I have a couple of questions regarding the PS2
I want to play a couple games that weren't released in the UK and I'm wondering whether the PS2 is region free.
If it isn't how would one go about playing an American game on a British console?
If I need a chipped console what is the easiest way of getting a chipped console that won't cost a ton of money?
would it be easier/cheaper to just buy an NTSC console on ebay even though i'll only be playing 2 or 3 games on it? This would result in having 2 PS2s however which is just more clutter really, innit.
PS2s are not region free. It is possible to use homebrew to play games from other regions, however afaik it requires ripping the game and playing on a backup disc or HDD. This process is pretty painless, and you can find someone to send you a homebrew-enabling memory card at cost in various places, though that might be a bit of a hassle in itself.
You can find chipped consoles on places on Assembler Games' trade forums. You might also be able to find someone willing to do the mod, though I don't know anyone personally.
Buying an NTSC console is pretty easy if you can get one local to where you are. Otherwise shipping might make the cost a bit prohibitive. Depending on your budget it might be the most appealing solution, though, as it's the only way to do it "legit".
Keep in mind, also, that due to differences between NTSC and PAL standards, your TV might not like the PS2's output via homebrew or modchip. I'm not sure about those particular methods, however most dev units (which are also region free) have issues with this.