Is the PS2 really such a bad DVD player?

[trains are bad]

If I use the optical out to, does it really give up anything with regards to audio? I know I've never seen a 5.1 PS2 game, but if you play a 5.1 DVD it still is 5.1, right?

 

[Redo]

I can't be for sure, but my Xbox won't pass Redbook CD's via 44.1khz, it upsamples it to 48hkz. So if you're using it as a CD player too, you may want to make sure it doesn't upsample to 48khz.

 

[GreatDane]

The PS2 will work like any stand alone DVDP using the optical out for 5.1. Since you'll be using the DAC in your receiver(I'm guessing), it should work as good as any other player near the price. Video quality is good for a $130 player from my experience. I use my PS2 via S-video into a 65" Mitsubishi for mostly games but it's tolerable for movies that my son watches on it.

 

[rsaavedra]

The DVD video on my PS2, either using SVideo or Component cables, is darker than normal. In any case using a home theater calibration DVD like AVIA you should bring your TV to proper video calibration no matter the DVD source.

Certainly using the optical out you should be ok for audio. The analog audio output of the PS2 is restricted to 16kHz stereo if I recall correctly, so don't use the analog outs, not even for stereo.

 

[trains are bad]

Cool, in my place space is at a great premium, so using my Ps2 as a DVD player would be very convenient. I'm not much of a videophile, but the audio is more important. I have a technics surround processor in the mail that I will be using. I use S-video cables into a 30" Sony CRT hdtv. However, I do remember my Ps2 choking on some anime DVDs' video, but said DVDs were pretty hard to play on anything.

Quote:

The analog audio output of the PS2 is restricted to 16kHz stereo if I recall correctly, so don't use the analog outs, not even for stereo.

Interesting, but not surprising. Did you measure it, or read it somewhere? I might whip out the audacity tomorrow and check it out.

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting, but not surprising. Did you measure it, or read it somewhere? I might whip out the audacity tomorrow and check it out.

Read it somewhere, I think in a list of detailed PS2 specs online. My bookmarks from back then don't work now though, can't find it. I just checked the instruction manual, didn't find it there, there's very little about the audio specs in the manual. I just recall reading the ps2's analog out freq. range shortly after getting the PS2, and then I purchased my very first optical toslink cable the next day.

 

[infinitesymphony]

I'm not sure about the digital audio section, but the video output of my PS2 slim is horrible. It still has a lot of the playback bugs that have since been fixed by even the cheapest of standalone DVD players. Dark scenes are especially terrible and unrealistic-looking, as if the player couldn't cover the full color spectrum.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsaavedra /img/forum/go_quote.gif The DVD video on my PS2, either using SVideo or Component cables, is darker than normal. In any case using a home theater calibration DVD like AVIA you should bring your TV to proper video calibration no matter the DVD source. Certainly using the optical out you should be ok for audio. The analog audio output of the PS2 is restricted to 16kHz stereo if I recall correctly, so don't use the analog outs, not even for stereo.

AVIA is a bit outdated.. It was made for CRTs.

 

[trains are bad]

I have a CRT.

 

[en480c4]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif AVIA is a bit outdated.. It was made for CRTs.

It may be, but the only real shortcoming I found when using it with my new Sony 3-LCD rear projection TV was with the white level settings. Everything else translates fine, but the white level instructions and test pattern are clearly set up for CRTs. The only way to set is to check the pattern at the top, making sure each step is twice as bright as the one before it. But the black level, sharpness, color and hue settings all were straight forward and in the end, I have a pretty stunning picture.

To the OP, the PS2 really does have a crappy picture. It's dark, but in my experience, it's not just a question of adjusting the TV... There really seems to be a loss of black/shadow detail. I had a lot of trouble with my DVD player last year, and kept trying to use my PS2 as a DVD player. It looked bad enough that I sprung for a $45 open-box buy Sony DVD player @ Circuit City to use when my good DVD player was being serviced.

 

[trains are bad]

Well, it seems the PS2 can't do 5.1 at all? I bought a slim model PS2 for christmas.

I have a technics surround sound processor and when I hook the PS2 up to it via optical out, it stays switched to prologic...but when I hook a $30 DVD player up to it via the coaxial out, with the same DVD it switches to Dolby Digital. I don't understand why the optical out wouldn't be 5.1, but I don't know what else to think.

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trains are bad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, it seems the PS2 can't do 5.1 at all? I bought a slim model PS2 for christmas. I have a technics surround sound processor and when I hook the PS2 up to it via optical out, it stays switched to prologic...but when I hook a $30 DVD player up to it via the coaxial out, with the same DVD it switches to Dolby Digital. I don't understand why the optical out wouldn't be 5.1, but I don't know what else to think.

The PS2's optical out can certaily output Dolby Digital. On your PS2 play that DVD and enter the DVD menu, choose audio settings and then Dolby Digital.

I would also try something else, check the optical input of your receiver with some other source and not your PS2. You tried that DVD player but with a coax connection, not the optical, maybe not apples and apples.

 

[GreatDane]

Along with the good advice that rsaavedra gives there might be the matter of selecting coax or optical for that input on the reciever.

Without having a game disc or movie DVD in the PS2, you must enter [system configuration] and find the digital out(optical)section and turn it on. Default setting is off, so if you haven't made any adjustments here, this will solve the problem.