Debugging Station
DTL-H models. Usually known for the distinctive word "TEST", which replaces the blue "PS2" logo printed on retail models' casing (excluding the DTL-H10000S showcase unit, which still says "PS2").
The DTL-H Debugging Stations are a variant of the retail PS2 intended for quality assurance on an environment as similar as possible to the consumer hardware.
Contrary to what their label indicates, these units are not capable of performing any debugging tasks on their own.
They can, however, be used for some very limited debugging of the software running on the EE only via a special accessory known as TDB Start-up Card. DTL-H models prior to DTL-H5xxxx can only use the TDB Start-up Card if their model number's 3rd digit is 1. Thus, DTL-H10000 and DTL-H3x0xx can't use it, because their built-in SECRMAN driver is the devkit stock version, which doesn't posses the card update authentication feature.
Differences
- Different programming/firmware for MECHACON, DSP (and SysCon?)
- Accepts backup discs if appropriately master patched
- Does not have a DVD player ROM on the motherboard
- Intentionally incompatible with the DVD player software (and the DVD player software, if attempted to be launched anyways, shuts down itself if the model number in EEPROM starts with DTL-H)
- Has a different MagicGate keystore for memory card update auth
- DECKARD models have a "secret menu" triggered by a button combo at startup that allows arbitrarily changing the region for the system
- Non-DECKARD models are region free. Yet, they still look for updates on region specific memory card folders like retail consoles
