PS2 GS Mode Selector possibly not working correctly?

[BitFaced]

After sucessfully getting the PS2 hacked and with an ability to the the GSM ELF, I was able to try out the GS Mode Selector (the latest version), but setting it to a mode and exiting to the PS2 browser everything actually seems more low-resolution than anything; nothing like the 1080i image I get in the SMS app.

What am I doing wrong?

[Fudoh]

what's the "SMS app" ?

You might want to load a GSM-compatible game instead of looking at the PS2 browser screen...

[BitFaced]

what's the "SMS app" ?

You might want to load a GSM-compatible game instead of looking at the PS2 browser screen...

I mean the Media Center thing that comes with the "Noobie package" for installing Free McBoot through the AR Max - PS1 Exploit.
How do I do the later?

[Fudoh]

after you're back in the PS2 browser, just put in a game of your choice and run it. If it's GSM-compatible, it will display in the selection resolution. 480p is the only reasonable choice and only selected titled properly run in 480p.

[BitFaced]

after you're back in the PS2 browser, just put in a game of your choice and run it. If it's GSM-compatible, it will display in the selection resolution. 480p is the only reasonable choice and only selected titled properly run in 480p.

Got it.

[SGGG2]

Beware, GSM sometimes boots into "fake" 480p, depending on the title, and sometimes even 240p instead! It's worth the effort to track down the Xploder HDTV Player disc or a cracked ELF file, Compare 480p modes between GSM and Xploder with Gradius V, the difference is night and day. Unfortunately, Xploder only works with retail discs, so you'll need GSM for OPL, ESR and HD Loader compatibility.

For 480i titles that won't boot into 480p properly, I use an XRGB-3 in B1 mode chained to a Gefen VGA to DVi Scaler Plus, as Fudoh's noted before, it's absolutely fantastic for fast action titles like Nightshade and Devil May Cry 3. It looks similar to 480i games on an SD CRT.

[Fudoh]

It's worth the effort to track down the Xploder HDTV Player

at least for the titles I tried I didn't find much overlap between titles which can be run in 480p using the GSM and the ones who can be run in 480p using the Xploder, so I really use both, depending on the title in question...

[SGGG2]

Yeah, I've had the same experience. The more tools the better!

In case it isn't obvious I should probably add that Xploder will boot backup discs just fine in you have a mod chip installed, but I believe there're issues using FreeMCboot on chipped machines. Not sure about the HDD OSD hack.

[BitFaced]

Beware, GSM sometimes boots into "fake" 480p, depending on the title, and sometimes even 240p instead! It's worth the effort to track down the Xploder HDTV Player disc or a cracked ELF file, Compare 480p modes between GSM and Xploder with Gradius V, the difference is night and day. Unfortunately, Xploder only works with retail discs, so you'll need GSM for OPL, ESR and HD Loader compatibility.

For 480i titles that won't boot into 480p properly, I use an XRGB-3 in B1 mode chained to a Gefen VGA to DVi Scaler Plus, as Fudoh's noted before, it's absolutely fantastic for fast action titles like Nightshade and Devil May Cry 3. It looks similar to 480i games on an SD CRT.

Any other games with fake 480p I should look out for?
PS1 games in particular say 480/576p but come out as 480/576i, and even then I don't know if the resolution of the games are increased or if it's just upscaled to 480/576i (I do see some small areas of ground that are black unlike everything else in the game so maybe by increasing the resolution you can see artifacts like that you weren't supposed to see?)

[ZellSF]

Beware, GSM sometimes boots into "fake" 480p, depending on the title, and sometimes even 240p instead! It's worth the effort to track down the Xploder HDTV Player disc or a cracked ELF file, Compare 480p modes between GSM and Xploder with Gradius V, the difference is night and day.

I can't remember seeing a difference and I can't think of any technical reason why there would be one: Gradius V via GSM is 480p and obviously not a interlaced signal since the PS2 can't actually do deinterlacing in realtime for a "fake" progressive signal. Sure you're not thinking of Gradius III + IV?

With "fake" 480p titles I think of the titles that drop half the fields in GSM and just displays them in Xploder (resulting in flickering). For reference I haven't found any notable compatibility differences between GSM and Xploder, so I keep only GSM around because it works better with HDD loading of games.

Any other games with fake 480p I should look out for?

There's no up to date compatibility list. Just check and see for yourself. If you can't see if it's fake 480p or not there's no reason to care.

