Blaze VGA adaptor for PS2- How does this work?

[spinpug666]

I picked up one of these 2nd hand but can't get the bloody thing to work properly

Everythings hooked up etc, I load the boot disk and a screen with opitions appear.
I appears that I have to chose from a list of games, like an action replay type thing.
So I pick Virtua Fighter 4 (insert game etc) and go to 'Start Game', screen goes blank then nothing

So can anyone point out what I am doing wrong?

[Papercut]

I'll answer how it works first (be careful what you ask for):

The hardware is a component video to rgb transcoder and sync separator that can handle 480p video signals.

This means you can use normal vga monitors with PS2 Linux, and prog scan games will work on a vga monitor without needing the boot disk.

The linux kit vga adaptor does a similar job but only provides sync on green, which not all monitors do.

Unfortunately, there is only a handful of prog scan games, so only a few can give you a true 480p display.

To get around this the software part forces 480p output, but because of the many different PS2 interlace schemes and resolutions, results are mixed. There are also wobbly vertical sync problems with some games.

The 'prog scan' option forces a non-interlaced display. Unless the game supports prog scan, this normally doesn't work. Turning prog scan off will give you an interlaced picture via a non-interlaced signal which looks nasty as hell.

The stretch option basically switches between line doubled 320x240 and 640x480.

If the resolution is less than 320x240 or 640x480 (horizontally or vertically) then you will see garbage or a repeated picture displayed on the right or bottom of the screen.

So... as to why it doesn't work, if you can see the options screen then it pretty much is working. Try a few different games, leave the video options at their default, and don't bother selecting a game from the menu.

In particular try a prog scan game like GGXX, SOCOM, SCII, Tekken 4.

If it still doesn't work the only thing I can think of is that the sync rates are slightly different for the vga boot disk, so games aren't visible. The way to test that would be on a different vga monitor.

Unless the games aren't booting at all... can you hear them running correctly?

[tankplanker]

Ok, I have another question for you, does the console (particuarly the PS2) have to work harder to produce a prog scan output? Cause if it doesn't then I can justifably have a go at Sony, if not then alls fair I surpose.

What versions of GGXX & Socom support prog scan?

[Papercut]

Ok, I have another question for you, does the console (particuarly the PS2) have to work harder to produce a prog scan output?

For the DC, Cube and Xbox prog scan is handled entirely in hardware. The developers _may_ decide to use static images that look better on an interlaced display and a prog scan display. You might want higher res textures and sprites here and there too, so things don't look so blocky in prog scan (eg. any Capcom fighter on the DC). Not extra work for the hardware though.

There is the problem of pal games running at 60Hz in 480p (needs optimising one way or the other). Might be fixed if pal prog scan modes ever get standardised (have they been?).

For the PS2 not work harder as such, has to work differently. Which may be hard for some games.

It seems that nice software interlacing schemes work the worst with the blaze ps2 vga box, so I would say those games would need the most changes.

Cause if it doesn't then I can justifably have a go at Sony, if not then alls fair I surpose.

I think it's fair to have a go. If the PS2 had decent hardware interlacing (ie. no work for the game itself to do) then it would have been a piece of piss for almost all PS2 games to support prog scan, like the DC, the Cube, and the Xbox.

What versions of GGXX & Socom support prog scan?

All, I think. In my case jpn GGXX and pal SOCOM.

[spinpug666]

Thanks for the reply.

A few more questions if you don't mind.

In the menus' it says to chose a game, if you don't it reminds you to. It gives you a list of games, but am I right in saying it with only work with those games?
As I cant find any options to add games, like with an Action Replay for example.

I tried THawk3 and VirtuaFighter4 so far with no success which are both listed.

[Papercut]

In the menus' it says to chose a game, if you don't it reminds you to. It gives you a list of games, but am I right in saying it with only work with those games?
As I cant find any options to add games, like with an Action Replay for example.

You don't have to pick a game, but I can't quite remember how you do it. As well as the games menu, there is a config menu after which you can boot the game.

I can't remember the exact procedure, its been a couple of weeks since I used mine.

I'm thinking maybe we have to versions of the boot disk otherwise.

[spinpug666]

The disk I have with mine is V1.0