The purpose of this page is to show where one can tap into the RGB video and sync signals off of some PlayStation 2 motherboards. By obtaining the signals straight from the motherboard you can get around the following issues:

• Component Video Forceback - On the PlayStation 2 the three pins that are used for RGB is also used for Component Video. You can switch between RGB and Component Video within the System Configuration section upon startup. Part of the PlayStation 2's copy protection scheme is that when you put a movie into the PS2 it will only play it in Component Video mode regardless of the RGB/Component Video settings. This was due to the fact that Sony wasn't able to properly embed copy protection signals into regular RGB video and thus the machine will switch to Component Video (which can have MacroVision embedded into it) whenever a movie is played and will remain in Component Video as long as the movie is in the drive. Although DVD burners are the biggest threat to anti-piracy efforts this scheme remains within the PS2 to appease the movie industry (for which Sony is a part of).

• MacroVision - Since the PlayStation 2 does not have a dedicated sync channel the sync has to be taken from either Composite Video or from the Luminance line used for S-Video using a sync separation chip (such as the popular LM1881). When a movie is played the MacroVision signal is inserted into the video signal. Part of what it does is include extra sync pulses that can be ignored by TV sets but not by recording devices such as VCRs. However, with the exclusion of the EL1883 and ISL59885 sync chips, all other sync separation chips cannot account for the extra pulses and your picture will get messed up. You will also need something like a GameShark or Region DVD program to turn off the Component Video Forceback then use the EL1883 to watch movies properly in RGB. A bit of a pain. By getting the sync signals from the motherboard you can outright avoid MacroVision without using any additional programs or modchips.

• Sync-On-Green - To take advantage of the Progressive Scan feature on some games (and on movies with newer models of the PS2 (SCPH-50000 and SCPH-70000 units)) the sync has to be included on the green line. Not every RGB monitor can do Sync-On-Green. And even if you manage to use a sync separation chip to get the sync signals you may find yourself with an overly green tint. Monitors that do not use SOG will mistake the sync as some form of brightness signal and you will get the green screen. Removing sync from a channel can be difficult. But by getting the RGB and sync from the motherboard before the sync gets mixed into green you can then be able to use any monitor you want when taking advantage of Progressive Scan.

• Sync Separation Chips - By obtaining the sync signals from the motherboard you will no longer need to use any sync chip for use with the PlayStation 2.

This page is solely intended for use in allowing one to play games and watch movies in the best possible picture from the PlayStation 2. The author of this page does not endorse or condone movie piracy although in order to achieve the goal of pristene RGB output one must get around the copy protection schemes.

The PlayStation 2 is a very complicated piece of machinery and one should not open it up unless one has a great deal of confidence in one's techinical skills (just ask any modchipper or repair person). Personally, I have fragged one board and nearly destroyed another in finding these signals and learning all I can from them. The contacts are very small and can be a real pain in the ass to work with. Great care must be taken when working on a PlayStation 2.

I have made this page as accurate as possible considering the limited resources I have (four motherboards including a Slim PS2). With that said I cannot be held responsible for damage incured by the user if one attempts to poke around a PS2 motherboard looking for various signals. Don't be afraid to ask around before undertaking such an endeavor or talk to a modder/repair person to see if they can help you out.

The following pictures are from a SCPH-30001 unit (Version 4) motherboard and a SCPH-70012 (Version unknown) motherboard. The Composite Sync “recipe” comes from Viletim!.

Being that this is a Wiki page you are more than welcome to add any information that will improve the quality of information provided here.

There are four chips involved here. The initial signals are sent from the Emotion Engine (CPU) to the Graphics Synthesizer (GPU) to be processed into RGB Analog video. The RGB Analog video is then sent from the GPU to the A3525BR chip (usually found near the A/V plug) to be processed further.

The A3525BR chip then takes the RGB video and converts it into the other video modes (Component Video, S-Video, Composite Video) plus routes the RGB video to the A/V plug depending on the user's wishes. This chip will also insert sync on the green line when you use Progressive Scan RGB (480p, 525p, 720p (Linux kit)).

Another chip, the SC44728 (usually found on the underside of the motherboard), is where the Horizontal and Vertical Sync signals originate. They then go to a small mixing chip to be combined into Composite Sync. It is here that the MacroVision copy protection signal is mixed into the sync signal when requested by the system. From there the Composite Sync goes to the A3525BR chip to be integrated with the video signals.

This picture illustrates where to get the RGB signals off of the motherboard. You can see part of the GPU in the lower right corner. The wires must be soldered on the right side of these surface mount units as shown.

The only downside here is that the RGB signals need to amplified to be fully usable although these signals are not as weak as the Nintendo 64's RGB signal.

This picture illustrates where to get the Horizontal and Vertical Sync signals from the SC44728 chip. You will also notice that in addition to where they are marked on the motherboard (Version 4) I have also marked where they are on the chip itself. Regardless of motherboard revision you can locate them on the chip and follow the traces to a suitable soldering point so you can tap them.

In addition, the sync signals may need to be buffered (using a 74hc244 chip) depending on the monitor being used.

If you follow either of the two sync signals you will eventually come to this small chip. This is where the two sync signals become Composite Sync. If you need Composite Sync it is not recommended you get it from here because of the MacroVision copy protection signal which also gets mixed in when needed.

It may actually be possible to find which of these remaining traces to this chip is the MacroVision signals then cut the traces to permanently disable it by preventing it from reaching the mixing chip.

You can make your own Composite Sync signal with two very simple components. First, run the Horizontal Sync through a 1N4148 diode (very common - can be found at Radio Shack). Second, run the Vertical Sync through a 820 Ohm resistor. Once the two signals have been conditioned this way then you can simply splice them together.

In this model Sony did some major revisioning. They removed the Firewire port, quieted down the fan and DVD drive, and added Progressive Scan DVD playback.

Unfortunately, they also completely redid how the video is done. They went to an all digital format which means that you cannot intercept the RGB signals coming from the GS chip like you could do on the SCPH-30000 units. All of the digital RGB signals go from the GS chip to a new chip: the CXM-4000. This is a Digital to Analog conversion chip (DAC) which converts all of the digital RGB signals to all of the other video formats.

Worse, I could not even find stable sync from this style of motherboard.

The reason that this unit is so small is the fact that Sony combined the two main chips (Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesizer) into one chip called the “EE+GS”. Plus they decided to completely ditch the hard drive altogether and shrink the unit further.

Like the SCPH-50000 units this PS2 also uses a DAC chip: the CXM-4015. However, unlike the SCPH-50000 units, I was able to find the sync signals from this motherboard.

The sync signals can be found very close to the EE+GS chip as shown in the above picture. One of the resistor packs is included as a landmark to help locate the signals.

Hopefully in the near future I can find hacks for the CXM chips that will allow users of the newer PS2 models to be able to fully use RGB Analog with no interference.

It is also unknown at this time if anybody has been able to extract the DVD drivers from the SCPH-70000 units so they can be used on the SCPH-30000 units to give them Progressive Scan DVD playback capability.

Author and pictures: RARusk