PS1 games in particular say 480/576p but come out as 480/576i

PS1 games are 240p, pretty sure there is no PS1 480p option in GSM at all. It's only for switching between NTSC and PAL and does a pretty bad job at that too.

[BitFaced]

Any other games with fake 480p I should look out for?

There's no up to date compatibility list. Just check and see for yourself. If you can't see if it's fake 480p or not there's no reason to care.

PS1 games in particular say 480/576p but come out as 480/576i

PS1 games are 240p, pretty sure there is no PS1 480p option in GSM at all. It's only for switching between NTSC and PAL and does a pretty bad job at that too.

Then I think I may be okay then.
But, it the PS1 games still do run at 480/576i, so is it upscaled or what? HD TVs most of the time can't show 240p over Component either.

[SGGG2]

With "fake" 480p titles I think of the titles that drop half the fields in GSM and just displays them in Xploder (resulting in flickering). For reference I haven't found any notable compatibility differences between GSM and Xploder, so I keep only GSM around because it works better with HDD loading of games.

My experience has mirrored Fudoh's, titles that work with one generally don't work (or work improperly) with the other. For example, I recently set up an HDD with OPL, Nightshade and DMC3 have vertical shimmering when booted into 480p with Xploder, but work just fine using GSM and OpenPS2Loader.

Any other games with fake 480p I should look out for?

d123456 has compiled a compatibility list over at Racketboy: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=417571

I have to wonder if there're multiple versions of Gradius V though, some people (like d123456 above) report perfect results with GSM and/or were able to patch the game to 480p with ps2force480p, neither of which I've had any luck.

[Fudoh]

Maybe US/JP differences. R-Type Final for example can be switched to 480p using the US version, but I had no luck with the JP version.

[ZellSF]

Any other games with fake 480p I should look out for?

There's no up to date compatibility list. Just check and see for yourself. If you can't see if it's fake 480p or not there's no reason to care.

PS1 games in particular say 480/576p but come out as 480/576i

PS1 games are 240p, pretty sure there is no PS1 480p option in GSM at all. It's only for switching between NTSC and PAL and does a pretty bad job at that too.

Then I think I may be okay then.
But, it the PS1 games still do run at 480/576i, so is it upscaled or what? HD TVs most of the time can't show 240p over Component either.

PS1 games run at 240p.

Most TVs will think that is 480i and attempt to deinterlace it pretty badly. Have you not done the essential reading yet?

My experience has mirrored Fudoh's, titles that work with one generally don't work (or work improperly) with the other. For example, I recently set up an HDD with OPL, Nightsahde and DMC3 have vertical shimmering when booted into 480p with Xploder, but work just fine using GSM and OpenPS2Loader.

Sorry, I meant I hadn't seen any games that Xploder runs that GSM doesn't.

[BitFaced]

Oh also, because Croc 3 is the game I used with the Action Replay MAX PS1 Exploit, it can't run in GS Mode Selector without me removing the Free McBoot memory card. Anyone know how I can fix this?
And I do like to add that the PS1 games still do look nice in 576i, though that could just be the huge jump from Composite 288p from the original console. I don't know if it could be up to the standard of like 1080p PS3 though, or whatever.

[BitFaced]

PS1 games run at 240p.

Most TVs will think that is 480i and attempt to deinterlace it pretty badly. Have you not done the essential reading yet?
Sorry, I meant I hadn't seen any games that Xploder runs that GSM doesn't.

Yes I have done the essential reading; I thought that whole 240p -> 480i thing would only apply to HD TVs that can accept 240p over Component. So how is GSM bringing PS1 games to 480/576i different to 240p Component?
Ah, okay.

[ZellSF]

PS1 games run at 240p.

Most TVs will think that is 480i and attempt to deinterlace it pretty badly. Have you not done the essential reading yet?
Sorry, I meant I hadn't seen any games that Xploder runs that GSM doesn't.

Yes I have done the essential reading; I thought that whole 240p -> 480i thing would only apply to HD TVs that can accept 240p over Component. So how is GSM bringing PS1 games to 480/576i different to 240p Component?
Ah, okay.

It's not different. You're getting 240p component, your TV supports 240p over component. There is no way to get higher resolutions than 240p from PS1 games. Your TV is just showing you misleading information.

Oh also, because Croc 3 is the game I used with the Action Replay MAX PS1 Exploit, it can't run in GS Mode Selector without me removing the Free McBoot memory card. Anyone know how I can fix this?

