Random PS3 Resolution Question

[Solid Snake]

So I have a 32 inch Vizio 1080p TV that presumably can also display in the 720p format. On PS4, my 1080p games look just fine and dandy. Witcher 3 on my PS4 looks about what I'd expect it to look, compared to other folk's video uploads of the PS4 version of Witcher 3.

...For some reason, that isn't true with my PS3, and I've now tested two different PS3 units (a Slim and a Super Slim) with the TV. In both cases, the resolution is...blurry? Static images look just fine but textures during gameplay look bad compared to uploaded videos of PS3 footage on, say, Youtube. My TV presumably has 720p as an option, and I've set it to that; I've also toyed a bit with both my PS3 and TV's video output options but I just can't figure it out.

At first I sort of thought it was just a nostalgia thing, like maybe I remembered the PS3's graphics as being stronger than they really were, and maybe now that I've gotten used to PS4 gaming I was having a hard time going back to older titles. But, again, uploaded PS3 footage on Youtube looks a fair deal more crisp. And, given that I've replicated these results with two separate PS3s, I'm inclined to think that it's a separate issue entirely...but my Vizio 2014 TV was ranked tops of all 32 inch TVs on the market for video game visual fidelity and even my PS3's output looks phenomenal when I'm using it for, say, Netflix.

Anyone here have any ideas?

[shiney]

Somewhat shamelessly stolen. Not necessarily helpful directly but maybe this will give some insight regarding settings?

VIDEO and DISPLAY SETTINGS



Under Settings >>> Display Settings >>> Video Output Settings you must select the type of video output you are using to connect your PS3 to your display. You can select only one the PS3's video outputs to be active. The video outputs available are are HDMI, Component Video, and S-Video/Composite Video. Only HDMI and Component Video support high definition video. HDMI will support resolutions up to 1080p while Component Video will support resolutions up to 1080i for Blu-ray Disc playback. Also note that use of component video requires a Playstation specific cable that is an optional accessory (available from Sony and Monster Cable).

Under Settings >>> Video Settings >>> BD/DVD Video Output Format (HDMI), what are RGB, Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr and Auto for?

In most cases the correct setting is 'Auto'. In Auto mode the display will indicate it capabilities in the initial HDMI data exchange and the PS3 will select the correct colorspace.


RGB: This is the colorspace typically used for computer generated graphics (e.g., as used by PCs and PC monitors). This is the colorspace also used in the PS3’s XMB interface and for video games, because they are encoded in sRGB. Selecting RGB will force this output mode for all video (including BD/DVD playback) output via HDMI from the PS3.

Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr: Another colorspace typically used for video recordings (e.g., BDs and DVDs) and video displays. If your HD display supports it, this is the desired colorspace when watching DVD or Blu-rays Discs. It is also recommended for playing home HD video recorded in AVCHD format, as used with many consumer HD camcorders. Selecting Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr will force this mode for all BD/DVD video output from the PS3.

Auto: Just like it sounds, it automatically selects between RGB or Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr colorspaces depending on the capabilities of the connected video display. Selecting “Auto” will normally provide the correct selection of RGB vs. Y Pb/Cb Pr//Cr when most HDMI equipped HDTV displays are attached to the PS3.Note that the XMB and Games are always output in RGB format while BD/DVD playback is user selectable for output in RGB or Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr format.

I notice weird things happening with colors when selecting Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr or Auto. What should I do?

Try forcing the PS3 to output the video in RGB format (rather than Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr) to see if this eliminates the problems. Your display may not accept, or may have trouble with Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr format input.

So then under Settings >>> Display Settings, should I have RGB set to “Full” or “Limited”?



If your HDTV is calibrated (i.e., adjusted) for use as a video display (rather an a computer display) then “limited” is the correct setting. Most TVs can experience “black crush” when “Full” is selected because the colorspace is being re-mapped beyond what the TV is expecting. Start with it set at “Limited” and calibrate your TV accordingly (see the section below on Display Calibration).

See this discussion for a more detailed discussion (for and against)

What about Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr Super-White? “On” or “Off”?

Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr Super-white is used to pass Blacker-than-Black (BTB) and Peak Whiter-than-White (WTW) levels during video playback. Setting this to “On” should benefit your display as long as your TV accepts Y Pb/Cb Pr/Cr input over HDMI. Again, try using a test pattern DVD/BD to calibrate your display after this is turned on (see the section below on Display Calibration). Note that some HDTVs will accept and display BTB and WTW while other HDTV’s will not display these ‘out of bounds’ video levels. Commercial BD discs (except test discs) should not be using BTB and WTW video levels and an ideally calibrated HDTV should correctly display all intended video information even it does not support BTB and WTW levels. However, support for BTB and WTW can be useful when using BD test discs for calibrating a HDTV display.

Not all displays are alike, so use common sense. If you notice a decrease in picture quality after changing any of the above settings either try recalibrating the TV or revert back to the previous setting.

DISPLAY CALIBRATION: Once you have set up your PS3 for a video output format that is optimum for your HDTV display, you should then set the reference Black and reference White levels for your display using the grey scale test pattern from on a HD test disc. The reference Black and reference White levels are adjusted using your HDTV display's brightness and contrast controls respectively. If you have a PC with a DVD burner then you can download the freeware AVS HD Calibration Disc as an ISO file then burn this to a DVD. The AVS HD Calibration Disc (ISO file that can be burned on a DVD+R or DVD-R) is described and can be downloaded HERE (download the AVCHD version). Once downloaded you can use a commercial program such as Nero or a freeware program such as IMGBURN, to create a playable disc by burning this ISO image file onto a blank DVD. As an alternative to using the AVS HD Calibration Disc you can use a commercial display calibration disc such as Digital Video Essentials or Avia.

How does the video compare to standalone BD players?

For BD playback most users think the PS3 is in the top tier of of BD players.

Does the PS3 support 1080p/24 playback for Blu-ray and DVD?

Playback at 1080p/24 is supported for Blu-ray but has not yet been added for playback of DVDs. 1080p output requires an HDMI connection for video. Most HDTV displays with a native resolution of 1080p (sometimes called "Full HD") will accept a 1080p/60 (i.e., 60 Hz) input. Some newer HDTV displays will also accept an input of 1080p/24 which is the native rate of most movies recorded on BDs. See THIS THREAD for a discussion on HDTVs that can most benefit from 1080p/24.

The relevant setting for configuring the PS3 to output video in the 1080p/24 format is accessed from the XMB:
XMB >>> Settings >>> Video Settings >>> BD 1080p 24 Hz Output (HDMI)
Note: "Video Settings" was called "BD/DVD Settings" with PS3 firmware prior to version 2.50
The default setting of "Automatic" will enable 1080p/24 for any display that correctly communicates that it is 1080p/24 capable. If you KNOW your HDTV display supports 1080p/24 and you're certain the PS3 isn't automatically enabling 1080p/24 during Blu-ray playback, changing this setting to "On" will force 1080p/24 playback. Changing the setting to "Off" will not allow 1080p/24 playback regardless of the display's capabilities.

How good is the video for playing DVDs (i.e., upconverting)?

The DVD upconversion capabilities of the PS3 are quite good and have improved with later PS3 firmware updates. Although the PS3 results are better than provided by many mass-market consumer upscaling DVD players, the results are still not quite to the level provided by the very best upscaling provided by the best video processor hardware (such as the Reon processor used in some high end standalone players, AVRs and outboard processors. PS3, Upconversion and Blu-ray

DVD upscaling features can be set starting from the XMB:
XMB >>> Settings >>> Video Settings* >>> Upscale
* "Video Settings" was called "BD/DVD Settings" with PS3 firmware prior to version 2.50Setting this to "Off" will output DVD content at 480p, while the other three options will upscale the content to the highest output resolution available. "Normal" is usually the preferred setting, as it will preserve the aspect ratio of 4:3 content. "Full Screen" will stretch 4:3 content horizontally. "Double Scale" requires 1080i or 1080p output and will upscale to 1440x960 (exactly double DVD's native 720x480 resolution.)

Note that upscaling copy-protected commercial DVDs requires an HDMI connection. With most commercial DVDs component video output from the PS3 is limited to 480p.

Currently, standard definition extras on Blu-ray are not upscaled.











