Howto: PS3 Video (YDL 5.x)

[billb]

NOTE: In Yellow Dog 6 the command is ps3-video-mode instead of ps3videomode
Also, the file you edit is /etc/yaboot.conf instead of /etc/kboot.conf

Determine what mode to use:

You need to use the ps3videomode command to help determine which mode works best on your TV / display. The command does not permanently change your resolution -- it is only meant for testing.

To test various video modes, hit Ctrl-Alt-F1. That puts you in text mode (Ctrl-Alt-F7 gets you back to graphic mode). It's possible to run the ps3videomode command in a terminal without switching to text mode, but you'll likely end up with a garbled display in graphic mode very quickly.

So, switch to text mode using Ctrl-Alt-F1. Log in as root at the localhost login prompt.

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root
<password>

The ps3videomode command by itself will show your current mode. Note that the Up and Down arrow keys cycle through previously entered commands.

ps3videomode -? will show help for the command. (or ps3videomode -h, depending on the version, I think)

Usage is ps3videomode -v [options]. If you end up in a mode your display doesn't support and can't see the screen, you can hit the Up arrow key once, use backspace to delete the old mode number, then enter a known working number and hit enter. You might want to try this while you can see the screen to see how it works. Worst case -- if you get stuck with a black screen in an unsupported mode and can't get back to a working mode, just power off/on your PS3. Again, the ps3videomode command alone doesn't make any permanent changes.

You add 128 to the mode number for fullscreen mode.

For example, to test 720p mode with borders you would use:

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ps3videomode -v 3

For 720p mode without borders (fullscreen), you would use:

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ps3videomode -v 131

Again, to list the modes available, show help for ps3videomode using this command:

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ps3videomode -?

Edit your kboot.conf file:

Once you find the best mode for your display, you need to modify this file:

/etc/kboot.conf

You can do this while you're still in text mode and logged in as root. Enter this command to start a text mode editor and open the /etc/kboot.conf file:

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nano -w /etc/kboot.conf

Look for this section next to ydl =, and use the arrow keys to move to it in the editor:

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video=ps3fb:mode:3 rhgb

In this case the mode number is 3. This is the ONLY thing you should change -- just the mode number. Be very careful editing this file, and only change the mode number at this time. Something as simple as leaving out a single ' could result in an error on reboot!

For example, if you're using mode 131 for 720p fullscreen:

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video=ps3fb:mode:131 rhgb

Now hit Ctrl-X, then press Y, then Enter. (Ctrl-X tells the editor to Exit, it asks if you want to save your changes and you say Yes, it shows the file name it is writing to and you confirm by pressing Enter)

That should take you back to the [root@localhost ~]# prompt.

Edit your xorg.conf file:

Now edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file using nano:

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nano -w /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Look for this section:

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SubSection "Display"
   Depth     24
   FbBPP     32
   Modes    "1920x1080" "1280x1024" "1280x768" "1280x720" "720x576" "720x480"
EndSubSection

And "comment out" (this means add a #) the Modes line so it looks like this:

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SubSection "Display"
   Depth     24
   FbBPP     32
#   Modes    "1920x1080" "1280x1024" "1280x768" "1280x720" "720x576" "720x480"
EndSubSection

Now hit Ctrl-X, then press Y, then Enter. (Ctrl-X tells the editor to Exit, it asks if you want to save your changes and you say Yes, it shows the file name it is writing to and you confirm by pressing Enter)

That should take you back to the [root@localhost ~]# prompt.

Now reboot your PS3 by entering this command:

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reboot

If you are using e17, you may need to use this menu item to fix your desktop alignment after changing resolution:

Windows > Cleanup Windows

Display Configuration:
Most LCD TV's appear to overscan the image so that a small portion (around 5%) is cut off. While this may not be noticed using the Game OS / playing games, if you're running Linux a portion of your menu bar(s) and windows won't be visible in full-screen mode.

