Few PS2 questions - PSone w/component, FFXII

[egparadigm]

Hey guys,

1) Is there a way to get my PS2 to display psone games through component on my HDTV? I can hear the psone music playing, but the TV says "mode not supported". I think it's likely that the PSone games are too low a resolution or something. It works through composite, but.. GOD is it ugly.

2) Do any versions of FFXII support progressive scan (ie. US as opposed to PAL)?

3) Anyone know if the Xploder HDTV player supports PSone games/different region PS2 games?

I'm sure I had some more q's - I'll post when I remember.

Thanks for any help,

mono.

[3x3cut10n3r]

1) Is there a way to get my PS2 to display psone games through component on my HDTV? I can hear the psone music playing, but the TV says "mode not supported". I think it's likely that the PSone games are too low a resolution or something. It works through composite, but.. GOD is it ugly.

PS1 games should work fine through component without you needing to do anything. I am pretty damn sure that I loaded up FF8 on my PS2 not to long ago, and I only use component or VGA. Can't help you there.

2) Do any versions of FFXII support progressive scan (ie. US as opposed to PAL)?

No. None of the versions of the game has 480p. There is one way to get it to display, and that is using question 3.

3) Anyone know if the Xploder HDTV player supports PSone games/different region PS2 games?

It does not support PS1 games or games of other regions, you can get it to work if you have the right equipment. If you have a SwapMagic, boot the Xploder HDTV player and then load the SwapMagic disk. This will load SwapMagic in the mode you select, then you can boot your import.

[egparadigm]

I presume I need swapmagic even though I have a chipped machine?

As regards the component PS1 issue - it may be to do with the HDTV I have not supporting the puny resolutions of PS1. I had a google around and there are a few people with the same problem. I take it you are using an HDTV and not EDTV?

Does anyone know what resolution PSone games are displayed in through a PS2?

Strangely, when I was messing about with the cables, I was running Driver 2 and then plugged in the cable to the back of the console (it had been unplugged) and briefly a Driver 2 loading screen was displayed. It then went back to "mode not supported" as the sound of a cutscene was heard.

[Kubrick]

I just tried to play a PS1 game in my machine and it wouldn't load either - was actually showing as a PS2 game in the browser.

[3x3cut10n3r]

I presume I need swapmagic even though I have a chipped machine?

Hmm...not 100% sure. I have heard reports that the program does not work when chips are enabled but can't confirm that as mine is not chipped. If I had to make an educated guess then I would say that it is not likely to work as I am not sure how the program and chip would effect each other.

I take it you are using an HDTV and not EDTV?

EDTV? You insult me sir.

I have an LG 50PC1D.

Does anyone know what resolution PSone games are displayed in through a PS2?

They run between 256x224 - 740x480 pixels, which shouldn't be a problem. The fact that it displayed for a second and then disappears sounds more like your TV than anything. Can't test with mine at the moment though as I am at work.

[fallenangle]

If you can't get it to work through component why not use RGB SCART? Hell of a lot better than composite and should equal what you'll get through component from a non-HD source like the PS2. There are so few PS2 games that support prog scan that unless there's some specific/practical reason for needing to use component connections why bother?

[egparadigm]

That is what I may have to do if there's no way of using component. In my experience, though, my HDTV doesn't much like scart connections - the picture quality is worse. So it would mean having to move the PS2 to another TV. It's just convenience, really. Also I recently sold my RGB scart cable.

[egparadigm]

OK - I went and bought a Scart cable. Initial impressions were a little scary, but I've got it sorted now.

Basically - PSone games look great (well for PS1 games) - but PS2 games through the scart look really bad (loads of jiggilies and more blurry). I'll just have to switch the cables round depending on what I'm playing.

One slight annoyance is that the cable I bought doesn't seem to have scart control (auto channel switching) - does anyone here know how to re-solder the connections to enable it?

[egparadigm]

I;ve had another look at it and it doesn't look any different to composite. Therefore, I'm unsure if it's even running in RGB. I have put the console onto another tv which tells me when the output is RGB, and it is. So presumably the console and cable are OK, and for some reason my TV is not in RGB. I find it difficult to tell with PS1 games are they are all crappy anyway.

Is there any way of telling whether a TV is picking up RGB signal as opposed to composite. Also, when I switch the component out setting from Y Pb Pr to RGB it doesn't seem to make any difference. But, as I say, my other TV says it's RGB either way.

[fallenangle]

I've just been checking this using a PS game in my v2 PS2. If you use a fully wired RGB SCART lead/RGB SCART socket with the PS2 set to Y Pb Pr it should give you that nasty green tinged copy 'protection' output they decided to lumber the PS2 with.

I found that if you use the same lead in a non-RGB SCART socket with the PS2, whether it's set to Y Pb Pr or RGB, you'll get full colour but only a composite output ie. grainy looking/washed out colours/pixellating fine details. Apart from the latter effect this may be improved/disguised by adjusting the TV settings and making use of any digital enhancement features it may have.

However, if your SCART lead is definitely giving RGB output on another TV it can't be that which is the problem. It suggests that the SCART socket you're using on the TV in question either isn't RGB (perhaps isn't RGB enabled?) or could be faulty. You're almost certainly not getting a RGB output whatever the cause.

[egparadigm]

Thing is on the TV that does output RGB it doesn't do the green screen in any case. I've even tried switching all the screen fixes off in the infinity bios menu - I don't even get green screen on DVDs. I know that the socket on my HDTV is RGB as it is labelled as such on the back of the TV. The cable says it gives enhanced RGB picture.

The only difference of note between the TV's is on the CRT the writing sort of jiggles when it's on RGB, my HDTV's text is completely still.

Puzzling.

I would still like some info on rewiring the cable for scart control.

[egparadigm]

Right. Bought another cable and this one works. It goes to green screen when on YPbPr/DVD. I'll be taking the shoddy venom cable back to the shop I bought it from.

One slight annoyance is that blue screen text is poorly displayed - dancing or swimming. It's seems to be intermitent as it doesn't always happen, but 90% of the time. Could it be that the solder points aren't very good? Could I mend them?

Thanks for all your help.