsaw or Dremel cut-off tool for cutting (A utility knife could be used in a pinch, but the process will take hours and you may cut yourself or damage the cover)
-Drill and bit for making the first hole for cutting (If you choose a jigsaw)
-Phillips screwdriver
-Paint for window and/or plastic case parts, and blue quality masking tape
-Small screwdriver for working with small plugs and parts, fine phillips screwdriver if you choose to window the DVD drive.
The only other requirement is an open mind and steady hand. Let's get to it!
You will be cutting into the housing cover of your PS2. This cover does nothing for the operation of the unit, so even if you were to mess it up and have to toss it out, the machine will still operate although it will look like it belongs in a scrap heap. If you make a small mistake with cutting, it's okay. The window will cover your mistakes once it is painted from the inside. The first step is to unplug the PS2 from all of its cables, and remove any memory cards you may have. Remove the "expansion" cover at the back of the machine as well. Find yourself a suitable clean surface to work. I tend to use small containers for screws, but you can use whatever you feel is best to organize the pieces you take off. Using a small pick or screwdriver, gently pry out the small square plugs in the bottom of the PS2 that cover up the screw holes. There are a total of four rubber ones and an additional four plastic ones too. Once these are removed, start at the top of the unit (where the buttons are) and remove the top two screws. The next pair are under the first set of rubber plugs, and these screws are identical to the first two. Just remember that the shorter screws are at the top of the PS2. The last four screws are much longer and you will have no problem telling them apart.
Screw holes at the bottom after removing square plugs
Screws removed from bottom, shorter ones go towards buttons
Once these eight screws have been removed, turn the whole machine back over so that the large "PS2" logo faces up. You can then remove the top cover. Very carefully pull at the back of the top cover and try to get the cover to clear the front controller ports and the DVD door. Be careful or the DVD door will break off. It will not destroy the drive, but you will need to get some glue to reinstall the door at that point. These DVD doors are quite weak and easily broken. I've had two break on me. Once the top cover clears the DVD door and controller ports, lift the cover up and away just enough so that you can see the small ribbon cable at the top of the cover which connects to the buttons. Peel the part that is taped to the DVD drive off and it should give you a little more play in that little cable. You can rest the cover straight up on the button side while you work on it. You need to pry off the button mounting piece from the top cover. Be very careful with the cable and don't bother unplugging the button assembly from it. Pry gently from the inside of the top cover and it should come away fairly easy. The top cover is now free.
Top cover removed, and cover ready for removing button assembly
Pry the button assembly out GENTLY
If you want to paint the lower cover, you need to remove two more screws to get it to come off. This part is optional and isn't necessary for the window installation, but if you already have the machine apart, and you want the color changed, now is the time. To remove the bottom cover, you only need to remove the two brass colored screws in the controller port section and lift the controller port/memory card slots out. There is a small ribbon cable attached to it, too. You are better off leaving it attched to the PS2 main board since the tiny connectors can be easily broken even if you are careful about removing them. It won't interfere with the covers once you remove the screws and place the controller/memory card assembly on top of the aluminum heatsink. You should be able to gently pry from the rear of the lower cover, near the power jack and fan, to get the bottom cover off. Once it is free, lift the entire guts of the PS2 out of the lower cover. Store the guts somewhere easy to get to, but not near the cutting area just in case pieces fly around while cutting. Take care of the two ribbon cables and don't let those parts dangle while moving the guts around, or they will break.
Controller port screws need to be removed before you take off the lower cover
Unfortunately there isn't anything impressive to be seen at the bottom of the PS2's guts. So windowing the bottom is pretty much a useless affair. But we are going to window the front, so wait to paint anything until after you make your cuts. Nothing is worse than doing a lot of work, only to have to redo it again because you forgot a step in between. The top cover is easily cut with a Dremel or a jigsaw. Dremels have a shorter learning curve. If you want to cut your top cover, but you don't have the tools yet, I would suggest a Dremel or other rotary multi-tool kit as a good first purchase. They can be picked up at nearly any store with a hardware section and usually go for around $30-$40, complete with a small assortment of attachments. These tools are indispensable and you will use it for more than your PS2 window mod, so try to get one you like with the features you want. Remember, if the tool kit that comes with it does not have a cutoff tool attachment and disks, the price will go up at least $10 for those parts separately. I can't go into multi-tool use and instruction, so it would be best to try it out on stuff that you don't care about first. Try to find some techniques online if you have trouble mastering it. There are a wealth of sites devoted to the use and care of these tools.
Now it is time to make a decision. Do you want to window the DVD drive, the heatsink near the fan, or both? Whatever you decide, you will need to cut away some material for the window to be installed. The more windows you want in the PS2, the harder and longer it will be to cut. Try to keep your window design straight and squared off. You can make a different pattern in your window mask later on for cool effects or rounded corners. If you want to cut into the DVD drive to window it, you need a fine phillips screwdriver for the tiny screws that hold the cover on. There are four screws in the cover. Take them out and lift the cover away. You will see the center-mounted white plastic wheel inside that holds the DVD in place. You need to make sure whatever you cut out does not interfere with this white disk. Try to keep your window sizes small and do two or three of them. This way when the drive is in use, the disk will remain centered and aligned properly. If you mess up this part, your PS2 might not work afterwards. Look at the picture of the cover and see the spots where the cover is flat and has no ribs. These areas are safe to cut away, very carefully. The yellow label on top of the cover will come off. This label warns of laser radiation and if you cut into this particular area for a window you might get some laser light in your eye. I am not responsible for any eye damage you or anyone who sees your mod might suffer. Be careful and warn others from looking directly at the red light. Or, leave a section of plastic over the laser eye when you cut.
