PS2 video - how to get the best?

[InvisibleKid]

Hey guys,

I'm playing a Japanese PS2 on my HD TV using composite.
Obviously this looks atrocious.

I played Last Blade on it tonight and honestly it looked like someone had spread vasoline over my eyes.

I have a US PS2 hooked up over component and thats.. ok. But not great.

What I want is the absolute BEST quality possible for hooking up my PS2 to my HDTV.

What can you guys recommend me?

I throw down the gauntlet to you techies out there. Help me out please!

[^Katsu]

I have mine running through Component cable & its sweet!

[Profit]

The best is:

PS2=>Component 2m or less=>Dedicated Upscaler=>HDMI 1080=>TV

The official component is great, but there are slightly better 3rd party ones which produce a marginally better signal e.g. IXOS. Don't go for longer than 2m as even a very expensive/well shielded cable (e.g. Monster) will have noticable signal degredation.

A dedicated upscaler produces much better scaling than even the best TVs. It also means you can play all retro games (or DVDs) in progressive scan. You want it to output it to 1080p so the TV outputs 1:1 resolution and is required to do only minimal processing.

I use the DVDO EDGE which has good all round upscaling and deinterlacing and is fairly affordable at ?500. The XRGB-3 also received very good reviews and is cheaper.

There is a very good comparison of various upscalers for videogames on this site: http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/

[Shozuki]

I use an XRGB-3 and its easily the best way and only way imo to play SD content on a HDTV.

[Lyris]

Profit, how is the lag on the DVDO EDGE? It has a game mode, I think?

[charlesr]

Check my sales thread for the official cable you need.

Edit: ah, just seen you already have the component cable for your US ps2.

[SuperDanX]

Backwards compatible PS3 would be your best option IMO.

[speedlolita]

Check my sales thread for the official cable you need.

Thanks for that! Never seen one before. Maybe I can tempt someone I know into buying it..

[dvdx2]

probably an 480p enabled CRT

[Profit]

Profit, how is the lag on the DVDO EDGE? It has a game mode, I think?

I don't play fast low res arcade games often so can't tell. I've been playing via Edge for nearly 2 years now, and lag is not an issue for me. The lag 'bottleneck' is more likely to occur at the TV level, especially the frame rate doubling.