Intermittent / Random screen blackouts with Component cables

Hello friends:

I am experiencing this annoying issue of intermittent screen blackouts / blanking (for a second or a fraction of it) when using component cables, sometimes lasting for continuous 3-4 seconds. This happens even during a game option screen, for example during weapon select screen in Resident Evil 4.

The screen blanks for a second or a fraction of it, sometimes blinks for 2-3 seconds. This is totally random.

What I observed is that the problem happens only while using component cables. Earlier I had thought that this is due to bad burns but when I stared using a composite cable there were no such problems. I tried the component cables, and the problem is back.
What could be the reason?

My component cable is not a Sony original but bought from a gray market but from the looks-wise it looks fine and not cheap quality. Just to give you an idea, the INDIVIDUAL wires (Y/Pb/Pr) are of the same diameter /thickness as of any single wire of a composite cable.

I tried searching on Google, and found number of references regarding such blinkings with PS3 because of incompatibilities between HDCP.
But what could be the case for PS2.

I guess, most probable, reason is the cable but can anybody confirm?

Thanks in advance.

Some more information...
PS2 - SCPH 90004 8B
Problem Games - All (Resident Evil 4, Gran Turismo 4, MGS2, MGS3)

- Kamal N

Maybe a problem of it still outputting a interlaced signal on your tv, Resident Evil 4 won't output progressive scan unless you do the following newer games like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus allow you to do it from an option on the start menu.
The same probably goes for Gran Turismo 4, MGS2 and MGS3 you need to hold down triangle during bootup to activate progressive scan.
Also make sure Y Cb/Pb Cr/Pr is set in System Configuration instead of RGB.

Yeah I have the same problem. Screen goes black for like 2-3 seconds at random when using Component Cables. Happens on both my PS2 and PS3. I read somewhere that it does it due to crappy electrical wiring in your home but if I use composite cables, my screen never goes black for 2-3 seconds.


I'm going to try holding triangle at boot-up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kevstah2004

Maybe a problem of it still outputting a interlaced signal on your tv, Resident Evil 4 won't output progressive scan unless you do the following newer games like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus allow you to do it from an option on the start menu.
The same probably goes for Gran Turismo 4, MGS2 and MGS3 you need to hold down triangle during bootup to activate progressive scan.
Also make sure Y Cb/Pb Cr/Pr is set in System Configuration instead of RGB.

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System Configuration is properly changed to Y/Pb/Pr, in fact without it it never outputs any signal via Component cable. I have to switch between RGB and Y/Pb/Pr if I switch between Composite and Component cables resp. So configuration wise, it's fine.

Mine is a PAL PS2. And Gran Turismo does not support 480p on PAL as per the following page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ith_HD_support, neither Killzone (which I also have and face problems). I have both original and play them via USBAdvance to save my laser. But I get the problems, regardless I play via USBAdvance or the DVD itself.

1. Mine is an un-modded Original SCPH-90004 8B, running FMCB, ESR and USBAdvance. Isn't the triangle thing you are telling, is for Matrix modchip feature?


2. Do you mean that Interlace signals don't come fine with Component cables (as these games don't support 480p). But then the blinking is very rare, probably 10-20 seconds (obviously in smaller durations and randomly distributed in time) for a full one hour. If it's an Interlace signal problem, it should have always, isn't it?

But my Resident Evil 4 is NTSC, borrowed from a friend. There also I don't see any option to explicitly output a Progressive signal.

3. Do you mean that even when a game supports Progressive, I have to hold the triangle for it to output progressive signals.

Thanks,
- Kamal N

1. No it's part of the actual game code present in newer games.

2. I don't know enough about this but it makes sense to me that component cables weren't designed to carry a 480i signal or your tv is suited better to accepting signals from 480p upwards whilst using the component port you said you had no problems outputting 480i down a composite cable on the composite port do you have the ability to try S-Video or RGB-Scart instead?
It's worth noting that RGB-Scart doesn't officially support progressive scan but you can force a
progressive scan signal down it's wires and as long as your TV is HD you shouldn't have any problems, I've done it before on my PS2 & GameCube on my standard def TV and I got a rolling screen which I think is proof it was outputting a progressive scan signal.

3. Yes in most cases although newer games have the option hidden away on one of the start menu options.

If you can't get resi evil 4 to respond to triangle to bring up the progressive screen, I'll port my codebreaker to NTSC for you that brings it without you having to press anything.

Thanks for the quick reply.

I don't have a S-Video cable. Also my TV does not have a RGB-Scart input, so the only options that I have are: Composite or Component (or HDMI, if someday PS2 starts supporting it :)

You were quite right. I had to hold down (X) and (Triangle) buttons in order to get a Progressive Scan option in Resident Evil 4.
But I'll have to play for sometime in order to know if it still has the blinking problem even after enabling Progressive Scan.

One more question, in your previous post you said "for Gran Turismo 4, MGS2 and MGS3 you need to hold down triangle during bootup to activate progressive scan" but I guess MGS2 and MGS3 does not support 480p or any other progressive scan option. GT4 does but in NTSC edition.
This is very bad from the game manufacturer's side to deprived PAL users from this enhanced functionality even when we are paying full amount for the Game.

What is codebreaker?

What type TV you have?
(manufacturer, model, etc)

Codebreaker is Cheat Device disc

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lee4

What type TV you have?
(manufacturer, model, etc)

Codebreaker is Cheat Device disc

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I have a Samsung LA26A450 supporting resolution upto 1366x768.
http://www.samsung.com/in/consumer/d...LXL&fullspec=F

So does Codebreaker de-interlace the singals i.e. converts to Progressive scan?
"I'll port my codebreaker to NTSC for you that brings it without you having to press anything."

No it was just a cheat code that brings up that option so you don't have to hold any buttons, there is HDTV Player by Xploder that allows you to run the game in different resolutions, someone also made a patch tool to force any game into 480p it's around this board somewhere.

I tried enabling progressive scan on Resident Evil 4 by pressing down (X) and (Triangle) buttons. It worked.

But I still face the problem of random blackouts. So it's not the problem of interlaced signals.

There is one more question, when I enabled progressive scan on Resident Evil 4 it fills my screen just like normal (i.e. just like it is when disabled, off course PS2 games all leaves a small black border on LCDs/PLASMA), but for Metal Gear Solid 2 which does not support progressive scan, I tried Xploder HDTV Player to output 480p (even tried 720p), but it did not fill my TV screen. The game appeared in a much smaller box filling around 60-70% of my screen.

Why the difference when the game itself outputting a 480p or Xploder HTV doing it?

Regards,
- Kamal N