Some LCD TVs will have a setting called Dot by Dot, Native Mode, Just Scan, Cropping, or possibly another name, that will scale the image so that it fits entirely within the borders of the screen. Some don't have this type of mode and all 720p/1080i/1080p input is overscanned.

Displays that aren't meant to receive HDTV signals may not use overscanning at all, so they won't have (or need) any settings like that, either.

How to determine your screen resolution:
You can determine your screen resolution from a terminal window with this command:

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xdpyinfo | grep 'dimensions:'

Example:

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[localhost ~]$ xdpyinfo | grep 'dimensions'
dimensions:    1280x720 pixels (433x244 millimeters)

More info is available in the Audio/Video section of the Terrasoft Howto's:
http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/solutions/ydl_5.x/

[johnnyfives12]

wow i can't beleive the full screen works. I tried it so many times in graphical mode and all it did was make the screen split in half. I thought it just didn't work

I didn't even know you could even switch to straight text mode from the GUI. I kinda feel stupid now.

[thr07]

I am not able to switch to full screen mode no matter what i do...I have tried everything in this guide but at vain. Whenever i type the full screen command (e.g. ps3videomode -v 131 for full screen at 720p) i will always have 3/4 characters outside my screen, in other words all graphics, words etc. are cropped...I have a Pioneer PDP-5000EX which is 1080p. Any ideas anybody pls?

[billb]

I am not able to switch to full screen mode no matter what i do...I have tried everything in this guide but at vain. Whenever i type the full screen command (e.g. ps3videomode -v 131 for full screen at 720p) i will always have 3/4 characters outside my screen, in other words all graphics, words etc. are cropped...I have a Pioneer PDP-5000EX which is 1080p. Any ideas anybody pls?

I can try to help, but don't know for sure...

Which input are you using? Component, DVI, or HDMI?

Have you tried the other modes for 720p? For example:

ps3videomode -v 8 (50Hz 720p)
ps3videomode -v 136 (50Hz 720p full screen)

On your TV, it appears there is a DOT BY DOT mode as mentioned on pg. 23 of the manual under AV Modes ... have you played with the modes any?

What 1080p modes have you tried?

Just to confirm, you have the Modes line under Depth 24 in /etx/X11/xorg.conf commented out or deleted? And you are rebooting after editing /etc/kboot.conf with the selected video mode tested in text mode (Ctrl-Alt-F1)?

[thr07]

I'm using the HDMI input. I have tried also the dot by dot option on the TV(which is actually a monitor not a real TV as it doesn't have a tuner built-in). I'm not aware of any other modes though and i shall try the ones you recommend. I have followed the rest of the guide to the letter ie i edited the files specified, i commented the Modes line on /etc/X11/xorg.conf and then rebooting...nothing really works for now...Will keep trying and will let u know. Many thanx for such a speedy response!!

[billb]

YUV 60Hz 1:480i 2:480p 3:720p 4:1080i 5:1080p
YUV 50Hz 6:576i 7:576p 8:720p 9:1080i 10:1080p
RGB 60Hz 33:480i 34:480p 35:720p 36:1080i 37:1080p
RGB 50Hz 38:576i 39:576p 40:720p 41:1080i 42:1080p
VESA 11:WXGA 12:SXGA 13:WUXGA
add 128 for fullscreen

All the possible 1080p modes (aside from dithering):

5 (YUV 60Hz 1080p) or 133
10 (YUV 50 Hz 1080p) or 138
37 (RGB 60Hz 1080p) or 165
42 (RGB 50 Hz 1080p) or 170

Good luck ... seems like 1080p (1920x1080) and the Dot By Dot setting would work, but depending on what you want to use YDL for you may want the lower resolution.

[thr07]

You were absolutely right, Dot by Dot and the resolution you suggested did the trick! I will stick to 720p as with 1080p i can hardly read anything on the screen as the font size is so, so tiny!! Many thanks for your help!!

