Your perfect Sony setup
Hey all, I'm looking for some help that hopefully someone around here has expertise on.
I'm trying to consolidate as best I can to have the least amount of individual devices on my TV, while getting the best video quality possible, and more importantly with the greatest compatibility.
Currently I have a backwards compatible PS3 plugged in through HDMI. This can play 99% of all games on PS1, 2, and of course 3. So what's my issue?
Guitar Hero and DDR controllers do not work on a BC PS3, even with a PS2 to 3 controller converter.
This wouldn't normally be any sort of end of the world ordeal, but my wife likes to play both of these games and any excuse I can get to play games with her is worth everything in my eyes.
I was really hoping the BC PS3 and a controller converter would fix all my issues but it seems that I'll STILL have to have a PS2 plugged into the TV if I want absolute compatibility. Unfortunately my fancy-pants Samsung TV has only one set of plugs available for Composite/Component, and they're already taken up by my RGB SNES and N64, which share a single set of HDRetroVision component cables. "Great! Just plug that into the PS2!" I hear you scream internally. Alas, the plug doesn't physically fit into the PS2 (it has that Nintendo-style tab thing that makes it simply too large to fit). I'm not about to dremel down this expensive cable I bought just to test if it'll work on a PS2, so I'm at somewhat of a loss in that regard.
I have considered the following:
- Get a component cable for the PS2 and go through the "pain" of unplugging the SNES/N64 cable whenever I want to use the PS2. This unplugging and plugging in is the main thing I want to avoid though.
- Upgrade my SNES and N64 to HDMI, add them to my many HDMI switches, and let the PS2 be the lone component device. This would relegate my BC PS3 to solely playing PS3 and PS1 games (PS1 games won't play on a PS2 with component cables due to incompatibility). This kind of makes the BC PS3 pointless, but whatever, I'd have everything all plugged in, no need to switch cables around ever (until I inevitably go crazy and buy yet another console).
Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on this? Does anyone else have a similar setup?
Currently I have these plugged in all happy and nice together:
- NES (AVS - HDMI)
- SNES (RGB - Component)
- N64 (RGB - Component)
- WiiU (HDMI)
I'm trying to consolidate as best I can to have the least amount of individual devices on my TV, while getting the best video quality possible, and more importantly with the greatest compatibility.
Currently I have a backwards compatible PS3 plugged in through HDMI. This can play 99% of all games on PS1, 2, and of course 3. So what's my issue?
Guitar Hero and DDR controllers do not work on a BC PS3, even with a PS2 to 3 controller converter.
This wouldn't normally be any sort of end of the world ordeal, but my wife likes to play both of these games and any excuse I can get to play games with her is worth everything in my eyes.
I was really hoping the BC PS3 and a controller converter would fix all my issues but it seems that I'll STILL have to have a PS2 plugged into the TV if I want absolute compatibility. Unfortunately my fancy-pants Samsung TV has only one set of plugs available for Composite/Component, and they're already taken up by my RGB SNES and N64, which share a single set of HDRetroVision component cables. "Great! Just plug that into the PS2!" I hear you scream internally. Alas, the plug doesn't physically fit into the PS2 (it has that Nintendo-style tab thing that makes it simply too large to fit). I'm not about to dremel down this expensive cable I bought just to test if it'll work on a PS2, so I'm at somewhat of a loss in that regard.
I have considered the following:
- Get a component cable for the PS2 and go through the "pain" of unplugging the SNES/N64 cable whenever I want to use the PS2. This unplugging and plugging in is the main thing I want to avoid though.
- Upgrade my SNES and N64 to HDMI, add them to my many HDMI switches, and let the PS2 be the lone component device. This would relegate my BC PS3 to solely playing PS3 and PS1 games (PS1 games won't play on a PS2 with component cables due to incompatibility). This kind of makes the BC PS3 pointless, but whatever, I'd have everything all plugged in, no need to switch cables around ever (until I inevitably go crazy and buy yet another console).
Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on this? Does anyone else have a similar setup?
Currently I have these plugged in all happy and nice together:
- NES (AVS - HDMI)
- SNES (RGB - Component)
- N64 (RGB - Component)
- WiiU (HDMI)
Comments
Anyway, I remember they made some unlicensed PS3 adapters specifically for GH1/2 PS2 games back when PS3 was still pretty new.
Would a component switch box work or am I reading this wrong
It could certainly work, yeah. Then it'd be a PS2 and the SNES/N64 on that box.
That may well be the best case scenario, but I'm looking to see if there's some other "ultimate" setup with some magic cable I'm unaware of or something that would take everything I have now and optimize it.
At the end of the day it may really be something as simple as getting a component switch box and sucking it up.
PS2 GH games recognize the guitar controller by looking for something like D-pad left being held down on startup. Maybe left+right at the same time or something? I'll look it up...
Anyway, I remember they made some unlicensed PS3 adapters specifically for GH1/2 PS2 games back when PS3 was still pretty new.
That would be another ideal situation for me - if there's some way to totally eliminate the PS2 from the situation I'd be happy with that. I've looked and looked though and was unable to find a converter for the GH/DDR controllers that actually works (I've purchased 2 so far that claimed to work, but do not).
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-PS2-Guitar-Hero-controller-out-of-sc/
GH2 is more picky about the controller than GH1.
