posted 04-02-2004 02:48 PM         

Definition: 'experience' - the thing you get just after you needed it!

What is X-Port?

X-Port is a communication channel between PS2 and PC, allowing any save files to be transferred between the PC hard drive and the memory card in slot 1.

It consists of:

1. A USB cable to link one of the USB slots on the front of your PS2 (I always use the top one :shrug: ) to a USB slot on your PC.

2. A PC disk which needs to be installed once only on the PC.

3. A PS2 disk which needs to be placed in the PS2 each time you want to use the connection.

What is SharkPort?

The same thing as X-Port. It used to be SharkPort for NTSC (USA), X-Port for PAL (Europe/Autralasia). Now SharkPort is discontinued, and it is X-Port everywhere.

What can I use it for?

You can transfer any save file to or from the memory card in slot 1. This includes replays, car setup files, saved games (a.k.a. garages) for GT3, plus of course, saves of any other games on your PS2 memory card.

In effect, X-Port means you never need to buy an extra memory card, because you have (however-many-your-PC-has) Megabytes of space to swap to and from your memory card.

You can email your replays to validate your race runs, receive ghost car laps to load when trying free run or license tests to see how it's done, receive garages containing cars you always wanted ... and, you can copy your own garage to the PC to enable you to edit it!

You can also import game cheats from CodeJunkies ... but of course we don't like cheaters at GTBN!

Where can I get one?

Lots of people have trouble sourcing an X-Port. Try some of these suggestions:

UK:
Gameplay
Special Reserve
Play.com: Wow! Are these off the back of a lorry, or what? Check the price!

US:
Bits.com

Or anyone could look on eBay for one.

How do I edit my garage? What can I do?

Transfer your game save to the PC.

Download the "MK's Garage Editor! program: v38 available here. (thanks WasteGate)

You can export cars you have as an .ini file

You can load an .ini file over an existing car in your garage

You can 'adjust' your cash, arcade tracks open, etc.

See this thread for some suggestions, or ask here.

Then save your garage file again, and transfer it back to your PS2 Memory Card.

Connecting up

You do not need a screen attached to the PS2, nor a DualShock controller, when using X-Port. If your PC is near your PS2, then lucky you, but if not ...

You need a power lead near your computer for the PS2.

You need a USB slot free on your PC.

You need the PS2 to be within reach of the PC per the X-Port cable supplied with the disks.

Plug the X-Port lead into the PC and the PS2. Make sure you have installed the X-Port program from the PC disk onto your PC. (You no longer need the PC disk once this is done.) Power up the PS2 and insert the PS2 X-Port disk.

Then start up the X-Port program on the PC.

Allow enough time (a few seconds as usual) for the PS2 to boot up the X-Port disk before you try to access the PS2 memory card through the X-Port software, otherwise you will get a USB port error.

(also see 'Problems' section below)

How do I figure out what I'm doing?

LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT ...

The X-Port software is pretty poor. It works OK, and doesn't readily crash, but it lacks user-friendliness. Follow some guidelines here and you will sleep more easily at night.

The program starts up looking in the default area on the PC (a pathname based on what you typed when installing the PC software from the PC disk), usually "Program Files\Datel\Xport 2\Savedgames"

Of course, at first there will be nothing in there. (Or maybe some predefined items provided by Datel.)

Look to the three radio buttons at the bottom of the window: 'Mem Card' 'PC Database' 'Codejunkies.com'

Switch to 'Mem Card' and there will be a short delay while the PC downloads details of what is on the memory card in slot 1. You should see a dialog box showing data 'pumping' across the wire(!)

You will then see the listings of save files in the 'Games Found' and 'Saves Available' windows.

Saving something from Mem Card to PC

You have clicked 'Mem Card', the PC has interrogated the PS2 (with a popup box showing data flowing across the wire), so now your windows show what save files are available on the card in slot 1.

Click the check box to the left of the item you want to upload to the PC.

IMPORTANT

When you backup a file from the memory card, the software will assign is a completely useless file name, eg. 'GTBestLSave0204526700' for the save file which was called "GT3 Best Lapp2 5Q 1'33.513" on the memory card. (Note: this 'memory card name' is comprised of (what kind of file the X-port thinks it is) + (the comments you supplied when you saved the file)

If you back up more than one thing at a time, it may be difficult to discern which PC file corresponds to which save from the memory card. (In particular, if two files of the same type, eg. two license tests, two race replays, or two best laps are backed up at the same time.)

So it is good practice to follow these guidelines:

1. open an 'Explore' window on the 'Savedgames' folder when you start up the X-Port tool. (A shortcut on your desktop might be a good idea.)

