As many of you know, Gametrailers recently came under quite a bit of scrutiny when it was learned that the PS3 and Xbox 360 comparison videos they've been posting were used at the PS3's default video settings and using component cables. To silence its critics, Gametrailers posted a video comparing Uncharted: Drake's Fortune using standard component cables like they have in the past and what many PS3 owners have wanted – HDMI, full RGB and with adjusted ultra white levels.
After watching the video several times, we have to say, it's kinda hard to tell a difference. In the end, this whole controversy might have been a bit overblown, but we think it'd probably be smart on Gametrailer's part to just use the HDMI settings in any future comparison videos. It just might save you guys a lot of hate mail.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
1-19-2008 @ 10:56AM
Chapman said...
These videos are pointless anyway. You're not going to see any descent amount of comparisson unless you're viewing it yourself on a HDTV. It's awaste of GT's time and any fanboy who bothers to look at these video's xbox360 or ps3. How on earth can you compare HDMI to RGB in such a small comparrisson video? anyone agree?
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1-19-2008 @ 11:07AM
HAAS599 said...
yes.
1-19-2008 @ 12:01PM
Joshua said...
Yeah.
1-19-2008 @ 1:06PM
Popfrogs said...
I agree wholeheartedly. You won't be able to see the differences until you sit down in front of it on YOUR setup. Not only are computer monitors notoriously misconfigured for gamma and brightness, but most new LCD HDTVs need the backlight cut down by half (at least) out of the box to represent dark tones more accurately.
1-19-2008 @ 4:36PM
Severe_Gamer said...
I DISAGREE. It is easy to tell the difference... but because of the low quality of the video (even in HD) it is tricky to tell the difference when it is in motion, especially when it is in the really bright spots, which constitute most of the video.
Do a pause at 1:21 to see the difference. Notice how the component appears washed out by comparison. Look at the pale fleshtones on Drake on the left. Notice how the edges on the leaves and trees appear sharper on the left (HDMI). Even his ring (worn around his neck) looks more luminescent in HDMI!!! For other good examples, look at the differences as they flip back and forth between the two at about 1:45. HDMI is consistantly more vibrant, colorful, and crisp.
1-19-2008 @ 11:07AM
nailerr said...
The biggest problem for me was that the majority of people just assumed that Full Range RGB over HDMI was an instant improvement with no understanding of the option. A fair number of HDMI devices do not even yet support this mode and as such turning it on only loses you shades into the black turning once fine shadows into black patches.
On top of that SuperWhite is not a compatible option, you either use FullRGB *or* Super White and the two do not work together. In-fact SuperWhite should not even work in games. From Sony's own manual:
"When [Super-White] is set to [On], video content from AVCHD discs recorded in x.v.Colour can be played with a wide colour scale.
* A TV that is compatible with x.v.Colour (xvYCC) must be connected using an HDMI cable.
* An AVCHD disc that was recorded in x.v.Colour must be used."
If anyone wants to TEST their TV for Full RGB capability use the following image:
http://www.spitelords.net/junk/Brightness.jpg
If you can see ALL SIXTEEN SQUARES while RGB Full is set to on, your TV supports this mode. If you do not, even with Brightness turned up high, it does NOT support this mode.
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1-20-2008 @ 4:48PM
bamf said...
Thanks for this info. I used RGB on full and when I played the demo of GT5 prologue I thought there was something not quite right with the shadows in the game, as how you have described, there was no detail in the shadows, there was no different shades of black but black patches. I then used rgb limited and found this helped the problem but still think it has to much darkness in the game. Still I have been in between turning on and off the rgb full option because having it on makes the colours more vivd.
I do have a bravia and would imagine it would support this feature but for now I'll have rgb limited on and compensate the coloure by turning up the colour on the tv settings a little. My bravia has a vivid colour feature that I use which helps so I shouldn't moan really. I'll try that image on my tv.
