Took me a while but here's my long awaited video on PCSX2 using Software Rendering mode against Real PS2 Hardware! The version of the emulator used was V2.1.163!
this is why i use PCSX2 over Real PS2 nowadays, Software Rendering, EE Overclock and 60FPS / Widescreen patches and Dualsense in hand, even i have reshade setup so it looks like connected to TV using SVideo Cables :D
@@ZinhoMegaman I have ps2 connected through component, it's still softer than emulator output, and I've found that emulating composite or svideo signal with pcsx2 hides dithering and makes ui elements smoother and hides aliasing a lot 😁
I will share some knowledge that I have gained from years of research on console video output methods, the difference in image quality of PS2 console vs PCSX2 emulator is because, first, in the emulator it is 100% digital instead of analog to digital, second, few emulators try to replicate how the image is processed by the console's video encoder chip, as most NES emulators do, you mainly see options to replicate how the image quality looks on real hardware in handheld emulators. And that is what makes most of the difference seen here, in PS2 the image must be sent to its encoder chip before being sent to the video output, but in PCSX2 what you see is the pure image without any intermediate process, which is what these HDMI modifications also do, they take the signal that goes to the encoder and ignore it so that you have image and sound without any interference from the encoder, which gives PS2 the same image quality as PCSX2. And I almost forgot, the signal is pure digital before the encoder turns it into analog, another process that degrades the overall picture quality of the consoles that came before HDMI output was introduced with the PS3.
Thank you for sharing 😊 I always enjoy learning more about how the consoles work & at least understanding this process could help us to improve video quality in the future 😊
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Yeah I agree with you, if not for the intensive research made by the community the now avalaible HDMI mods would not be possible. And as you have experienced yourself I too still have my PS2 model 50001 with oficial Sony component cable which gives the same picture quality as your oficial Sony SCART cable and could see the difference in image quality when compared to PCSX2. But If you ever have the opportunity, GameCube and Wii are the worst case scenario for this type of comparisson because of how bad Nintendo handled their output, on GameCube It's component cable are know for having a "special" chip, which is nothing but a DAC, digital to analog converter which the damn thing compresses the colors before sending the signal to a display and because of this process you see blockiness all over the image, it really sucks, and on Wii the voltage of the display out conector is smaller than it should be which in consequence makes image even worse than the GameCube, Nintendo saving where it matters least according to the company itself. If we were in a perfect world, everyone would have followed the Dreamcast's example, where Sega made the Dreamcast's VGA output the most incredible thing ever done on a console in terms of display quality, but we know this is not the case sadly.
@@ZinhoMegaman Technically the PS2 also has a native VGA video output (RGsB XGA) which was used exclusively with the Linux Kit. With GSM it is possible to use it also for games although the compatibility is not very high, but those games that are compatible have an incredible image quality on a good CRT monitor. GT 4, Black, SH2, GoW and many others are simply amazing.
I would love to try the VGA kit or mode on the PS2 but I can never find the VGA Linux kit & trying it via the GS Mode Selector with Free MCBoot causes my signal to constantly drop when using RGB SCART :o I'd love to see how it looks!
I'm just going to relax while catching up on your stuff. So here I go 😊 I've never heard of a Starski and Hutch game, but it does look awesome. The colors popped off for sure 😯 NFS Most Wanted looks like it's running so much better now. Yeah, GT4 isn't that different with the new settings. I love how you took the time to go through all those games to test out the settings. I know I wouldn't (because I'm a bit too picky with what I play). Anyway, brilliant as always.
I appreciate the comment & I'm definitely stepping up everything I do production wise :) Glad you saw differences & why the settings do matter for the games you chose to play :)
Great video. Going through all those games also felt like a nostalgia trip. I really love how games looked on the PS2. Maybe it's just my bias, but it will never stop feeling special
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I disagree. My Ps2 doesn´t look that blurry or with washed out colors on my "adequately" calibrated tv´s. I think bilinear filtering is way too much blurry than how the games actually look on real hardware.
love your video. Always wanted a video like this. A few questions though, that I'm sure others ask too: what are the pc specs, and is software rendering a viable solution for everyday PCs? I mean how strong a PC someone needs to play, say, GoW 2 or GT3 in software mode? thanks again, friend
Thank you for the compliment, glad you enjoyed it :) I recorded PCSX2 emulation using my M1 Macbook pro using the M1 Pro chip so pretty powerful :) My weakest PC is actually my Steam Deck, which as you know has 4 cores, 8 threads & a intergrated graphics chip: The 780m :) This device can play quite a lot of games using software rendering although not every game will work at full speed :) It depends on the games although thankfully GT3 & GOW 2 are games I have on the device & both work well! You can modify hardware rendering to better match software but some effects may not get rendered correctly :) Hope this helps!