For some reason, you have to use a PS1 controller with analog sticks (no pressure sensitive buttons like PS2) to DIY a GH controller that works for GH2 and "GH: Rocks the '80s." So that might be a clue. These adapters might simulate a PS2 controller instead of a PS1 controller, and your guitar is supposed to behave like a PS1 controller.
Why doesn't the PS2 converter work exactly? It doesn't read the buttons at all? I remember having to fiddle with the menus in guitar hero to adjust it for a modern tv, but I believe that was directly off a PS2, not a PS3
The ps3 recognizes the controller. But then I launch GH and it stops working altogether.
- Upgrade my SNES and N64 to HDMI
There's an SNES HDMI solution? Other than the upcoming Analogue console.
- Upgrade my SNES and N64 to HDMI
There's an SNES HDMI solution? Other than the upcoming Analogue console.
He might be talking about the Super Nt specifically.
I just ordered 2 of them.
- Upgrade my SNES and N64 to HDMI
There's an SNES HDMI solution? Other than the upcoming Analogue console.
He might be talking about the Super Nt specifically.
I just ordered 2 of them.
Sorry I wasn't clear/specific there.
Yeah I meant the Super NT.
Of course Nintendo multi-out cable wouldn't work in a PS2 even if you Dremeled it to fit. Being proprietary is the whole point of pretty much any multi-out! Really wish Europe or Japan has made a miniSCART/JP21. Then the manufacturers would not have had an excuse!
Yeah I was being sarcastic there haha. ;P
Of course Nintendo multi-out cable wouldn't work in a PS2 even if you Dremeled it to fit. Being proprietary is the whole point of pretty much any multi-out! Really wish Europe or Japan has made a miniSCART/JP21. Then the manufacturers would not have had an excuse!
Yeah I was being sarcastic there haha. ;P
I figured but it still makes me wonder why we never saw a semi-standard. There was some compatibility between Atari 400/800/XE/XL home computer and Commodore 64. There was some compatibility between Neogeo and Sega Master System and Gen/MD Model 1. Even there, it was pretty much just composite cables that worked between them. I can’t think of any other cross-manufacturer multi-out compatibility.
I'd go with a component switcher. Although if your TV is old enough to still have a VGA port, a component to VGA adapter would do ok to keep you from having to swap things around as much, but from the sound of it you don't have that
It's a bit odd to think any converter wouldn't allow a DDR pad to work. I'm less familiar about GH stuff, but a DDR pad is basically just a big D-Pad on the floor. Unless the converter fails to recognize opposing direction presses at the same time, i'd think it would work just fine.
I'd go with a component switcher. Although if your TV is old enough to still have a VGA port, a component to VGA adapter would do ok to keep you from having to swap things around as much, but from the sound of it you don't have that
It was well known when the system launched that the converters did not work with PS3. There wouldn’t be a Guitar Hero game playable on PS3 for another year while the XBOX 360 had Guitar Hero II with the full library of the original Guitar Hero available as DLC (...and GH Rocks the ‘80s?).
Why not just use a PS2 and a component switcher? Great component switch boxes exist, like the Gcomp. That is going to be the easiest solution, you already have the systems, and component cables. Just get a switch box and be done with it i say.
Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Converter-Adapter-Output-Monitor/dp/B00D875R5K
I've got something similar for my Wii, and it works pretty well. Doesn't seem to introduce much lag if at all either. I think these kind of devices take the analog signal and simply convert it to digital, so it leaves any scaling up to your tv.
While you weren’t serious about taking a Dremel to the Nintendo multi-out, I hate to say that I can easily imagine people actually thinking that, especially after many so-called “techie” people were seriously calling the Super Famicom PlayStation SuperCD prototype thing fake “because HDMI didnt exist back then.” They literally could not distinguish the multi-out from HDMI and were so sure it was that they were ridiculing “the idiot” who they thought faked it. Person after person joined in the ridicule on Anandtech.com. That’s how convinced they were that it looked like HDMI! Ugh. If ANYONE should know what HDMI looks like, shouldn’t they?!
It's a bit odd to think any converter wouldn't allow a DDR pad to work. I'm less familiar about GH stuff, but a DDR pad is basically just a big D-Pad on the floor. Unless the converter fails to recognize opposing direction presses at the same time, i'd think it would work just fine.
I'd go with a component switcher. Although if your TV is old enough to still have a VGA port, a component to VGA adapter would do ok to keep you from having to swap things around as much, but from the sound of it you don't have that
It was well known when the system launched that the converters did not work with PS3. There wouldn’t be a Guitar Hero game playable on PS3 for another year while the XBOX 360 had Guitar Hero II with the full library of the original Guitar Hero available as DLC (...and GH Rocks the ‘80s?).
Man that's crazy! I wasn't aware of that so many people thought it was fake for that reason. SMH lol.
There is no magic cable that is going to solve this issue. You have 2 nintendo systems and a sony system with different cables. You are using component which is one of the most ideal cables to use for all 3.
Why not just use a PS2 and a component switcher? Great component switch boxes exist, like the Gcomp. That is going to be the easiest solution, you already have the systems, and component cables. Just get a switch box and be done with it i say.
I'm thinking component switcher, yeah.
My ideal situation is that I turn on the console, and the TV turns itself on and goes to that channel. This is currently the case, but a switcher removes that functionality. Not the end of the world though.
I'll look further into the gcomp, thanks!