MAGIC2 Clip Review - Playstation 2 - thanks to PS2 NEWZ for the review.

Magic2 Clip 2.10 By- LOD

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Test Console: SCPH-39001 v7 NTSC PS2

Test Chip: Magic 2 v7 w/Magic 2 Clip Kit v2.10 by Neoasic.com

Tools Used:

25-Watt fine tip soldering iron

Solder

Flux

Tape

Pictures: Picture1 Picture2 Picture3

Installation:

The Newly redesigned Magic2 clip was provided by Neoasic.com. Big thanks to them for supplying this for a review.

Installation of the 2.10 Magic 2 clip was quite easy. First off secure the Bios Clip. This went well if fit much better than previous designs in that I had no problem getting a secure connection the first time around. The clip also has an area so that it can easily be removed in case something happends or the clip needs to be readjusted. Neoasic suggests mounting the Magic 2 to the main board. At first I did this for the sake of following directions but I did not like the position and removed it from the board and went to the next step. I will save the mounting of the Magic 2 for last after i securely mounted the clip and soldered the few wires that were needed.

The ext step Solder 7 wires. In this step I trimmed the wires to their proper length striped them and pre-tinned all the exposed ends keeping the wire ends as short as possible. I also pre-soldered all the connections to the board before any wires were attached. Separate wires were also attached for 3.3v and the GS support wire (Z). The last of the connections were to the CD/DVD controller Here is where the new clip kit comes in handy, the separate board they supply works very very well and defintely comes in handy for people who lack the proper soldering skills. I used some tape to position it before it was soldered I did NOT pre-tin any of these connections. Flux was used to coat the controller pads and clip pads. Once I had it taped in the right spot all that was needed was a dab of solder on each pad. The tape was left on for stability. Its kind of flimsy and thin but it has to be in order to fit. Adding some glue from a glue gun or using a piece of double sided tape and placing it under this board would work nicely to prevent the other end from moving too much. Next I simply connected the wire plugs into the Clip’s. The next step is mounting the chip I chose to mount it on top of the metal frame instead of sandwiched in between the board and metal frame. First off before it reinstalled the metal frame I noticed that one of the clips came very close to the metal frame of the unit. I grounded off 1/16 of an inch off the metal frame where the BIOS clip is located, though this was a personal preference and may not be needed on your unit, using tape to cover it would be fine as long as the clip can just go over the end of the frame. After my little grinding down adventure with the metal frame, it was put on and the wires were fed though openings in the metal frame. The chip was located in a spot so it would NOT interfere with the power supply and cause problems. Next I connected the plugs into the Magic 2 and connected the 3.3v and (Z) wire. The plastic that insulates the power supply from the frame was modified buy cutting a small square out so the large chip on the magic 2 would not distort the plastic insulator so much you could not get the power supply back on. I was finished in about an hour with the whole process. And guess what it worked the very first time around! I was very happy with the install. Im sure the 2.10 clip kit would be good for novice installers if patience is used. I can recommend the 2.10 clip kit for people that want to minimize the number of wires needed to be connected it can be a great help for some people. Im truly convinced that the Neoasic team has begun to perfect their clip kits and this new version is no exeption.

NOTE: There are a few pictures of the install at the top of this review one shows the final position of the chip on top of the metal frame. In my opinion this is the way to go. the wires unfortunately, are not long enough to place the chip near the Hard drive Bay where it would stay away from most obstructions.

LOD