[billb]

You were absolutely right, Dot by Dot and the resolution you suggested did the trick! I will stick to 720p as with 1080p i can hardly read anything on the screen as the font size is so, so tiny!! Many thanks for your help!!

Great!

If you are using the GNOME desktop you could try increasing the DPI for font rendering. Assuming this works the same way in YDL as it does in Fedora 7, you would do this by opening a terminal window and entering the command:

gnome-font-properties

(or you can access Fonts from the menu)

Then click in "Details" in the bottom right corner, and that should bring up a "Font Rendering Details" window. On my system I have it set to 96. Increasing the number to 128, for example, will increase the apparent size of the fonts for the menus. This only changes the size for the GNOME menus, window labels, etc. and NOT everywhere else. In Firefox, to increase the font size you can hit Ctrl-+

Anyway, it is probably best just to stick with 720p as planned. Emulators running at full-screen won't have to do as much scaling and they'll run faster.

[romitch47]

I am jumping in on this topic so here it goes:

I have changed the display modes as instructed and can get it to work in both 720p and 1080p but all of my windows are slightly overextended, ie I can't see everything. I have done the Windows > Refresh windows but it does not help.

I have a 42" Toshiba Regza 42LX177 hooked up with HDMI and appear not to have a DOT by DOT mode (or at least can't find one) on the monitor. Is there another remedy for this situation.

Thank you
Ross

[billb]

I am jumping in on this topic so here it goes:

I have changed the display modes as instructed and can get it to work in both 720p and 1080p but all of my windows are slightly overextended, ie I can't see everything. I have done the Windows > Refresh windows but it does not help.

I have a 42" Toshiba Regza 42LX177 hooked up with HDMI and appear not to have a DOT by DOT mode (or at least can't find one) on the monitor. Is there another remedy for this situation.

That looks NICE! How about the "native" mode for 720p / 1080p as mentioned on page 57 of the manual?

"If receiving a 720p, 1080i, or 1080p signal program, Native
mode scales the video to display the entire picture within the
borders of the screen (i.e. no overscanning).

This is especially useful for external HD sources such as
HD-DVD, DVHS movies, or PC graphics."

[billb]

I just bought a 32" LCD TV from Wal-Mart ... it was an RCA L32WD22. And quickly returned it. It apparently lacked any way to display the entire 720p screen without overscanning a portion of it.

I could use mode 3 (720p bordered) with the large black border, or mode 131 (720p full) and a portion of the desktop wouldn't be visible. So I started looking at all the manuals online for all the TV's they sell and found that this is fairly common.

The Vizio, RCA, Emerson, and Polaroid all appeared to have no way to "display the entire picture within the borders of the screen." I finally found the Samsung which has a mode called "Just Scan" that doesn't use overscanning.

So I got the Samsung home and saw the same overscan problem until I switched to the "Just Scan" mode and that took care of the problem.

So far I have seen this called Dot by Dot, Native Mode, and Just Scan. If you are shopping for an LCD TV to use with PS3 Linux, this appears to be an important feature. Unfortunately it doesn't look like typical spec sheets list the feature and you have to look it up in the manual.

If you're stuck with a TV / Display that has the overscan problem you could work around it by adding 4 addtional panels (top/bottom/left/right) to the Gnome desktop. To add a panel you right click in a blank area of an existing panel and select "New Panel" and then you can resize the panel to fit your overscan border (the area not visible on the screen). You resize the panel by right-clicking and selecting "Properties", then decrease the number for "Size".

The additional panels will keep any windows from displaying in the non-visible area of the screen. Maybe there's a better way to do this by setting the desired resolution in xorg.conf -- I'm not sure.

Better to look for a display / TV that has the Dot by Dot, Native Mode, or Just Scan mode. Or whatever other name the manufacturer has come up with...


