Xploder PS2 HDTV upscaler reviewed

While there's plenty of options for upscaling all those non-HD DVDs you're not ready to give up just yet, there's not a whole lot you can do to improve how your collection of past-gen video games look on your spiffy HDTV, apart from simply using a good component cable. Video game accessorizer Xploder is trying to rectify that situation somewhat, however, releasing its "HDTV Player" for the PS2, which the folks at Reg Hardware recently got a chance to test out. While they seems to have had better results than some of the other earlier reviews, they weren't without their share of problems, with the boot CD that tweaks the PS2's resolution requiring a few tries before it got going, and some games reportedly looking "like they'd been blown up in Photoshop" when they tested 'em on a 32-inch LCD. On the whole, however, they found that most games did "look a little sharper," and they seem to have been particularly taken with the metal tin the whole lot comes in. Whether that's enough to justify the $40 price tag or not, you'll have to decide for yourself.

[Joe @ Feb 17th 2007 1:28AM]

If anyone is looking for a nice DVD player with upscaling, I highly recommend this Philips player:

http://www.amazon.com/Philips-DVP5960-Player-Upscaling-direct/dp/B000G18DR0/sr=8-1/qid=1171693520/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-0877178-4382514?tag=freeplecom-20&ie=UTF8&s=electronics

It comes with HDMI and it's only $60.

[gman @ Feb 17th 2007 1:58AM]

I don' know about upscaling, but that tin would make a great place to keep the stash.

[Brennan @ Feb 17th 2007 2:03AM]

ok here is my review on this thing.....er from what ive seen with my brother using it since he got it but not anymore:

it does turn MOST of the PS2 games in HD, as what it says it does, n my bro (who i will not name) put, for example, Spiderman 2 in 1080i *sry no 1080p available* n it somewhat looks a lot better, BUT....the biggest downfall of this is when done on any HDTV, the screen shrinks, basically gives a 'letter box' screen n squeezes the image to the middle of the screen making it look like a sandwiched 'letter box' screen.

if any of u decide on getting this, i suggest an HD projector, because it shows in the manual it hardly shrinks the screen.

is it truly HD? maybe, im not going to a final conclusion because no PS2 game is made to have that resolution no matter what. Plus, engadget, u have been under a rock to review this product, it's been out since fall 2006 or so.

[mb @ Feb 17th 2007 2:13AM]

This is certainly off topic, but ya know, many many years ago I wrote for a marginally popular review site. This shoddy review is only slightly longer than the preview they did in August. No actual photos, no comparisons. If I submitted a review like this it would have been sent right back to me. It looks like an informal reiteration of user manual caveats.

[mb @ Feb 17th 2007 2:13AM]

for clarity: I'm ragging on theregister, not engadget.

[EdZ @ Feb 17th 2007 6:21AM]

I have no TV, only a monitor. The xploder was cheaper than any halfway decent upscaler box I could fine for about half the price, so it gets my vote. I haven't tried all my games on it yet, but all have worked so far, though some needed a second try to load up properly.

[ck @ Feb 17th 2007 7:04AM]

The Register has 0 credibility as far as I'm concerned.

As for upscaling PS2 content, you're either going to get stretched graphics, or the hardware won't be able to manage the required framerate at that res. These games are designed with known specs in mind and there's rarely any horsepower left. Just consider what your PC games do if you turn the res up too high.

My TV does upscaling just fine anyway - this whole product reeks of snake oil.

[Castle @ Feb 17th 2007 9:59AM]

Good upscaling is "like they'd been blown up in Photoshop", if you have deinterlacing issues it looks a lot worse, being that there isn't any more data you really can't expect a 720x480 image to look fantastic if you stretch it out to 1920x1080.

[Michael McOrmond @ Feb 17th 2007 10:10AM]

The key to having HD for older consoles is emulation. I don't emulate PS2, but I have been able to get HD output from quite a few N64 games, and from a few PSX games. You can run the games at a higher resolution from a PC/Notebook, and then output them to the TV or projector. I have a spot for my old PC under the TV for a makeshift media center, and it's performed great so far.

[Keyth Halloween @ Feb 17th 2007 12:05PM]

Why bother? What's next? A device to upscale my Intellivision to HD?

Leave the past where it belongs.

[Jonathan @ Feb 19th 2007 11:26PM]

Certain Ps2 games actually do work in HD straight if you have any component cable for the system. Grand Turismo 4 is in 1080, and as well as a few other games, but it does this right out of the box, you dont need a seperate upscaler.

[Dale Massey @ Feb 24th 2007 6:59PM]

@Jonathan::
GT4 worked at 1080i out of the box in NTSC regions, I presume, but there hasn't been any Official Sony Component Cables released in certain PAL territories (ie, the UK) and, similarly like with the Xbox, HD titles werent implemented in the UK versions of the games. For example, Fifa Street 2 worked in 576p, it would output this res when running from a different dashboard, but the disc version of the game wouldnt change to that video signal.

I dont know where this is going... Oh, so the Xploder upscaler would also, presumably, "unlock" these "true" hd modes for games like GT4? As i know for most game sit merely stretches the image // makes everything sharper.

[Shawn @ Jan 16th 2008 5:21PM]

I found this thread looking for an upscaler for my Intellivision.