PS3 and Automatic Scaling.

[Joe DeFuria]

As per the thread you linked, if you force your PS3 to output 720p and exclude 1080i, it'll only output 480p for BD playback. So you need to let it output 1080i and let your TV do the rest.

Can the PS3 be set to default output for games at one resolution, and BD movies at another? If not, it can be a significant annoyance...in many cases having to reset the output resolution before starting a BD movie...

 

[Titanio]

Can the PS3 be set to default output for games at one resolution, and BD movies at another? If not, it can be a significant annoyance...in many cases having to reset the output resolution before starting a BD movie...

I'll be able to tell you on Monday when I get mine (hopefully), but I think it will automatically select 1080i for BD playback on a 720p set unless you manually disable 1080i in your resolution output options.

So in other words..no, I don't think you have to change the resolution back and forth.

Also, Tap In, it might be better to link to the thread up there rather than one fairly uninformative post

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129545

 

[Acert93]

As per the thread you linked, if you force your PS3 to output 720p and exclude 1080i, it'll only output 480p for BD playback. So you need to let it output 1080i and let your TV do the rest.

edit - the IGN article actually notes that too.

I guess this means VGA support isn't gonna be easy down the road later, either. e.g. I have a 21" CRT (1600x1200) which could accept 480p, 720p, 1366x768, etc.

As things currently stand, even with a Component-to-VGA adapter, for BluRay movies I would be stuck in 480p as 1080p/i is too many pixels and it doesn't scale to 720p. I don't forsee a game supporting 1080i/p and not 720p, but if this ever did occur it would be the same situation.

I hope Sony fixes this as VGA support is manditory for myself. The GCN was borderline unacceptible because a number of games did not support 480p (for those I got a cheap signal converter and the quality different is SIGNIFICANT, craptistic to say the least). I could forsee the same disparity between 720p versus 480p games if not done right (or developed on 480p with the intent of more work per pixel).

I am glad MS supports VGA and hope Sony within the next couple updates does likewise. That said, even MS has some issues with VGA (some games do not letterbox 16:9 on a 4:3 aspect monitor so you have to squash the image... namely PGR3, which indicates games with odd sized buffers "break" this nice feature, although some updates have resolved some of these issues) so thus far there has not been a perfect solution out of the box, so I won't hold my breath for a later revision resolving output on first wave games for a niché item like VGA.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

I'll be able to tell you on Monday when I get mine (hopefully), but I think it will automatically select 1080i for BD playback on a 720p set unless you manually disable 1080i in your resolution output options.

So in other words..no, I don't think you have to change the resolution back and forth.

I'll try and explain a little better. I'm talking about having a set that is both 1080i and 720p capable. What if you have games that only support 720p and not 1080i?

In that case, you have to set PS3 output to 720p to play that game, otherwise you'll only get 480p output. (I think that's right...)

So now, you've got your PS3 set to 720p output. Now, if you go and stick in a BR movie...what happens if you don't manually change the PS3 output to 1080i first? (480p BD movie output?)

 

[Titanio]

I'll try and explain a little better. I'm talking about having a set that is both 1080i and 720p capable. What if you have games that only support 720p and not 1080i?

In that case, you have to set PS3 output to 720p to play that game, otherwise you'll only get 480p output. (I think that's right...)

So now, you've got your PS3 set to 720p output. Now, if you go and stick in a BR movie...what happens if you don't manually change the PS3 output to 1080i first? (480p BD movie output?)

I don't think so. Unless you disable 1080i output it will switch to 1080i itself, I think. Others in that thread hadn't even noticed the machine switched to 1080i output, they only checked after seeing drohne's post.

Again, it's not like the machine will lock at the resolution you set it at. There seems to be some autonomy on the part of the PS3 unless you disable all resolutions except one.

I'll tell you for sure when I get mine.

 

[London Geezer]

As things currently stand, even with a Component-to-VGA adapter, for BluRay movies I would be stuck in 480p as 1080p/i is too many pixels and it doesn't scale to 720p.

No no no no things are different for Bluray playback. That one works perfectly at any resolution you throw at it on the dashboard. This issue is just for games.

 

[kyleb]

That isn't what people with PS3s have been saying.

 

[Acert93]

No no no no things are different for Bluray playback. That one works perfectly at any resolution you throw at it on the dashboard. This issue is just for games.

I don't have one, just reading the reports. But from this post above by Tap-In, it seems that BluRay movies are currently output as 1080i or 1080p -- and for 720p sets the PS3 lets the TV do the scaling. Hence some complaints from 720p owners who have TVs that scale 1080i sources poorly. But I digress as this is all still "eye of the storm" but many of these issues do explain why there has been no announced VGA support (as was my point).

The good news is that for movies this is easily resolved with an OS update. As a VGA-guy I do hope that we never see a non-720p game unless Sony releases an OS update for games that does scaling of 1080 source to 720 on the PS3 itself.

 

[London Geezer]

That isn't what people with PS3s have been saying.

Heh how i love the internet... Can never trust what anyone says as someone else always says something different.

You know what guys, since this issue will never affect me as i'm in Europe and all HDTVs here accept both 720p and 1080i resolutions, i'll stop even reading about this cause i never know whats true or not anyway.

 

[Clockwork]

That isn't what people with PS3s have been saying.