2. Backup only one file at a time.

3. Rename each file to a meaningful name before backing up another file.

4. Have separate folders for each game and/or type of file, and move the files out of 'Savedgames' once they have been backed up, to avoid clutter in the 'Savedgames' folder which is the staging area for X-port saves and restores.

Also ...

Note that the X-Port software see the name which was assigned to the save when it was saved. It does not see the new name created by the "Change Comm" function on the PS2. So if you ever save a file, say a hot lap replay, and you include the lap time in the save name, but you mistype the time, you should not use "change comments" to fix the name, you should immediately re-save the same data in the same slot, giving the corrected save name, so that X-port will acknowlege the updated name.

Is there an easy way to manage my backed up files?

GT3Mich has been known to recommend Arwin's Replay Manager as a really useful tool. (Alternate url here).

Sending saved files to the PS2

Rather straightforward.

Simply copy the file you want to put onto the PS2 into your 'Savedgames' area, then open the X-Port tool and you will see it listed in the "PC Database". Click to place a checkmark (a.k.a. tick) next to the file you want to restore to the PS2 Memory Card, then click "Restore". The dialog box wll pop up, showing the data flowing across the wire, and will disappear when the transfer is complete.

Remember, your X-Port is talking only to the Card in slot 1 of the PS2.

And if you do not keep your 'Savedgames' area tidy, you will have headaches trying to remember which save is what. Good filing discipline is a must with X-Port.

WARNING:

A memory card may only contain one Game Save (=garage) at a time. If you want to load a new garage to your memory card (eg. one you've been sent, containing exciting cars), MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SAFELY BACKED UP YOUR OWN GAME SAVE FIRST! The most common catastrophe for novice X-Porters is to accidentally overwrite their main game save and hence lose all thier progress to date.

Where can I get replays?

I will post urls in the section below if anyone cares to suggest any. There are many replays etc. available at GTBN and other boards. Usually any member just needs to ask and will be supplied with all the replays he/she could need.

What replays can I use?

If your TV/PS2 uses the NTSC broadcast standard (North America), you can view replays supplied by any other NTSC user.
- The Missing Link's GTRC-Lite 2004 free run hot laps and full races zip at gtnetwork.de (requires login)

If your TV/PS2 uses the PAL broadcast standard (Europe/Australaia), you can view replays supplied by any othe PAL user.
- License test and Time Attack (a.k.a. Time Trial or TT) replays on request from here.
- Some replays and other stuff at WasteGate's website

Why the restriction between PAL & NTSC?

(All just as far as I know ...) The restriction is caused by the broadcast standard. The game code samples the user inputs, calculates the car movements, and redraws the picture once for every whole frame (picture) displayed on the TV. Because of electromagnetic interference, TV frame rates must be tied to the local mains electricity frequency to avoid unacceptable 'wobble' on the picture. The NTSC edition of the game does all of this based on 60 Hz (60 frames per second) to match US standard. The PAL world does this based on 50 Hz to match local electricity standards.

The problem with replays is that, in order to minimize replay file size, the replay save records only the samples of the controller inputs. The entire replay is rebuilt by rerunning the game but using the stored samples of what controller moves you made. This (nearly) always works out OK if the machine on which the replay is being run is of the same type as the machine on which the replay was saved.

But if the replay file contains controller inputs for every 1/60 of a second, and that data is fed into a program which is calculating the behaviour every 1/50 of a second, it should be obvious to see why it won't work!

[Techie nerds may like to note that interlaced scan wll result in them seeing, for example on a PAL video with freeze frame function, a frame period of 1/25 of a second (.040s) because it takes two 1/50ths of a second to draw the whole screen, 1/50 for odd numbered lines, 1/50 for even number lines.]

As for setup files, game saves, .ini files for MK's garage editor, I'll wait for someone more knowlegeable than myself to explain what is or is not compatible between NTSC (USA, miles) and PAL (Europe/Aus, kilometres) versions of the game ...

I don't know what happens if you try to use a PAL edition X-Port on an NTSC machine or vice versa, but I'll take a guess:
- the X-Port cable should be identical
- I guess the PC disk is identical
- I guess the PS2 disk probably has the usual DVD region protection, so your machine will only read the opposing edition of the disk if you have 'chipped' your machine to make it region-free.
- I guess the program that is on there is identical, if you can get your PS2 to read it.

Problems Experienced by users:

1. Number one problem using X-Port is accidentally overwriting your main saved game on your card before backing it up. It is up to you to make sure you avoid this. REMEMBER: you can have only one GT3 saved game (garage) on a memory card at a time - if you 'restore' another garage, you overwrite the one that was there! (You can have lots of replay files saved on one card though - as long as they have different names.)

