1080i resolution on the PS2?

High definition games on your Playstation 2 with just component video cables? It might be possible. According to the team behind the Xpander HDTV Player the PS2 can display 480p, 576p, 720p, and 1080i resolution. The tool is a boot disc you pop in your Playstation 2 before loading up a game. Through boot menus you can select which resolution you want and the Xpander software will convert the game to your resolution of choice. I know you’re thinking “wait designers didn’t make games with 720p and 1080i native resolution, how does the Xpander do this? Is it magic?” Sort of. “Progressive mode sends twice the number of lines per frame (game permitting), so the resolution is increased vertically (interlaces games need 2 screen updates, or twice the amount of time to send the same video data). Progressive mode and up-scaling best describe the method used by the Xploder HDTV Player.”

Now the real question is will this really make games look a lot better? We haven’t seen it yet and there are no comparison screenshots are around. The device comes out this month so it’s only a matter of time until we will see (or not see) some real results.