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial thanks. As I'm getting a new PC, maybe a 9700x based one, I think it will play many games ok.I hope no one will buy the zen5 cpus so their price falls as low as possible
If you get a PC with this processor, you'll be playing most PS2 games in software mode at full speed :) Add in a decent graphics card & compatibility will only increase :)
3:21 That is because the PS2 has to convert digital into analogue signal, some pixel sharpness is lost in the conversion. PCSX2 does not have to convert digital to analogue.
This is true & a lot of HDMI conversation kits for some retro consoles sidestep the process :) Still, it is nothing major in my opinion if the console is in good condition :)
Great video !! I use XBSX2, a spin off if you will, on my Series S console. I hadn't noticed a difference using software mode myself, but with your side by side examples the difference is clear. Thankyou :)
There is a problem with your Ps2 capture, colors look way too washed out. Its more obvious with Tekken 3. Maybe it was not a good idea to use bilinear filtering. Remember that Ps2 games tend to use the flicker filter when outputting interlaced video which already blurs the colors slightly, now add bilinear filtering on top of that and the blurriness gets maxed out. Also PCSX2 DOESN´T emulate the Ps2´s flicker filter so it tends to look sharper even in native resolution software rendering. You can "simulate" the Ps2´s flicker filter though, using "blend" deinterlacing option.
I think I reduced the saturation a little to much & didn't increase it enough during editing so I've since solved this problem :) I've also once again changed my capture settings so the PS2 should be a little better going forward :) This would make sense & it is a pain when flicker filters are on & you don't realise it!
I'm glad I was able to make this video & it finally answered a question or two for you :D Ah thank you, still trying to get better at video production!
I get this question a lot & sadly it seems to depend on your setup :) For me personally I've had little to no issues & I've happily played on the emulator for years :) Some do for some reason, could be settings, the equipment who knows but for me, it has been very good :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial i always hated the way the ps2 sounds, specially in games like resident evil 4 and the tony hawk saga. Is good to know emulation improves it a bit.
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficialDid you noticed any slowdown or audio popping on your test? Shadow of the Colossus seems a bit slower but I'm not sure if its performance related or due to it being the PAL version
Shadow Of The Colossus was running in 480p Progressive Scan :) Yes I did notice slowdown & the game speed feeling slower than normal. I suspect it could be fixed but Of course in software mode, not all games run perfectly, especially if they are CPU intensive, otherwise my Macbook runs the vast majority of PCSX2 emulation games just fine :)
Its likely you can drastically improve the image focus of the real hardware with the OSSC timings, but that may vary on a per game basis since not all games render 640 pixels per line. So that might require several custom presets.
While you can indeed do this & it would have an effect, it is too cumbersome to do & since the games are PAL, a lot of people don't want to do optical timings for it. If there is one for the PAL PS2, I'd like to try it :)
I'm playing GTA San Andreas on PCSX2 in 4k/60 fps & reshade. Having so much fun with it. PCSX2 is a gift from god. Just as RPCS3, and i just found out RPCS4 is also in development. The future of emulation looks bright.
It does indeed make a lot of games easier & in some cases, nicer to play 😊 I'll always love real hardware, but PCSX2 has given me a lot of joy on Steam Deck 😊 I look forward to seeing how emulation develops overtime!
I've never had a problem with it but it seems to affect people differently depending on a variety of factors :) For my setup, the two feel very similar :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial nice, i don't have a gaming pc so i've never had playable lag no matter the settings. Though i've been hearing about the latest nightly being much better in terms of lag.
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial It's a Japanese ps3 fat day one model (CECHA00), amazingly enough, the sixaxis controller still works today, and there's no drift! I've had several DS4s that drifted prematurely, but unlike the SixAxis it's still working today, I just had to change the battery that died after a while of use... I have a huge sentimental attachment to it, I hope I never have to sell it!
The problem is real Ps2 may be using the flicker filter, that already adds a slight blur but adding bilnear filtering on top of that definetly makes the picture loss brightness, specially in the colors.
I think it is good to use for later 3D games since it helps smooth out jaggies but, in this case my capture settings might also have been wrong besides the Bilinear Filtering :) I'm always looking to improve for next time :)
Watch at the highest quality possible on the biggest display possible & I zoomed in on many games to help show the difference, Soulcalibur III was a good example of a difference :) Also if you struggled to tell the difference, that means software rendering did its job :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I just use my Sony Wega TV with PCSX2. It's hard to see the difference in SC3, but of course using modern screen, you can see as well.