2. endlessx9 found when he first installed his X-Port utility on the PC, that the radio buttons did not respond to the mouse pointer moving over them. They should respond by being temporarily highlighted when the pointer is over them, and by showing a help bar explaining their purpose when the pointer is left stationary over them for a short while. Edit: endlessx9 had a hard drive fault, and when he installed a new drive then installed X-Port, it all worked fine.

3. endlessx9 has a fault on one of the USB ports on his PC. When he tries to use X-Port on that USB slot, he always gets the error message "USB Port Error Connecting to PS2". His other USB slot works fine.

4. eggmann reports:
PS2's with model SCPH-50001/N cannot read the NTSC Sharkport disc.

[This message has been edited by player2 (edited 09-27-2004).]

IP: Logged

posted 04-02-2004 10:25 PM         

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Racer #199
AIM SN: endlessx9

posted 04-03-2004 12:54 AM         

Thanks for the effort!

posted 04-05-2004 06:26 AM         

If I had this to look at when I was using mine for the fioirt time I may not have fretted so much when tinkering with my first few saves.

Note:
The

quote:

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completely useless file name, eg. 'GTBestLSave0204526700'

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may not be as usless as we originally thought.

It's actually a date and time stamp, given by the X-Port when writing the file to PC!!

Example: GT3BestLSave0504602400 - 05=Day 04=Month 602400 I have not managed to work out thouroughly as yet. But I did copy this file around 06:50 this morning.

If the user can remember when he/she copied the file to PC then there is half the problem solved. Still writing the name of your file in the X-Port is the best route to go.

This is the way I have grown comfortable to using the 'port program.

1) Read card

2) Tick what replays/games I want to 'Backup'

3) Copy(Backup)

4) In the PC Database box, delete the prefix given by the X-Port program From 'GT3BestLapSaveYour first replay name' , which is 'GT3BestLapSave' so that my replay name now looks like this 'Your first replay name by double clicking on the replay in the PCDatabase box and deleting the relevant.
Note: This name can be changed to anything I like! I just leave it the same as what I saved it as in the game save screen for ease understanding

5) Highlight the now shortend file name and copy
Note: This file name will be what you see in the PC Database box when you send the file back to the X-Port to Restore back to your memory card no matter what you call it outside of this area.

6) Transfer the file/s to the Desktop one by one by checking and transfering each , deleting the last done as I go along

7) Highlight the file name of newly arrived save on the desktop and paste my file name to it

8) Drag the file to the location of my choice

I don't put the file from the PC Database box into the location of choice first because it just takes too long opening folder after folder before you get to the one you want to plant the file in.

Hope that helps.

posted 04-05-2004 09:31 AM         

Re. "completely useless" - OK, I take the point. But if you click a bunch of items on your memcard then hit 'backup', knowing that they were all backed up today doesn't help much!

eg.

[v] GT3 Best Lapp2 5Q 1'31.208
[v] GT3 Best Lapp2 5Q 1'31.090

backup ->

GT3BestLSave0504880000
GT3BestLSave0504886700

Could we agree on "almost completely useless"?

More seriously, you raise a good point that I missed - the PC Database "Games Found" window shows a meaningful name even if the file name on your hard drive is not helpful.

Re. your point after steps (6)..(8), about not dragging directly to the target folders:

If you keep the 'Folders' panel open in the left hand side of your 'Explore' window, you can drag the saves directly from 'Savedgames' (the right panel) to all the target folders you like - just work the '+' buttons in the folder list until you got everything you want on the folder list.

[This message has been edited by player2 (edited 04-06-2004).]

IP: Logged

posted 04-14-2004 09:07 AM         

In other words did you find what the problem was, or can we say it was your faulty hard drive which caused the malfunction?

I'd like to add an informative comment in the original post of the thread, where I mentioned your trouble.

Thanks.

Edit: OK, I guessed it was purely due to your drive fault. Let me know if the comment I inserted is wrong.

posted 04-15-2004 05:51 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by player2:
Now SharkPort is discontinued, and it is X-Port everywhere.

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posted 04-22-2004 11:14 AM         

Try here if you live in the UK.

posted 04-22-2004 11:22 AM         

quote:

---

Originally posted by eggmann:
Someone in the UK just PM'd me at GTP to ask where they can an X-Port in Manchester... Anyone know?

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I think the cheapest place to get one in the UK is at Play.com. At just £15 incl delivery there is no reason why any UK GT3 fan shouldn't have one.

posted 04-30-2004 07:38 AM         

Thanks for all the help, p2, thanks for the saves, wg, and thanks to everyone else that helped with this.

posted 04-30-2004 07:56 AM         

We look forward with anticipation to see your lap times tumble as you strive to pass the ghost of WG.

posted 04-30-2004 04:03 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by player2:
...the ghost of WG.

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I hadn't heard about that and it's quite a shock! Poor Wastegate, and he was such a young man too. How exactly did he go? Another bicycle accident?

