PS2 Multi-Media Docking Station

Wow. That’s most likely the first thing you’ll say when you see the Playstation 2 Docking Station. Then you might say “cool” when you see what it does. The Docking Station is part of a new line of accessories by Dreamgear, and it’s like a vertical stand on steroids.

First of all, there’s a place to put your PS2 vertically on the far left. On the right side is a rack to hold 11 of your favorite titles. On the far left and right edges are slots to put memory cards and the included universal remote. The whole look of it is very clean and organized which adds to the convenience. Along the front is where you’ll find the built-in multitap. There’s also a headphone jack and an audio in, so you can play your own music through the TV speakers. You’ll also see that there are little lights along the front that let you know which system is currently selected, since the Docking Station is also a system selector.

The Docking Station is made to fit the look of the PS2, so it’s black and has the matching grooves found on the front edge of the PS2 itself. It’s about the same size as the PS2 when it’s laid horizontally, but when you consider how much it holds it really does save space.

The remote works great. It’s universal, meaning you can program it to work with your TV, VCR, etc. It’s a good PS2 DVD remote, allowing you to control your DVD movies without using up another controller slot.

Up to five systems can be hooked up to the Docking Station’s built-in system selector, allowing you to play any and all of your systems while only using one input on your TV. There are four S-Video inputs and one RF input located on the back of the Docking Station. The Docking Station works with any TV that supports S-Video, A/V, or RF connectors. There’s even an audio out so you can hook up your Docking Station to any sound system you might have.

If you already have a setup for all of your video games systems, there’s a bit of rewiring involved to integrate the Docking Station into your family of cords, cables, and electronics. It’s worth it, though, since it takes all of your systems and runs it through a single piece of hardware that also acts as a multitap. It’s just so convenient to have all of the Docking Station’s functions in one place. Whether you only own a Playstation 2 or all three of the systems, the Docking Station will benefit you in some way. I definitely recommend the Docking Station for any gamer out there. 

Pros:
Well, let’s see: it’s a system selector, DVD remote, vertical stand, video game rack, memory card holder, and a multitap. It doesn’t take up any more room that a PS2 on its side, and it’s made to look like the PS2 itself so it doesn’t stand out. The system selector even auto-switches when a new system is turned on, making it very handy. The included remote not only acts as a DVD remote, but a remote to the Docking Station itself. You can even program it to work with your TV, VCR, etc. Plus it includes a free pair of headphones – you can never go wrong with that.

Cons:
There really isn’t much to complain about at all. It has so many good features.

Verdict: 9.6
The Docking Station for the Playstation 2 is the most convenient add-on I have used so far. It took a bit of rewiring to work it into my current setup, but it was worth it. All my systems now run through the Docking Station.