When did "mod-chips" start?

[HazeyTheLazy]

I would like input on where modchips started...

-I think it started on the Sega Saturn, not sure though...

-But, they are a miracle on a silicone board!

-HaZeY

 

[Shinster]

Actually early neanderthals installed modchips on dinosaurs so they can tame and ride them. So the cartoon 'Dino Riders' were based on actual history (or pre-history).

 

[supervillain]

the first playstation was the first mod chip I ever heard of

 

[HazeyTheLazy]

which was first the saturn or the playstation 1? b/ i know Saturn had a modchip b/ I had one on mine.

 

[Lumstar]

Most likely Playstation. It was, and remains, far easier to mod than Saturn. Despite being more popular. For one thing, newer and older Saturn systems had differences in how they were modded. It's very hard to find chips for the old type.

 

[webyugioh]

Source: Wikipedia

Cartridge based console systems did not have modchips produced for them. They usually implemented copy protection and regional lockout with game cartridges, both on physical and hardware level. Converters or passthrough devices have been used to circumvent the restrictions, later on flash memory cartridges to copy game media became available. Early in the transition from solid-state to optical media, CD based console systems did not have regional market segmentation or copy protection measures due to the rarity of user-writeable media at the time.

Modchips started to surface with the PlayStation system, due to its popularity and the increasing availability and affordability of CD writers. At the time, a modchips' sole purpose was to allow the use of imported and copied game media.

Today, modchips are available for practically every current console system, often in a great number of variations. In addition to circumventing regional lockout and copy protection mechanisms, modern modchips may introduce more sophisticated modifications to the system, such as allowing the use of user-created software (homebrew), expanding the hardware capabilities of its host system, or even installing an alternative operating system to completely repurpose the host system (e.g. for use as a Home theater PC).

So there is what i found.

 

[Doggy124]

Is "floppy disk drive for SNES" count?

 

[squirt1000]

The PSone was the first to recieve a "proper" modchip. The Snes and Nes has backup units much like the gameboy did. Thats where my adventures into flashcarts first began! Gool ol days of flashing with the parallel port on windows 9x

 

[Harsky]

Speaking of PS modchips, I ordered one from a website for shits and giggles and put it into my old Playstation without a problem. Wish I learnt soldering skills years and years ago but I suppose the big problem is trying to obtain the Playstation ISOs back then when the only thing available was dial up or actually buying pirate games.

 

[Taras]

Mod chips make baby-Jesus cry.

 

[BoneMonkey]

i thought the saturn was the first i remember there being modchips for the saturn

 

[Devante]

Actually early neanderthals installed modchips on dinosaurs so they can tame and ride them. So the cartoon 'Dino Riders' were based on actual history (or pre-history).

Best answer.

ha






Playstation had the first modchips, but console piracy dates back to atari.

 

[paOol]

Speaking of PS modchips, I ordered one from a website for shits and giggles and put it into my old Playstation without a problem. Wish I learnt soldering skills years and years ago but I suppose the big problem is trying to obtain the Playstation ISOs back then when the only thing available was dial up or actually buying pirate games.

thats what blockbuster + cdwriter was for