![[TAS] Tekken 5 - Steve Fox](/img/n.gif)
Took me a while but here's my long awaited video on PCSX2 using Software Rendering mode against Real PS2 Hardware!
The version of the emulator used was V2.1.163!
this is why i use PCSX2 over Real PS2 nowadays, Software Rendering, EE Overclock and 60FPS / Widescreen patches and Dualsense in hand, even i have reshade setup so it looks like connected to TV using SVideo Cables :D
Oooo very nice setup & I do not blame you for going this route! :D
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial yeah experience is much better, I call it PS2 Pro mode 😂
@@Andrzej_Szpadel Same here, but i try to replicate the look of component cables on a CRT which was my setup in 2004.
@@ZinhoMegaman I have ps2 connected through component, it's still softer than emulator output, and I've found that emulating composite or svideo signal with pcsx2 hides dithering and makes ui elements smoother and hides aliasing a lot 😁
@@ZinhoMegaman i'm a little bit curious, do you have any footage on how it looks like or reshade preset?
Its been a long while since i wanted to see how the real PS2 compares against the PCSX2 emulator in software, thanks a LOT for this!
I'm glad I was able to answer your burning question!
I will share some knowledge that I have gained from years of research on console video output methods, the difference in image quality of PS2 console vs PCSX2 emulator is because, first, in the emulator it is 100% digital instead of analog to digital, second, few emulators try to replicate how the image is processed by the console's video encoder chip, as most NES emulators do, you mainly see options to replicate how the image quality looks on real hardware in handheld emulators. And that is what makes most of the difference seen here, in PS2 the image must be sent to its encoder chip before being sent to the video output, but in PCSX2 what you see is the pure image without any intermediate process, which is what these HDMI modifications also do, they take the signal that goes to the encoder and ignore it so that you have image and sound without any interference from the encoder, which gives PS2 the same image quality as PCSX2. And I almost forgot, the signal is pure digital before the encoder turns it into analog, another process that degrades the overall picture quality of the consoles that came before HDMI output was introduced with the PS3.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I always enjoy learning more about how the consoles work & at least understanding this process could help us to improve video quality in the future 😊
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial Yeah I agree with you, if not for the intensive research made by the community the now avalaible HDMI mods would not be possible. And as you have experienced yourself I too still have my PS2 model 50001 with oficial Sony component cable which gives the same picture quality as your oficial Sony SCART cable and could see the difference in image quality when compared to PCSX2. But If you ever have the opportunity, GameCube and Wii are the worst case scenario for this type of comparisson because of how bad Nintendo handled their output, on GameCube It's component cable are know for having a "special" chip, which is nothing but a DAC, digital to analog converter which the damn thing compresses the colors before sending the signal to a display and because of this process you see blockiness all over the image, it really sucks, and on Wii the voltage of the display out conector is smaller than it should be which in consequence makes image even worse than the GameCube, Nintendo saving where it matters least according to the company itself. If we were in a perfect world, everyone would have followed the Dreamcast's example, where Sega made the Dreamcast's VGA output the most incredible thing ever done on a console in terms of display quality, but we know this is not the case sadly.
@@ZinhoMegaman Technically the PS2 also has a native VGA video output (RGsB XGA) which was used exclusively with the Linux Kit. With GSM it is possible to use it also for games although the compatibility is not very high, but those games that are compatible have an incredible image quality on a good CRT monitor. GT 4, Black, SH2, GoW and many others are simply amazing.
I would love to try the VGA kit or mode on the PS2 but I can never find the VGA Linux kit & trying it via the GS Mode Selector with Free MCBoot causes my signal to constantly drop when using RGB SCART :o
I'd love to see how it looks!
I'm just going to relax while catching up on your stuff. So here I go 😊 I've never heard of a Starski and Hutch game, but it does look awesome. The colors popped off for sure 😯 NFS Most Wanted looks like it's running so much better now. Yeah, GT4 isn't that different with the new settings. I love how you took the time to go through all those games to test out the settings. I know I wouldn't (because I'm a bit too picky with what I play). Anyway, brilliant as always.
I appreciate the comment & I'm definitely stepping up everything I do production wise :)
Glad you saw differences & why the settings do matter for the games you chose to play :)
Great video. Going through all those games also felt like a nostalgia trip. I really love how games looked on the PS2. Maybe it's just my bias, but it will never stop feeling special
I completely agree with you on this & I love playing these games on real hardware :)
It will never get old!
