PS2 VGA adaptor

[TVs Hasselhoff]

Having trouble locating a thread regarding this topic, so I'm posting in the hope I can get some answers...and not flaming.

Looking for a VGA adaptor for the PS2. I'll be using one of the latest slim systems, which should be the 7000 series. Hooking up to a LCD monitor.

Is an adaptor made? Is there a good one versus a bad one? Are none of them worth the effort? Possible place to pick one up (online or store)? Also, any known issue when used with Swap Magic?

Thanks for the help.

[josekortez]

I don't know much about these things, but there is one available on playasia.com right now. I can't attest to its quality, though.

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-86-49-en-70-2707.html

[Poofta!]

itll look the same as connecting a component cable to an hdtv set (maybe a little better if your using a pc lcd monitor, since they have lower resolution).

since the ps2 isnt capable of HD like the xbox was, most games will looke pretty bad, unless you do the triangle/X trick at start up for the games that support it. but even then, it wont look much better... something about lcd/hdtvs that bring out the ps2's jaggidy flaws.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

We're getting somewhere, but I'm not seeing anyone that has personal experience with a product yet.

The devices are out there for the VGA conversion, but the results are mixed, at best.

Maybe I should be more clear. Does anyone have personal experience with converting to VGA for a monitor?

I've gone through the Sony forums, but they are all too interested in putting each other down to get a clear answer.

Has anyone used a particular device that has worked well? To get the best results, should I also use one of those HD converter disks that were made by one of those gameshark companies? (I forget the name of the company at the moment)

This has become an extremely difficult project, as the PS2 seems to max out at 320 resolution and most people complain of blurry graphics when upconverting, although most posts originate from 2006 or earlier.

[Poofta!]

the conversion disks are absolutely worthless. they do *nothing*. i believe its the same as holding down the buttons, it "forces" the ps2 to display at higher resolutions, however, only if the game is capable of this. there is a review for one of those HD ps2 solutions on this forum i saw recently.

i use a KDS XBLASTER which takes in Pb Y Pr and transfers it into a vga signal. i only used it with a 360 and the result was nothing short of astonishing. the games and quality was amazing. the xbox automatically configured the picture to the resolution and screen and looked almost as good ason my current 1080p lcd (the overall brightness/colors were a little duller than on my current tv).

nevertheless i loved it, i bought the KDS device on ebay for around 40$, i think from a private seller. i never tried any other inputs other then the 360 so i cannot attest to the quality of ps2 etc.

[Icarus Moonsight]

All I can offer to help is that I've seen third party VGA boxes for sale at retail. This was 3-4 years back mind you. Bright side is, they do exist. Not sure if Sony ever produced one here though. Maybe get up with their sales dept. They might have refurbs or something.

[TVs Hasselhoff]

Well, looks like I found something, and in the most unlikely of places.

After doing searches online, seeing people mention Hori and "The Perfect Converter," plus, another item that was made specifically for the PS2 and is no longer made, I stumbled across a thread for a unit made by KWorld, their TVBOX 1440.

There were some generally good reviews for the unit, and at about $60 through Buy.com, it looked like worth a gamble. But, here is where it gets better.

On Buy.com, they had a newer KWorld unit called the TVBox Blazing Orange 1920ex. Yes... Blazing Orange... I know. This unit seemed to have all the features of the 1440, including a TV tuner, but the kicker was the Orange unit also included cables made for the Wii and PS2! The special cable acts as a YPbPr cable for the PS2. This unit can be found at Buy.com, but also at Frys.com and in the Fry's stores. Lucky for me, there is a Fry's near where I'm working in Indianapolis.

Hooked it up to my monitor, a LG Flatron 19inch LCD, with a max resolution of 1440. The Orange unit comes with all the cables you'll need except a VGA monitor cable to run from the unit to the monitor. Once started, choose the YPbPr input option, set the resolution to either 800 or 1024 at 60mhz, and you're good to go. The unit runs all the high-end video outputs, but 480i is what locks in for the PS2. Except for an off-center picture (nothing cut off, just the picture is either lined up to the left or right edge of the screen), the Blazing Orange unit does an excellent job of putting the PS2 image on the screen. Of course, the PS2 image looks a little jagged, but running at the lower resolutions I've listed doesn't make it too noticeable, and you can always drop the noise level down to soften the look.

I'm extremely pleased with the result, and for those of you who know how uptight I can get with this stuff (and with Satan's love-child, the PS2), this unit is more than satisfactory. It has a lot of settings and adjustments to get the picture to look good, it has a small form factor, and comes with a handy remote to access everything. I haven't tried the TV tuner yet, but that hasn't been a priority for me purchasing this piece. The provided cables are acceptable, but short in length, so make sure everything can be placed closed to one another.

In closing, despite the numerous items that have been for sale in the past, and are either available only through import sites or discontinued, the Blazing Orange unit from KWorld does an excellent job of running a PS2 through a VGA monitor. At $89.99, it isn't terribly expensive, and if internals are the same, the lower models 1440 and 1680 may work, for a lower price. But, with the convenience of specialized cables, a broad range of output resolutions, and numerous settings and adjustments, it provides an excellent solution to providing one monitor for all your video needs.

This post, somehow, turned into a review. How did that happen?

[Poofta!]

glad you like it. i got my KDS unit (which is just a component - vga converter) for like$30.

i tried my psp on it today, and it looks pretty bad. so i hooked it up to my 1080p tv instead, looks a lot better, but only if i dont make it fullscreen.

[Icarus Moonsight]

That's a neat trick. Ya started up this thread looking for info and you just gave back better. LOL

My current VGA box only handles AV and S-Vid and displays 640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 (the filter is really apparent at highest res and is barely tolerable with an AV source. S-Vid fares much better though.).

Looks like I need to take a trip up to Fry's and upgrade to the box you just mentioned and let my old box continue to handle the N64 and back systems. Don't even have to pickup another auto switch since it has the direct connects for the Wii and PS2. I'll have to get the Xbox running on it sometime down the road. Then I'll be set. :) Thanks!

[TVs Hasselhoff]

This search was aggravating, so if I can provide a solution that isn't more than two years old, I'm all the happier to do it. It just reminded me, again, of how much I was disappointed with the PS2's performance, compared to its rival systems. Whether is was anti-aliasing issues, limited games running 480i, etc., the system just wasn't friendly to anyone but Sony. But PS2 has Front Mission 4, which is what prompted all this, so...

I still haven't found anything better for running Xbox 360 video to a LCD screen than what Microsoft supplies itself. The official VGA adaptor or HDMI cable with audio leads do a flawless job (HDMI to DVI converter will give you picture with no sound). Running the 360 through something like the Blazing Orange may not give you good results, but for the other systems like Wii, PS2, etc., it seems to be the only option.

I haven't bothered with a PS3 yet, so I don't know what video options are available for that monolith.

And like I said before, there are two models beneath the 1920ex; the 1440 and 1680, each with recent reviews regarding PS2 compatibility. They don't have the included console cables, but they can run $30 to $40 cheaper. But I can't provide first-hand experience for either of those units.