Make Your Own VGA Cable for PS2, Any Chance?

[SAM]

First, I want to stress that I am not talking about upscan here.

Since there is a PS2 VGA cable exist, it comes with the PS2 Linux Kit made by Sony. I think that it is posssible to build your own PS2 VGA cable.

I have successfully connect my PS2 to an acrade monitor via RGB (15kHz) using a sync seperator circult build around the LN1881N Chip. I notice that the LN1881N Chip could also output Vertical Sync. I begin to wonder, whould this Chip also allow my PS2 to output VGA (31kHz) when the PS2 is doing progressive scan in RGB mode?

The connection would be: Red, Green, Blue, Comp Sync, Vertical Sync & Ground. I heard that you could actually use Comp Sync as the Horizonal Sync for some computer monitors. Any chance of success?

Notes: You would only see any image on the screen when the PS2 is doing progressive scan (31kHz), unless your monitor could also do RGB (15kHz).

It is said that Sony had done somthing to the PS2's RGB output to prevent copying of DVDs, somthing like "Sync on Green", what is it? Would this prevent me from watching DVDs with my PS2 connecting to my computer monitor using the above mensioned setup?

[Dave_K.]

First, I want to stress that I am not talking about upscan here.

Since there is a PS2 VGA cable exist, it comes with the PS2 Linux Kit made by Sony. I think that it is posssible to build your own PS2 VGA cable.

That VGA cable is nothing more than an RGB cable wired for sync-on-green. So if your computer monitor doesn't support that, (and no arcade monitor does that I'm aware of) it won't work. Secondly, this can only be used with the PS2 Linux software, not games.

I have successfully connect my PS2 to an acrade monitor via RGB (15kHz) using a sync seperator circult build around the LN1881N Chip. I notice that the LN1881N Chip could also output Vertical Sync. I begin to wonder, whould this Chip also allow my PS2 to output VGA (31kHz) when the PS2 is doing progressive scan in RGB mode?

No, because the only progressive support PS2 has (and this is only for a handfull of games) is using component output option in the PS2 system settings. The RGB cable with LM1881 circuit will not work when the PS2 is in component output mode. And unfortunally, PS2 games which support progressive output (like Mortal Combat 5 for example) will not output progressive when the PS2 is in RGB output mode. I have verified this myself, it doesn't work.

The connection would be: Red, Green, Blue, Comp Sync, Vertical Sync & Ground. I heard that you could actually use Comp Sync as the Horizonal Sync for some computer monitors. Any chance of success?

As stated above, the only computer monitors which support composite sync are called "sync on green" monitors.

It is said that Sony had done somthing to the PS2's RGB output to prevent copying of DVDs, somthing like "Sync on Green", what is it? Would this prevent me from watching DVDs with my PS2 connecting to my computer monitor using the above mensioned setup?

Mixed up your terminology here, the copy protection in RGB mode is called Macrovision. The only way to disable this is to install a modchip.

[SAM]

Thank Dave_K. for your quick and detail answer.

I have successfully connect my PS2 to an acrade monitor via RGB (15kHz) using a sync seperator circult build around the LN1881N Chip. I notice that the LN1881N Chip could also output Vertical Sync. I begin to wonder, whould this Chip also allow my PS2 to output VGA (31kHz) when the PS2 is doing progressive scan in RGB mode?

No, because the only progressive support PS2 has (and this is only for a handfull of games) is using component output option in the PS2 system settings. The RGB cable with LM1881 circuit will not work when the PS2 is in component output mode. And unfortunally, PS2 games which support progressive output (like Mortal Combat 5 for example) will not output progressive when the PS2 is in RGB output mode. I have verified this myself, it doesn't work.

So the only chance of geting VGA without upscan is converting the Progressive Scan Component output to VGA using some kind of "Progressive Scan Component to VGA" converter like the one below.

http://www.gamechoiceclub.com/navigateP ... ct_id=5120

Well, according to my knowage, the converter (or decoder) is just discompressing the signal, this should a "no loss convertion". I think the final picture should match the quality of DC's VGA mode.

FYI, the only shmups that support progress scan is the Japanese version SNS2.

It is said that Sony had done somthing to the PS2's RGB output to prevent copying of DVDs, somthing like "Sync on Green", what is it? Would this prevent me from watching DVDs with my PS2 connecting to my computer monitor using the above mensioned setup?

Mixed up your terminology here, the copy protection in RGB mode is called Macrovision. The only way to disable this is to install a modchip.

Does this copy protection would prevent the conversion of the signal to VGA using an extenal device?

[Dave_K.]

So the only chance of geting VGA without upscan is converting the Progressive Scan Component output to VGA using some kind of "Progressive Scan Component to VGA" converter like the one below.

http://www.gamechoiceclub.com/navigateP ... ct_id=5120

Well, according to my knowage, the converter (or decoder) is just discompressing the signal, this should a "no loss convertion". I think the final picture should match the quality of DC's VGA mode.

Yes an No . Yes, using a transcoder will allow the PS2 to output progressive to a VGA monitor. Yes the transcoding conversion from Component to VGA is supposed to be lossless. But No, the output will not match DC's native vga output, because original Component video signal is a compressed form of RGB which does have a little loss (fuzzyness). When converting it back to VGA you can see the difference if you compated with Native VGA. This is the reason why DC games which have GC ports look more fuzzy on the GC.

It is said that Sony had done somthing to the PS2's RGB output to prevent copying of DVDs, somthing like "Sync on Green", what is it? Would this prevent me from watching DVDs with my PS2 connecting to my computer monitor using the above mensioned setup?

Mixed up your terminology here, the copy protection in RGB mode is called Macrovision. The only way to disable this is to install a modchip.

Does this copy protection would prevent the conversion of the signal to VGA using an extenal device?

I don't think the PS2 outputs 480P for DVD's anyway, so most you could do is transcode the 480i component output to 15khz RGB, but I'd imagine the Macrovision would still be present. I have not tried this.

[oxtsu]

http://tokyo.cool.ne.jp/xiaolang/pclub/about.html#_a1

It will work for 480p games, PS2 set to RGB out and with sync on green VGA monitor.

SCPH-50000 added the 480p DVD movie output, but it wil still be green screen when set to RGB because of Macrovison protection. You will need a modchip like DMS or boot disc like DVD Region-X to side step this.

[zaphod]

Yes, you can make a vga cable for ps2. or you cna just buy the infamous "blaze" vga converter. it has 2 interesting features.

1) ist has a circuit to split the sync on green back out of the signal to make it wor with more moitors.
2) it comes with a special disc that knows how to enable progressive scan in mnay games that do not normally have it. you select the ame for the menu,m then insert the disc.

[oxtsu]

Yes, you can make a vga cable for ps2. or you cna just buy the infamous "blaze" vga converter. it has 2 interesting features.

I tried the Blaze VGA adapter, but the color accuracy was terrible and with the disc forced VGA most games were not fitting the screen + many bugs. It was worth it to see Contra:SS in hi-res prog scan though. :)

[SAM]

http://tokyo.cool.ne.jp/xiaolang/pclub/about.html#_a1

It will work for 480p games, PS2 set to RGB out and with sync on green VGA monitor.

Thank you oxtsu, so it did work for some cases.

Well, the "sync on green" means it literally, i.e. the sync signal is mixed with the green colour output...

It turns out that I only need component vedio cable and three RCA to BNC connector to try this out on my Sony 520GS.