Why does my PS2 component suck?

[Niku-Sama]

my image quality on my PS2 blows on component is it because my LCD native Res is higher of that which the PS2 can output and its streching it out causing the jaggies i see in text and stuff?

[Half Japanese]

For god's sake man, switch the TV to 4:3 mode unless the game specifically supports widescreen. Stretched 4:3 content looks like shit, no matter what source it's from. That said, the game will have to support progressive scan to even start to look worth a damn on an LCD. It's still a step-up from S-video, but CRT is almost always always best for older games (non-progressive scan). What it comes down to is that the ps2 hardware and most of the games for it came into being at a time when component was still alien to most people and it wasn't considered important by developers to include extravagant support for it since they knew most people would probably be using stock cables.

[heybtbm]

If you want to see the true progressive scan capabilities of the PS2, put in God of War or Resident Evil 4 (you have to hold 'triangle' and 'X' when the game boots up). When a game is designed for 480p, it can look incredible with component cables...even on the old PS2. Unfortunately, progressive scan doesn't always help the game look better (see: Shadow of the Colossus).

[Niku-Sama]

For god's sake man, switch the TV to 4:3 mode unless the game specifically supports widescreen. Stretched 4:3 content looks like shit, no matter what source it's from. That said, the game will have to support progressive scan to even start to look worth a damn on an LCD. It's still a step-up from S-video, but CRT is almost always always best for older games (non-progressive scan). What it comes down to is that the ps2 hardware and most of the games for it came into being at a time when component was still alien to most people and it wasn't considered important by developers to include extravagant support for it since they knew most people would probably be using stock cables.

it is in 4:3 and lately i have been playing ace combat zero except i think i am gonna stop because the big lasers in the sky are pissing me off

[Richter Belmount]

Ive read on a couple sites hold triangle and x to change the image to progressive scan after you see the playstation 2 logo. Imo big difference , but there are course games that have progressive scan and dont.