PS2 Component cable on a Sony LCD

[AsGSnak]

Hello forums
Just got a component cable for my PS2. Pluged it in, all is well, apart from some weird colors in between the PS logo and the start of the game, when the resolutions change. Maybe it has something to do with the TV. Anyway...
I'm from the PAL region, so not a lot of my games have 480p.
I chose one with 480p (SoulCalibur II) so I could test all the differences.
My TV works fine with both 480i (60Hz) and progressive scan (480p) and the improvements on the picture quality were huge, when compared to my standard RCA composite cables. Night and day.
Ok, so my question is: what aspect ratio should I select on my TV settings? I have Expanded, Optimized, 4:3, 14:9 (no 16:9???) and Zoom.
All look bad except Optimized and of course 4:3. Optimized eats away a little of my picture, both on the top and bottom of the screen. I just selected 4:3, and had to live with the black bars on the sides. Guess that's how you get the best picture on an LCD when playing on a PS2/PS1? Why does my TV only have 14:9 and not 16:9? Should I select that option? Should I stick with 4:3?
Also, the game itself has an option to change between 4:3 and 16:9, but I see no differences, I think. Which options should I select? Does it change when I'm playing in 480i(60Hz)/576i(50Hz) or 480p?
Would really appreaciate some help on getting the best possible picture with this cable.

PS: Also heard an RGB cable with sync on Luma is better than the component cable for anything below 480p, which is basically 99% of the PS2 library (at least in the PAL region, since most of the games that allow 480p in the NTSC region don't allow it here).
PPS: Also, PS1 games played on my PS2 with component cables get all messed up, but I guess that was expected? Been reading about that.

Thanks in advance. Sorry for the long post.

[Guspaz]

- The PS2 is not by default a widescreen console. Unless you've switched a game to 16:9 mode (apparently most games ignore the system 16:9 setting), you should run your PS2 in 4:3. There is no correlation between 480p and 16:9: there are games that support 480p but not 16:9, and there are many games that support 16:9 but not 4:3. I don't think any PS1 games are 16:9, so they should all be run in 4:3.

- 14:9 is often used as a way to broadcast 16:9 content on a 4:3 signal/display. You take the 16:9 image, you crop the sides a bit, and letterbox the top/bottom a bit. Or, you take a 4:3 image, you cut the top/bottom a bit, and letterbox the sides a bit. That said, I don't know what your TV is doing with that.

- The difference between RGB and component on the PS2 is minimal: there is sometimes some extra noise that is noticeable on digital displays, but my understanding is that neither is more or less sharp than the other. The reason RGB is cited as being better for 240p and 480i is because the RGB output does not support 480p or higher, so only component is an option for them.

- The PS2 has no problems displaying PS1 games over component. The problem is that PS1 games are mostly 240p (PS2 games are mostly 480i), and many televisions have problems accepting 240p input over component video.

[Xan]

I don't think any PS1 games are 16:9, so they should all be run in 4:3.

A few PS1 games do support anamorphic 16:9 (http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread ... Widescreen).

The reason RGB is cited as being better for 240p and 480i is because the RGB output does not support 480p or higher, so only component is an option for them.

Wrong, the system does output 480p over RGB. The sync is just switched from RGBS to RGsB.

[Guspaz]

I don't think any PS1 games are 16:9, so they should all be run in 4:3.

A few PS1 games do support anamorphic 16:9 (http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread ... Widescreen).

The reason RGB is cited as being better for 240p and 480i is because the RGB output does not support 480p or higher, so only component is an option for them.

Wrong, the system does output 480p over RGB. The sync is just switched from RGBS to RGsB.

That was meant for VGA output for the PS2 Linux kit, and it's kind of a moot point anyhow, because few displays support snyc on green, and few PAL games support progressive scan. You could use a sync converter, of course, but you're still left with the lack of games that support 480p.

[AsGSnak]

Thank you so much for your input, Guspaz.

- The PS2 is not by default a widescreen console. Unless you've switched a game to 16:9 mode (apparently most games ignore the system 16:9 setting), you should run your PS2 in 4:3. There is no correlation between 480p and 16:9: there are games that support 480p but not 16:9, and there are many games that support 16:9 but not 4:3. I don't think any PS1 games are 16:9, so they should all be run in 4:3.

Hum... So I should run them all in 4:3 in the TV settings and live with the black side bars. And you're also saying the games ignore the "system" 16:9? What do you mean? Are you referring to the ingame options, like I mentioned in Soul Calibur II? Or the PS2 menu where I can select 4:3, 16:9, Fullscreen? Does changing the PS2 screen display settings change anything beesides what you see in the PS2 interface (menu, memory cards, etc)?

- The PS2 has no problems displaying PS1 games over component. The problem is that PS1 games are mostly 240p (PS2 games are mostly 480i), and many televisions have problems accepting 240p input over component video.

Oh, then I guess I'll have to live with that. Glad I have my PS1 around


Also, one more thing. Is it better if I just play in NTSC mode 480i(60Hz) when the game allows me, or PAL mode 576i(50Hz)? I guess the few extra lines don't make up for the loss in FPS? I guess I should always select 60Hz when possible? Too bad not many games have that option.

