Sony: Fix Coming For PS3 Scaling Issues

Looks like Sony is finally admitting that PlayStation 3's issues with scaling content to the best resolution available on a user's TV are, in fact, issues. GameDaily says they're working on solutions.

Here's a Sony representative's summary of the problem, in case you need clarification:

A small number of older High Definition television sets found in the
United States only have 1080i inputs for HD signals. Those televisions will currently only play some PS3 titles at 480p resolution. PS3 games render images at either 720p or 1080p for High Definition, and you need
720p input on the TV to play select games that do not support 1080p.
This is an issue on the side of the individual television sets, which do not accept 720p input, so when a game outputs an HD signal only at
720p, these select TVs have to display the game at 480p instead.

Sounds right, except for the part about "select games" not supporting 1080p. Right now, only four of the thirteen PlayStation 3 games in my apartment support 1080p. They're the "select" group.

Apparently the same thing happens with Blu-Ray movies if a TV doesn't support 1080i -- the movies will render in 480p, not 720p. It's the same issue -- there's no scaler in the PS3, so things either render in their original HD resolution or get dropped down to standard definition. This issue doesn't exist with Xbox 360, which has a built-in scaler.

That's how I understand the issue, anyway -- if I've got it screwed up, please let me know.

SCEA Comments on PS3 Resolution [GameDaily]