What Is a PS2 Expansion Slot?

PS2 Hardware Revisions

• The original version of the PS2 console included a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, or PCMCIA, slot. This slot was available only in the initial Japanese version of the PS2 console, replaced by a standard 3.5-inch expansion bay when the console debuted in North America. This expansion bay was eventually removed from the PS2 when Sony introduced the Slimline version of the console in 2004 to accommodate the console's reduced size.`

PS2 Network Adapter

• The network adapter was the first Sony peripheral to take advantage of the expansion bay. The adapter enables the PS2 console to connect to a server to allow players to participate in peer-to-peer and massively multi-player online, or MMO, games. Ports on the adapter allow for both dial-up and Ethernet broadband connections. The Slimline PS2 was released without an expansion bay, but an internal network adapter was added. The Slimline network adapter supports only Ethernet network connections.

PS2 Hard Disc Drive

• The second peripheral to take advantage of the expansion bay was the PS2 hard disc drive. The PS2 HDD is a 40-gigabyte disc drive that holds as much as 500 individual PS2 memory cards. Games can be backed up or installed to the HDD to decrease loading times and improve performance. Of the 5,000 games in the PS2 library, only 29 are compatible with the HDD. Sony stopped officially supporting the HDD in 2004 after releasing the updated Slimline console.

Linux for PS2

• Sony released a Linux kit for the PS2 in 2002 that made use of the expansion slot. By pairing the console with a monitor, the Linux kit transforms a PlayStation 2 into a fully operational personal computer. This kit includes the PS2 network adapter, a 40-gigabyte hard disc drive, a copy of the Linux operating system and a USB keyboard. The Linux project was discontinued by Sony in 2010, and the kit is no longer available for purchase.