It would be nice if we could start building a database of TV's / Displays, what modes work best, TV settings, etc. Or maybe there already is one?

What I have used so far:

Samsung LN-T3732HX
ps3videomode = 131 (720p full screen)
TV mode = "Just Scan"
Cable = HDMI

Optoma EzPro 745 Projector
ps3videomodes = 131 (720p full screen 16:9), 135 (576p full screen 4:3), 12 (SXGA 4:3)
TV mode = N/A (no overscanning)
Cable = HDMI -> DVI-D

Various SDTV's
ps3videomode = 1 (480i bordered mode)
TV mode = N/A (all use overscanning)
Cable = AV composite cable included with PS3, or AV cable with s-video

Note: If you'd like to help with this, please post your display model, ps3videomode used, any special settings required on the display itself, and type of cable used to connect.

[romitch47]

Thanks Billb,

I switched my Toshiba 42lx177 to the Native mode as you suggested and it now works perfectly. I decided to go with the 720p as the text in 1080p was just to small. Thanks again

Display model: Toshiba 42LX177
Videomode: Native
ps3videomode: 131 (720p) and 133 (1080p)
connection: HDMI cable

Ross

[nisse82]

YUV 60Hz 1:480i 2:480p 3:720p 4:1080i 5:1080p
YUV 50Hz 6:576i 7:576p 8:720p 9:1080i 10:1080p
RGB 60Hz 33:480i 34:480p 35:720p 36:1080i 37:1080p
RGB 50Hz 38:576i 39:576p 40:720p 41:1080i 42:1080p
VESA 11:WXGA 12:SXGA 13:WUXGA
add 128 for fullscreen

All the possible 1080p modes (aside from dithering):

5 (YUV 60Hz 1080p) or 133
10 (YUV 50 Hz 1080p) or 138
37 (RGB 60Hz 1080p) or 165
42 (RGB 50 Hz 1080p) or 170

Good luck ... seems like 1080p (1920x1080) and the Dot By Dot setting would work, but depending on what you want to use YDL for you may want the lower resolution.

I have a question then is it possible to get

"37 (RGB 60Hz 1080p) or 165"
to work for a 42" panasonic viera plasma tv that currently supports 1024x768?

so far the only combination in e17 and gnome menue at my terminal have bean by trying out whit "ps3videomode -v 3" all other versions are so far useless since i have a 50/50 chance of have the screen in split ore get just totaly messed up.

Do u perhaps now how to do? After all what i have seen here most ppl here uses lcd.. and live in the states.

Chears!

[billb]

I have a question then is it possible to get

"37 (RGB 60Hz 1080p) or 165"
to work for a 42" panasonic viera plasma tv that currently supports 1024x768?

so far the only combination in e17 and gnome menue at my terminal have bean by trying out whit "ps3videomode -v 3" all other versions are so far useless since i have a 50/50 chance of have the screen in split ore get just totaly messed up.

Here's the manual ... it doesn't look like that TV supports 1080p. You need to use 720p with the full screen option (mode 3 + 128 = mode 131). So use mode 131 and see page 21 of the manual -- it has a "JUST" mode which should keep it from overscanning the image. Looks like you get to it by cycling through the aspect ratios with the remote control.

EDIT: Sorry, looking at the manual again, you should be able to get 1080p, assuming the model # is correct.

If you are getting odd / split screens when testing the video mode from the text console but it otherwise displays properly, you probably just need to set the mode in kboot.conf and reboot before it will work correctly.

I would try:

ps3videomode -v 37

or

ps3videomode -v 165

And on page 43 ... I'm not sure about which aspect ratio mode to use, now. You'll just have to cycle through them and see what works ... maybe "FULL" ?

[Mx44]

Now that SXGA monitors with HDCP are coming out at reasonable prices, what kind of resolution is one then to expect from the PS3 in Linux mode using one of those. Will it use all available pixels (1280x1024) or will it do 720p letterbox with black borders above and below?