If you've installed Free McBoot you can just delete the save you used for the PS1 exploit, but again unless you're trying to force PAL(50hz) or NTSC(60hz) GSM is useless and it's pretty bad at doing that too. GSM is mainly for PS2 games.

[SGGG2]

The PS2 is able to play PSX games because it contains actual PSX hardware. However, for all practical purposes this hardware is completely separate from the PS2, otherwise we'd all be booting PSX games from the HDD by now. As Zell said, they already run in optimal resolution, 240p, your TV is misidentifying the signal.

[BitFaced]

It's not different. You're getting 240p component, your TV supports 240p over component. There is no way to get higher resolutions than 240p from PS1 games. Your TV is just showing you misleading information.
If you've installed Free McBoot you can just delete the save you used for the PS1 exploit, but again unless you're trying to force PAL(50hz) or NTSC(60hz) GSM is useless and it's pretty bad at doing that too. GSM is mainly for PS2 games.

But when I run progressive Virtual console games and PS1 normally on PS2 the HD TV doesn't support it!
I'll see if I can delete it, at the moment unless I get some kind of linedoubler it's the only way PS1 games will function through the PS2.
EDIT: All I see on the memory card are Free McBoot, System Configuration, BOOT Folder and SYS-CONF folder.

[ZellSF]

It's not different. You're getting 240p component, your TV supports 240p over component. There is no way to get higher resolutions than 240p from PS1 games. Your TV is just showing you misleading information.
If you've installed Free McBoot you can just delete the save you used for the PS1 exploit, but again unless you're trying to force PAL(50hz) or NTSC(60hz) GSM is useless and it's pretty bad at doing that too. GSM is mainly for PS2 games.

But when I run progressive Virtual console games and PS1 normally on PS2 the HD TV doesn't support it!
I'll see if I can delete it, at the moment unless I get some kind of linedoubler it's the only way PS1 games will function through the PS2.
EDIT: All I see on the memory card are Free McBoot, System Configuration, BOOT Folder and SYS-CONF folder.

From what I'm reading you need to delete "System Configuration".

I don't have my PS2 here so I can't test why launching PSX games through GSM makes a difference to you, you're not running PAL games and forcing them to 60hz are you?

[BitFaced]

It's not different. You're getting 240p component, your TV supports 240p over component. There is no way to get higher resolutions than 240p from PS1 games. Your TV is just showing you misleading information.
If you've installed Free McBoot you can just delete the save you used for the PS1 exploit, but again unless you're trying to force PAL(50hz) or NTSC(60hz) GSM is useless and it's pretty bad at doing that too. GSM is mainly for PS2 games.

But when I run progressive Virtual console games and PS1 normally on PS2 the HD TV doesn't support it!
I'll see if I can delete it, at the moment unless I get some kind of linedoubler it's the only way PS1 games will function through the PS2.
EDIT: All I see on the memory card are Free McBoot, System Configuration, BOOT Folder and SYS-CONF folder.

From what I'm reading you need to delete "System Configuration".

I don't have my PS2 here so I can't test why launching PSX games through GSM makes a difference to you, you're not running PAL games and forcing them to 60hz are you?

Most of the time no. The only reason it's a huge difference is because the only other times I've played PS1 on that HD TV is with crappy Composite from an original PS1.

[ZellSF]

So I'm back with my PS2 and decided to test two things:

1: there's definitely no night and day difference between GSM and Xploder in Gradius V. I can see no difference at all. Maybe in really outdated versions of GSM there was a problem, but not in the current version.

2: GSM does actually force 480i/576i for PSX games. Not sure why it does that as the documentation says its only for PAL/NTSC switching. 480p is definitely not possible. Also, the resolution is not increased, just upscaled. Probably terrible for image quality, but if you are connecting directly to a TV that was going to happen anyway. Download GSM v0.23x and read the changelog for some information about the PS1 function.

Did you try deleting System Configuration yet?

[BitFaced]

So I'm back with my PS2 and decided to test two things:

1: there's definitely no night and day difference between GSM and Xploder in Gradius V. I can see no difference at all. Maybe in really outdated versions of GSM there was a problem, but not in the current version.

2: GSM does actually force 480i/576i for PSX games. Not sure why it does that as the documentation says its only for PAL/NTSC switching. 480p is definitely not possible. Also, the resolution is not increased, just upscaled. Probably terrible for image quality, but if you are connecting directly to a TV that was going to happen anyway. Download GSM v0.23x and read the changelog for some information about the PS1 function.

