PS2 Component woes

[Geoff D]

Got my spanking new official PS2 component lead today & now my machine displays precisely sod all - the PS2 is a PAL machine, chipped with an original Messiah.

Could the chip be causing the problems?

Any help much appreciated

[mingo]

use the RGB cable and go into the menu screen. Navigate to video output and change it to component, the replace RGB with component. Should work.... i had the same problem.

[Pavey]

Bizarre!

A work colleague called me this morning with exactly the same problem. Have you changed to Component output in the menu?

If not it's down,x,down,down,down,x,left,x.

Hopefully that's it for you. Are you getting sound but no picture?

[Shozuki]

official Component cable!? gasp!? can you give me a heads up from where?

[Lyris]

Some PS2 chips bungle the Y/pb/pr output yeah. I remember when I had a PS2, the bootup sequence on PS1 games would output as RGB (no matter what I had the signal type set to) so appeared scrambled up.

[C']

Back in the days of the original Messiah chips, the mod people would also do something inside the PS2 to 'fix' the green DVD playback when watching DVDs in RGB. However, doing this also had the nasty side effect of breaking component out.

It's not the chip as such, just another workaround that modders performed.

You may be lucky and you just need your PS2 Video Output changing to Y/pb/pr but if that doesn't work, I would put money on it being the above.

[Geoff D]

Thanks chaps - I should have mentioned that I'd already been into the menu to change video output to Y/pb/pr - interestingly enough, the PS2 still seems to display through RGB scart with this mode selected; looks like Lyris & C' are right then, & component out on my PS2 is knackered

official Component cable!? gasp!? can you give me a heads up from where?

From Playasia my good man.

[F@TMAN]

Sorry to resurrect, but I found this forum by chance when I was googling, and I've been having a similar issue with a similar setup. My Questions are:
1: Are there users who've found solutions to similar issues on this board, if so what was the outcome?
2: More information on the "RBG Fix" of this, and older, PS2 mod. Why was it required, i.e. what did it "fix"?
3: Whether reversing the RBG Fix will solve my issue and result in video being successfully transmitted via. component, and if it will affect DVD playback of any kind, or playback of backup games?
4: Any other suggestions users might have?

Appreciate your time!

[Jei]

AFAIK if you've got a machine modded with one of the earlier chips such as the first messiah then you're out of luck.

The RGB Fix is concerned with DVD Playback. Basically on a standard unmodded ps2 you can't play DVD's through RGB without getting a "Green Screen". The modchip gets around this but in the same time prevents you from using the Component Output of the machine.

As for reversing the RGB Fix as far as I know it's not possible, it's inbuilt with the firmware on the chip.

Just for reference do you know which chip you actually have inside your machine?

And as for a suggestion all I can really suggest is getting a newer machine modded with a Matrix Infinity. Component out with an Infinity on a slimline is no problem whatsoever.

[F@TMAN]

thnx for ur reply, jeimuzu_uk. I'm using a messiah clone (called the OzDirect) on my V5 console. From the research I've done, referring to the attached image, it seems the RBG fix is simply a connection between two points on the PS2 board. If I no longer am using an RGB connection, I wouldn't think there should be any problems with removing this join (considering I won't be watching DVD's on my PS2 anyway, it's merely to improve picture on gameplay) unless, as you mentioned, it's also handled by the mod (does this mean that ALL video is output as RGB then?). Although, I've posted on numerous boards and it doesn't seem as though anyone has tried similar (which I find suprising). And I'm sure most will agree that having to fork out for a new mod/console simply to get component out isn't worthwhile, might as well start saving for a PS3! Appreciate your feedback, cheers

[fallenangle]

If you just want to do it because you think using component is going to be an improvement over RGB (SCART) you're likely to be disappointed. Unless the game supports progressive scan all you're getting through component (60Hz) is the same 480i resolution although using a different colour system otherwise indistinguishable from RGB.

There are only a handful of PS2 games that support progressive scan. Of those I know: Tekken 4 and Tomb Raider: Anniversary I can't tell the difference in PQ on my 32" widescreen CRT between 480p and 480i at 60Hz through RGB SCART with Tekken 4. In fact if it wasn't for the 50Hz refresh rate slowing the games down, in pure PQ terms, 576i through RGB (or component for that matter) looks marginally better than 480p.

The compromised prog scan mode in TR: A actually produces a result that is inferior in several ways to RGB.

[Jei]

I've asked someone today who used to mod using the Messiah and the RGB Fix is easily reversable. As you've shown in the diagram its usually 2 points linked together. If you want component out then break this link.

However if you ever wanna use RGB again they'l show in Black and White regardless of which scart cable you use.

[F@TMAN]

that's precisely what I'm afraid of, fallenangle. But, having said that, I have to put my objectives into context: it wasn't so much gaming that I was concerned on improving PQ, it was more so the multimedia side of things (DVD and xvid playback) I was hoping to see an improvement. That said, it occured to me that I can take advantage of the HDMI connectivity between my laptop & my TV, which is going to give the best PQ for those purposes (but then again, we are only talking about SD content at best). I don't think I'll tinker with my console for now, but I do appreciate all your feedback! cheers

[huxley]

I've asked someone today who used to mod using the Messiah and the RGB Fix is easily reversable. As you've shown in the diagram its usually 2 points linked together. If you want component out then break this link.

However if you ever wanna use RGB again they'l show in Black and White regardless of which scart cable you use.

If thats the case why not install a small on/off switch then youre covered for any eventuality.

[Jei]

If thats the case why not install a small on/off switch then youre covered for any eventuality.

I can't see no reason why an on-off switch wouldn't work perfectly, sadly the Messiah 1 is such as old chip that most people weren't interested in Component back then.

I'm crap with electronics so maybe you should use F@TMAN as you're test-mule