Everyone’s got a couple of PlayStation 2’s lying about their house, right? I know I do.
Recently I decided that I’d get it out of its retirement in order to complete Gradius V, sadly when I came to plug it in I discovered I only had a component video cable and wouldn’t you know it, it wasn’t set up in YPBPR mode! Nightmare.
This meant that I had no picture, so although it booted fine, there was no way of navigating the screen to get to the setting that’d enable me to get the picture back. Double nightmare!
Fear not though, thanks to the internet and a bit of retained memory I worked it out. Bear in mind this was a PlayStation 2 Slim that I did this on, so your mileage may vary.
To get the PlayStation 2 into YPBPR mode do the following.
- Start up the PlayStation 2 without a game in it
- Wait about 20 seconds, then press;
- Down
- X
- Down three times
- X
- Left
- X
Bingo! It should now spring back into life, looking like this:

Huzzah, we did it!
This is extremely helpful, a lot easier than switch over to composite cables to change it, thanks.
Omgosh, just bought new wireless controllers, and a new ac and compon entry cable and a bunch of resold games for me 8year old. Thought i was doomed when i changed the component video out, but your post saved me and Christmas thank you!!!
Fantastic. Really appreciate the effort you put into thus. Has made 2 girls (& myself!) V excited and nostalgic!
Thanks this helped me alot.
Thanks so much just bought ps2 to HDMI and I wasn’t able to see but the audio worked fine and now I can see so yay and Thanks for all the help and time you’ve saved me
Thank you, still relevant in 2017!
Still doesn’t work!!!! I get sound but no picture
Odd, are you sure it isn’t your cable?
I’m New here and have the same problem the PS2 to HDMI does this work on a Fatty or just the Slim?
I do it but still no picture only audio. How long should I wait,30 seconds or more?
when you select the different options and press X … it plays a DING sound. Turn up ur TV volume and then try, whether ur actually making selection or not .. you shall come to know
Totally worked for me. Took me two tries but all’s good. What threw me was the first thing I put in was a DVD movie and it worked with no problem. I couldn’t remember the PS2 menu startup so it didn’t seem odd. Then I could get a game to load. Didn’t take too long to find this extremely helpful post
Very helpful thank you!
You sir are a champion.
Thanks a TON for these guidelines.
You are awesome
It worked, but it is in black and white..
Sounds like either you’ve not plugged everything in correctly or you’ve got a broken cable.
Try unplugging the PlayStation end, and cleaning both the connector and the socket with some isopropyl alcohol.
Also try wiggling the cable to see if you get any flashes of colour.
Sounds like the green connector’s ok, but try reseating all the connections at the television end too.
Doesn’t work for me.. Black screen for the ps2 menu etc but then it works in the game.. So it’s just a bit annoying..
Worked for me. Thanks so much for posting this!
Game is galop racer. Game works until ready to race click x then the screen goes blank. Any ideas people???
I realize this is late, but it’s probably your TV having an issue switching from 480p to 240p.
Thanks a lot, this helped me lol.
This still doesn’t work for me 🙁
Thanks so much. I had seen another site offering the advice to change it to this but no instructions on how to do this. I went from not working to working just fine.
I just wanna to ask…went you all do that,how do you all know that the joystick is working…..i had bought a new joystick and i try it so many time..not working for me..anyone can help me??
Have the audio cables plugged in and turn up the volume so you can hear sounds. It makes noise when you move through the menu and when you push buttons.
Thanks dude now back to manhunt lol
Just writing because I was exactly having the same issue as you. Including I wanted to play Gradius V!
Thank yoy very much, you saved my day.
thank u so much