Did you try deleting System Configuration yet?

Not yet, though if that new RetroPix scaler at some point supports Component and/or RGB SCART I could plug 240/288p games into it from PS2 and PS1 respectively. It's probably better using 240/288p for PS1 games instead of 480/576i anyway, right?

[ZellSF]

So I'm back with my PS2 and decided to test two things:

1: there's definitely no night and day difference between GSM and Xploder in Gradius V. I can see no difference at all. Maybe in really outdated versions of GSM there was a problem, but not in the current version.

2: GSM does actually force 480i/576i for PSX games. Not sure why it does that as the documentation says its only for PAL/NTSC switching. 480p is definitely not possible. Also, the resolution is not increased, just upscaled. Probably terrible for image quality, but if you are connecting directly to a TV that was going to happen anyway. Download GSM v0.23x and read the changelog for some information about the PS1 function.

Did you try deleting System Configuration yet?

Not yet, though if that new RetroPix scaler at some point supports Component and/or RGB SCART I could plug 240/288p games into it from PS2 and PS1 respectively. It's probably better using 240/288p for PS1 games instead of 480/576i anyway, right?

Much, much better. There's a reason lots of us here have bought scalers.

With the Retropix you'll probably have to switch cables depending on which system (and to a much lesser degree game) you want to play.

[BitFaced]

So I'm back with my PS2 and decided to test two things:

1: there's definitely no night and day difference between GSM and Xploder in Gradius V. I can see no difference at all. Maybe in really outdated versions of GSM there was a problem, but not in the current version.

2: GSM does actually force 480i/576i for PSX games. Not sure why it does that as the documentation says its only for PAL/NTSC switching. 480p is definitely not possible. Also, the resolution is not increased, just upscaled. Probably terrible for image quality, but if you are connecting directly to a TV that was going to happen anyway. Download GSM v0.23x and read the changelog for some information about the PS1 function.

Did you try deleting System Configuration yet?

Not yet, though if that new RetroPix scaler at some point supports Component and/or RGB SCART I could plug 240/288p games into it from PS2 and PS1 respectively. It's probably better using 240/288p for PS1 games instead of 480/576i anyway, right?

Much, much better. There's a reason lots of us here have bought scalers.

With the Retropix you'll probably have to switch cables depending on which system (and to a much lesser degree game) you want to play.

Can't I just use a switcher?

[ZellSF]

Only if RetroPix will support component inputs.

[BitFaced]

Only if RetroPix will support component inputs.

Even if it doesn't on initial design it may after the first version is successful enough.

[Fudoh]

With the Retropix you'll probably have to switch cables depending on which system (and to a much lesser degree game) you want to play.

The RetroPix will be a dedicated RGB linedoubler. There are no 240p systems with just component output (well, maybe except a Coleco). PS2 works through RGBs just fine. There will no proper 480i deinterlacing. I urged Crafty to include a line compensation for single-field 480i deinterlacing to make 480i at least display in a way it can be used.

With this "feature set", I don't really see an audience for 240p component source support. I can't even think of anything.

[BitFaced]

With the Retropix you'll probably have to switch cables depending on which system (and to a much lesser degree game) you want to play.

The RetroPix will be a dedicated RGB linedoubler. There are no 240p systems with just component output (well, maybe except a Coleco). PS2 works through RGBs just fine. There will no proper 480i deinterlacing. I urged Crafty to include a line compensation for single-field 480i deinterlacing to make 480i at least display in a way it can be used.

With this "feature set", I don't really see an audience for 240p component source support. I can't even think of anything.

Me personally thinking 240p Virtual Console and PS2's PS1 backwards compatibility. May as well just use a PS1 with RGB SCART in place of the later but I still have those Virtual Console game which I want to look good. After all, Virtual Console games looking "not right" on my HDTV is what got this thing to get everything looking better on it going in the first place.

[ZellSF]

Relatively few people will have a use for it for Wii Virtual Console games:

1: On a HDTV, PC emulators are better.
2: Real consoles + scalers are even better.
3: NTSC VC games supports 480p out of the box.

And Retropix can't support PAL 288p out of the box anyway, since basically no monitor supports it, so his target market for including component support would be the very very few who wants to play PAL VC games and is willing to shell out for a HDMI converter in addition.