I must say that was rather cold of P2 to put a smiley after the news. I'm sure deep down we're all secretly happy to be moving up a notch in the future spot race results, but let's show a proper respect for the recently departed, P2.

Thank goodness he lasted long enough to finish GTRC lite. His name is now officially in the Numbers record books as a champion for all future Gran Turismo drivers to see.

posted 04-30-2004 06:10 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by Nightcrawler1:
secretly happy to be moving up a notch

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posted 04-30-2004 06:54 PM         

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nightcrawler1:
let's show a proper respect for the recently departed, P2.

---

Sorry to try and hijack the humor band wagon, but when did P2 go as well?!!!

First master WG, and now my good mate Gragam?

posted 05-02-2004 04:20 AM         

I have MK’s Garage Editor, there will be more dancing and rejoicing.

I haven’t really done much with either but I can see where the garage editor in particular is going to lead to hours of research and fun, they are much the same thing to me.

I got my X-Port from BITS.com and I can recommend them, they were surprisingly prompt with the delivery.

(Little do they know that every time they use that link it will actually... Hmm, still on? No, it’s not still on. You see, you can tell when it’s off becau... Oh blast! (CLICK)

posted 05-02-2004 05:38 AM         

Unfortunately of the four hidden cars I can only buy the Diablo from another card. I’m fairly close to 200,000-miles before 1,000-days and I didn’t want to alter my save before reaching that goal. Is there a way to make them purchasable?

posted 05-02-2004 02:46 PM         

Back up your game save, then you can have multiple copies with/without alterations.

BTW - buy any cheap car, backup the garage to PC, import the 'ini' file for the car you want in place of the cheap car you bought (you need to click on the car you wish to replace before you import the ini file, so it replaces the right car), save the garage, restore the garage to PS2. Two ini files in your mailbox now. Let me know if they work OK for you.

p2

[This message has been edited by player2 (edited 05-02-2004).]

IP: Logged

posted 05-05-2004 01:10 AM         

It was my object, and still is for that matter, to keep my original save pristine, virginal if you will, unsullied by contact with an X-Port or other such device. I have a second memory card so I could, and did, enjoy driving these vehicles. However, I was unable to transfer them to my pristine save while still keeping it pristine.

I did find a solution, I simply told a lie. I changed the name and identification number of the Stratos to those for the Motor Sport Elise and then could purchase it for the price of that car. I had thought of telling such a lie before for the purpose of entering restricted events so this works out well for me.

posted 06-30-2004 09:06 PM         

If you need information, on MK's Garage Editor, pretty much anything you need to know (and a good few things you don't LOL) can be found here:
http://www.granturismobynumbers.com/ubb/Forum31/HTML/001113.html

posted 09-07-2004 06:01 AM         

I'm trying to install an SU-107 7-port Cicero USB hub (1.0/1.1 & powered) on my Win2000 system. No driver came with it. It's supposedly plug 'n'play and compatible with all WIN op/sys'. Generic USB drivers won't work. No resulting hardware IRQ conflicts, and both standard system USB ports work fine. It starts the plug 'n' pray installation but aborts because it can't find the "..specified function driver..." The installed device says "..cannot start device..."

: : : (1) anyone know how to get a driver from Cicero?
: : : (2) is there a compatible substitute driver I can use?
: : : (3) anything I've missed? suggestions?

Look in Device Manager under "Computer". If it's ACPI, let's change it to "Standard PC":

1. Reinstall Windows 2000 from within Win2K (run Setup on the CD) and (on reboot) press F5 when you see "Setup is inspecting hardware..." and select the Standard PC HAL when prompted. Continue by using the Repair > Fast Repair (no Recovery Console and no Emergency Repair Disk) method. This is the technique I recommend.

2. An easier, but less sure fix is to change the driver for "Computer" in Device Manager to Standard PC and restart. Go to the Driver tab and click Update driver > Next> Display a list...> Show all...> Standard PC. Although this technique works for me, I have heard of systems that will not restart when it's used. A word to the wise...

Afterward, go to Control Panel > Power Options > APM and enable APM.

Also, it might be worth trying here to see if anyone can help you:

http://www.driverrequest.com .

Or maybe here:

http://jd2.net/wired-networking/cicero-4-port-usb-hub-driver.html .

Hope that's of some help anyhow.

posted 10-24-2004 10:27 AM         

It is a neat bit of software. Now, I haven't actually fooled with the program it's self, but my friend does. He makes all sorts of cars. Like an F1 powered EG Civic, a Cobra powered del-Sol, etc. The only problem though about the X-Port cars is that they may not turn very well. Like the del-Sol. It's such a sleeper. But when you want to get the turn at any speed you hit the wall.

Oh well.

Good luck all.

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93 Accord EC coupe - the Panda