Well I have a PS3, and I can tell you it's bad info (or they don't have it set up right, or their tv is just plain horrible)


I have the output set to 720p (to match that of my 46" Toshiba DLP) and am connected via HDMI. I watched Talladega Nights last night and the player DID NOT downscale to 480p.

 

[rounin]

Well I have a PS3, and I can tell you it's bad info (or they don't have it set up right, or their tv is just plain horrible)


I have the output set to 720p (to match that of my 46" Toshiba DLP) and am connected via HDMI. I watched Talladega Nights last night and the player DID NOT downscale to 480p.

Can you verify that its not at 1080i and being downscaled by your TV ?

 

[Acert93]

I have the output set to 720p (to match that of my 46" Toshiba DLP) and am connected via HDMI. I watched Talladega Nights last night and the player DID NOT downscale to 480p.

Can you verify that its not at 1080i and being downscaled by your TV ?

Could you also try Component Cables.

 

[Clockwork]

Can you verify that its not at 1080i and being downscaled by your TV ?

Oh, I guess I should clarify:

When placing Bluray movie (Talladega Nights) into the PS3 and playing it the unit automatically set itself to 1080i output. (which I was able to verify using my tv's recall button)

My tv handles the downscaling/conversion to 720p.


When I play a game it is output at 720p and no scaling takes place.

What I was trying to advise is that it did not downscale to 480p.

A apologize if I misunderstood or added confusion.

 

[Acert93]

Oh, I guess I should clarify:

When placing Bluray movie (Talladega Nights) into the PS3 and playing it the unit automatically set itself to 1080i output. (which I was able to verify using my tv's recall button)

My tv handles the downscaling/conversion to 720p.

So for BluRay it does appear that the PS3 sends a 1080x signal and relies on the TV to scale to 720p. This should be easy enough to resolve though for Sony--just have the PS3 scale the 1080 framebuffer to 720p. I am sure users with poor TV scalers would appreciate it.

 

[onanie]

So for BluRay it does appear that the PS3 sends a 1080x signal and relies on the TV to scale to 720p. This should be easy enough to resolve though for Sony--just have the PS3 scale the 1080 framebuffer to 720p. I am sure users with poor TV scalers would appreciate it.

the trouble with a 720p signal is that it needs to be rescaled again on most "720p" TV sets anyway, namely to 768 lines. Why rescale it first, only for it to be rescaled (badly) again next? In any case, if you're concerned by it, then you need a better TV.

 

[pipo]

I guess this means VGA support isn't gonna be easy down the road later, either. e.g. I have a 21" CRT (1600x1200) which could accept 480p, 720p, 1366x768, etc.

My thoughts exactly.

It now makes sense they aren't providing a VGA cable too by the way. You normally would like to lock your settings for that.

I guess this means I'm stuck with component for this system.

 

[MasaC]

What settings can you make within the software BD player on PS3? I mean when you have inserted a movie and started playback and then press stop you'll get a BD-player menu (much alike the software DVD-player on the PS2). Is there a video output setting för BD movies there?

Is it possible that you set video mode for XMB functionality in the XMB settings menu, set video mode for games in the games themselves and video mode for BD movies in the software BD playermenu settings?

 

[Mintmaster]

the trouble with a 720p signal is that it needs to be rescaled again on most "720p" TV sets anyway, namely to 768 lines. Why rescale it first, only for it to be rescaled (badly) again next? In any case, if you're concerned by it, then you need a better TV.

All 720p DLP and LCOS sets are 720 lines, and most plasmas sold are 480 lines.

Anyways, I don't think this is much of an issue. It's only going to matter for games that don't scale to 1080i, and only when played on TV's that can't handle 720p. I know one of the early RCA DLP's were like this, and presumably some of the early RP CRT HDTV's were like this also.

 

[Gradthrawn]

What settings can you make within the software BD player on PS3? I mean when you have inserted a movie and started playback and then press stop you'll get a BD-player menu (much alike the software DVD-player on the PS2). Is there a video output setting för BD movies there?

Is it possible that you set video mode for XMB functionality in the XMB settings menu, set video mode for games in the games themselves and video mode for BD movies in the software BD playermenu settings?

Not quite. In fact, of the four games I have, none have a resolution setting. What the games try to do is best accommodate the resolutions you have selected (in the XMB), and everything else is scaled automatically to what you set in the XMB's display settings, or the highest its allowed to go (like 640x480 for DVDs). I guess that's the best way to look at it, in the XMB you set the highest resolution your TV can go*. The BD menu (while playing a BD) has basically no settings (though plenty of options), all of those settings are handled in the BD menu in the XMB. But, as stated, there's no separate resolution setting for different media/applications.

*The resolution order for the PS3 looks like this:

1. NTSC
2. 480p
3. 1080i
4. 720p
5. 1080p

The custom resolution setting allows you to select each resolution individually, and test them. I don't currently have a display that can do both 720p and 1080i, if I did, I would select those two and check to see if Ridge Racer plays in 1080i while Resistance plays in 720p.

 

[Arwin]

So for BluRay it does appear that the PS3 sends a 1080x signal and relies on the TV to scale to 720p. This should be easy enough to resolve though for Sony--just have the PS3 scale the 1080 framebuffer to 720p. I am sure users with poor TV scalers would appreciate it.

I read from a Chinese poster on the blu-ray forums there will be a firmware update that offers several new options for BluRay output, including different color coding. We'll have to wait and see I guess ...