1-19-2008 @ 11:10AM
Skeptic said...
Am I the only person who sees a problem with comparing them at 720P rather than 1080i (component) and 1080P (HDMI). What the heck is the point of having a cable capable of 1080P output if you don't use it for that?
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1-19-2008 @ 11:53AM
Neil said...
Most action games still only run at 720P.
1-19-2008 @ 5:51PM
Tim Parsons said...
FYI: Component does fullHD 1080P same as HDMI
1-27-2008 @ 1:25PM
JFT said...
Component is _capable_ of 1080p, but due to most things we have content-related morons who like to limit the ability to actually _do_ 1080p without hdmi. Even upscaling DVD players won't scale to 1080p without HDMI.
(It's not a problem for me, because I have a 720p TV... heh.)
Gosh, I love HDCP. _not_. ;)
1-19-2008 @ 11:11AM
nailerr said...
The biggest problem for me was that the majority of people just assumed that Full Range RGB over HDMI was an instant improvement with no understanding of the option. A fair number of HDMI devices do not even yet support this mode and as such turning it on only loses you shades into the black turning once fine shadows into black patches.
On top of that SuperWhite is not a compatible option, you either use FullRGB *or* Super White and the two do not work together. In-fact SuperWhite should not even work in games. From Sony's own manual:
"When [Super-White] is set to [On], video content from AVCHD discs recorded in x.v.Colour can be played with a wide colour scale.
* A TV that is compatible with x.v.Colour (xvYCC) must be connected using an HDMI cable.
* An AVCHD disc that was recorded in x.v.Colour must be used."
If anyone wants to TEST their TV for Full RGB capability use the following image:
http://www.spitelords.net/junk/Brightness.jpg
If you can see ALL SIXTEEN SQUARES while RGB Full is set to on, your TV supports this mode. If you do not, even with Brightness turned up high, it does NOT support this mode.
Reply
1-19-2008 @ 11:12AM
moparful99 said...
Well to add to what you're saying, its ironic that the game they choose to show is a ps3 exclusive. Its hard to differentiate graphics for a game on the same freakin console. This whole controversy started over all of the videos comparing cross platform games. So why havent they realeased a cross platform video using full rgb and super white? I agree that these videos are a waste of time due to the compression but you dont realize how many people watch these videos that have yet to purchase either the ps3 or the 360. So if someone on the fence see's these videos and they see the cheaper 360 with equal graphics to the higher priced ps3 then it gives the handicapped advantage to the 360... I think thats why people are so up in arms over this... Gamers in this generation have become soo passionate over their respected console...
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1-19-2008 @ 8:49PM
Dehshizknight said...
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking.
1-19-2008 @ 11:18AM
Blaze463 said...
i guess everyone forgot that Uncharted ONLY runs on 720p....and also i thought the whole arguement was about comparing ps3 to 360 games wtf?
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1-19-2008 @ 11:24AM
Rick said...
There is a HUGE difference near the end where Sully is lighting the giant fire lamp in the HD version. With the component cables, it's dark and hard to see anything. With HDMI it very easy to see things before he lights the lamp.
--Rick
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1-19-2008 @ 12:48PM
Mike Jenkins said...
I don't know what you're smoking, but in that scene they look identical.
1-19-2008 @ 1:20PM
Doug said...
mate i'm pretty sure that it's much brighter on the HDMI simply because of where drake's looking in the game - it's probably the fact that his flashlight is pointing where the camera is looking in HDMI but not in the component video.
1-20-2008 @ 4:51PM
bamf said...
I've seen this and this isn't just a slight difference where you have to look carefully for it, its noticeable straight away. Sometimes when showing the game in component and when it went to hdmi, it did seem like it goes sharper.
1-19-2008 @ 11:24AM
bxbailey said...
actually uncharted supports 1080i but the big issue is that GT doesn't know what full capabilities means, these guys are monkeys.
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