Burning PS2 Backups
 

I've been trying to burn several PS2 backups with my computer, but every time I try to play them, they suffer from terrible load times and FMV skipping. I've been burning with Alcohol 120% (version 1.9.2) at 4x speed (the lowest my burner will allow) using the PlayStation 2 preset. Is there anything I've been doing wrong? If not, are there any good alternatives to Alcohol?

The issue could be with your PS2 itself. I presume it can play original pressed discs without skipping/loading issues, if it can't then it could be the laser. It could also be an issue with your modchip, so if possible try playing those backups on a different modded PS2 to see if the same issue occurs.

If the discs play fine on a different PS2, then it's your PS2 at fault. If the discs still cause issues, then it's the disc (and therefore your PC) at fault.

The preset could be causing the problem; presuming they are simply disc images (*.iso) then burn them as they are, without using any specific preset. You could try using a different software, such as Nero Burning ROM, to burn the disc.

Also, make sure to verify the burned disc afterwards to make sure it can be read properly and not an instant coaster.

My PS2 is not modded; I've been using a Swap Magic/Slide Card combo to play backups. Could this be part of the problem?

Personally I use DVD Decrypter to burn my games. Your speed is fine, though it could be you're using bad media. What are you using? (Brand AND DVDR type + or - )

It varies to be honest. I've used Phillips, Office Depot, Memorex, and Verbatim, as well as many a knock-off of them (I've been using mainly DVDR+). I came with this because my PS-One backups have the same type of problem.

I'm burning a backup right now to try on my roomate's PS2.

Edit: Where can I find DVD Decrypter?

Edit 2: Never mind; found it.

Final Edit: After using DVD Decrypter to burn an image, the backup ran perfectly! Thanks for your help, everyone!

For the next ps2 backups I advise you to use ImgBurn. It's a fork of the burning engine from DVDDecrypter, which development was stopped some time ago because of 'legal problems'. But the problem was only the reading engine, that did the decryption, so the writing engine was free to further exist.

cya
liquid

I updated to ImgBurn, but the stupid thing doesn't recognize my burner :(

ImgBurn -> Settings -> I/O -> Interface

I use DVDecrypter and I've never had any problems playing games using the Swap Magic Combo. Hell, I even burned the games on DVD+Rs....:(

Well, I already said that DVDectrypter worked fine for me, so I really don't see the point of your post.

I've had better results using Nero, but there's a certain trick that I've found helps.

In Nero, when I tell it to burn the image, I get bad load times and sometimes just unreadable discs (to the PS2, anyway). What I've found to be the best solution is to get Daemon Tools, which makes a virtual DVD drive that your computer sees as a physical one, and mount the image there; after doing that, you tell Nero to "copy" the "DVD" to the burner. It takes longer because Nero has to write the image (even though it's already on your computer, it thinks it isn't) and THEN burn it. FMV skipping isn't something I don't think you'll ever entirely avoid on a burned disc, but doing it this way has gotten me very rare and very minor issues as opposed to the game being unplayable.

I haven't done this in Alcohol yet, because once I got Nero to work I stopped looking for other alternatives, but try that method and see if it helps any.