Options for displaying 240p?

[cress]

I have a pretty unusual (and frustrating) issue with my projector.

I use it mainly with my PlayStation 2 and use that to mostly play Playstation 1 games - bit of a retro junkie in that respect. Until today i was using it with composite AV and everything was fine, but have now decided to upgrade to component connections.

Only after I bought all the bits to do this do i find out that there are problems displaying the PS1’s 240p resolution over component. The issue is generally whether the TV/projector will accept it. Mine apparently doesn’t. It’s an EUG one I bought from Amazon. £400 so not the cheapest, but far from the best, I know.

Here are my options: 1) ditch the PS2, buy an original PS1 and a special adapter you can get. Not 100% sure this is viable, whole thing I’ve been looking at has a chance of being snake oil.

2) Buy a PS3, which also runs PS1 games but also upscales them. Problem is I also have to buy a rare memory card accessory so i can use my save files on the PS3, or else ditch a couple of years of ‘work’. These memory card accessories cost as much as PS3 console itself and are pretty hard to find.

3) Swap the projector.

So, I’m leaning on option 3, and thinking about maybe a CRT projector, like a Seleco SVT 150, for example - but not sure if that would even have component connections?

Pretty lost trying to Google all this, so I’m very much open to suggestions. End result being, ideally, to play my beloved PS1 games at the best possible quality, 6ft wide on my living room wall!

Thank you!

 

[Joe Fernand]

‘Until today i was using it with composite AV and everything was fine’ - so why did you change?

Joe

 

[cress]

Thanks for the reply.
It’s just a bit blurry, quite noticeable with text - component clears this right up. The difference is night and day with my PS2 games and DVDs - so obviously gutting that it’s currently a no-go with my PS1 games, which is about 80% of what i do (or want to do) with my setup.

 

[Vila]

Could you not use your current PS2 with a component to HDMI converter?

Amazon product

 

[cress]

I don’t know, could I? I don’t see any reason I just wouldn’t end up with the same problem, according to those specs.

 

[Vila]

I'm afraid i certainly dont know that it will work.

However if your projector wont take a lower resolution component signal it would seem logical that something to 'upscale' the signal to 1080p HDMI might make it work without changing the console or the projector.

 

[Joe Fernand]

Component will usually look far better than Composite video - many Projectors will only support HDTV format signals, so 480p60 and above.

As Vila suggests you require a video processor which accepts the source signal and up-converts to a format the projector supports.

You could look for a second hand DVDO or Lumagen - DVDO being simpler to configure for someone new to this tech.

Joe

 

[cress]

Thanks Joe, and Vila.

However, what i’m saying - i think - is that the suggested device, and many others like it don’t support 240p, according to the listed specs. They support the same source signals as my projector does, and essentially my projector is doing what this device does internally, as if it already has one built in.

Thanks Joe for your suggestions, I’m looking at the products offered by these manufacturers. Although even second hand its looking to run more of a cost than just buying a PS3, which can be had with warranty for about £80. And about double that with the required memory card accessory.

Like I said in my initial post, it’s a bit of a mire!

 

[Joe Fernand]

The DVDO iScan Pro is probably the least cost option (if you can find one) though as you say they still hold a bit of value as folk with CRT projectors often use these devices.

Joe

 

[cress]

Well the problem seems to have been solved for me in a round about way - my PS2 has gone haywire! It’s displaying weird green edges around everything, it’s definitely the PlayStation and not the projector (thankfully). I’ve tried everything bar opening the thing up and poking around inside. It was working fine yesterday and I haven’t changed any settings or anything since. Seems to be a unique problem to mine as i can’t find any specific info on this fault online. So, rather than messing about with it I’ve just bought a PS3. I can use the same component cable that I got for the PS2, at least.
I guess one good thing about becoming a hermit during these lockdowns is that I have plenty of money to throw away on these frivolous pursuits!
Thanks for the input anyway, Joe. I wish I was able to input more into this fine community, but I’m far from an expert in AV matters unfortunately.