About VGA boxes

[Arznei]

We all know Dreamcast automatically upscales it's quality so you can use a VGA adapter and a monitor to get full quality from your Dreamcast titles on a monitor.. but what if you wanted to do this with PS2 titles? What would you need?

My idea here is to use the same monitor I'm using for DC games, for PS2 games, and have the same quality.

[SAM]

My idea here is to use the same monitor I'm using for DC games, for PS2 games, and have the same quality.

PS2 games would only give the same quality on a monitor when it is in progressive scan mode. Otherwise, it would require upscan. And upscaning won't improve the image quality and usually induse lag.

To connect the Progressive Scan Component to the monitor, you would need a converter unit built around chip like the LMH1251.
http://nfggames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1739
(It was said it could also convert non-Progressive Scan Component to Low Res RGB, but I haven't tried this.)

There are ready made convertor of this kind, I got one connecting my DVD player to a 21" Sony CRT Monitor. The Converter + Monitor + PC Speaker cost only a fraction of a HDTV.

The only drawback is you cann't actually watch TV on this setup. But the local TV stations are not boardcasting in Progressive Scan anyway.

[Arznei]

God damnit, we don't have Component tvs here that don't cost an arm and a leg. I think I'll just stick with composite since I'm doomed to live with it.

[oxtsu]

SAM - Maybe you are forgetting that PS2 has RGB video output mode in the system settings. We don't need any Component to RGB transcoder for VGA display.

Arznei - You'll need a custom cable (simple), unless you can find the official Sony cable originally included with their Linux kit (there's another cable included with the BLAZE VGA converter software, but it's crap), Also, the PS2 game has to support 480p, and your VGA monitor must be able accept sync on green. Unfortunately, not many games on PS2 support 480p or are available on DC already. There's a few good ones though, which make the cable worthwhile.

PS2 VGA explained (Japanese):
http://tokyo.cool.ne.jp/xiaolang/pclub/about.html#_a1

PS2 480p/VGA supported games (Japanese again), by genre.
http://dempa.jp/cgi-bin/rgb/pdata/pdata ... lect=genre

[SAM]

oxtsu, you are right about the official PS2 VGA cable. But have you forget that you need a monitor able to do sync on green to use it?

Besides the Component to RGB (Progressive Scan Component to VGA) transcoder could be use for other things like DVD player, GameCube & XBox (and may be all the next gen consoles). Not to mension it is much easily found and cost less.

[oxtsu]

oxtsu, you are right about the official PS2 VGA cable. But have you forget that you need a monitor able to do sync on green to use it? :)

No sir. :)

From my post above: "Also, the PS2 game has to support 480p, and your VGA monitor must be able accept sync on green."

Besides the Component to RGB (Progressive Scan Component to VGA) transcoder could be use for other things like DVD player, GameCube & XBox (and may be all the next gen consoles). Not to mension it is much easily found and cost less. :wink:

Hmm...yes, that's probably true, but I don't think it's answering the question here. The PS2 VGA cable is easy to make (connect the proper wires to a VGA connector and RCA jacks for sound), or have someone make for you. Not expensive at all and there isn't any transcoding loss.

[SAM]

The PS2 VGA cable is easy to make (connect the proper wires to a VGA connector and RCA jacks for sound), or have someone make for you. Not expensive at all and there isn't any transcoding loss.

Yes, it costs little if you DIY.

IIRC, the pinout matchs the PS2 Component cable. You just cut the RCA jacks and wire it to a VGA connecter and it is done. If your monitor got BNC jacks, you could just find three RCA to BNC connectors.