PS2 VGA HACK (kiss Sync on Green goodbye) ;)

[l_oliveira]

I'm releasing this information in order to help the fellow users of the Matrix Infinity, Origa 2 and possibly other VGA capable mods.

While trying the LM1881 PS2 VGA hacks arround I got annoyed by the fact I couldn't strip the sync signal of the green. That was causing a major problem on most monitors I tried to use with my PS2.

After a little bit of research I found out there were split Hsync and Vsync signals inside the PS2 just waiting to be tapped out. That simplified the circuit by a ton. But I still were having trouble with the green stripes on the edge of the image (Sync noise). Then I finnaly found a switch on the PS2 analog video encoder that completely disables the SoG mixer. I tested this and it doesn't seem to affect the Component Video output.

The Dreamcast VGA diagram from GameSX.com was used as reference for the
VSYNC/HSYNC buffer. it uses the same circuit but the pins 1 and 19 of the LS244 are tied to ground without a switch (aways enabled)

Thanks goes for GameSX.com for posting the VGA Box for Dreamcast schematics


Merry Christmas and happy hacking


P.S.: (this will work with PS2 linux too and will enable any VGA/VESA monitor to work on a PS2 console)

[highwayman]

Very good & thank you for sharing it to the Community!

I made an internal Vga Connection on the Back of the Ps2 and i looks awesome on a VGA capable TV.

[Endymion]

You should go back and look at gamesx.com again--the syncs and RGB are "created" at respective points before the macrovision or sync-on-green is added, meaning, you can tap them from the board without the need of using a sync strip to pull it out of green.

A forum regular there posted how to do this with detailed pictures on the gamesx.com wiki just earlier today. You could do it either way I guess, but then choice is good, and it looks pretty damn simple.

[l_oliveira]

Adding some info:
On a not modded/modified PS2, the VGA mode is enabled only when you select RGB on the system menu AND select progressive scan on the game, if it supports progressive scan. Else you get component video. When VGA mode is enabled all other video outs are completely disabled, to avoid damage if a multi connector adaptor is used (normal TVs will not like much if you feed them 31khz hsync)

And tapping video directly from the Graphics Synthetizer chip is VERY risky as it's a 1.8v chip and you risk frying it if the monitor latches the inputs (very common on non grounded houses) I thought about tapping the signals from the GS but then found out about the SOG off jumper, which allowed me to use the PS2 onboard RGB amplifier for safety.

P.S.: I have some schematics, which allowed me to weight the pros and cons of everything. Hence why I choose to do the VGA hack this way.

[highwayman]

@oliveira: your method is the best one to find in the net, it very easy to disable the SOG this way. Its properly hard to see it on your picture but it does the trick.

I am searching for a method to offset the image vertical and horizontal, because the blaze VGA forcer software displays most of the games with the same bad offset.

There must be a way to correct this without a modchip.

Different codes in the blaze tool doest seem to change something in that direction.

BLAZE CODE Tests: (hex 00-FF dez 0-255)

x00 vertical scale
x00 ?
x00 no effect
x00 ?
x00 ?
x00 ?
x00 ?
x00 ?

[Endymion]

Adding some info:
And tapping video directly from the Graphics Synthetizer chip is VERY risky as it's a 1.8v chip and you risk frying it if the monitor latches the inputs (very common on non grounded houses) I thought about tapping the signals from the GS but then found out about the SOG off jumper, which allowed me to use the PS2 onboard RGB amplifier for safety.

Here's the wiki article. It doesn't look dangerous to me. All he is doing is tapping RGB from the board. If you feel like going to the GS chip you can do that but the H and V sync is available through vias on the board, this may not be a novice hack but I have a hard time seeing someone who knows how to solder screwing it up. The big advantage of doing it this way is the benefit of snatching the signal before macrovision is added, in addition to solving the SOG problem.

[Yishun]

Hi, I downloaded some PS2 games. How can I burn it?What program is best to use.

[paavo91]

Hi. I have built this circuit and I have a problem. My monitor says: Horizontal frequency is too low(15,6kHz) . My monitor works on 30kHz at least. Whats the problem?

[l_oliveira]

Hi. I have built this circuit and I have a problem. My monitor says: Horizontal frequency is too low(15,6kHz) . My monitor works on 30kHz at least. Whats the problem?

Turn on PROGRESSIVE (31KHZ) mode on the game before connect the monitor.

[paavo91]

Is it in options? And where I can get list of games which supports progressive scan?