American PS2 gets hardware DVD playback

[rudds]

you've all gotten the wrong idea about the changes to ps2's dvd playback. the original idea was for the driver to reside on the memory card so that it could be upgraded easily. in the american unit, the driver will be stored in a flash rom instead. this allows them to maintain tighter control over 'official' dvd driver versions (to prevent hacks and whatnot), and also gives them an excuse to no longer include a memory card with the system. the playback itself is basically unchanged.

 

[beat mania]

rudds: that's what I thought too. it'll take some serious design, layout and tests to put more stuff on that pc board.

putting the driver in rom also helps support when rr5 or ttt or whatever decides to try to erase the driver

 

[oxide]

my 10X dvd can rip a CD just under 3 minutes. It makes up for my slow 4X burner.

Auric, the DLP is connected via standard vga cable with a 25 foot extension from digital connection to the EVC connector for the DLP. The projector also has s-video and composite inputs, but I use the vga because of the native progressive scan abilities in all computers. I use a software solution (winDVD). My video card is the Radeon64 VIVO, the only choice for great DVD playback. I connect a vcr to the video in which allows me to watch tv and use the PC at the same time (its like having a cheap external tuner with a remote). My HTPC is connected to a DD/DTS 5.1 decoder/reciever thru my sound card's S/PDIF. The screen measures ~102" widescreen. I run at 800x600 at 72Hz (film 24fps..x3) I have tried s-video and composite out and look on par with ~300 to 400 dollar set-top DVD players. Hope this helps and you get a FP soon!

 

[ichoi]

Actually, from what the Register article said, the chips being bought up by Sony aren't just Flash ROM chips, but ones that do actual hardware decoding.

And as for the difference between TV-Out and hardware decoders, most video card's TV-Outs tend to be quite poor (with perhaps the exception of Matrox), and are probably added as afterthoughts.

 

[Auric]

oxide, that sounds really shweet. It must rock for Winamp visual plugins like Geiss too. One thing I am not clear on is "the DLP is connected via standard vga cable...from digital connection to the EVC connector for the DLP". The Radeon64 ouput is vga analog isn't it? Only a 32MB version has a digital (DVI) output. I read about a set top DVD in the UK recently that had a digital video output and it was apparently the shiznit. I must find out more about this stuff now!

 

[beat mania]

<< The implication is clear: Sony wants the chips for the PlayStation 2, which will be promoted as a DVD player as well as a games machines... >>



Um, that doesn't sound like anything other than an opinion. Pure conjecture to me. Sony makes stand alone dvd players too.

 

[Soccerman]

&quot;However, I load data, rip audio, copy data, and run apps from the CDROM. So, that example is nothing like DVD players.&quot;

really? so do I, ON MY DVDROM.

get my point? sorry I didn't explain that well.. but it does show WHY you may want 16X (which is like 40X CDROM) DVDROM's.

I personally use my H+ now for DVD on my TV, and use a software decoder for DVD on my monitor.

&quot;Oh and i forgot to add, hardware decoder cards suck! Playback quality isn't that hot (both on monitor and tv)and passthrough.. wtf is with pass through! Anyways, if you have a tv that can handle progressive output, i think you could afford not to use your pc as the player anyhow.. so its a moot point.&quot;

the H+ has JUST AS GOOD video quality when it comes to the TV, as on a Set Top Box, and you can't display a DVD on your monitor from a DVD Set Top Box with full quality.

In order to take advantage of the good res on the DVD for TV, you need an HDTV. simply having progressive scan DOES help, but a DVD runs at ~720X480. 720? 640? see a difference?

the reason I chose DVDROM over CDROM, is this. the price was right, I wanted to be sure that I had a future proof setup (so I don't have to waste money), and what I have IS Future proof. if I had more money, I'd get a better DVDROM right now, as well as a projector, and Dolby Digital audio setup for both my big stereo, AND my computer, but that's just not in the cards is it?

 

[Zucchini]

but you have to admit, that passthrough really sux. Degrades the picture on those of us that use high resolutions. Better off just buying a %#@ big ass HDTV and be done with it.

 

[noxipoo]

no one's gonna buy a ps2 for dvd playing alone, its the GAMES damn it! i'm personally waiting for the xbox. theres a mod chip for ps2, dunno what it does though.

 

[GL]

Zucchini,

The passthru does degrade 2D quality, but when watching a movie on my monitor or TV, I still prefer the H+ over software players. Even with the passthru, the H+/monitor combo seems to me better. I can't really pinpoint what it is, but it just seems more movie-like than the software players. As I said, it's probably just a difference in colour reproduction of the H+ versus software players.

But in general hardware decoders don't suck. Take it from somebody who uses both software and hardware playback. The H+ is unmatched for TV output compared to the software players.

-GL

 

[Zucchini]

Well, it seems that to use a H+ you might as well buy yourself a ultra cheap pc to put beside the tv ... its either that or attaching the passthrough only when you want to watch a dvd(major pain) .. or suffer degraded monitor output(unacceptable) I'm just saying not optimal

 

[noxipoo]

passthrough to monitor is still high quality than a TV unless its HDTV (expensive)

 

[Zucchini]

I dont think you understand. Passthrough is ok if you don't require crisp high resolution images on your pc. If i want dvd i playback at my desktop resolution of 1600x1200 using windvd 2000 2.2b Motion compensation by the geforce ddr/overlay supported at that resolution so picture quality is very very good.

 

[Wingznut]

Ok I get it, soccerman. There is no use for 16x DVD, per se... but along with that comes faster CD speeds (of course.)

 

[Zucchini]

Hm not quite, for those of us that rip dvd's 16x probably gets the job done faster