ZOE2's music :p
Nice testing
Definitely, I love the soundtrack & the game is great too :)
Thank you for the compliment 😊
incredibly cool video, thanks fot this ;) I would love to see something similar with Dolphin vs GC Hardware.
I have a video on this channel called Dolphin Emulation Vs Real Gamecube Hardware :)
I think it would answer your question :)
Awesome video!
Bilinear filtering for scaling may have been the culprit for the "sharper" look in some games and a "blurrier" look in others.
Defiantly but, I find overall for PS2 games, bilinear filtering is the best choice for most games :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I disagree. My Ps2 doesn´t look that blurry or with washed out colors on my "adequately" calibrated tv´s. I think bilinear filtering is way too much blurry than how the games actually look on real hardware.
For the future I'll add in more saturation & see what I can do in regards to the Bilinear Filtering :)
love your video. Always wanted a video like this. A few questions though, that I'm sure others ask too: what are the pc specs, and is software rendering a viable solution for everyday PCs? I mean how strong a PC someone needs to play, say, GoW 2 or GT3 in software mode? thanks again, friend
Thank you for the compliment, glad you enjoyed it :)
I recorded PCSX2 emulation using my M1 Macbook pro using the M1 Pro chip so pretty powerful :)
My weakest PC is actually my Steam Deck, which as you know has 4 cores, 8 threads & a intergrated graphics chip: The 780m :)
This device can play quite a lot of games using software rendering although not every game will work at full speed :) It depends on the games although thankfully GT3 & GOW 2 are games I have on the device & both work well!
You can modify hardware rendering to better match software but some effects may not get rendered correctly :)
Hope this helps!
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial thanks. As I'm getting a new PC, maybe a 9700x based one, I think it will play many games ok.I hope no one will buy the zen5 cpus so their price falls as low as possible
If you get a PC with this processor, you'll be playing most PS2 games in software mode at full speed :) Add in a decent graphics card & compatibility will only increase :)
3:21
That is because the PS2 has to convert digital into analogue signal, some pixel sharpness is lost in the conversion.
PCSX2 does not have to convert digital to analogue.
This is true & a lot of HDMI conversation kits for some retro consoles sidestep the process :)
Still, it is nothing major in my opinion if the console is in good condition :)
Great video !! I use XBSX2, a spin off if you will, on my Series S console. I hadn't noticed a difference using software mode myself, but with your side by side examples the difference is clear. Thankyou :)
Ah I heard the Series S & X are fantastic for emulation, even PS2 so glad to hear it is working well! Also anytime!
Amazing project
If you mean PCSX2, it's gotten very good these past few years :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial lol I meant your video
Ah thank you :) I appreciate the comment 😁
There is a problem with your Ps2 capture, colors look way too washed out. Its more obvious with Tekken 3. Maybe it was not a good idea to use bilinear filtering. Remember that Ps2 games tend to use the flicker filter when outputting interlaced video which already blurs the colors slightly, now add bilinear filtering on top of that and the blurriness gets maxed out.
Also PCSX2 DOESN´T emulate the Ps2´s flicker filter so it tends to look sharper even in native resolution software rendering. You can "simulate" the Ps2´s flicker filter though, using "blend" deinterlacing option.
I think I reduced the saturation a little to much & didn't increase it enough during editing so I've since solved this problem :)
I've also once again changed my capture settings so the PS2 should be a little better going forward :)
This would make sense & it is a pain when flicker filters are on & you don't realise it!
Thank you for this amazing video.
I was looking and waiting for ages for an in-depth PCSX2 vs Real Hardware comparison.
Superb documentary.
I'm glad I was able to make this video & it finally answered a question or two for you :D
Ah thank you, still trying to get better at video production!
What’s the input delay like on the emulator?
I get this question a lot & sadly it seems to depend on your setup :)
For me personally I've had little to no issues & I've happily played on the emulator for years :)
Some do for some reason, could be settings, the equipment who knows but for me, it has been very good :)
It even sounds better on emulation.
I prefer the sound of real hardware but both sound good & the emulator is certainly clearer with no analogue noise :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial i always hated the way the ps2 sounds, specially in games like resident evil 4 and the tony hawk saga. Is good to know emulation improves it a bit.
I like to use a CRT filter. I think it looks more accurate.
They aren't my thing but if you like them, I do understand & I hear they've improved over the years :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial In Retroarch, there is some that are UNCANNY! Specially in HDR. Sadly, they aren't on PCSX2.