[Guspaz]

Well, the native aspect ratio of most games is 4:3, so you should run them in 4:3... If you stretch them to 16:9 they'd appear, well, stretched. Some games may support 16:9 options, either because they pay attention to the PS2 system setting, or because they have their own in-game settings. You'd have to look up which games are which, but if they have an in-game menu for 16:9, then you should set the TV to 16:9 as well, or whatever setting from the TV would display a signal in 16:9.

If you're in the PAL region and have no 480p games, then RGB is probably the best connection for you.

[AsGSnak]

Some games may support 16:9 options, either because they pay attention to the PS2 system setting, or because they have their own in-game settings.

So you're saying some games may only display a 16:9 option if I select 16:9 in the PS2 system settings? I thought those settings were only for the PS2 interface display and would end once the game was loaded. Am I wrong?

If you're in the PAL region and have no 480p games, then RGB is probably the best connection for you.

Yes, I think so too. So RGB with sync on luma is the best option, I guess.


But what about my 50Hz/60Hz question? Which one is the best, whenever there's an option? I'm guessing 60Hz, even though it has less screen lines?

[Fudoh]

It really depends on your TV. There are TV sets which handle component considerably better than RGB. This includes almost all recent Samsung and Sony models.

[AsGSnak]

It really depends on your TV. There are TV sets which handle component considerably better than RGB. This includes almost all recent Samsung and Sony models.

Hello Fudoh and thanks for the answer.
My TV is a LCD Sony Bravia modelo KDL-40S3000, of 2005 I think.

But what about the 50/60Hz option?

[Fudoh]

My TV is a LCD Sony Bravia modelo KDL-40S3000, of 2005 I think.

I guess RGB and component would look equally (bad) in this case.

But what about the 50/60Hz option?

games which have a 60Hz option were usually not optimized for 50Hz output, so you wouldn't get more lines with 50Hz - just the same squeezed tighter together due to the borders on top and bottom. 60Hz whenever you can.

[AsGSnak]

I guess RGB and component would look equally (bad) in this case.

Why bad? Because it's a HDTV instead of a CRT? Or because of the specific TV model?

[Fudoh]

don't let me confuse you If you like what you're seeing, then you're fine.

[AsGSnak]

don't let me confuse you If you like what you're seeing, then you're fine.

You're not! I'm simply trying to understand what you mean. I like to understand things

[Fudoh]

on your set it won't make a difference wether you use component or RGB. It will look the same. Your TV generation didn't exactly do a great job with analogue SD signals.

[AsGSnak]

on your set it won't make a difference wether you use component or RGB. It will look the same. Your TV generation didn't exactly do a great job with analogue SD signals.

Thanks for the explanation.
With a CRT, though, I guess under 480p an RGB would be the best way to go? (sync on luma?)

[AsGSnak]

I've been playing Yakuza with my component cable and noticed something weird. In some cutscenes and some parts of the game, I see some white flickering "lines" that look kinda like graphical issues. Is this due to the component cables and the TV? Or is the game this way?

I also tried to enable 16:9 on the in-game menu, and nothing chnges. The picture doesn't change. I guess this is because the PS2 outputs 4:3? So even a 16:9 option won't make the image bigger on the sides? It will actually crop a bit on top and bottom to create a "fake" 16:9. Is this true?

Question: My TV doesn't support 240p over YPbPr, so I can't play my PS1 games on my PS2. If I buy an RGB cable for my PS1, will this also happen (since RGB is also a component signal)? Or it only happens with YPbPr?

[AsGSnak]

I've been playing Yakuza with my component cable and noticed something weird. In some cutscenes and some parts of the game, I see some white flickering "lines" that look kinda like graphical issues. Is this due to the component cables and the TV? Or is the game this way?

I also tried to enable 16:9 on the in-game menu, and nothing chnges. The picture doesn't change. I guess this is because the PS2 outputs 4:3? So even a 16:9 option won't make the image bigger on the sides? It will actually crop a bit on top and bottom to create a "fake" 16:9. Is this true?

Question: My TV doesn't support 240p over YPbPr, so I can't play my PS1 games on my PS2. If I buy an RGB cable for my PS1, will this also happen (since RGB is also a component signal)? Or it only happens with YPbPr?

No one?

[Lord of Pirates]

I've been playing Yakuza with my component cable and noticed something weird. In some cutscenes and some parts of the game, I see some white flickering "lines" that look kinda like graphical issues. Is this due to the component cables and the TV? Or is the game this way?

I also tried to enable 16:9 on the in-game menu, and nothing chnges. The picture doesn't change. I guess this is because the PS2 outputs 4:3? So even a 16:9 option won't make the image bigger on the sides? It will actually crop a bit on top and bottom to create a "fake" 16:9. Is this true?

Question: My TV doesn't support 240p over YPbPr, so I can't play my PS1 games on my PS2. If I buy an RGB cable for my PS1, will this also happen (since RGB is also a component signal)? Or it only happens with YPbPr?

Do you remember which cutscenes? The manual for your TV should list supported inputs and display modes.