Introduction - PS2 Related Wires

This section covers all the cables which are related to the PlayStation 2. You can use these cables to record to computer, video or other.

The PS2 is compatible with these types of cable:

• Optical Digital
• RGB (Red Green Blue) Scart
• Composite
• S-Video
• Stereo (RCA) Phono
• Component RGB

There are also sockets for:

• 2x USB devices (12Mb/s)
• 1x PCMIA connection (hard drive/NIC)
• 1x iLink devices (400Mb/s)

Optical Digital

Optical Digital is used to connect the digital stage of a DVD/CD drive to a DAC which encodes the digital signal into analogue. If you need to get the best audio connection from the PS2 then use this. Optical cable is relatively inexpensive. However it is easy to damage.

RGB Scart

RGB Scart (21pin Euro connector) is used in UK and Europe because it implements a better picture quality than composite. Scarts are used to compact audio and video into one socket. This is passed through the AV output socket, you only get stereo and Dolby Pro Logic as a result. It works by separating the three primary colours red green and blue, and sending them directly to the CRT.

Compsite

Composite is the standard cable you get originally for the PlayStation 2. It is by far the least impressive cable of the set, you should only use this when all others are not available. It's common to find sockets for these on fronts of portable TVs.

S-Video

This cable is second only to RGB and Component. The S-Video system works by separating brightness and colour. This way the colours are brighter and more separated. S-Video is commonly used on the front of all large Sony TVs, others take a S-Video scart, and some have dedicated plugs for them. These types of socket are also use in ps2 mouse and keyboard peripherals.

Stereo (RCA/Phono)

Phono cables have an RCA socket. A reason why their name differs from place to place. The Phono cable uses a solid core wrapped in a insulating plastic, it is then wrapped and shielded by a coating which transfers the negative or ground. These cables send single channels (left right, rear right etc) to their destination in an undecoded and basically analogue way. These are the best audio connection for CD playback.

Component RGB

Component is not unlike RGB scart, the only difference is that the Component system has RCA sockets with phono cables. This means that the signals are sent not only down separate cables, but are shielded also. Thus they are claimed to improve on the Scart system somewhat. It does mean that bonus features like an auto switch (VCR tells TV to switch to AV channel) found on scart is lost, also there is no sound. These connections are best used for Plasma and Projector displays.