I hope someday someone can port or replicate these filters, never say never :)
with software rendering do i need a a crt shader or dose software render cover that.
You will need a CRT shader if you want to add post processing to the emulator :)
Software rendering looks like og xbox.i liek it
Only if the Original XBOX was in 480p or above, it did not look good in interlaced mode due to the heavy flicker filter being enforced!
you should have tested the xenosaga games which would have been the real test.
Sadly I don't own them so testing them on real hardware would have been impossible, maybe next time :)
14:00 WTF? That's Half-Life's ending credits theme, only remixed
I never played through the original Half-Life but many games have had Soundtracks borrowed, remixed, sampled or otherwise :)
same instruments but they sound totally different.
What's your CPU mate?
I was using an Apple Silcon Macbook, using a 10 core cup from the M1 Pro chip :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficialDid you noticed any slowdown or audio popping on your test? Shadow of the Colossus seems a bit slower but I'm not sure if its performance related or due to it being the PAL version
Shadow Of The Colossus was running in 480p Progressive Scan :)
Yes I did notice slowdown & the game speed feeling slower than normal.
I suspect it could be fixed but Of course in software mode, not all games run perfectly, especially if they are CPU intensive, otherwise my Macbook runs the vast majority of PCSX2 emulation games just fine :)
Its likely you can drastically improve the image focus of the real hardware with the OSSC timings, but that may vary on a per game basis since not all games render 640 pixels per line. So that might require several custom presets.
While you can indeed do this & it would have an effect, it is too cumbersome to do & since the games are PAL, a lot of people don't want to do optical timings for it.
If there is one for the PAL PS2, I'd like to try it :)
I'm playing GTA San Andreas on PCSX2 in 4k/60 fps & reshade. Having so much fun with it. PCSX2 is a gift from god. Just as RPCS3, and i just found out RPCS4 is also in development.
The future of emulation looks bright.
It does indeed make a lot of games easier & in some cases, nicer to play 😊
I'll always love real hardware, but PCSX2 has given me a lot of joy on Steam Deck 😊 I look forward to seeing how emulation develops overtime!
how is the input lag in 2024?
I've never had a problem with it but it seems to affect people differently depending on a variety of factors :)
For my setup, the two feel very similar :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial nice, i don't have a gaming pc so i've never had playable lag no matter the settings. Though i've been hearing about the latest nightly being much better in terms of lag.
I always say check out the settings with frame pacing, V-Sync etc :) Changing these settings in PCSX2 seems to help me defiantly :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial awesome, thanks
Amazing!! I have a ps3 fat BC, but i prefer the emulation on PC
Ah you are lucky to own that model of PS3, very expensive & hard to find in working order now!
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial It's a Japanese ps3 fat day one model (CECHA00), amazingly enough, the sixaxis controller still works today, and there's no drift! I've had several DS4s that drifted prematurely, but unlike the SixAxis it's still working today, I just had to change the battery that died after a while of use... I have a huge sentimental attachment to it, I hope I never have to sell it!
It is a collectors item now due to how well it can play PS1 & PS2 games along with the high failure rate so defiantly keep it!
I stick to the original hardware, but good video and i like the development of PCSX2
I love original hardware although I do play PCSX2 on my Steam Deck often :)
how did you play tekken 3 on pcsx2?
Via Tekken 5 Arcade History Mode which is available straight away :)
but now know what to play thank
Anytime :)
Well ill disagree here SW is way more taxing then HW on ur CPU. Thats what ive experienced most of the time with most games.
I said at the end of the video that software rendering is more taxing than Hardware rendering :)
Bro never use bilinear filtering for scaling, it looks like shit
The problem is real Ps2 may be using the flicker filter, that already adds a slight blur but adding bilnear filtering on top of that definetly makes the picture loss brightness, specially in the colors.
I think it is good to use for later 3D games since it helps smooth out jaggies but, in this case my capture settings might also have been wrong besides the Bilinear Filtering :)
I'm always looking to improve for next time :)
Software rendering on a CRT will probably look identical to real ps2
It would be close, certainly close enough for most people :)
Not without the flicker filter emulated. Also some games still have graphical bugs or effects not rendering properly even in software mode.
i cant see difference
Watch at the highest quality possible on the biggest display possible & I zoomed in on many games to help show the difference, Soulcalibur III was a good example of a difference :)
Also if you struggled to tell the difference, that means software rendering did its job :)
@@AffrosCuriositiesOfficial I just use my Sony Wega TV with PCSX2. It's hard to see the difference in SC3, but of course using modern screen, you can see as well.