The PS3 also provides three types of noise filters that can be used for DVD playback. The controls for the noise filters can be accessed while playing a DVD by pressing the Triangle button on the BD remote or game controller then highlighting the icon for "AV Setting" and pressing the X button to select. Note these noise reduction filters only work when playing DVDs, not with Blu-ray Discs. The three available video noise filter are:
Frame Noise Reduction - Set to reduce fine visual noise
Block Noise Reduction - Set to reduce mosaic-like block visual noise displayed on the screen
Mosquito Noise Reduction - Set to reduce noise that appears near crisp edges of objects (an MPEG 2 digital artifact)
Each of these have available settings of Off, 1, 2 or 3. Using too high a setting can soften the video image, but each may prove useful with dealing with DVDs that exhibit video noise, including digital artifacts.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/149-bl...er-thread.html roughly 1/3 of the way down the page

---------- Post added at 07:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:36 PM ----------

I would first check to see that HDMI output is specifically set to 1080 on the ps3 if that's available and if the firmware is the most updated version. Another site suggested these recommended settings:

Cross Color Reduction filter off
RGB Full Range (HDMI) limited
Y PB/Cb Pr/Cr Superwhite HDMI: On
Deep Color ouput HDMI: Auto

In Video Settings: BD/DVD video output format HDMI : Auto

BD 1080P 24Hz Output HDMI: Auto
Dynamic Range Control: Off
Audio Output Format: Bitsream Linear PCM
BD Audio Output Format Optical (I use optical) Bitstream Mix

[Nique]

I check NPF so infrequently that its like exchanging letters during the civil war;

My very dear Snake:

Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.

These witchcraft 'games' may be of a seven-hundred & twentieth resolution - and it may be one-thousand and eightieth. Not my will, but thine 0 God, be done. If it is necessary that I should research this claim, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I am willing - perfectly willing - to lay down all my joys in this life for aught five minutes in order to provide an answer.

-- Col. Brig. Gen. Lt. Nique

[Solid Snake]

...I have no idea what you even said there, Nique.
But yeah, my TV *supposedly* has both 720p and 1080p settings that I can toggle between, and if I set the PS3 to 1080p it even auto-downgrades to 720p when I start playing a 720p game.

Even still, the PS3 games look pretty crappy overall with the new TV, while the PS4 games look just fine.

I guess there are a few possibilities here:

1) As I've gotten older, I've adapted to playing games with PS4-level graphics, so PS3-level graphics now feel like a downgrade when, five years ago, they felt like the very best you could possibly imagine;

2) There's some conspiracy in play here where, in order to deceive us into believing that graphics are continuing to improve when they really aren't, the powers that be at Sony are downgrading last-gen graphics so current-gen graphics continually feel 'new' even though there was no actual substantive improvement in graphical fidelity between the PS3 and PS4 generations;

3) My PS3 and/or TV settings are not optimized;

4) My TV isn't quite as 720p compatible as was advertised, or;

5) The two PS3s I've tested with this TV are both broken and shit.

At any rate, the PS3 on my current TV doesn't look terrible. It just looks worse across the board than I remember these PS3 titles looking with previous TVs with native 720p resolution as a default setting. Again, the TV's telling me it's got 720p as a native option and it's automatically switching to 720p on my PS3's orders.

[Nique]

Some games have a 720p res on the ps3 instead which could account for the bad visuals, but I think the back of the game case will tell you for sure?

EDIT: sorry I am an idiot and cannot read

[RickZarber]

Originally Posted by Solid Snake

3) My PS3 and/or TV settings are not optimized

Also since shiney already addressed the PS3 side, Snake, does your TV have Motion Enhancement (aka frame interpolation) turned on? Most new ones do by default these days--changes refresh rates to crazy unnecessary shit like 120Hz or worse (looks like yours can go up to 360)... Or other video "enhancements"? Stuff like artificial sharpening or dynamic contrast adjustments could be a culprit. Actually, looking at the specs in that link, you can try turning off stuff like the Active Pixel Tuning to try to avoid uneven picture, though it might hurt your black levels. Also you can make sure it's in Calibrated mode instead of Standard Power Saving, as it makes a significant difference in PQ and is only 11 watts more. (45 vs 34.) I also read that a properly calibrated picture on that set comes out to a Brightness of 48 and Contrast of 52.