The DVD cover, make sure you cut in these areas with the flat spots
The easiest way to line up your windows are with masking tape. This stuff is invaluable for any type of modification. It always comes in handy. The best type to use is the blue stuff you can get from paint stores, it costs a bit more than regular masking tape, but it leaves no residue on acrylic glass or plastic, and peels easily from drying paint leaving a perfect line. After working with the DVD drive cover, you can lay out the masking tape on the top cover of your PS2 where you want the windows to go. Make sure you don't cut too close to the edges of the cover so you can secure the window with double-sided tape. The inside of the cover needs to be paid attention to as well. There are some parts inside which provide support and structure which shouldn't be cut into. Anywhere there is no supports should be fine. Pay attention to the button mounting area also. When your cuts are finished, use a knife to trim away the excess plastic that melted during the cutting. The DVD cover should be trimmed carefully since it will be shown if you plan to open that area up.
The PS2 logo on my machine was cut away to show off the DVD drive. You can leave this portion if you would like, but the drive will have a smaller window. Also remember if you paint the covers, you will need to mask that logo if you plan on keeping it there and the window will also have to be masked in that spot to show through the glass. It is a bunch of extra steps that take time to do, but they are well worth the time. The more step you use to complete your window, the better and more original the mod will look. I painted the "Playstation2" recessed logo white before mounting the window. Then I lined up the window and used the logo as a guide to add some masking tape to the inside of the window before painting it. The same procedure is used for the painting of the rest of the window, and you can paint it in stages if you would like. Just make sure the parts you want to remain transparent stay covered throughout the painting of the window. Overlap the masks so that any parts of your cutting job will be covered after painting. This way the cuts will be hidden from view once the window has been installed.
Cutting the top cover using tape to line up the cuts
To paint the window, you need to mask off the parts you want to be clear and transparent. You must use the masking tape for the edges of the windows to get nice clean lines. Also, remember that you will be masking on the INSIDE of the window. So it is best to place the window on top of your cut-out top cover, and use masking tape to roughly show where your masking needs to go on the inside. Then, remove the window and turn it over. Now you can mask off that area from the inside. Concentrate on the edges of each part you want to show off. Later, you can cover the middle of those sections with more tape or paper. Make sure you seal off those areas real good! Even a small gap will leave your window looking terrible. Painting acrylic takes some time. Hold the spray can at least 12" away and just dust the surface a few times at first. Don't ever shoot the same spot for more than an instant or the paint may crack or run. Go slow at first until you get the hang of it, and be careful even then. Paint in dry weather or do it inside in a well ventilated work area or garage. Use the sun or a light of some sort to help the paint dry quicker.
After painting the window, you can use double-sided industrial tape to secure it to the top cover. If you plan to paint the covers, now is the time to do so. You must buy "Vinyl Dye" paint for the covers if you want them to be durable. Regular spray paint will come off over time, and you will have to be very careful with your PS2. Vinyl dye can be purchased at auto parts stores and some hardware stores too. If you are painting a light color, you may need to begin with white vinyl dye and then wait for it to dry before applying the final color. With PS2's coming to America in black, it is hard to cover it with a light color. You can also use multiple coats until it becomes light enough for your tastes. Remember to line up the top cover with the guts before applying the window with the tape, since the tape will be very strong and difficult to remove once installed.
To reassemble your PS2, just reverse the instructions I gave for taking it apart. The big thing to watch out for is the cable for the buttons at the top of the machine. I tried to tuck this out of the way since it was visible in the window- instead of reinstalling it the same way it came out with the tape on the DVD drive. I destroyed the cable with the screw at that corner and the buttons didn't work when I tried it out. I had to "modify" the cable assembly and it took almost as much time as the whole window mod to repair! Now the cable is about half it's original legth and the top cover is near impossible to remove. So just reinstall the cable the same way it was, and be very careful that it is secure and out of harm's way when you replace the covers. Otherwise, your PS2 will not work. If you notice a small, flat piece of metal with a screw hole in it laying on your work table after reassembling the PS2, don't worry about it. It was used to support some part of the guts to a screw and it will be nearly impossible to reinstall. I have no trouble without that piece of metal. I think it was used for alignment at the factory. Shake the PS2's guts (carefully- watch those cables) before replacing the covers to make sure nothing else is rolling around inside of it, and blow the fan out to get the dust bunnies to go away.
You will notice that I used screws to secure the window in my PS2. You do NOT want to attempt this, since it takes too much time to engineer the spacing for the holes properly, and one of the screws affects the mounting of the button assembly. Don't bother. If you like the look of screws, get some plastic "fake" ones and glue them to the window. You will thank me for the time saved. The industrial double-sided tape will work better and seal off the edge of the window unlike my method. Good luck and happy modding!
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